It depends a lot on how far you're shooting. If you're only shooting out to 150 yards or so, get a .44 magnum rifle. If you want to go to 200 yards, a .350 legend would probably be pretty good. Another candidate for 150 to 200 yards would be a 7.62 x 39, especially in a Ruger Ranch rifle. I'm shooting steel cased 154 grain spire points into an inch and a half at 100 yards, and I think that would be fine for deer or bear within 200 yards.

If you want to go further than that, then you'd have to explore some of the stuff the other posters mentioned (like a .243 or a loaded back 7-08). But I don't think you're gonna get past 300 yards for deer and black bear and still have something that most people would consider to have low recoil.


“To give anything less than the best is to sacrifice the gift.” -Steve Prefontaine

Matthew 25:31-46