Why do you run an AK?

[Doc Safari]

What opened my eyes is when I really tried to run the AK as a rifle. It doesn't do this well. The rifles aren't very accurate, there is no high quality ammo for them, and as stated the trigger isn't very good. In addition 7.62x39 is slow for a rifle round. It drops quick and gets pushed around by the wind.

Spend some time shooting the AK (esp. 7.62) at 200-300 yds and it's easy to see it's poor at playing rifle.

After years of use and some training classes I came to the conclusion that should come as no surprise: The AK is really just a powerful submachine gun. The AR-series were designed to be rifles. Just like their respective designers intended, go figure...

+1

I woke up to the limitations of the AK one February afternoon when I had to confront some hunters shooting too close to my house. I realized that had it turn into a firefight I would have been at an accuracy disadvantage, and the lack of a bolt hold-open on the AK would mean I die because my rifle goes 'click' on an empty chamber.

Luckily the confrontation ended amicably, but it got me thinking.

Now I have an M4 and no AK.

[VIP3R 237]

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10204574964882926

This is the real reason you own an AK

[lowprone]

Real AK rifles were selective fire assault weapons as was the M-16, in the process of
neutering them to semi-automatic only, you have negated any advantage the AK had,
in my humble opinion.
I have many friends that have both rifles mentioned, and have competed in many ad-hoc
competitions, that stress accuracy, speed, multiple mag changes, an AK has never won.

[Wake27]

Real AK rifles were selective fire assault weapons as was the M-16, in the process of
neutering them to semi-automatic only, you have negated any advantage the AK had,
in my humble opinion.
I have many friends that have both rifles mentioned, and have competed in many ad-hoc
competitions, that stress accuracy, speed, multiple mag changes, an AK has never won.

You're saying that the only advantage an AK has is full auto?

[lowprone]

As I stated in a earlier post, it is stupid reliable, great cartridge other than that,
yeah ! pretty much .

[BTL BRN]

At one point in time I had about six different AK's, currently I am down to two: a 5.45 (SGL) and a 7.62 (SLR); I don't use them all that much but they are there and I know that they will be reliable when needed. They are both set-up with the Ultimak rail and Aimpoint micros, it does make the rifle even more front heavy but I have just worked around it.

For a long time they were an economically wise choice, but mags aren't the deal that they once were and ammo while cheaper isn't that much of a bargain. 5.45 is a whole different story.

[BaronFitz]

I mainly got into them as a reference because I wanted to know what I was doing with one given its commonality worldwide and my travel habits.

I keep them around because they're interesting examples of the genre in 5.45 and 5.56 (maybe I'll add a 7.62 to the mix someday). Neither of them are particularly cheap to shoot, but I never shot the surplus 5.45 anyway since 1) steel core tears up the backstop at the NRA and 2) I'm too lazy to properly clean out after shooting corrosive ammo.

[MegademiC]

You're saying that the only advantage an AK has is full auto?

...and IMO the ar has the full-auto advantage. If I got a choice in FA, it would NOT be an AK, and probably an AR. Less recoil and reciprocating mass.

[alcante262]

I got an AK cause of Jeff Cooper.Getting agun the Ruskis had in case.My Arsenal 101slr is great,its well made and fun to shoot.Dont think its as accurate as my AR15.I wouldnt get rid of it.

[scooter22]

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10204574964882926

This is the real reason you own an AK

They sound like a bunch of gobbling turkeys.