Rifles

Rifles split cleanly by what you are doing. An AR-pattern rifle is the default for home defence, competition and general range use — modular, cheap to feed, and every part is available. A bolt gun is for precision and hunting, where one accurate shot matters more than the second one.

Chambering follows the same logic. 5.56 is cheap enough to practise with seriously. .308 and 6.5 Creedmoor reach further and hit harder at the cost of recoil and ammunition price. .22 LR remains the most underrated rifle purchase there is — it teaches fundamentals for pennies a round.

Barrel length is the decision people regret. Short is handy indoors and loud everywhere; long is quieter and steadier and awkward in a hallway. If a short barrel is what you want, look at the SBR and suppressor routes before you buy — the tax stamp is $0 now, which changes that maths completely.