The question involved "an inexpensive , rugged, bolt action .308".
Maybe you folks are in a different income bracket, but $2500 doesn't sound "inexpensive" to me. The Savage rifles are decent for the price but are not especially rugged. Some of the other rifles sound good, but spare parts are scarce, and repairs would require a skilled gunsmith. (Anyone want to replace a Remington 700 extractor in the field?)
So, I'll go with those who opted for a "sporterized" Mauser 98. Nothing but rugged, plenty accurate, and with spare parts up the yingyang, in the unlikely event any were ever needed. VZ-24 amd K.98 rifles and actions are all over, still in the $100 or less range. Every gunsmith who isn't ashamed to hang a shingle can work on them and they are made to be taken down by the soldier in the field.
Plenty of scope mounts, stocks of every kind and material, certainly able to take a deer at 400 yards if the shooter can do it. Rugged and simple are certainly two words that define the 98 Mauser.
Jim