What is the Best gun? What gun should I buy? How can I justify buying this gun?

These are questions that newbies plague firearm discussion areas with. They cannot be usefully answered without specifying what you want the gun for. So I have picked some of the more common reasons, and given the best answers I can. This is by no means authoritative, but hopefully a useful starting point. I have only fired 7 of the 19 guns listed here.

Self Defense: Concealed Carry

If you are in a state that requires it, apply for a carry permit now, they can take a while (months) to process.
If you are only going to own one gun, this is probably a good place to start, because the requirements of a Concealed Carry gun are the strictest. Basically, select something that is as powerful as you can comfortably carry on a regular basis. If you get something that is so large that you may grow weary of carrying it, it is of no use to you. A .22LR in the pocket is better than a .44 Magnum at home in a drawer. Semi-automatics tend to be slimmer and therefore more comfortable to carry than revolvers. Some people still prefer a revolver because they are more simple and therefore more reliable. You want a concealable handgun because not only are police not going to be there to protect you at every moment, they are not even under any legal obligation to protect you. www.SmallestGuns.com may be useful. You would probably benefit from reading A Simple Guide for Buying and Carrying a Self-Defense Handgun

Kimber 1911 Compact, .45ACP, $710

The 1911 was named after the year in which it was designed. It is a thoroughly tested and proven design, and fires the very substantial .45ACP round. It also happens to be rather slim, and Compact (4" barrel) or Ultra-Compact (3" barrel) models can be very convenient to wear. It is also a single-action, which means that its trigger pull is much more responsive. The 3 largest manufacturers of 1911s are Kimber, Springfield Armory, and Colt. I've heard nothing good about Colt lately, and Kimber has the most modern machining processes.

Mine is overly susceptible to limp-wristing.

Kahr MK40, .40S&W, $680

A compromise between power and size, the Kahr MK40 is tiny, yet still fires the fairly formidable .40S&W round.

In the 1986 FBI Miami shootout the 9mm round proved insufficiently effective, so they switched to 10mm which had unmanageable recoil, so they reduced the powder, and then reduced case length corresponding to reduced powder, which resulted in the .40S&W.

Kel-Tec P32, .32ACP, $320

While the Kel-Tec P32 only fires the small .32ACP cartridge, it is extremely concealable. You will basically never have an excuse not to wear it. This makes it a "deep concealment" gun. You can also get a clip that attaches to the frame so you can wear it clipped inside the top of your pants, which looks like it's a folding knife.

Smith & Wesson Model 60, $560

Any small frame 5 round .357 or .38 really. Fine rounds, and tiny.

Although the .38 was found ineffective similarly to the 9mm in the above mentioned FBI shootout. And the .357 has a lot of kick for such a small gun.

Home Defense

12 gage shotgun. It dumps an immense amount of energy into your target at close range. It is less likely to over-penetrate than most other firearms, so you're less likely to accidentally kill a neighbor, while it is still plenty effective at the longest ranges you are likely to encounter inside your home. Other things like pistols and rifles will punch relatively small holes in an attacker, while a 12ga shotgun will blow significant chunks out and almost certainly knock them over. I recommend a pump shotgun for reliability. Some semi-automatic shotguns have difficulty reliably cycling some types of ammunition. A pump shotgun will still work when packed full of mud. You can get ammunition which is specifically designed for home defense that will kick less hard, and penetrate fewer walls, if it is to be used by a smaller person, or over-penetration is more of a concern to you. More magazine capacity is good. Some believe that a smaller magazine capacity and correspondingly shorter barrel length improves a shotgun's maneuverability enough to be worth the loss of magazine capacity. I prefer more magazine capacity.

Mossberg 590, 8 round magazine, $400

I prefer the Mossberg 590, with an 8 round magazine. This is a combat style shotgun with a large magazine capacity.

Liberty

"To preserve liberty it is essential that the whole body of the people always possess arms and be taught alike, especially when young, how to use them." -- Senator Richard Henry Lee, 1788

Rifles can be equipped with Scopes or Iron Sights, or both. Scopes are fragile. That's bad. I suggest iron sights, at least as a backup.
Appropriate (typical) rifles for this category:

Assault Rifles, or semi-automatic versions thereof

Effective range of about 215 yards.
Smaller ammunition (less damage, but it's easier to carry more).
30 round detachable magazines.

Main Battle Rifles

Effective range of about 500 yards.
Larger ammunition (more damage, more bulky to carry)
20 round detachable magazines.

Bushmaster AR-15, 5.56mm NATO, $900

The semi-automatic civilian version of the M16 Assault Rifle (current U.S. military issue), it is modern, and more accurate than the AK-47, but is stereotyped as very unreliable and prone to jamming, but like the AK, modern versions are less prone to the old stereotypical problems. The two biggest names in ARs are Armalite and Colt, but the equivalents from Bushmaster tend to be less expensive. 30 round detachable magazines are commonly available. Many versions of the AR are available. "Match" versions are intended to be as accurate as possible for match competitions, without regard to the effects on durability. For this reason I would suggest a standard no-frills version.

Arsenal SA-M7, 7.62x39, $600

Semi-automatic copy of the AK-47 Assault Rifle. One of the most common firearms in the world, The AK is commonly recognized as the most reliable. It is stereotyped as inaccurate, but this is less true in current models, especially from Bulgaria (Arsenal). 30 round detachable magazines are commonly available, and the ammunition is cheap.

FAL, 7.62x50mm NATO / .308, $1100

The FAL is another popular Main Battle Rifle that fires the 7.62x51mm NATO / .308 Win. cartridge. Popular enough that the most common feedback I've gotten on this page has been complaints that I forgot to list it.

M14, 7.62x51mm NATO / .308, $2500

Prohibitively expensive.
M14 Main Battle Rifle. Standard U.S. Infantry issue before the M16. Said to be the most accurate semi-automatic rifle. Fires the 7.62x51mm NATO round, which is significantly more substantial than the 5.56mm NATO cartridge. Uses a 20 round detachable magazine.

AR-10, 7.62x50mm NATO / .308, $1400

Larger caliber version of the AR-15. Get the more reliable FAL instead.

Sniping

A long range variation on the previous theme. A very precise bolt action rifle with a good scope. I suggest .308 winchester caliber, because it is effective and common - also known as 7.62mm NATO, it is one of the major ammunition types used by the U.S. military. You may want to spend about as much money on your scope as you do on the rifle. Or not. Leupold makes good scopes. This is identical to a deer hunting rifle.

Remington 700P, $870

Previously known as the Remington Police Sniper Special - it is one of the most accurate out of the box rifles in a reasonable price range. It is known to do less than 1" diameter groups at 100 yards without modification.

Remington 700VS, $560

Remington 700 Varmint Synthetic - the two significant differences from the 700P are a cheaper stock, and a significantly lower price. Since everything else that's important - the barrel, receiver, trigger, etc., are the same, it is an excellent option if you want the best but would prefer to save some money. Also available left-handed, which the 700P is not.

Long Range Anti-Material

So you want to take out light armored vehicles at a mile, eh? You want a rifle that fires the .50BMG round. It's big. The rifles are really big. Bolt-actions are, once again, most accurate. You'll want a powerful and rugged scope for it too (recoil affects optics as well as your shoulder).

Serbu .50BFG, .50BMG, $2200

The Serbu .50BFG is an accurate, well designed, attractive bolt-action .50BMG rifle. I believe it is the least expensive .50BMG rifle. I'd love one.

Target Shooting - Pistol

It is very useful to have an .22LR pistol for target practice, since the ammunition is extremely cheap. Select a semi-auto or revolver to match the most common handgun(s) you use for other purposes.

Sig Trailside Target, .22LR, $600

Designed by a major company known to make exceptional competition .22LR pistols to be sold in the more common plinker price range, it has exceptional accuracy for its price.

Browning Buckmark, .22LR, $400

Another common quality choice.

Ruger Mark II, .22LR, $300

Probably the most common choice, but a pain to clean and assemble.

Home Defense - Pistol

Some people specifically want a handgun instead of a shotgun for home defense for various reasons. Some like the increased maneuverability, some like that it is easier to hide. I still think you should get a shotgun. If you must have a pistol, get something with the most firepower (powerful cartridge, large magazine capacity).

Para-Ordnance P14.45, .45ACP, $810

The Para-Ordnance P14.45 is a variant of the 1911. It uses the formidable .45ACP cartridge, and has a capacity of 14+1 rounds (14 in the magazine, one in the chamber).

Smith & Wesson Model 627, .357, $1000

Any 8 or 7 round .357 Magnum. .44magnum recoil takes too long to re-acquire your target, and the additional power is of no benefit. .357 Magnum has plenty excessive over-penetration and recoil.

Entertainment

Desert Eagle .50, .50AE, $1210

This had to be listed, primarily to say what it is not. It is not the best of anything practical (in .357 magnum, .44 magnum, or .50 action express).

It is not the best carry gun. It is far to big to reasonably carry. It holds the most rounds in .357, only 9. The Para-Ordnance P14 holds 55% more, of similarly powerful rounds. In .44 mag. it holds 8. In .50AE it only holds 7. .357 is appropriate to take out an attacker, the rest are overkill, and just less magazine capacity.

It is not the best home defense gun. Its ammunition is all significantly less effective at indoor ranges against attackers than a 12ga shotgun, including less area of effect.

It is not the best gun for use in multiple areas, because it's not well suited to any of them. For this, go look in the self or home defense sections.

So what is it? A hell of a conversation piece. It's the biggest pistol you can get. There's reasons it's popular in movies. If you do get one, go all the way and get it chambered in .50AE. Oh yeah, and it has a fascinating gas blowback system, more common in rifles.

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