For doing all you anticipate, a .500 NE will do the job as safely and as efficiently as possible. A .577 or .600 would be simply too much weight to lug around for such overall work, though they would certainly do the job at hand. 9.3/.375/.400 too light for such use, and over time, may lead to serious problems for shooter, if not backed up by something heavier. .450 class would do the job well, only .500 will do it much better, especially in event of a close encounter of the first kind.