Political Memes

Depends on what you want. Handgun: reliable semiauto Glocks/SIGs/etc. can be had new around $500. Cheaper revolvers and semis can be had for around $200-250, but you can also go nuts and spend thousands on rarer or more pointless compensatory things like a Desert Eagle or a Smith and Wesson 500.

Shotguns: entry-level single shot break action at Walmart for around $125; the classic Remington 870 pump has Express models as low as $350 and Wingmaster models $900; popular Mossberg 500 is around $400-$500. For Benelli or something else fancy you can expect to pay much more.

Rifles: basic .22-cal Ruger with cheap scope for $125; decent .270-.308 bolt-action hunting rifles start around $300-600 with cheap scopes; entry-level AR-15 /AR-10 are in that same range with just iron sights; higher quality or more exotic round sizes start around $600 and quickly jump into the thousands. For good rifle scopes you can often expect to pay more than the rifle itself.

I think you have to have an FFL (dealer) license or pay some hefty additional fees if you want to own a fully-automatic gun. Having shot many of them, it seems like a lot more hassle and cost than they're worth. The first couple times you shoot one are really fun, but the initial excitement quickly wears off and they just become something overly heavy you don't want to have to carry or clean/maintain.

Used doesn't necessarily mean less expensive, as the first thing a lot of people do is add fancypants aftermarket stuff. Models that are no longer manufactured demand a premium, as do models that are seen as historically reliable.

My numbers may be off, as I havent hunted for years and haven't really looked at prices for 5-10 years. Truth be told, ammunition is where the real money sink lies.