With a maximum of 150 yards, what about a .44 Magnum? I picked up a Ruger 44 Carbine (tube magazine), and it is a very nice rifle.
I got a Carcano in 6.5mm Japanese (Type I), which got me interested in the round. It was shortened, so figured that the rifle would be a nice beginner rifle, or something light for my girlfriend. For $149, it was hard to pass it up. Problem was that it also got me into Carcanos... which resulted in an Oswald replica rifle (in 6.5mm Carcano).
The Carcano calibers, 6.5mm and 7.35mm, are similar to the Arisaka calibers... if you want something different. Just the 6.5mm is more common than 7.35mm, being it was brought back when Italy couldn't transition to 7.35mm in World War II.