Re: Help choosing a gun
I'd say pickup a used Remington 870 on the cheap and start modding it. I sold my old stock on e-bay and used the money to pickup a synthetic stock with a picatinny rail to mount a flashlight. I also ebay'd a 18 barrel so I can switch back and forth from blasting ducks and intruders. The whole combo can be had for around 300. Bird shot is great for close range without penetrating walls and everyone knows the sound of the pump action. Just pump that thing and most people will bail.
Ruger 10/22 is also super reliable and inexpensive. I sold the old stock and barrel and picked up a Hogue synthetic rubberized stock and bull barrel for target shooting. Again sell the old and pickup the new cool stuff and it's pretty close to being a wash on the selling of the old and buying the new. Really flexible for options and you would be hard pressed to jam that thing ever. Just don't used rounds with a truncated nose as they may jam feeding. You can also swap out for a target trigger, 50 round magazines, etc as the options are endless.
On the long range side I like sticking to military calibers like .308 or .223 or 7.62x39. Cheap to shoot as you can pickup rounds by the case in full metal jacket for plicking. I have a Czech VZ58 which is kind of like an AK47 but with tighter tolerances and a more elegant design. The 7.62x39 round is ok'ed over here for deer hunting but expect the range to be about the same as 30-30. In the US i'd pickup the AK just cause you can.
In .308 I have a Savage 10FP which again is cheap to shoot and is a bull barrel for target shooting. .223 would be an AR15 but they are range only shooting over here as they are restricted.
You have so many more options in the US as you also have access to a larger market and your prices on ammo are sick
