AK 47 vs. 300 BLK vs. AR in 7.62 x 39

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I can’t see a reason to get the 39 in any other platform than one of those two. At all.
A 7.62x39 AR is far easier to shoot accurately than an SKS or AK. If you really wanna giggle, get an AR in 7.62x39 that takes AK magazines - all of the yummy goodness of the AR platform with proper AK magazine compatibility. Mine is a PSA KS-47 with an MLOK forearm and a Timney trigger. It, and a crate of AK magazines, are kept around for Justin Case to use.

But I still shoot 300 Blackout every week, while the KS-47 sits in the safe. I'm willing to shoot sightly more expensive (and much higher quality) ammo - for my needs, accuracy and reloading compatibility with my other 30cal chamberings and parts compatibility with my other ARs are more valued than the joy of blasting with cheap ammo.
 
Primary purpose, fun....

An AK 47 would probably be the most fun just because it would be a new to me platform,

You answered your question before you could ask it.

I have found cheap AK’s to be quite reliable, just not as accurate as others. That said, they really are not “cheap” anymore. These days AR’s make more sense than ever.
 
The best quality for the price AKs are primarily blocked by trade embargo now.

Russia has import restrictions over the election hacking and Syria interference and Ukraine conflict.
China has had import restrictions since the 1990s.
North Korea, well yeah, but one of those chrome plated type 58s look pretty nice, and you could probably get one for a case of food.

There is of course smaller nations importers can still import some stuff from but the cost for a rifle that was never designed to take an optic and which only was adapted to use optics as an afterthought is as much or more than low or mid grade ARs made in America.
7.62x39 has a curve to it that some ARs designed with very square box magazines have had trouble feeding, though some may work fine.
Actual AK magazines are rock and lock, it has an additional process to change magazines.
The blackout accomplishes almost the same thing but feeds much better from a typical AR box magazine. Of course you cannot use surplus ammunition then, but then most of the best surplus sources are behind import restrictions or classified as AP handgun ammo or some other nonsense by our government.

The selling point of the AK used to be that it worked reliably, was mass produced and so easy to maintain, and half the cost of a similar quality AR.
Many AKs are also sheet metal riveted together. Just about every AR is milled, and milled products tend to be nicer. Not needing a mill when you make your own local variant in a jungle or cave and bend them into shape is cool, but as a first world American the milled product is what you should be getting.
Today many AR makers and aftermarket part makers have tons of inventory and you can build what a decade ago was a rifle costing twice as much that is better than any common grade AK you can buy for the same amount of money.
While with the AR it is so modular that you can continue to buy various aftermarket parts from far more competing domestic manufacturers and customize it more readily than any AK. So it takes longer to get bored with.
 
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I like the SKSes more than the AK for just shooting for fun. I've always found the AKs to be uncomfortable to shoot (think it's because of the very low comb on the stock), while the SKS has a traditional layout, plus an old-school indestructible milsurp feel to it.

The best way I can describe it is an M44 Mosin in x39. The length, weight, sights, folding bayonet, short buttstock, finger grooves, stubby little fixed magazine - it's all almost identical. The difference is that this Mosin is semi-auto and shoots $5/box ammo with next to zero kick. The SKS is as inaccurate as you'd think for Combloc surplus, but they are a ton of fun to shoot.

I've got a Romy AK from Century, which is the low-end import gun and probably equivalent to whatever the US manufacturers are churning out these days (have not shot an American AK, but for ~$500, I'd be shocked if they are higher than WASR grade). It's a lot lighter and shorter than an SKS, but again, not that comfortable to shoot and not very accurate either. It's also pretty loose - there have been hundreds of internet diatribes written about the AK and its tolerances, but when it's in your hands, it makes the rifles feel kind of cheap.

My AK came broken right out of the box with a binding gas piston that needed to be returned for warranty (that's a Century problem moreso than a cheap AK problem; Century is notorious for their "drunk monkey" manufacturing defects when they re-assemble or convert semi auto guns. Be aware of it if you're buying imports). However, it has never jammed on me since. Of course, my ARs don't jam on me either.

I'm just not a fan of the AKs. They're not really accurate enough to be a good "functional" rifle, and they're not fun enough to make a good plinker. Couple that with the prices on them today and I would hard-pass on an AK unless you really just want to have one for its own sake.

I have not shot an x39 or 300 Blackout AR and can't comment on those specifically. Cheap 223 ARs absolutely smoke AKs though in terms of handling and accuracy.

So I guess that kind of explains my preferences. If you want accuracy, it's an AR easily. If you just want to blast away and are looking for something different besides black rifle #50 billion, I'd highly recommend an SKS. There's not much reason to get an AK unless you really just want to own an AK.
 
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One cool thing about the AK design is that with no need for a buffer tube you can make much shorter pistol variants, and the heavier round loses less of its power than the light higher velocity rounds typical of AR-15s.
Since most do not get such a design for use at beyond short ranges the reduced accuracy is hardly noticed at pistol ranges, and often more accurate than many handguns.

A Draco or mini Draco and Krinkov and m92, and various other AK pistol types compete favorably with most AR pistols in my book. The rifles not so much. Which is probably why the companies are making pistols out of the receivers.
The RPK based rifles are much heavier duty, solid steel and do not feel like you are holding a rattling tin can. They are also heavier and may be less suited to carrying over distance.
 
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Everything has give and take, you'll need to decide where you want to go.
The X39 has a little more oomph than a blackout especially from a carbine barrel but not really enough to much practical advantage.
If you reload there's not much difference in cost.
I prefer the AR platform and i went blackout also ended up with pistol length. Really handy little thing IMHO.
A X39 would be great in an AR, just doesn't suit me.
 
An AK is a fun gun (says the guy who owns an SKS because there are such restrictive laws in CA re: AKs and ARs). If you want a fun gun get one of those two.

I can’t see a reason to get the 39 in any other platform than one of those two. At all.

Let me start out by saying I am not a huge fan of the AR platform. I own them, but when I want to shoot for fun, It is usually a milsurp or something like it. Whether it is a WWII bolt action, Garand, M14, or Mini 14, these are what I generally shoot for fun. I am an unrepentant iron sight shooter and am pretty good at it. One of my never-going-to-get-rid-of-guns is a Chicom SKS that I shot a 95/100 out of our last range milsurp match (losing to another Chicom SKS...if I knew he had replaced the sights I would have pulled out the M14 instead.) It was a wedding gift from my father in law. Good start to a marriage :).

And I still say, of your choices, get the AR. The SKS and the AR have both been 100% reliable with steel ammo, which is the major pull with 7.62x39. My SKS has outshot any AK I have put my hands on. The AR is more accurate than the SKS. Every time. And that is the cheapest 16" upper that PSA sells in 7.62x39.

If you are using Irons, the sight radius on my AR is longer and the carry handle aperture sight is MUCH better than the blade sight on the SKS. I did grind the sight off the FSB and add a cheap rail to the AR to push out the front sight.

If you want any kind of optics, the AR wins against just about anything.

With that said, I understand the desire for something new and different. If you want an SKS or AK, don't let logic stand in your way. I did mention I am more likely to shoot a Mini 14 than an AR-15, right? I end up shooting 3 rounds in my 7.62 AR for every 1 in a 5.56 AR. The only AR that gets shot more is the 9mm.

Even though I reload, I don't reload 7.62x39 in large quantities. And 7.62x39 is tapered, so steel ammo extracts from it better than steel 5.56 ever will. So if I want to shoot, and don't want to reload the empties, I shoot the commie AR. 18 cents a round for 2-3 MOA is not bad.

If you are looking for something completely different, look at the Ruger American Ranch in 7.62x39. The bolt operates roughly (like a Mosin) but I have gotten some sub-MOA groups of 5 from Wolf Polyformance Ammo. Yep, the cheap stuff. The normal group with this ammo is 1.5-2 MOA. I dare you to find a bad review here for that Rifle. It is an unbelievably handy bolt action. If they put 1903A3-style sights on it with a tapered barrel, I would hit the range with it just about every time.
 
If you are looking for something completely different, look at the Ruger American Ranch in 7.62x39. The bolt operates roughly (like a Mosin) but I have gotten some sub-MOA groups of 5 from Wolf Polyformance Ammo. Yep, the cheap stuff. The normal group with this ammo is 1.5-2 MOA. I dare you to find a bad review here for that Rifle. It is an unbelievably handy bolt action. If they put 1903A3-style sights on it with a tapered barrel, I would hit the range with it just about every time.

Little off topic, but I think you would absolutely love a CZ 527. There are aftermarket peep sights you can buy for them as well.
 
Not sure if I'm the oldest guy here, but probroably in the top 3 or so ... but I've got all 3

I was shooting a Colt 7.62x39 AR in the 80's when the reliability wasn't a myth, Colt sold the upper with a 5-round AR mag that would only hold 4 rounds because it was just an AR mag marked 7.62x39! Feed lips an follower was identicle to a 223/5.56 and even it wasn't 100% ... Individuals and IIRC ProMag made a Franken mag by welding the upper part of an AR mag (only as long as the magwell) to the curved lower part of an AK mag ... Some actually worked.

As mentioned, C-Products designed a mag but their 1st gen's reliability were hit & miss also, after 30 or so years and several manufacturers later, when the 2nd Gen C-Products came along & later the ASC's they've solved it ... due to the AR's tighter tolerances it's typically more accurate than most AK's, even with the cheapest fodder. The enhanced fireing pin is a must as its protrusion is slightly longer and its heavier be aware tho that light hammer springs may result in light primer strikes also.

You could sell your Ruger to help fund or just buy (or build) an AR with a 223, 300BO and 7.62x39 uppers ... or you may be satisfied with super-sonic 300BO loads, although they don't have the same satisfying thump as the 7.62x39 ;)

Finally, the AK is iconic, and really, no card carrying collector should be without one! The higher-end AK's are more reliable and accurate, like Arsnal which are US assembled Bulgarian AK's with CHF barrels ... the early SA-93 and SLR-95 can be found for around $800 if you're patient ... but there are people asking $1,500+ just because it says Arsenal on the milled receiver.

Lastly, it's up to you but if I were to start all over again, I'd still want all 3 uppers for an AR, and a premium AK when I found the right deal.

Good Luck!
 
I love AKs, so just leave them alone!! Seriously, if you don't have one(an AK), get a gen 3 PSA for a cheap US built AK, or get yourself a Draco and install a brace. The problems most people have with AKs are caused by Century, so just don't buy something they build or modify. Most AK pistols are 100% foreign built, and just imported by Century, except for the one US made Draco, so be sure it says made in Romania on it.
 
I'm going to keep my eye on the PSA offerings, to see if they have any really good daily deals. Thanks for all the opinions and knowledge.
 
I like the SKSes more than the AK for just shooting for fun. I've always found the AKs to be uncomfortable to shoot (think it's because of the very low comb on the stock), while the SKS has a traditional layout, plus an old-school indestructible milsurp feel to it.
SKSs are fo-sure fun, if you want to shoot iron sights. They're really not set up for optics, and I've found that most all of the SKS optics mounts available are pretty much a kludge compared to, say, a flattop AR picatinney (MIL-STD-1913) rail setup.
 
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Now that you can get an AR for less than an AK, there's no utilitarian reason to get an AK.

When considering the AR-15, a 7.62x39 case has a wider case head than .223 / .300BLK, so there's less meat on the bolt head. Attached is a photo of my x39 AR bolt head on the left, and my regular .223/.300 AR bolt head on the right. Look carefully at the thickness supporting the base of the cartridge... you'll notice the x39 bolt head is missing two lugs. Not cool.

So, with this in mind, you have a trade off between cheaper ammo and niche bolt head and mags versus more expensive 300BLK ammo... with standard bolt head and mags. If you want to get a .223 barrel / upper later, you can use your same BLK mags and bolt head. That'll be a cost savings. Given that the .300 and the x39 have similar performance, I'd say that you should still consider .300BLK supersonic and not suppressed. But given all that, if you're not going to suppress it, why not stick with .223? Ammo's pretty cheap compared to 300BLK.
 

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But given all that, if you're not going to suppress it, why not stick with .223?
Because having more guns to shoot is fun! If suppressors become legal in IL or I move to a state where they are, I'll definitely get a .300 BLK. I think at this point I'm leaning towards an AK47 of some kind.
 
Not the lowest cost option, but I've pre-ban AK, converted Siaga, 7.62x39 AR with C-Products mags, but my favorite is the CMMG "Mutant" AR-15 that takes real AK mags.
 
SKSs are fo-sure fun, if you want to shoot iron sights. They're really not set up for optics, and I've found that most all of the SKS optics mounts available are pretty much a kludge compared to, say, a flattop AR picatinney (MIL-STD-1913) rail setup.

Guess I'm showing my biases a bit there. I much prefer shooting iron sights over scopes.
 
Get an AK if you want a simple solid chrome lined open sights 7.62X39 rifle.
Get an AR if you want a rifle that can be scoped, and is more accurate. Be sure to get M4 feedramps.
 
Here's my favorite Draco! If you can find a used Draco-C, factoring in the cost of a stamp, I'm still under $700 on this one, since the rear trunion is set up for an underfolding stock.(DIY SBR)
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Here's a mini Draco with a brace
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I'm heavily invested in the AK and AR. I have AKs in 3 calibers and the AR in 2. One of my favorites is the AR in 7.62x39. It's been 100% reliable and pretty accurate. Match grade triggers are known to be a problem with hard primers but I've never had a problem.
I never really understood the 300 BO interest given that most of us never shoot suppressed. It's performance after 150-200 yards isn't all that great. I think the 7.62x39 is a better performer overall.
 
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I never really understood the 300 BO interest given that most of us never shoot suppressed. It's performance after 150-200 yards isn't all that great. I think the 7.62x39 is a better performer overall.
That must be a regional thing ... at least 42 states allow suppressors, personally I have 3 pistol and 3 rifle.

Kansas lifted the ban on suppressors back in 2007 and it was a while before I bought my first one, as I didn't understand the need either. I bought my first 3 mainly because of a financial windfall and thought "what the heck". At the advise of my FFL I started with one for 22, 45 and 308, all 3 full-auto rated. The 22 will handle up through 5.7x28, the 45 I used for 9mm and 45 and the 308 doubled for 223. Since then I've added a dedicated 9mm, another 22 and a 223. Now I can't imagine shooting without them.
Shooting the subsonic 300BO is ridiculous, its durn near Hollywood quiet ... Shooting full power 7.62x39 with the suppressor is almost hearing safe ... I can use foam plugs and be completely comfortable.

It's been getting more common that when people come to the range without a suppressor, more so on the high power range they typically get "looks" ... not necessarily "dirty looks" but they get the "oh crap" looks ... and some people leave because they either didn't bring hearing protection with them or don't want to use it.
 
If you want something *different* to shoot, get an AK. It's why I have an AR in 7.62x39 and an AK in 5.56 and they each happen to be two of my favorite rifles to shoot. No one gets to say you have to be married to a particular platform per caliber. Either caliber in the AR platform is going to be more accurate, just the nature of the beast. The AR platform is also going to be better at accessorizing, better fit and finish which is often important to AR-only bros, mounting optics (can be done on an AK but just more expensive), tuning for recoil, etc, but in the end it feels like shooting pretty much any other AR with just a tad more thump.

I think the PSA GF3 is "good enough to go" now that I could recommend it to a new AK shooter over something like a WASR. If you get bit by the AK bug or whatever, then you can decide if you want to spend more cash on a milled Arsenal, for example. Unless you're a serious AK snob, I think the PSA can easily satisfy that thirst to go out every now and then and put a few mags through it.

To be honest, some of the PSA KS47 pistol builds I've seen lately look pretty appealing. On the AK side, the Polish WBP Lynx pistol builds Atlantic Firearms are putting out look pretty nice as well. These also both scratch that "something different" itch pretty nicely.
 
Get a front sight tool to adjust elevation and windage. You can also use a punch and hammer to drift the front sight.
 
Lots of answers here. I had an AMD65 before we got really safe in NY. The barrel extender broker upon first trip to the field and the stock has to be welded in the open position. Replaced the extender with a long break and a smart welder. It was very reliable. Traded it for a Siaga that flew under the radar. I do agree with some here who really like the SKS. Like buying anything you have to check before you buy. Some lower end AK's are great and others not so much. Like the AMD65 that I once owned.
 
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