Do you have a 1911? How about a Hi-Power?
Do you hunt? Maybe a good quality deer rifle or duck gun?
Want to blast for cheap at the range? Hell, you can blast cheaply with an inexpensive SKS...I'd buy something more substantial than an expensive AR variant. Sure, they look cool, but the 223 is very limited in what you can hunt with it.
Most of the guys I see at our range, that have spent big bucks on a col-looking AR, are shooting targets at 50-100yards. Hell, you can do it better and cheaper with a decent bolt action in 223 or 308 and not have to add all that crap to it to make it fly right. I know ARs look cool, but theres so much more you can buy for the outlay of cash, I cannot see paying what they want for a semiauto 223 rifle...and thats all it is.
Want a 22 rifle? I'd go with a CZ bolt action or a Marlin Model 39 lever action. Both are built ten times better than the crappy 10-22 and will out-shoot the 10-22 all day long. They are made of steel and walnut, not cast aluminum, plastic and a birch boat oar stock, like the 10-22. Do you want tiny groups or something that just looks cool? Also, you can't carry around those bull barreled 10-22s for hunting, so to me, they're worthless.
Want a big bore pistol? A Ruger Super Blackhawk or Smith 629 are the top of the heap.
Shotguns? Well if you're wanting a pump-gun and want to buy it new, I'd go with an 870 Remington. Its the most versatile shottie out there.
These are my suggestions.
-Brickboy240
-Brickboy240