Similar to the approach with pistols, you’ll want to do the same with rifles.
Again, think back to why you want to get involved in shooting. The “right” rifle all depends on your situation. If you are looking for a self-defense rifle to keep in your house, then you should consider your living situation. How close is your closest neighbor? If the answer is anything less than a mile away, I would advise you to research more about calibers, how far each can go, how efficiently each can penetrate walls, and any other characteristics that might make a rifle unsafe to use near neighbors.
Since the possibilities are plentiful, I suggest contacting your local gun shop or other trusted sources for advice for your particular situation.
For plinking, a .22 rifle like a Ruger 10/22 is a fun, affordable, classic rifle.
A Ruger 10/22 rifle with an Oculus scope on a Weaver mount
What is fun about the Ruger 10/22 platform is that you can upgrade the rifle in a piecemeal fashion. I love Volquartsen for their high-quality parts, such as trigger assemblies, barrels, and stocks.
A Volquartsen Custom 10/22 rifle. The blue thumbhole buttstock is a part that can be added on to any Ruger 10/22 rifle. Additional customizations include a match-grade trigger, barrel, and other high-quality parts that increase accuracy and durability.
For hunting, many people prefer a high-powered, bolt-action rifle such as a Remington 700. However, some hunters prefer the AR-15, a modern, semiautomatic sporting rifle.
Houlding Precision produces fantastic, high-quality AR-15 style rifles.
It ultimately comes down to what you want to hunt and then choosing your caliber accordingly. There are plenty of online and offline resources available that specifically cover hunting, so I won’t go into any more detail.
For competition, the AR-15 sporting rifle is commonly used in NRA rifle, 3-gun, and USPSA matches, and a number of other competition disciplines. I shoot a Houlding Precision AR-15 style rifle in competition and also use it for target shooting and hunting. There are many AR-15 manufacturers, both big and small. I like to support local companies, and Houlding Precision is a great California company that makes higher end AR-15 style rifles, ready to win out of the box.