View Full Version : What is your AK for?
Crow Hunter
04-06-11, 20:04
I have an AK that I have had for years, it was my 1st "assault rifle" and I had wanted one ever since the early '80s. (My favorite GI JOE gun was the AK):D
I have found, however, that I don't have alot of time for shooting and I have only shot this particular rifle 2 or 3 times in the last few years. The rest of the time I am shooting ARs or handguns.
I have also found out that as I am getting older, I have trouble seeing my front sight through the notch of the rear sights. It fuzzes out so bad I can't always see the front sight in all lighting conditions.
Also, after shooting ARs, switching to an AK with a Galil type folding stock kind of hurts. :rolleyes:
What do you guys use your AK's for?
Back up:D I Love the AK.Not as Much as my M4, But it will always have a spot in my heart
MountainRaven
04-06-11, 20:13
Truck gun (beats out a lever gun in practicality, IMO, and not as expensive/heart-breaking as an AR or FAL if it's stolen or rusts up) and tertiary back-up gun.
I have also found out that as I am getting older, I have trouble seeing my front sight through the notch of the rear sights. It fuzzes out so bad I can't always see the front sight in all lighting conditions.
Wouldn't an ultimak and a h-1 be able to turn it into a primary SD weapon?
Just_Plain_T.
04-06-11, 20:46
Well, I guess I'll bite.
My AK is my primary long gun for defense. Love the ARs all you want (and I do enjoy them too), but I prefer the simplicity of the AK. Extremely resilient to abuse (I don't intentionally abuse my stuff, but things can happen in the real world unintentionally), extremely reliable, and relatively fast to clean.
The AR is a proven design, no doubt about it. But I just prefer the AK for social work.
BushmasterFanBoy
04-06-11, 21:26
It's a decent tertiary back up rifle to the ARs, and I like the way it complements my Chicom chest rig. :cool:
But in all seriousness, I keep it around, and in a plane-jane configuration so that I have a 'reference point' if you will for the world's most common battle-field pickup. With AK's being so gosh darn widespread, I think it pays off in spades to be familiar with them.
Even if you're not grabbing one off a fallen enemy anytime soon, it's still nice to know that you have the safety manipulation, mag changes, and iron sight acquisition down.
I remember picking up a Maadi renter for the first time, and being completely un-aware that mags had to be rocked in place. :suicide2: By keeping a WASR-10 around, I have a cheap gun that I don't mind abusing in hikes or wooded runs, and I stay brushed up on my commie-gun skills. That's mostly how I justify it, plus its an AK, and everyone needs an AK. :D
Collection/Familiarity. I like pulling it apart. I'm amazed at how much shit you can remove without tools.
My ARs are my fighting guns.
Wall hanger with my Serbian special police uniform, a conversation piece.
Using my 74 brake to create an ungodly racket and flash for the poor suckers beside me at the NRA. :D
More seriously, I wanted an example of the type, so I could learn to use it properly. Self-betterment and education. :cool:
We cant own AK's in Canada, but we have the VZ58. I use mine for a general purpose ranch rifle. Its basicly a 30-30 thats reliable, cheap to shoot, and accurate enough for coyotes and such.
My AKs are to guarantee I have no extra money. They are cheap so my brain says "That is half or a third of what most rifles cost" so the logical part of me keeps buying them until I have spent five times what most rifles actually cost.
I actually have AK variants that I have owned for more than 2 years that I haven't had the chance to shoot yet. Of my handful of "regular shooters" that are AKs, I seldom shoot those either. They are special conditions rifles that are only used when such special conditions exist. I have about 3 ARs that are my primary use carbines, that see the most trigger time.
Many of my AKs exist simply to complete a collection. At the height of my addiction I had 28 Kalashnikovs in my personal collection. Thankfully during the Great Obama Gun Sale I cleared out several superfluous variations and got rid of incredibly minor difference variations and lower quality builds of identical configurations.
Now I have about half as many AKs which is still more than most people I know. There are only about 6 variants I still need.
:D
The_War_Wagon
04-06-11, 23:10
Truck gun. Yugo M70AB. Fits neatly under the rear bench, along with a drum and a few mags, so in case it all hits the fan while I'm AWAY from the house, they're insurance, that I can hopefully make it BACK there!
Unfortunately, all of my AK's were lost in a freak water buffalo accident....
:cray:
Unfortunately, all of my AK's were lost in a freak water buffalo accident....
:cray:
My sincerest condolences, sir...
I keep one in my trunk. Not so much for if SHTF or anything like that, more like I visit a friend and he wants to shoot something more fun than a bolt action. I have a number of friends who only have hunting guns or simply can't afford to collect guns, so they enjoy shooting my stuff quite a bit. A WASR-10 is cheap, and if it gets a bit of rust on it my day won't be ruined, so I just keep it, several magazines, and a bunch of ammo in my trunk.
As far as the folding stock being uncomfortable, have you tried at least wrapping the butt with paracord or something similar? It helps more than you'd think. There are also forward rail attachments you can get to mount an optic. The proper way is with the side mount, but I believe a lot of AR variants eschew them entirely so you may not have that option. I've seen some bad stories about replacement dust covers with rails, but don't have personal experience with them.
I keep a converted RobArm Vepr because it's the first AK I purchased and I have time and money invested that I'll not see a return on if sold. All things considered, it will stay in my armory because it's a simple, rugged and powerful back-up to the M4 and, everybody who is a student of arms needs to have an example...
Lately, I shoot mine more than I do my ARs. I have some strange ability to shoot it very well, which is either due to me growing up shooting a million rounds through a notch site setup, or a gene thing since my grandfathers name was Boris Merkousko - im a quarter Russian. If I was able to have a flashlight mount that didnt require a rail; it would be my HD weapon. (74 not 47)
Doc Safari
04-07-11, 09:06
I have a couple of AK's but I never shoot them. I just don't care for the weapon that much. Stock too short ( I have triangle sidefolders). No ergonomics. Impossible to mount a scope using the side rail and still fold the stock.
Unfortunately they have also been so demonized as the bad guy's weapon that I don't go out in public with them either. Every time I take an M4 to the range I get ooh's and aah's. When I used to tell people I own a couple of AK's I'd invariably get gangbanger and terrorist jokes.
I may even sell them someday.
In short, my AK's are my Katrina weapons and not much more.
Main reason? I get to continue pulling the trigger without taking out a second or third mortgage. 5.45 is cheaper than cheap! I've got a couple in 5.45 and one in 7.62 and practicing the fundamentals is easier to do more often being they're so affordable to shoot. I've considered getting a 5.45 upper for my AR, but their reliability was questionable the last time I looked into them (a year or so ago).
They do also carry a certain mystique for me (Red Dawn's fault) from when I was younger.
Besides, a Bulgy Krink is just something to behold.
http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r127/Zhurdan/Gun%20stuff/IMG_1173.jpg
And now with prettier wood...
http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r127/Zhurdan/Gun%20stuff/IMG_1177.jpg
Paperwork is in process and then that ugly can is coming off!
Mine was an experiment in Austerity. As I watched my industry begin to shrink in the 2007 timeframe I began to consider that I may have to sell off all my expensive ARs but I did not want to leave myself defenseless or without a way to blow off steam or get in some training or competing should I get the funds for ammo here and there. I basically wanted to know that I could do all the same things with a Glock 19 and an AK as I could with high-end production 1911s and ARs. So I spent all of 2008 shooting the AK in matches, classes, practice sessions, etc. and I proved to myself that I could do everything with the AK that I could with the AR but at a significantly reduced cost, and just slightly less well.
buckshot1220
04-07-11, 10:57
First off, good thread topic.
I originally bought an AK for it's mystique. There is a lot of history behind the gun; be it Vietnam, the Cold War, Communism, its been used as a means to oppress people, its conversely been used as a means to liberate people, most recently we see it in the hands of our enemies. Regardless of who primarily uses it, it is hard to discredit a weapon in such wide use, and for that reason I had to have one.
My first AK was a TGI Bulgarian SSR85C (thank god I got one of the good ones). I bought because at the time I lived in a ban-state and it was one of very few that met the requirements (no threaded muzzle, bayo lug). I quickly fell in love with the simplicity all the while upgrading my AR15. Soon after I bought an original Kassnar Hungarian underfolder. This one I bought mainly as a collection piece, though its been fired, its from my homeland (Hungary) and not a whole lot of them came in.
While I enjoy shooting both, I feel that the recoil of the x39 inhibits the ability to accurately double or triple-tap targets taking away, in my eyes, from its ability to be well-suited as a primary HD weapon when combined with its lack of ergonomics. That being said, I think the 5.56mm AK's may be more my speed and I do plan on purchasing a SLR106 within the next month that will immediately see a T1 on either an Ultimak or USPalm/MI mount. I look forward to comparing it in all aspects to my current AR setup and finding the pros/cons of each.
Oh, forgot one other reason... so I can honestly say "Today I didn't even have to use my AK. I got to say it was a good day."
:D
Familiarity with the system.
Pathfinder Ops
04-07-11, 16:32
My Ak is for shootin.......:cool:
"I lift things up and put them down..... I lift things up and put them down...."
Sorry i couldn't help myself.
Ok I bought mine cuz my truck and boat needed something that will take a beatin is simple, cheap to feed and goes with anything I wear here or over there.
Something that translates OCONUS.
Yes I'm serious.
I have two ar-15s currently and have owned two others in the past. I currently have 2 aks and have owned 2 others in the past and can honestly say that the AK IS THE BETTER GUN FOR ME. It is cheaper, both in the price of the gun and the price of the ammo, which makes me relax with it when I have it in the woods. I get a scratch on my $500 ak and no big deal, scratch on my $1500 ar-15 and I am heart broken. As for shooting wild hogs, there is NO comparison. The 556 does not hold a candle to the 76239 in terms of lethality on a big boar hog. Also I almost trust my Ak 100% to go boom when I pull the trigger, even after neglecting cleanings. If I could have 1 gun in my collection, it would be my Ak...
Crow Hunter
04-07-11, 17:47
Mine was an experiment in Austerity. As I watched my industry begin to shrink in the 2007 timeframe I began to consider that I may have to sell off all my expensive ARs but I did not want to leave myself defenseless or without a way to blow off steam or get in some training or competing should I get the funds for ammo here and there. I basically wanted to know that I could do all the same things with a Glock 19 and an AK as I could with high-end production 1911s and ARs. So I spent all of 2008 shooting the AK in matches, classes, practice sessions, etc. and I proved to myself that I could do everything with the AK that I could with the AR but at a significantly reduced cost, and just slightly less well.
That is a VERY good point. Fundamentals are fundamentals only the details change and having something that I can afford to practice with when money gets tight is a damn good idea. I hadn't really thought about it that way.
I know, pics or it didn't happen, right?
My old girl, had her around since 1997. Paid $325 for her with 6 polytech mags (those are East German mags in the pic) and 1,200 rds of steel core ammo. :neo:
It's a Romanian bayonet that I had to finesse to get it to fit, but it works.
http://i258.photobucket.com/albums/hh256/anewbill/IMG_0109.jpg
Yes, it is okay to be jealous.
Moose-Knuckle
04-07-11, 17:58
Self preservation. . .
lloydkristmas
04-07-11, 18:17
Its essentially a bombproof reliable backup rifle to my other primary weapons.
Its not my favorite, but I know how to use it well and it works flawlessly, so it provides me with a certain level of comfort that other (often much 'nicer') rifles do not.
Beyond that, it makes a good loaner gun if Im taking a non-gunowner on a hog hunting excursion or something like that. To a newbie, the AK is super cool and really enhances their experience.
A few reasons:
-I really like them and they are fun.
-My HD rifle is an AKM. Why? Because my safe is all the way in the basement. When I leave the house it goes into a shitty stack-on cabinet in the bedroom closest. We all know how secure those things are, haha; so if it gets stolen I'm not out anywhere near as much $$$. Furthermore, if I have to use it and the police confiscate it for evidence, I'm not out an AR I have $2,500 invested in for a period of time.
-I train with it for the above reasons and also because I instruct with it. We've had classes with just as many AK's as AR's. I call it being, 'weapons ambidextrous' haha. I tend to go month on/month off with the AR and the AK (with a bit of SCAR thrown in here and there).
Pathfinder Ops
04-08-11, 06:33
-I train with it for the above reasons and also because I instruct with it. We've had classes with just as many AK's as AR's. I call it being, 'weapons ambidextrous' haha. I tend to go month on/month off with the AR and the AK (with a bit of SCAR thrown in here and there).
HA! I thought I was the only one.....
I too alternate my AR and AK......... I also have a pair of boots that I switch back and forth month on/ off.
And FREQUENTLY my firearms programs have a mix of AK and AR's and frankly over that last couple years the AK has made a bigger presence than ever and I am hearing from my students it's because of ammo pricing.
Anchor Zero Six
04-08-11, 10:37
Where to start...
Got bored with the LMT decided to sell it to fund another 300WM build, buy a cheap blaster rifle and stash a bit of money away towards a wedding. After wedding I'm getting a KAC EMC so I can live with that.
Never had an AK and decided it was due time. My reasons for that platform were many.
-I'm burn out on tinkering with AR's.
-I wanted to know for myself where this rifle stack up. Opinions vary as to it being a POS or the best thing ever created. What I found curious is that some folks whos opinions and trainning I respect have a very high regard for it, I figured there must be something to that.
-I have built many 1911's and AR's in my life and I'm cutting my teeth with building precision rifles. I'm gravitating towards gumsmithing as a third career after the military on a part time basis while an LEO. My thought is a true custom smith should be able to work on any platform and this one is completly new to me.
-Cheap ammo, non reloadable. I spend way too much time reloading than I do shooting. Lets not forget the OCD habit of finding every single spent case in the gravel pit of the local range. Just want to focus on shooting and not care about the brass (or steel in this case)
-I like the 7.62x39 round for 0-200 yds.
- AK's are fairly light for a 30 cal rifle
-K.I.S.S. design and functionality
There you have it, no Red Dawn EOTWAWKI scenario stuff just wanted a well built rig that wouldnt break the bank to shoot high round counts.
I paid $299 for my AK and it's mainly to show my COD friends which rifle is the most dominate one...:D
glockdude215
04-08-11, 12:53
You only need one AR, you can never have enough AK's;)
Pathfinder Ops
04-08-11, 13:22
You only need one AR, you can never have enough AK's;)
I got 20 bucks sez there some fellas on here would argue that the other way around.... lol
Just_Plain_T.
04-08-11, 13:30
I got 20 bucks sez there some fellas on here would argue that the other way around.... lol
I'll argue you can never have enough of either.
I started with an AR. Got into AKs. Picked up an AR pistol now.
So.... 2 of each now. What to make the next? :)
Pathfinder Ops
04-08-11, 14:06
I'll argue you can never have enough of either.
I started with an AR. Got into AKs. Picked up an AR pistol now.
So.... 2 of each now. What to make the next? :)
Here is some help with your question..... :D
https://www.m4carbine.net/showthread.php?t=78538
I hadn't considered this option.... now I got a problem.
You cannot have enough (of both) - and you won't (at least in terms of desire). Hence, AKs in 5.56, and AR's in 5.45...
Uses:
1. To hand down to my sons, so they have something the govt doesn't like them having.
2. Defend our rights, and being able to arm the whole family with reliable weapons.
3. Absolutely the best fun (that one can have outside of doing manly things with other men in a real unit - 120mm, M240s, and M2s and the mix of JP/'cordite' is of course the best).
You only need one AR, you can never have enough AK's;)
I have more than enough of both.
LJNoobicon
04-08-11, 19:34
At one point I had 5 AKs. They were fun to collect and when I had access to lots of land(and time) and was shooting every weekend . Now being in college and working I don't get much chance to shoot. I slimmed them down to just my Arsenal 107CR. Made out well selling the others off during the Obama gun scare, still miss my Polytech Chinese double underfolder though. I really love AKs for their simplicity, historical significance, and they are fun to shoot.
I don't believe in just knowing one weapons system. If I could I would have two of everything. Then pick the best platform.
As for the AK, it is a good platform. It reliable. I have taken it deer hunting.
Well, I managed to recover 3 AK's from the great water buffalo tragedy......
I have a SLR-106FR that is set up as an updated carbine with an Aimpoint Micro and white light. It's a "go to" and training carbine that I have every bit as much faith in as my Colt 6920.
I have two "traditional" AK's, an Arsenal Inc. SA-M7 Classic, and an Arsenal Inc. SLR-105A1 in 5.45mm. Both have been used in Vickers AK specific classes, and done very well.
I use AK's as I do any other firearm, to train with, to shoot, and to introduce and educate new shooters.
I have a several AKs. One is a Polish underfolder, as close to a Russian AKM as I could get. It's a home build, but well done and reliable as all hell. My first adult gun purchase was a 2002-vintage SAR-2. It's a ban-era gun, but it runs like a champ and is fairly accurate, at least as far as I can see the tiny sights. I like the 5.45mm cartridge, it's easy to shoot, cheap, flat-shooting, and good for introducing new shooters to the discipline. I have a Draco that I'm planning to use as a donor parts kit with a Nodak KP receiver on a Form 1 and turn into a kind of 12" Kyber Pass gun.
AKs are fun. They're simple, they're reliable, and they run the gamut between a cheap $300 Romanian AKM clone to a high-dollar custom modernized blaster. And unlike the cheap ARs, the cheap AKs actually work pretty well (at least, they did until Century got ahold of them...)
Well, the first two (PolyTech and Norinco) made cheap (<$300), efficient delivery vehicles for all that ChiCom Type PS we used to get for $.06/rd back in the day. Used to shoot 'em til my finger was numb from trigger slap. (The trigger slap issue has since been corrected.)
The SAR-2 was an introduction into the 5.45 caliber. SAR-1 was to give the SAR-2 a Romanian brother. (Made sure both had reasonably straight FSBs prior to purchase.) Yeah, the Romys are rough, but they work. I've got plenty of "pretty" guns in the safe.
Other reasons:
1. ChiCom drum mags are great for FTF malf drills.
2. Sometimes ya just don't feel like a brass hunt.
3. Corrosive ammo? Who cares?
4. AKs are a lot easier to clean than ARs.
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