A good, basic bolt action in 22 lr is probably the ideal practice gun for marksmanship. It is also a fine gun for plinking, small game hunting, and occasionally bird hunting under the right conditions. It is a poor self defense firearm choice. It's effective range limit is somewhere between 50 to 100 yards. A good used bolt action 22 lr can be had for around $100.

The most popular cartridge/action combination is the winchester model 94 lever action rifle in 30-30. It has taken more big game in the US than any other firearm/cartridge combination. It is an adequate self defense firearm choice. It's effective range limit is somewhere between 150 and 200 yards. A good used lever gun in 30-30 can be had for around $300.

The most popular shotgun round is the 12 gauge. There is a fair balance in the popularity of various actions; break open doubles, pumps, and semi-autos. A good used pump action 12 gauge shotgun can be had for less than $300. A shotgun is not a rifle, as it has a smooth bore, although you can buy a rifled barrel for many models of pump-action and semi automatics that chamber a 12 gauge case. A 12 gauge using a modified choke has a nominal effective range of up to 60 yards for bird hunting.

A good basic revolver chambered for the 22 lr cartridge is an ideal practice pistol for marksmanship. A good used model can be had for $150.

A good basic revolver chambered for 38 special/357 magnum is an ideal general purpose pistol. Practice ammunition is inexpensive. Self defense loads exceed performance capabilities of any 9mm round, and it can be an effective hunting tool for up to deer sized game. A good used 357 magnum revolver can be had for less than $250.