RE: Looking for a new rifle (30-06 I think)
OK so your wanting to go Black Bear hunting?
So here are some good choices of cartridges with moderate recoil:
308, 270, 30-06, 7mm-08, 30-30, 35 Rem, 25-06 and actually a 243 would be good as long as you dot have a 500# bear in front of you.
As for a rifle i really love my Tikka and for $550 you cant beat it. Other good choices are Ruger, Savage, Remington, Weatherby.