Do you like or dislike AKs?

[Kaylee]

Val - the AR system is essentially the same as when it was designed in the mid-50s. The rifles are creatures of the same generation. I won't compare to two, as there are umpteen gazillion threads for that on THR alone.

To the AK... enh.

Having had a couple, they strike me as a truly ingenious creation.

However, the genius isn't in that it's a great rifle.

The genius is in a design that can be indifferently manufactured by (probably drunk) peasants in a Communist factory, sit in a crate for fifty years, be shipped across half a planet, be torched in half, tossed in a pile.... have two pieces pulled back out of that pile at random, again mailed across half a continent, be put back together with a hammer... and then when it's finally taken out and used with a magazine tossed out by the army of some country that never heard of the first country that slapped together the rifle in the first place....

... actually run.


THAT is a miracle of engineering.

Everything from the slant in the engagement tab on the mag (that will still engage on a mis-sized mag catch) to the crude simplicity of the fire control group...

the wonder isn't that it's a great rifle.

The wonder is that with so many strikes against it, it can remain an adequate rifle.

 

[Redhat]

I hate 'em. Respect their durability but still hate 'em!

 

[hqmhqm]

Ugly cheap commie sheet-metal. Ugh.

I will never own one.

 

[Charshooter]

For me, if it is not a standard hunting rifle, bolt, single, lever, pump and Remington or Browning auto, I am just not interested and it is not because I lack experience, I have 50 years of experience. It is because I am an old man and used to conventional hunting guns.

 

[Feanaro]

Some of you think ergonomics suck with the AK? Try the G3(PTR-91)

The ergonomics of the CETME seem fine to me, while I hate the AK's. Different strokes.

Though I can understand one complaint about the G3 series. The selector switch is CRAP! It's hard to reach it when set on safe. My CETME has a different selector, so that's not a problem for me.

 

[amprecon]

Eleven Mike,
Sure I'll just go hunt this guy down somewhere near Billings, MT and have him present the aforementioned huey(s) to you firsthand . It was his story dude, not mine, I just took it with a grain of salt and haven't lost any sleep over the comment. Just like any story, believe it or not, it's up to you.

 

[Eleven Mike]

Eleven Mike,
Sure I'll just go hunt this guy down somewhere near Billings, MT and have him present the aforementioned huey(s) to you firsthand . It was his story dude, not mine, I just took it with a grain of salt and haven't lost any sleep over the comment. Just like any story, believe it or not, it's up to you.

You don't mind credulously repeating tall tales? If you take it with a grain of salt, why are you repeating it as if it helps you inform your opinion on the AK? I'm sorry, but you might as well be telling me that the .50 BMG will kill somebody if it just grazes their finger.

I wasn't talking about hunting anybody down, just checking out whether an AK downing a helicopter is within the realm of probability. At the very least, there would be some kind of military records or first-hand accounts of something like that, if it's "not unusual," something more than just hear-say war stories vets bring home from over there.

I'm not trying to be harsh, it's just that there are too many rumors out there as it is.

 

[hitman134]

I Love The AK's,They Are Uniques!

 

[Anotherguy]

I respect the durability and reliability. I like that 7.62x39 is so cheap.

But I never wanted one because of what they represent to me. Just a personal thing.

I've never had a failure to feed or eject with any of my AR's, M1 or M1A's. They go bang every time I pulled the trigger. Maybe I'm just lucky.

 

[cwmcgu2]

I find beauty in the ruggid utalitarian simplicity.

 

[Ala Dan]

Indifferent

 

[Val USP]

I respect the durability and reliability. I like that 7.62x39 is so cheap.

But I never wanted one because of what they represent to me. Just a personal thing.

I've never had a failure to feed or eject with any of my AR's, M1 or M1A's. They go bang every time I pulled the trigger. Maybe I'm just lucky.

I respect the durability, reliability and fun to shoot of AR or M4,M16

But I never wanted one because of what they represent to me. Just a personal thing.

I've never had a failure to feed or eject with any of my SKS or AK. They go bang every time I pulled the trigger. "Maybe I'm just lucky."

 

[Zullo74]

They go bang every time I pulled the trigger. "Maybe I'm just lucky."

If that's your ONLY criteria, then I hope you are happy with your Communist piece of junk! JMHO

 

[Young gun]

I just got my first AK. I'm very pleased with it. It's clearly not a marksman's rifle but at a just over a hundred yards I was able to put all my rounds in what would be the silhouette's center (more or less) mass. It was a large grouping. I can't be exactly sure how acurate till I put some more time in with it at the range.

Not tremendously accurate. True. Fun and a good gun to have around sure.

I have some very accurate rifles and I love 'em, but I take a particular pleasure in not just shooting perfect* guns perfectly but the challenge and fun of shooting as well as I can on platforms considered less perfect or even flawed.

Also bear in mind your expectations may be colored by your experiences. I have one friend whose first gun was a scoped AR. He shoots other rifles well but his standards were set by that AR. Which are tough standards to come close to. What do you shoot how accurate is it? Now think about how accurate an AK actually NEEDS to be.

 

[vanfunk]

I like my Arsenal SA-M7 carbine. It's rugged, reliable and accurate. Things I'm not enamored of in the AK platform: poor sights and poor ergonomics.

vanfunk

 

[glockman19]

I like them but can't have one in CA.

 

[Correia]

If that's your ONLY criteria, then I hope you are happy with your Communist piece of junk! JMHO

Some days I despise the internet.


You know what? For those of you AK experts who are sure the weapons are so incredibly inaccurate, and impossible to use, would you care to shoot a 3gun or tactical carbine match against me while I use one of my AKs and you use an AR? We can put money down on it if you like. In fact, I would prefer to.

Some of you may have 40-50-60 or a hundred years of experience, and guess what? That still don't make you an expert.

Just because you've shot a cheap, slapped together parts gun, that shoots 6-10 MOA doesn't make you an expert on AKs.

I'm so sick and tired of the myths of the inaccurate AK and the unreliable AR that dominate the internet.

I've used a Remington 700 with a bad barrel that couldn't shoot very good either, so by that extension, I can assume that all Remington 700s are garbage, and therfore, the people that are actual paid professionals who use them in their line of work to make accurate shots are lieing.

Wait, that sounds stupid. But isn't that what we do on every single one of these damn threads?

And for the whole Commie garbage line of reasoning, I probably wouldn't use HKs either because they were founded by a bunch of Nazies. Once again, that's stupid, but hey, this is teh interweb. Let's not let stupid arguments hold us back from spraying our true feelings out there for everybody to see, like we're an expert.

If commie guns offend you, I could use an AK type rifle built by Finns, Jews, or Americans, but that would probably still tick you off somehow.

I've got a 1.5 MOA AK and a 2.0 MOA AK. But this is the internet, so I must be lieing, because you can't hit the broadside of a barn with your WASR. I've won carbine matches with an AK, and I've won rifle stages in a 3gun match with an AK, but I must have imagined that, because this is, after all, the internet, where opinion and BS trumps actual use every single time. Of course the match results are published, but those must not exist either, because everybody knows you can't use such an unergonomic piece of garbage to actually hit targets.

You can only spray them from the hip at old washing machines. I know this because I read it on the internet.

 

[Daemon688]

You know, Correia always offers a challenge to AR owners who says the AK is an inaccurate piece of garbage. So when will someone step up to this challenge? I'd like to see the thread on that one, with pictures of course!

I like AR's and that's likely to be my next gun.....or maybe a garand...or 1903a3. But AK's I love so much I bought two, one in 7.62x39 and the other as a 12 guage shotgun.

 

[Eleven Mike]

Correia, I'm honored my thread could give rise to such an eloquent rant. Well said.

 

[Zullo74]

Correia,
I think you've been working too hard. Go lie down and take a nap. You feel better later.

(I still don't like the AK's)

 

[Val USP]

T H A N K Y O U, Correia! Two thumbs up!
Both AW created as combat not sport rifles. And as we know combat situation is 10 – 500 yards. If your team of 5-10 soldiers going to knock down enemies machinegun 2-3 people site on distance over 500 yards, you will ask sniper to go to the left and shoot them down, while all others will go to the right and try to cover your sniper. But if this happen on distance 100 – 300 yards – you will ask everyone to start shooting.
In this case it is REALLY does not matter you will kill them with one forehead shot or multiple shots.

And again you 100% right: “Some of you may have 40-50-60 or a hundred years of experience, and guess what? That still don't make you an expert.” Because people shoot from bench rest all the time. I am not expert as well, but I have some small experience from Afgan 82 -84.

And I completely agree with you – it isn’t Commie or Nazi or any other divider when you talk about engineering peace of art. And instead of comparing Thomson with MP40 and PPS43 – I will be so happy if I own Germans Gewehr-43. (or at least handle it, because in California – it is no – no)

 

[mpmarty]

Way to go Correia

I am 68 yrs old and have been competing in NRA high power matches at the local club where 95% of the shooters are shooting $3000 AR15s and over the past three years I have never won a match but have been competing with stock K31 Schmidt Rubin. I haven't won but have not come in last either. This year I'm going to compete with my Saiga 5.56x45 in stock sporting rifle form before I convert it into an EBR

 

[heypete]

I generally have no problem with them, but the following concerns have prevented me from buying one:

1. Stocks are too short. I'm 6'0", 200lbs, and the stock is way too short for me. I know longer stocks are available, but I haven't bothered looking.
2. All the ones I've seen in the stores have unfinished wood, or wood that looks like crap. I don't expect Turkish hardwood polished to a high shine, but I expect some sort of finish on them. I happen to like synthetic stocks on "practical" rifles, but haven't found any locally.
3. Insufficient knowledge on different types. I don't know the first thing between a Yugo, Romanian, Russian, Chinese, or any other AK variant, and don't want to sink my money into something that turns out to suck.
4. Accuracy concerns. I like accurate rifles. AKs are not known for their high accuracy. While I don't expect match accuracy, I expect to put rounds within a 4" circle at 100 yards. I'm not sure if the AK can do that or not.
5. Not really left-handed friendly.

In general, ARs fit me a bit better, are more accurate, and I'm generally more comfortable shooting ARs. I'd like an AK, though, as they're fun, but I'm lazy and need to save money.

I wonder if they make .22LR conversions for AKs?

 

[Val USP]

Pete,
if you like 22lr - you should check Gunbroker site -

 

[heypete]

Val -- very interesting, thanks. Unfortunately, it doesn't look terribly lefty-friendly with that stock, but it's interesting to see that they make such things.

I know Ciener makes .22LR conversions for Thompson subguns and use a .22 barrel insert that fits into the .45 caliber barrel. I wonder if someone could make such a thing for a .30 caliber AK?