Because of the drastically increasing cost of ammo, choose a caliber that makes economic sense to reload or buy in bulk on the internet, then choose your guns based on the cost of ammo. I have inherited my ancestors’ 1878 .45-70 trapdoor and a Springfield .30-40 Krag from the Spanish American war. Ammo for these two run well over a dollar per round whereas I can buy ammo in bulk for my .45, my .30 carbine and my British .303 for around 20 cents a round. In our area, even .22’s now cost twice what they used to.
What a deal! Mine cost me $25.00 for a box of 20.