I'm right with Pepaw on this one, go with the Stevens. It does not have a scope, but keep in mind on models which come with a scope, Wally World or whoever puts the least expensive piece of junk scope they and find on the rifle just to move it. You're buddy is going to be a whole lot better off buying the rifle and then scope, well, he needs to buy bases and rings too. Knew someone in Milan, N.M., who bought a cheap Savage with a scope on it in .30/06 and all it took was six shots before the scope broke. He still had to buy anohter scope. Good Luck. Tom Purdom