I also have a 7mm Mag. and worry about beating it up to bad. It is also long and cumbersome when I hunt in a climber or in some of the box stands. I bought a Winchester Lever action 44 Mag. from a pawn shop for $200 for my son. I will use this gun when I hunt in tight areas with short shots (<100 yards). I have shot it several times and it is a real treat compared to the heavy kicking 7mm Mag. (I weigh 155 lbs.). I would recommend it to anyone.

Don' t mean to really start something, just giving you a ribbing I guess....Complaining about the 7mm mag' s recoil is just complaining!!! Especially relating it to size!!

I' m only 165# at the present (" dressed" weight), and only bulk up to 175-180# during the summers (I wrestle, so " sucking weight" in the winter is a must), I guess I' m inured to high recoil rounds, as I' ve been shooting them since God knows when, my second deer rifle, and the second gun rifle I was allowed to handle (.22lr' s not included) was a .375H&H, my current battery displays a couple .416' s and several .45-70' s capable of handling loads pushing beyond the recoil of average 7mms. It' s all in your head!!!! Go hunt ducks with a 12ga and 3" mags for a while, I bet you don' t think your shoulder hurts that bad, but I guarantee your 7mm doesn' t generate as much recoil as your 12ga. You just need to learn to handle recoil, and probably shoot more often. And wear ear plugs and muffs, try that for a bench day and see how bad your shoulder hurts at the end, bet it' s not half as bad as if you don' t wear both, or any at all for that matter, as many folks don' t!!!

i vote for 308

As it seems your backup or secondary is actually a second primary I would have to agree with nomercy and recommend a 45-70. My first was an old H&R and it was great. If you want more than the single shot the Marlin lever guns are superb and a load of fun. Picking up that short range powerhouse will give you a well rounded variety coupled with your long range shooter.

Maine Hunter

you can get an 8MM mauser for little or nothing and it' s a powerful round for a back up.