Why aren't 5.56 AKs popular?

[Ryno12]

So 5.56NATO AK's like the Russian AK 101, Polish Beryl 96, the Israeli's Galil, Chinese 84s, Finnish Valmets, Serbian M85, Bulgarian 106 or M series etc.- are "ideologically" wrong.

Preference is one thing but the manufacturers disagree- they'll build rifles in NATO calibers as well as the original Soviet calibers.

Look at this page, Arsenal builds guns primarily in 5.56NATO and 7.62x39.

http://www.arsenal-bg.com/c/assault-rifles-24


7n6

Read the thread title.

You're being told why they're unpopular. The consumer decides what's popular & you're being told the reasons why. It matters not what the manufacturers think.
For some reason, you can neither grasp nor accept that.

[RetroRevolver77]

Read the thread title.

You're being told why they're unpopular. The consumer decides what's popular & you're being told the reasons why. It matters not what the manufacturers think.
For some reason, you can neither grasp nor accept that.

I already stated on the first page why they weren't as popular in the states but the US domestic market doesn't even account for 1% of the AK market. Globally, that's another situation altogether as entire militaries, mainly former Com block countries- are going to 5.56NATO such as the Polish government for example. Our opinion as US domestic consumers has little to no value to what actual manufacturers do over seas. Especially those in Europe who are seeking perhaps to join NATO or at least share some military similarities with them.


7n6

[Bret]

I'd say that the biggest drawback to 5.56x45 chambered AK's is that there is no one magazine standard. Here are the 5.56x45 AK mags that I have:
1) German Weiger
2) Romanian SAR-3
3) Bulgarian Circle 10
4) Polish Beryl
5) Russian
6) Galil
7) Yugo M85/M95
8) Chinese Type 84

Some can interchange with others, but it often depends on the particular rifle. If you have a 7.62x39 or 5.45x39 AK mag, it will work in any AK that's so chambered. If not, something's wrong with the rifle or mag.

Regardless of the interchangeability issues, I'd say that I prefer 5.56x45 AK's over 7.62x39 or 5.45x39 AK's all else being equal.

I think another thing that we have to remember is that AK's became popular in the US back when they could be had for half or a third of what an AR cost. Back then, there were not as many 5.56x45 AK options. Now AR's are less expensive than they were and AK's have gone up significantly. If there was a 5.56x45 AK option in the $300 to $400 range, I bet that it would sell like hot cakes. Most people just won't pay $1000 for a 5.56x45 Arsenal when they can get a Colt for less (that takes less expensive mags and isn't as proprietary).