Which AK or M1??
- Thread starter lefteyedom
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smithman 10
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M1
I bought a service grade M1 Garand from CMP about 10 years ago and it would be one of the last center fire rifles I would let go.
Yes, it's heavy, which for a 68 year-old little guy is an incentive to lift a few dumbbells to maintain a little upper body strength.
But it has functioned great and is a good example of how well the old full-size battle rifles worked.
My buddy and I take it out to the range and bang steel at 200, 300, 400 and yes occassionaly 500 yards with it. (Mostly from the bench at the longer ranges). But 200 and 300 you can hit from kneeling, sitting and prone pretty regular.
The sights are great, so much simpler to deal with than the sights on an AR.
If I had to choose between an M1 and a AK...well you know my answer.
If you decide to get a Garand, go the CMP route. I bought the Garand and two 1903 Springfields from CMP and was always pleased with what I received.
Too bad the Springfields are all gone. But one day the Garands will be too so don't wait too long.
I bought a service grade M1 Garand from CMP about 10 years ago and it would be one of the last center fire rifles I would let go.
Yes, it's heavy, which for a 68 year-old little guy is an incentive to lift a few dumbbells to maintain a little upper body strength.
But it has functioned great and is a good example of how well the old full-size battle rifles worked.
My buddy and I take it out to the range and bang steel at 200, 300, 400 and yes occassionaly 500 yards with it. (Mostly from the bench at the longer ranges). But 200 and 300 you can hit from kneeling, sitting and prone pretty regular.
The sights are great, so much simpler to deal with than the sights on an AR.
If I had to choose between an M1 and a AK...well you know my answer.
If you decide to get a Garand, go the CMP route. I bought the Garand and two 1903 Springfields from CMP and was always pleased with what I received.
Too bad the Springfields are all gone. But one day the Garands will be too so don't wait too long.
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Telekinesis
Member
For a rifle to go out and play with or especially to use for defense and training, go with the AK. I might save a little bit more and get an Arsenal with a side folding stock, but $850 can still get you a very nice gun.
If you're looking for something more range toy/hunting/historical, I'd go with the M1. I don't have one and doubt I'll be able to pick one up in the near future, but they are some nice guns. Condition won't be as good as a new AK, but that's a given as the M1s are surplus. Remember that with a M1 you'll have to be a little more careful about ammo selection. Not a big deal, but you can't just shove any .30-06 in there and expect the gun to be ok long term. The AK will eat just about anything.
If you're looking for something more range toy/hunting/historical, I'd go with the M1. I don't have one and doubt I'll be able to pick one up in the near future, but they are some nice guns. Condition won't be as good as a new AK, but that's a given as the M1s are surplus. Remember that with a M1 you'll have to be a little more careful about ammo selection. Not a big deal, but you can't just shove any .30-06 in there and expect the gun to be ok long term. The AK will eat just about anything.
tark
Member
Post # 27 says it all. Except the Garand will be worth more than Brad's estimate.
lefteyedom
Member
Thanks for confirming the decision I had come to.
Should have a M1 for my Birthday...
Should have a M1 for my Birthday...
Pete D.
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carry
Yes....carry a Garand.......been done, though.......in North Africa, in Sicily, at the Salerno beachead, in Normandy, at Bastogne, on Guadalcanal, on IwoJima, Tarawa, Okinawa, at Inchon and the Chosin reservoir.
Carry one around....it has been done.
Pete
Yes....carry a Garand.......been done, though.......in North Africa, in Sicily, at the Salerno beachead, in Normandy, at Bastogne, on Guadalcanal, on IwoJima, Tarawa, Okinawa, at Inchon and the Chosin reservoir.
Carry one around....it has been done.
Pete
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USAF_Vet
Member
The way AK prices have been going lately, your estimate on both rifles may be low.
I was to young to buy an AK when they were $300 or less out the door, and under a Benjamin for a case of ammo.
With today's prices, the AK is just too expensive. I like them more than I like the M1, but I've decided that an AK isn't for me, either.
Neo-Luddite
Member
Make the M-1 from the CMP your priority. That said, I've come to like the AK for it's rugged peasant charm. But they aren't making M-1 anymore...
justin22885
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AK is a far better weapon, if youre looking for a proper rifle that can compete with todays semis, get the AK, if you want an unreliable old relic in a more expensive caliber, get the garand
stonecutter2
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Rockrivr1
Member
Hands down a Garand! A piece of history you'll never regret purchasing.
DMK
Member
Everyone should have a Garand.
Then again, everyone should have an AK too.
I'm not helping am I?
Then again, everyone should have an AK too.
I'm not helping am I?
You can buy an Ak anytime Idk about the Garand. I my have to confess that I don't feel any attraction to AK rifles of any form nor polymer handguns.
It's just me, buy a Garand even the ammo is no cheap, shoting 20 rounds of 30.06 give more satifaction than 200 of 7.62x39 from a carbine with a no accuracy (debate/flames here).
The M1 it is "The rilfe"
It's just me, buy a Garand even the ammo is no cheap, shoting 20 rounds of 30.06 give more satifaction than 200 of 7.62x39 from a carbine with a no accuracy (debate/flames here).
The M1 it is "The rilfe"
Dude, seriously?
The relative cost of ammo is debatable, but not the M1 Garand's reliability in the field.
As the M1's extensive combat history demonstrates, it's proven uber reliable even in the sh*ttiest conditions war can throw at it.
While also "reliable" (as in durable and largely jam-proof), the battle-rattle AK is about 1/10th as accurate as the M1 past 50-yds, a feature forever unappreciated by conscripted Russian/Chinese/N.Korean peasant/slave/serfs.
Free men will always appreciate the accuracy of the M1.
"Get your AK off my lawn."
Got clips?
Old School.
Herewith ends another M1 sermon.
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Steel Horse Rider
Member
I want the A-10 for that price!!! But seriously, the answer should not even be debatable. The Garand by far is a better firearm and a better investment as well as a heck of a weapon. You cannot buy history for that price for long.....
d2wing
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As a longtime shooter of both get the Garand. The Garand was not built for Giants. It is a little bigger than an AK, but not a huge difference. But the Garand will do so much more. The AK is realistically a 150 yard weapon if that. A Garand qualification range was 600 meters. And ordinary G.I.s with issue guns and ammo made hits at 600 meters with issue sights no scopes. Plus you are comparing one of the weakest rifle cartridges with one the most powerful ever issued.
The best bullet proof vests are rated 3 .308 shots but only one 30-06. Plus there is no comparison for accuracy at all. Both are semi auto.
As others said, there is way more collector value in a Garand, a real Battle rifle. AK's you can buy are not real battle rifles. I can think of nothing an AK will do that an AR15 can't do much better, and there is no comparison with a Garand.
The best bullet proof vests are rated 3 .308 shots but only one 30-06. Plus there is no comparison for accuracy at all. Both are semi auto.
As others said, there is way more collector value in a Garand, a real Battle rifle. AK's you can buy are not real battle rifles. I can think of nothing an AK will do that an AR15 can't do much better, and there is no comparison with a Garand.
This
What a ludicrous statement.
The Garand action is one of the most reliable actions in history, bar none. So much so that Mikhail Kalashnikov basically copied its operation, flipped it upside-down, modified it a bit, and re-used it for the AK.
Sure, a video was making the rounds a while back showing that if you pour sand into the top of the Garand receiver, you will cause stoppages. Guess what happens if you pour sand into the ejection port of an AK? The exact same thing. No firearm can resist debris in the chamber and still function properly.
I can't deny that steel-cased 7.62x39mm ammo is cheaper than even surplus M2 ball, but once you step up to new brass-cased commercial ammo, you are in the same ballpark price-wise.
Anyway - as mentioned earlier in this thread, I'm a big fan of AKs, but I have to call bull when I see it. If you want a modern defensive rifle, of course the AK is a better choice. It's lighter (until you load it up), a bit handier, and has greater capacity. It's accurate to far beyond any range to which you could justify a self-defense shot.
But as a collector's item or a fun, reliable shooter, the Garand wins hand-down. Honestly, I can think of a centerfire rifle that is more fun to shoot than a Garand.
BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! PING!!!
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