We're now in a full blown buyer's market for firearms. Prices on many models are falling, and falling hard. In fact, I wouldn't buy any weapon being sold for anywhere near the price it sold for a year or so ago. And the very best bargains to be found are in AR platform 5.56/.223 rifles. DPMS, Del Ton, Anderson, Bear Creek, ATI, Bushmaster, and too many more to list are offering reliable, accurate and durable AR15s at well below $500, and some are well below $400. And that's a deal. These aren't stripper models either - they come with forward assists, hinged dust covers, adjustable stocks, railed receivers, quad-rail forearms on some, flash hiders, and 30 round magazines (where legal), and from among them you can choose your favorite rifling twist rate from 1:9 which works well for most ammunition, to a very fast 1:7 ideal for stabilizing heavier bullets.
Any one of these budget guns will accept the full range of alternate uppers chambered in a wide variety of calibers from .300 Blackout for deer and medium game to .50 Beowulf, which is suitable for hunting sauropods and ceratopsians. Your lower will also accept uppers with heavy barrels for varmint and target work
If you're looking for plinking and informal target fun, there's no better way to go than an AR15. They're the GI Joe Doll for grown-up boys, you can customize them in countless ways to suit yourself. Lotsa fun. And if you do decide to go hunting, there's no better rifle to take into the rough-and-tumble boonies than one designed to be taken there.
One last thing - we live in an imperfect world. In fact, it's downright dangerous. Optimists can never predict the future, but pessimists have at least done the math. If the SHTF, the last thing you'll want is a slow bolt gun with a 4 round magazine. You'll want that AR15. Ask the guy who made the news recently when he dispatched 3 home invaders with one. Like a good .357Magnum revolver, an AR15 is one of the guns you always have, always keep, no matter what others come and go in your collection.