-=What is your preferred firearm?? Im shopping=-

9mm

SMS
Tapco furniture
red green dot with doubler
light with bipod
20 round clip stripper clips
good for suppresive fire

Do any of your friends have weapons? If so, maybe you can test out their weapons. Everybody has different preferences.
You might already know this but I'll say it just in case. The AK is probably the best weapon out there. You can drop it in the mud, pick it up and shoot it. The stopping power is much better than the AR but not as accurate.
The AR is much more accurate. You can find a lot of accessories for it. I know that you can add a .22 conversion to it which is a plus. The negative about the AR is that you have to keep it clean. If you don't, expect problems. You definitely want a chrome lined barrel.
It depends on what you want. Look at it this way, The AK is like a chainsaw and the AR is like a scalpel. Sorry for the cheesy analogy.

Marlin Model 60 .22 Semi-Auto

[link to www.jackgarvey.com]

great rifle!

I will pitch in on the other choices after making this comment:

Someone recommended a 357 for CC. That is actually a very good choice and my wife CCs the 357. You leave not a single shell behind, which is a plus - unless you reload, but you can palm the spents and pocket them.

There are a couple of considerations between the 45 and 357:

On the .45acp, use full metal jackets. Do NOT use the super hollows or semi-jackets or new FBI modified heads that "mushroom better" on impact. The 1911 was designed for the FMJ (military ball) and that is what should be used.

On the 357, you most definitely want to use hollow point as that will help slow the bullet on impact. With such a fast round, the 357 can not only take out the perp in front of you, but the 291 innocent black children lined up behind him. Imagine the "hate" lawsuits and you realize your life is over. You must be extra aware of the area behind your target with the 357. I own a couple, good gun. Wife owns the super-light frame Smith 357 - good gun but the lightness doesn't absorb recoil. You will bruise your hand with hot magnum loads in the light-frame 357, no matter how burly you think you are.

On shotguns, the Mossberg is cheap and reliable. Why spend more? Use 00 buck or slug. The magnum version is a bit longer so you will fit 1 less shell in the tube.

I agree with the others on assault rifles. If you don't go lever action (30-30, 45-70), then go with the 308 version of just one of the blackies. You don't need two.

A .22 is very cheap and very useful. Yes, a 22 can and will kill with sometimes better reliability than other guns. The 22 round zips in so fast and is so light that it will ricochet off of every bone as it bounces around in the body turning your insides to mush. I'd rather be shot with a 9mm than a 22.

As for the scoffer who called "bullshit" about my Baby Desert Eagle comment, I own the piece of shit. It jammed on military ball twice in the first two clips fired. A stovepipe and FTF! On FMJ! I would give the gun away, but would feel responsible when the piece of shit fails to save someone's life.

phase plasma rifle in the 40 watt range