The Top 5 Guns Every American Should Own

For many people, this title might seem ridiculous. Many Americans don't even own five guns, let alone maybe even one gun. This isn't meant to help guide your first gun purchase, although there will be follow-on articles about that. This is more about a place to possibly aspire to, or reflect on what you may have or have wanted, and see how it might align or contrast with what I present here. If we had to do everything with five guns in our safe, these are the ones I've picked and I explain why. I've placed these in an order of most importance, given not everyone is made of money, or wants to get all of these, but if you had to budget and work up to it, these would be the five. Also, depending on your individual needs and lifestyle, you may look at this and decide to prioritize them differently than I have. I've also made recommendations as to what to obtain, if you know nothing of the different types and kinds of guns, you can at least look at these recommendations and see if they're available locally (they probably won't be, but asking around enough gets results). If I'm recommending it, I know you won't have problems, breakages, or issues -I like offering advice and not having anyone come back with bad experiences -be it customers, friends, or family.  So here they are.

1) The Defensive Pistol

I understand that in these times, 9mm ammunition is tough to find, and when you do find it, it tends to be overpriced. Someday, whenever that is, ammunition will return. I would recommend a 9mm pistol, but that may be tough right now to source the gun and definitely the ammunition. The bottom line is, we're looking for any pistol that you are capable and competent with to defend yourself with. We're about 8 months too late to be picky, but in ideal circumstances for most people, I'd recommend a 9mm semi-automatic pistol if possible and you're able to shoot it well. I recommend 9mm because under normal circumstances, it's lowest-cost of the common semi-auto, centerfire pistol calibers. It's the least recoil (easier to manage/control while shooting), and due to the cartridge size, the gun can hold the most amount of ammunition in its magazines. With modern propellants and bullet construction, 9mm is no slouch, and in fact some defensive (hollow point) loads are clocking in at the bottom-end of the .357 Magnum spectrum in terms of terminal ballistics. 

Pistols are, in my opinion, the hardest to get good at shooting, and require the most training to stay good with (compared to rifles and shotguns). But, a good pistol you're comfortable and competent with brings benefits other types of guns cannot provide. It's lightweight, small, portable, and concealable. If we wanted to get into concealed carry, or have something handy to keep in the desk drawer, night stand, or pocket, the pistol can do it where anything else cannot. In essence, it's the gun you're most-likely to actually have on your person in public (if you choose to conceal carry), in the console of the car at least, or close by in your home. Some pistols are ideal just really for home defense (bigger and heavier, not something you'd want to carry). Some are designed and intended mainly for concealed carry (giving up magazine capacity and size in exchange for the ease of concealing and carrying). You'll see letters next to the guns to explain their intended, usual, or best uses -but you could use any of these pistols for any purpose if needed. "H" is for Home Defense, and "C" is for concealed carry. If you're looking for a pistol that could do both main purposes well, take note to the ones with both an "H" and "C" next to them.

Glock (Generation 3, 4, or 5 recommended only)
17 (H)
19 (H, C)
19X and 45 (H, C)
43 and 43X (C)
48 (C, H) 

Sig Sauer
P320 (H, C)
P365 (C)
P365 XL (C, H)

Smith & Wesson (original generation fine, but their "2.0" generation recommended if possible)
M&P9 2.0 (H, C)
M&P9C 2.0 (C)
M&P9 Shield (C)
M&P9 Shield EZ (C, H) *ideal for recoil-sensitive shooters, or strength issues with racking the slide.

Heckler & Koch (H&K)
VP9 (H, C)
VP9 SK (C)

Walther
PPS (C)
PPQ (H, C)

Extras
Glock 42 -It's chambered in .380 ACP, but it's light-recoiling and really light and small.
Glock 44 -It's a .22 trainer pistol, but if there's strength issues with racking the slide, and recoil sensitivity issues, it's better than nothing.
Smith & Wesson M&P 380 Shield EZ -A .380 ACP version of the same abovementioned gun.
Ruger SR22 -Another .22 trainer pistol, which can also be used as a defensive gun for those with strength issues, recoil sensitivity, or arthritis. 

The "Avoid at all costs" list
I don't want this to sound like elitism, or "if you don't have my favorite guns, then you're wrong" kind of thing. I'm in the firearms industry. I deal with and repair broken guns on a daily basis. Again, this is what I'm comfortable recommending knowing full-well that you'll never hit me back disappointed or let-down by your purchase. It won't break, cause you any problems, and you'll be well taken care of for life by your purchase. I've left out some guns that are still great, but not to a quality standard I'm comfortable recommending, or they are a quality firearm yet they have an urgent and continuous training need beyond that of the ones I've listed. This last portion is devoted to the guns I could never recommend to anyone, except for a very thin line of exacting and exceptional circumstances (usually pertaining to budget issues and immediate-need circumstances).

Anything Taurus -This brand ends up on my workbench probably the most. Their designs actually aren't bad, but their quality control is atrocious. Think of these guns like the gallon of milk in your fridge; they're outstanding and great... for a while, but at some point it's no longer going to be good to use. 

A 1911 of any kind -To buy a 1911 pistol of a quality standard we could trust, or at least get started with, we're looking at $1000 at least. Assuming we paid that kind of money for one, the gun itself is very unkind to the new pistol shooter in the maintenance needs of the gun, and the enhanced training necessity to safely and effectively use it. If the new handgun owner is like the high school kid learning how to drive, you should get yourself a Honda Civic and succeed, as opposed to the old 1964 Mustang in need of constant maintenance and repairs. This gun is to be avoided under almost all circumstances for most shooters, but especially new gun owners.

A HiPoint pistol -You've probably seen them at your local Cal Ranch or basic general store, and they're dirt cheap. But the quality, reliability, and ergonomics leave a lot left to be desired. Just don't.

SCCY pistols -Cheap and more refined than a HiPoint, yet with a worse warranty and also lack of durability and quality. Due to their design, the trigger pull is horrendously heavy, the felt recoil is obscene compared to guns of a similar caliber and class, and they don't seem to last long.

Anything KelTec -Known for interesting designs and budget pricing, the quality of these guns isn't dependable and I guarantee it'll be the pistol you never want to shoot to practice with (recoil is also a problem on most of their pistols). 

The "snub nose" .38 revolver -Small, lightweight, and easy to conceal or carry, often used as back-up guns for police officers back in the day, but don't be fooled. The recoil on these is usually enough to guarantee this gun will be left in the gun safe, or never taken to the range. A viable choice for those willing and able to deal with them, but not recommended to most.

2) The AR15

Millions in circulation among We the People, it's American's most common firearm period. It's older technology, dating back to the late 1950s, but sometimes if it "ain't broke, don't fix it." And yes, it's the rifle you've seen in the past, most-often demonized and made infamous through the media in the wake of an atrocity (whether it was actually an AR15 that was used or not, as we found out several times). There is something different about this rifle, and I've stopped being surprised at why most people (especially women these days) shoot a whole host of firearms and land on buying an AR15. Lightweight, modular, easy to shoot, capable, and low-recoil -it's an ideal personal defense firearm. The bonus is the additional tasks and uses this rifle can accomplish, from hunting, competition, sport shooting events, defense -anything you'd use a gun for, you'll most often find an AR15 there, and in great number. 

These days, you'll find it in a number of several popular calibers, but I'd still recommend obtaining one in its original caliber, dating back to the 1960s: the 5.56mm cartridge. The vast majority of AR15s on the market these days can take both the 5.56mm NATO ammunition, and the .223 Remington ammunition, and without going down that rabbit hole of how and why those two cartridges are different, the ability to source either type of ammo and successfully run it in the gun is valuable as well.

The AR15 design, is essentially just like a Lego set -you can change out, modify, enhance, and improve the various components and parts on the gun. If we're trying to source one that's useful out of the box, yet still budget-friendly, while also being effective for self defense and training, here's the list:

Smith & Wesson M&P15 Sport II
Springfield Armory Saint
Aero Precision anything
Windham Weaponry WW-15
Colt M4 Carbine/LE6920
Spike's Tactical LEM4
Sig Sauer M400 
Rock River Arms LAR-15

If you don't mind the expense, and want to jump straight into the top tier of quality and features, then here's the list:

Bravo Company USA (BCM)
Noveske
Daniels Defense
Sons of Liberty Gun Works (SOLGW)
Lewis Machine and Tool (LMT)

3) The .22 Training Pistol

The mission is to get you out there, practicing the fundamentals of marksmanship and learning to shoot well. The .22 LR (Long Rifle) cartridge has always been popular due to its extremely low cost, very light recoil, and excellent use as a training gun cartridge, from Boy Scouts to professional shooters alike. If you can shoot well with pistols, most often you can easily transition to a rifle and do well. The same cannot be said going the opposite direction. The challenge with .22 LR is that this old-age rimfire cartridge was never really meant to be used in semi-automatic firearms, especially pistols. Some .22 pistols are excellent quality, yet require only the premium, expensive, and higher-velocity ammunition. The best .22 pistols are those that are as reliable and durable as possible, using even the basic "bricks" of .22 ammunition still found at even your local WalMart. Bolded choices are most-ideal.

Glock 44
Ruger SR22
Ruger MkIV series 
Ruger Wrangler (a single-action "cowboy gun" revolver, yet still great for training and cheap fun)

4) The .22 Rifle

The same benefits are enjoyed with a .22 rifle, being that the ammunition is extremely low-cost and almost no recoil means excellent training. Beyond that, .22 rifles are popular for "preppers," as you can harvest smaller game in some kind of survival situation, and those with minimal training and experience can be given the .22 rifle and still stand a chance. There are many bolt-action .22 rifles on the market, and honestly you couldn't really go wrong with just about all of them, but just sticking to semi-auto, here's the list:

Smith & Wesson M&P15-22 (ideal if you have an AR15 and want the perfect training rifle for it)
Ruger 10/22

5) The Shotgun

Honestly not my first recommendation for anyone, but the shotgun serves a purpose on this list because it has the most versatility of any type of gun on here. Protection from big game like bears, to harvesting birds and waterfowl, to defending your home, or taking a deer -this one firearm can do it all (depending on what ammunition you use). Usually not easy to use, very heavy with recoil, and very short-range limited, the shotgun is not ideal for most purposes outside hunting and trap/skeet/recreational shooting, but it's a valuable type of gun to have due to how much can be done with it, if needed. I'm also including it because I've seen a lot of new buyers come in the shop looking for something they could use to harvest game and put serious food on the table if needed.

Mossberg 500
Mossberg 590
Winchester Model 1300 (out of production, but still outstanding)
Remington Model 870 (not including models made over the last ten years, quality control has suffered at Remington over the last decade especially) 

Hopefully this list was useful, and again, this is only my list that allows me to make recommendations without any worry of anybody coming back to me upset or dissatisfied. There are a plethora of guns on the market, and there's many of them not listed here that could still serve you well. These are just the guns I have to almost never even look at or repair, combined with noticing what people seem to like shooting and tend to buy. Whenever possible, attempt to go to a range and rent these guns or shoot them prior to purchase, but in the end if you had to go into your first gun purchase blind, these guns would do you well.