This is my opinion, and it is based off of owning and trigger time.
For a rimfire you can not beat the Ruger 10/22 for the weight, mag capacity, ability to put optics on, and the number of accessories like stocks and barrels. Like HD said the Marling is a good rifle too but a Ruger 10/22 is a lot easier to strip and detail clean. .22lr is the dirtiest burning ammo you will ever see.

For a centerfire rifle my vote goes to an AR-15. The nice thing about the AR-15 is the ability to switch calibers by changing uppers, 5-10-20-30 rd mags, very accurate, can go from a hunting to target rifle very easy, ton of accessories and optic possibilities,etc. But like mentioned, the AR is not cheap.

An AK style rifle could fit your list too but my thing is what happens if the european ammo is ever cut off. You would be left high and dry.

You can even buy HB Ruger 10/22s now. I handled one with the nice composite stock and a neat spiral finish on the barrel. It was nice.

Those Rugers you mention HD are hammer forged brls too. Great on accuracy from what I have read.

Here is my Diller Killer. I agree about Ar-15s. Once you get a lower, it's like having a kit gun or a TC. Just add uppers of all kinds. This is an old 10/22. The recoil spring is so weak, it works with subsonics.

I am adding my vote for the 10/22. Mine is still stock and I love it.

BTW-

With BHO in the White House, AK prices have soared. The Romanian AK's that were $350 are nos selling for $600+.

It's tough to find an "affordable" AK, plus, AK's are not known for their accuracy. They're good for MOBG (minute of bad guy) accuracy, but they're not target accurate like an AR or the 10/22.

True, but that is why I said ak74 not 47, plus why I mentioned the question regarding his view of "fairly accurate." Moreover, if this is MORE than "panic buying" and dillweed and company does what everyone is worried about them doing (and what he has supported doing in the past), I would think that an AK would have been a better investment than the 10/22.

Again, please don't get me wrong, I own a few 10/22s and a few 'other' rifles, and zero AKs (but I also bought them several years ago when the price per gun and price on ammo was a completely different situation). Again, me love'em some 10/22 and the price on ammo was/is definitely better than any centerfire, all I'm saying is that IF the OP wanted a centerfire, given his requirements I would think it would be hard to beat the 74.

Slightly OT, anybody seen a 10/22 or "bulk" .22 ammo near them (not counting in your basement:) lately? I've made it a silly hobby of mine to go to all the sporting good stores/gun stores/wlmarts in my area and they literally laugh at me when I ask them when the last time they had a 10/22 for sale or even a brick of .22 ammo. I live in the Denver metro area, anyone else have similar experience? (at a gun show the other weekend, people were selling the bulk .22 boxes-550rnds- for $30-$40...the same ones that walmart used to sell for $14 a few months ago)

An AK74 is far from what I'd consider "accurate", but you're right, we all have our own definition. Regardless, the AK will cost in excess of $600 in todays market, and while 5.45 is currently the cheapest milsurp ammo out there, what happens if the door is closed to future imports? Our local boys don't make it.

Regardless, an AK or 3-4, in the collection is always a good thing. But if accuracy is of concern to you, there are plenty of other rifles out there that I would recommend over an AK

Remember the 74 mags are not easily found cheap anymore.

I agree with the Ruger 10/22 rifle. You can't beat the price on ammo for a .22 rifle.

Another option for a larger caliber rifle is the SKS. You can still get them relatively cheap and ammo isn't too high yet. Since the election prices have gone up quite a bit though and ammo is getting a little hard to find, thats true for all ammo though.

The 22 needs to be first. If you get something else later, that's fine, but the lowly 22 is the true working man's rifle. It can be used for pest control, small game hunting and even deer hunting in a survival emergency. I have a friend who used a 22 Anschutz for "discreet" deer hunting. One shot to the head and they all dropped like a stone using quiet standard velocity match ammo. If you get a 10/22, while not recommended by experts, it can be quite a potent self or home defense weapon. You can get 25 or 30 rd mags for it. Lots of cheap firepower that is deadly at close range.

Wise words on the usefullness of a good .22lr.

Yes, SKS is more accurate than an AK but you are back to the situation of ammo if importation is ever cut off.