My thoughts on this topic revolve mainly around 'bang for the buck', durability, and dependability.

22lr - Ruger 10/22 with folding stock for easy transport.

Rem 870 - All the punch you need out of a 12 gauge, without all the combat tupperware

Sigma 40 - Knock it all you want, but there is a reason S&W was sued by Glock over this gun. For 300, you can't go wrong. I'd rather have two of these guns, than a single Glock

HiPoint 9mm - Ugly as hell, feels cheap in the hand, but bought mine for $60 used, and the bullet goes where you point. Everytime. Buy a couple and have one in each vehicle, and stash one somewhere.

Mini-14 - Don't have one yet, but this is what I'm thinking as far as my 'battle rifle'. I don't want a TactiCool CombatTupperwear gun. I prefer the utilitarian look.

Marlin 1894 30-30 - Looks to everyone else like an old outdated cowboy gun, but with six in the tube, and a seventh in the chamber, a little training with the lever action can result in some suprisingly fast follow-up shots with a .30 caliber slug. Vicious.

Mosin Nagant - Don't forget this beast. At $100/gun, and $85/440 rounds, you can throw a LOT of lead. With $1000, you could realistically arm 5 people with an M44, 100 rounds of ammo apiece, AND still have $500 left over to buy 5 HiPoint 9mm WITH ammo. Think about it. If I had the choice of one average AR or four armed friends, I'd take the friends.

As far as putting game on the table, I love me my little Savage .17HMR. Literally, you can shoot out a critters eye at 150 yards, and headshot all day at 200. Amazing round.
Birds go POOF.

Just my $.02