I haven't bought a hunting rifle for myself for 15 years. Prior to that I packed around a sporterized 9 pound 03-A3 for many seasons. As Testar77 (above) will attest, I travel through timber for miles. I'd probably double my hunting distances if I hunted open country. -While carrying day pack along with holstered Super Black Hawk. Weight of a rifle is not all that important to me. Although anything over 9 pounds to me is best used from bench, not in the field.
Along with what McGunner said, Accuracy. A rifle must be accurate for the distances I intend on shooting and killing game. I don't expect a hunting rifle to be a tack driver at 500yds. I shoot well, but I don't practice at such a long range. I've never needed to shoot a Deer at more than 250yds.
Trigger! You can have a super accurate barrel/reciever combination in a glass bedded Kevlar stock, but a rough, heavy weight, extended 'pre-travel' and long vacation 'over travel' trigger will ruin the potential accuracy of any shooter/rifle combination. A trigger must be 3way adjustable. Crisp. All I want is 'Click'. Nothing else.
Balance. A rifle needs to balance well when in the field. A little muzzle heavy is my preference. Not just for shooting. The rifle has to balance well in my hand. My rifle is slung on my shoulder 10% of the time I'm in the field. The rest of the time it's in my right hand horizontal or cradled in both arms. My hand forward of the trigger guard across the floor plate. If there's too much weight aft of there, then it would not carry well.
I require smooth bolt and cartridge feed operation.
The safety needs to be able to be selected even with gloves on. I prefer a tang safety or one to the right of the tang. FORWARD to FIRE.
Steel trigger guard. So many rifles are coming out with aluminum or composite trigger guards. Take a fall and break a trigger guard and you may just turn that rifle into a single shot for the rest of your trip, -as the floor plate most likely latches there. (not an issue for an internal box or removable magazine)
Although I've never had issue with the Ruger style locking scope ring/mounts, I'm leaning on the weaver rail style as my boys have them on their rifles, and if anything can pass the test of teenagers in the field, it's got to be OK.
Fit... Nothing fits me. As I am not average Joe American. I'm 5'8', 160#s with small hands. But when I pull a rifle to sight a shot, I must be able to put cross hairs, irons or peep on target without fuss. Some rifles just feel better than others. And I'm not opposed to changing length of pull by changing recoil pad or trimming the butt of a stock. If I like all the features of a barrelled action, then replacing a stock with one of proper LOP and Drop is not out of the question to get that rifle to swing into position just as it is extension of my hands.
Strength. Bolt locking lugs, -Although a gunsmith's nightmare regarding bolt timing, The more, the bigger, the better. A reciever needs to have sufficient metal and lug area to properly bed into a stock.
Finish is not extremely important to me, but I figure that my next rifle will be stainless.
Extraction. Ruger's bolt action extraction process has never faild me. -Even with a belted magnum wildcat that I load a bit on the warm side.
Short action, Long action... Doesn't matter to me.
I would like a detachable magazine in my next hunting rifle.
All that said, I've recently purchased a Marlin XL7 for my 14 year old son. Ordered it for it's features within a price point. Nothing purchased over the counter will fit him. And it'll stay in stock configuration until he grows more. Other than that, it has a fluted bolt for very smooth operation. The XL7 is touted to be very accurate within it's price. The trigger is adjustable, with much the same design concept as the Savage Accu trigger. Changing caliber appears to be quite simple with a few tools, ala Savage style barrel lock nut. Composite stock for durability.
I love my Ruger 77, but I figure that the Browning A-Bolt, Savage 116FCSS and Tikka T3 rifles will get a hard look when I decide to purchase a new hunting rifle. Else.. I'll build something.
My 16 year old son will need a rifle as he grows out of his Rossi Single Shot. I'm building a sporterized Eddystone Enfield 1917 in 30-06 for him. First thing I've purchased for it is a Timney trigger group.
-Steve
