RE: Need some help from experienced hunters please
You will be hard pressed to find a more versitile chambering than the 30-06. But you may wish to consider a pump or bolt action over your autoloader choice. Some states do not allow autoloading rifles and should you desire to go to one of these to hunt you will be SOL. If I were you I would purchase a Savage or Stevens bolt action '06 and a reliable relatively inexpensive 12 ga pump shotgun like a Mossberg 500 or Remington 870 Express. Hunting rabbits with a 30-06 will surely raise some eyebrows and possibly question your sanity and the local wildlife officers may pose you a few questions. The .22LR can wait til later.