Rifle: AR-15 or AR-10. You can get easy-to-finish kit receivers from Polymer80 for at least one of these if not both now.
Additional firearms: .22LR rifle and pistol for practicing. Ruger 10/22 is standard, I would suggest the Browning Buckmark over the Ruger pistol because the Browning is just plain better.
I would suggest finding an old copy of Mel Tappan's "Survival Guns" at a library or used bookstore, and just go to the end of the book to read the recommended arsenals by various gun luminaries. The one that has always stuck with me is Jeff Cooper's recommendations. I always found Cooper to be a blowhard dinosaur, particularly with his "only the Colt 1911 is any good, don't use anything else!" because that gun has so many stupid problems with it that it will get you killed. However, his reasoning for his (other) picks in his arsenal was brilliant.
And because I just *know* some 1911 fanboi is going to come along: go read Blitz308's story of his self-defense shooting over on the AR-15 general discussion forum. Exactly what happened to him is exactly why I have always thought the 1911 was a fucking stupid firearm, since long before it happened to him live and in realtime.
Shotgun: Remington 11-87. Edit: 12ga obviously
Rifle: AR-15 or AR-10. You can get easy-to-finish kit receivers from Polymer80 for at least one of these if not both now.
Additional firearms: .22LR rifle and pistol for practicing. Ruger 10/22 is standard, I would suggest the Browning Buckmark over the Ruger pistol because the Browning is just plain better.
I would suggest finding an old copy of Mel Tappan's "Survival Guns" at a library or used bookstore, and just go to the end of the book to read the recommended arsenals by various gun luminaries. The one that has always stuck with me is Jeff Cooper's recommendations. I always found Cooper to be a blowhard dinosaur, particularly with his "only the Colt 1911 is any good, don't use anything else!" because that gun has so many stupid problems with it that it will get you killed. However, his reasoning for his (other) picks in his arsenal was brilliant.
And because I just *know* some 1911 fanboi is going to come along: go read Blitz308's story of his self-defense shooting over on the AR-15 general discussion forum. Exactly what happened to him is exactly why I have always thought the 1911 was a fucking stupid firearm, since long before it happened to him live and in realtime.
That grip safety? I hate it. Just read that post for the first time and I now know why I do.