Custom, Partial Custom or Factory? 2k budget

[rootacres]

So I've been doing a ton of reading lately and wanted to get some feedback. I know this topic probably gets beat to death, but this is specific to me so I'm going to ask away. I've been contemplating this for a few weeks now and wanted some opinions and guidance. Is it worth going a completely custom route for a bolt action hunting rifle? I dont want to loose quality do to my budget not sure its even possible. Another alternative would be to buy a Tikka that everyone raves about and later build off the action. Another option Ive considered is just buying a higher end factory rifle which for me would be in the ballpark of a Seekins Havak PH2, a barret fieldcraft, or even a CA Mesa or Ridgeline. I currently have a .308 Browning hells canyon and I like it but want to add something else to the arsenal.

The practical application and justification for this rifle would be primarily hunting. Im NE PA guy but im looking to get my feet wet out west and hopefully other places. I'm really considering a 300 Win or 6.5PRC as the optimal calibers for my purpose. Please blast away with opinions or recommendations. Thanks!

I too wanted a higher end factory rifle that I planned on doing load development on. I picked up a new CA Ridgeline 300 WSM off GB for $1550. Dropped it in a HS Precision Stock not because it needed it but because I wanted to, I ended up doing a DIY recoil lug bed job on it as well. I won't tell you it ended up a .5 MOA rifle but if I did my part 3/4 MOA was about the best I got (Im sure part of it was me too).

So fast forward a year and one successful DIY backcountry mule deer hunt and now I want to build my own full blown custom rifle. I had a great time doing load development and thought building the complete package exactly how I wanted would be fun. I sold the Ridgeline for $1500 on here, put that cash toward the build. I landed on a 7mm WSM partially because I like the bullet options in 7mm, I like the short action package, and I thought a slightly less popular cartridge would be cool. Now after 6 months and some load development Im shooting 4" groups at 600 yds.

So I guess the moral of the story for me was, I went the higher end production route until I confirmed that I wanted to take the financial plunge into the custom world.