I have a ranger in the high 30s and have soloed him much of the way there. I tend to use a bow 2 different ways.
Sometimes, if I have the open space, I will pull with the bow and then kite my way backwards often killing white and blue mobs without ever drawing a blade.
But most of the time, I pull with the bow, wait for the mob to close and then melee him into the here-after, (preferably his, not mine!)
With decent armor, a good pair of fast dual wield weapons, (at least one of which is imbued), and the use of a good poison, there is no reason you can't take down challenging mobs with mostly melee if you so choose...