.308 is a decent all-rounder for you. Gives you a lot of options when it's time to rebarrel too... .260, 7-08, .243, et cetera. It's going to be heavy for hunting, but look at a heavy barrel varmint version of a Remington 700 (or tactical, or police version). Give it a bedding and trigger job, and you'll really have to spend a lot more to beat it.

I'll let the others address glass on the market... I just haven't shopped anything for a long time.