tradja
Member
For some time, my "next" purchase to round out my budding collection has been a mil-style semi auto ("EBR", but doesn't have to be black), for plinking, collecting, and SHTF, in that order. My HD and SD bases are already covered by other weapons. I am not a rifle hunter, or a comp shooter. The recent thread "What rifle do you plan to buy this year before they are all banned?" has hastened my search.
I've been stuggling with the title question "Cheapest AR vs. mid-range AK"
I started this whole quest by looking at a $300 WASR, but when I happened to have an opportunity to fire one last week, I was struck by what a rattly, trigger-slappy rough-cut POS it was. The overall AK ergos were fine, and the accuracy was surprisingly adequate, but the build was just appalling. It's certainly not like my current modest budget collection are heirloom-quality examples of fit-n-finish (Taurus 1911, 870 Wingmaster, Marlin Model 60, Norinco SKS), but that WASR felt like a real POS in comparison to what I already own.
I guess what I'm looking for is the AR/AK choice that gives as much bang-for-the-buck as my current low-price, carefully selected guns -- good performance/price ratio, i.e. "value".
It seems that I'll have to pay at least $500 for an AK that would be appreciably better than a WASR/SAR (Vector or used Arsenal, Yugo?), so at $500, I thought, "why not just stretch to $600 and get an Olympic Arms Plinker Plus?" or, after researching, build a cheap AR for around $550-$600.
After reading such threads ad nauseaum on this and all the other gun fourms, I certainly DO NOT want to ignite any kind of "AK vs AR" thing, but is my reasoning on-track? My budget is fixed at $500-$600max, and at the upper end it lands me squarely in the vicinity of "Cheap AR vs. mid-range AK". I feel like a stupid noob asking YET ANOTHER AK vs. AR question, but I was trying to get a feel for "what EBR for $500-$600?" I will buy ammo for either gun (ammo price is similar here), I will practice a lot with either, I will maintain either.
I was trying to get replies to both halves of this question over at a more partisan forum, with separate areas for AK and AR, but I felt this was not a fair (or productive) question for forum wisely set up in such a divided manner.
Because of where I live, there is no way for me to rent or borrow an example of either platform, and I was lucky to fire that WASR recently.
Thanks for any light you could shed on this.
I've been stuggling with the title question "Cheapest AR vs. mid-range AK"
I started this whole quest by looking at a $300 WASR, but when I happened to have an opportunity to fire one last week, I was struck by what a rattly, trigger-slappy rough-cut POS it was. The overall AK ergos were fine, and the accuracy was surprisingly adequate, but the build was just appalling. It's certainly not like my current modest budget collection are heirloom-quality examples of fit-n-finish (Taurus 1911, 870 Wingmaster, Marlin Model 60, Norinco SKS), but that WASR felt like a real POS in comparison to what I already own.
I guess what I'm looking for is the AR/AK choice that gives as much bang-for-the-buck as my current low-price, carefully selected guns -- good performance/price ratio, i.e. "value".
It seems that I'll have to pay at least $500 for an AK that would be appreciably better than a WASR/SAR (Vector or used Arsenal, Yugo?), so at $500, I thought, "why not just stretch to $600 and get an Olympic Arms Plinker Plus?" or, after researching, build a cheap AR for around $550-$600.
After reading such threads ad nauseaum on this and all the other gun fourms, I certainly DO NOT want to ignite any kind of "AK vs AR" thing, but is my reasoning on-track? My budget is fixed at $500-$600max, and at the upper end it lands me squarely in the vicinity of "Cheap AR vs. mid-range AK". I feel like a stupid noob asking YET ANOTHER AK vs. AR question, but I was trying to get a feel for "what EBR for $500-$600?" I will buy ammo for either gun (ammo price is similar here), I will practice a lot with either, I will maintain either.
I was trying to get replies to both halves of this question over at a more partisan forum, with separate areas for AK and AR, but I felt this was not a fair (or productive) question for forum wisely set up in such a divided manner.
Because of where I live, there is no way for me to rent or borrow an example of either platform, and I was lucky to fire that WASR recently.
Thanks for any light you could shed on this.