I have a .243 Savage Model 11, I love it. Great gun all around. you can get fairly light bullets, for reloading yourself or in factory loads, but you can also get pretty heavy, atleast heavy enough for the game you describe. Might be large for rabbits and sqirrels, but it is a big range of animals you are tlaking about, it will be hard to get one gun to do it all. you would be better off buying 2. like a .17, or a .22LR, or a .204 ruger, and then a larger one, like a .243. Thats just my opinion, thats what I did.