A lever action 30-30 is what I would suggest, I like the Marlin 336. It kicks about the same as a .243 and either one is a good choice. I've heard a couple of guys say that the .243 is louder due to the higher speed of the bullet and that their wives perceived this cartridge as being worse than it really is. The 30-30 makes a softer sound that's not as scary to someone who might be gun shy.