Rifles, shotguns, handguns.
I think all gunnies gravitate toward one of these three categories more than the other two, if only slightly - but for some people, it changes from time to time, and for some people it doesn't. I have been in a rifle phase for a number of years, and likely will continue to be for the rest of my life - but that includes all types - I like semis, levers, pumps, and single-shots, but most of all, I like turnbolts, far and above anything else, with pumps and semis roughly tied for a distance 2nd place, then levers 4th and single shots 5th.
Obviously, bird hunters will often like shotguns best; big game and varmint hunters will often like rifles best. Self-defense-only type guys (tactical types; non-hunters) - they may like handguns or semi-auto & heavy bolt rifles, or even shotguns best - usually handguns but not always... None of these are hard and fast rules. I started out as self-defense only type guy until I started hunting in earnest in mid-2000s, so I gravitated from a handgun preference to rifle preference throughout the 2000s, and by 2010 was solidly a rifle guy. I'm down to just TWO centerfire handguns in the world, and two rimfire handguns; that's it. I've gotten rid of a ton of rifles in the past 5 years too, but not down to as few as handguns, and hopefully never will be. I like to "cover" (in my mind; in theory) ALL worldwide potential hunting scenarios, whether I can actually afford the trip (to African, New Zealand, Tajikistan, etc), or not! Therefore, it's *really* hard to get the stable of rifles down to under 10 (if you count centerfires, rimfires, muzzleloaders, and air rifles).... But I'm trying! I want to get down to 10 or less to cover every conceivable hunt or varmint shoot on earth.
I didn't mention semi-auto centerfires ("EBRs" or "HDRs" if you like - Evil Black Rifles or Homeland Defense Rifles) previously in this thread, since this is a non-semi-auto forum, so I thought the comparison was limited to say, turnbolts (light) vs. turnbolts (heavy/tactical). And as mentioned, the dichotomy is a false one, I believe, if you can afford to go custom - you can get BOTH light AND extremely accurate with sustained fire. So therefore, I'm NOT a big "heavy / tactical / sniper / interdiction" rifle type guy - one can do all that except for the heavy part in a mostly-traditional type turnbolt (albeit with an expensive CF-wrapped bbl).
But, since we're mentioning semi-autos now.... unlike the beautiful but in my view impractical heavy precision turnbolts (especially those .338 lapua to .50 bmg giants), I DO likes me some EBRs, particularly AR15s and AR10s, and particularly in lightweight configs (also a Rob XCR fan). Sadly, I sold my last centerfire EBR in the world today, but not because I didn't like them or want them - I'm just raising money and simplifying (and increasing quality of the few which I retain for the future) - the example is, I sold recently both the AR10 in .260 rem AND the two AR15s in 5.56x45, in order to combine/simplify all 3 rifles into ONE rifle for SHTF/ WROL (which although very very unlikely, is nevertheless on the order of 10 to 100 times more likely than it was just 20 years ago) - the replacement/ simplification rifle will likely be a Christensen Recon 15 (AR15), in 6.8 spc, to cover both those bases (.260 rem AR10 and 5.56x45 AR15s), in one rifle. Consolidate/simplify, and practice are the buzzwords going forward, now that I'm in my 40s - I want to shoot & reload a lot more, and collect less.
However, it will be awhile before I have $3,000 to actually OWN the Christensen, so should the SHTF / WROL kick in tomorrow, gawd forbid, I'm handling it with my turnbolts and pumps - and could quite well I believe (not on the whole mind you; just the self-defense tool aspects, I mean; I'm an abject failure as a prepper - so far) ... My only remaining CQB rifle would serve well - it's a pump in .357 mag, but my light/handy turnbolt in .243 would be no slouch in the self-defense dept; nor would my short-ish home-defense type shotguns! I think that in reality, if SHTF / WROL actually did happen (however unlikely), you'd be facing two basic threats - occupying force threat (i.e. our own gov't run amok), or marauders. As for occupying force threats, any shooting you'll be doing will be one or 2 shots followed by rapid displacement/retreat, since retaliation against your small arms fire will be swift, sure, and violent; that's just how asymmetric guerilla conflicts work. So no need for semi-autos there (besides, you don't want to leave brass at the scene - said occupying force will probably have your prints on file, won't they?). As for maruaders, that's where's there's definitely more of a semi-auto need, as you'd usually be standing your ground at your home/homestead, guarding your supplies/family/shelter, and therefore need to demonstrate aggressive, sustained, overwhelmingly-superior firepower - just to cause them to decide to move on and pick a softer target. That's why I'm still going to get another EBR or two.... Plus the gov't doesn't want me to have them; that's another reason. Plus they're fun. Plus a future wifey may be able to shoot them better than a turnbolt possibly.
YMMV.
