When you say 'primarily for target use', do you mean personal target shooting for fun, or competition target shooting to win matches?
Also, do you want a bolt action, a semi-auto action or a lever action rifle?
Do you prefer tube-fed magazines? Do you prefer detachable magazines?
Do you hate both and want single-shot?
All of the recommendations are good guns, as far as I know. I have only had experience with the two .22lr rifles I actually own and have found them to be quite reliable and accurate, with proper mainentance. My two are both Marlins: Model 60 and Model 39A. Of those two, the Model 60 can take your scope more readily than the lever-action 39A.
Both will take squirrels and birds well, and both work fine for my range-fun type of target shooting. I am a real threat to all tin cans with either!
The advantage of the Marlin Model 60 is that you can spend a LOT less than your stated budget, and use the rest for a few thousand rounds of ammo.
Many love the Ruger 10/22, but it seems you have to spend about $150-200 to make it as accurate as the Marlin Model 60 is out of the box. If you don't like the tube mag, Marlin Model 795 [I think] is a detachable mag version of the Model 60: same accuracy/reliability as 60, but with detachable mag.
10/22's have THOUSANDS of accessories, it seems like, to customize it. One year you could make it look like an M1 Carbine, another you could make it look like a modern assault rifle, a third you could deck it out to look like a hi-priced thumbhole stocked target rifle, or you could leave it stock. I know the Model 60 Marlin has Dragunov-style stocks available for it, but there aren't many other options in accessories.
Again, I am not putting down any of the rifles already suggested. I am just offering some 'other' ideas based on the concept that you are describing a range gun for personal fun and mild hunting as your goal, and not a competition-level target gun.
If I am wrong, then move on up to the higher end guns already mentioned, and that will be mentioned.
Cliff