First off, take a .50 caliber over a .45 caliber. There is nothing the .45 caliber can do that the .50 caliber can not do also. Also there is a much better selection of projectiles for the .50 caliber and they are easier to find in your local sporting good stores.

As for your budget and a rifle. I just got a Natchez Shooters Supply catalog today in the mail. They are selling a Knight Disc Rifle for $229.95 and then there is a $50.00 rebate from Knight Rifles. Your final cost for an excellent shooting rifle would be $179.00.

This rifle is all you would need for the rest of your life if you never bought another rifle. It has a 1:28 twist Green Mountian Barrel for exceptional accuracy and quality, and a Timney trigger. It also has Tru Glo fiber optic sights. It comes pre drilled for a scope if you wish to mount one. It also has 209 ignition and because of the bolt action I believe this is considered a sealed breech. I have a Knight Wolverine II but if I did not have the Wolverine, I would soon have this Disc.

Get some Pyrodex powder and some 240 grain T/C Mag Express XTP's and some 300 grain XTP's and load between 80-100 grains of powder. There would not be a deer safe out to 200 yards if you practiced. Also get a cleaning jag, a XTP and Shockwave jag, a see through powder measure, and some cleaning supplies along with a pound of Pyrodex or Triple Se7en, and that big monster deer you've been watching better keep his distance. And I mean distance.....

I just double checked their site.. they claim they are out of that model, yet it is in the catalog. Another rifle "in stock" for a few dollars more is the Knight Disc Magnum

Natchez Shooters Supply