Why are AK 74s not more popular???

[joeyabc123]

I live in Florida and AK 47 are flying of the shelves but most stores dont even carry AK 74s or 5.45x39. I have a Springfield M1A, Spike's Tactical AR 556, Mini 14, Ruger 10/22, Arsenal SLR-107FR (AK 47) and a Arsenal SGL31 ( AK 74). Out of all my rifles I shoot my 10/22 and my AK 74 the most. Recently I been shooting the Ak 74 a lot more than the 10/22 because of the difficulty of finding 22lr at a good price. Anyway AK 74s are awesome, reliable, accurate, lightweight and cheap to shoot. $200 for 1080 rounds

 

[Awsomepossum]

Good question. Don't really have a answer, but they seem much harder to find than the ar-15. Also, people want what the latest tactical rifle.

 

[Sam1911]

They are a relative unknown to many shooters. A lot of gun folks have never even heard of an AK-74, or 5.45x39mm.

They really weren't commonly sold in the 'States until the late '90s, from what I recall, and I don't think I'd ever even seen one in the flesh until near 2000, so they haven't had decades upon decades to become universally known like the AKM/AK-47, and there is almost really only one gun that shoots 5.45x39, instead of several shooting 7.62x39 (AKs, SKS, Mini-14, Rossi or NEF single-shots, and a few other common guns.)

And with the recent ban on 7n6 surplus ammo being sold, sales may go a little flat now...

 

[PabloJ]

I have shot East German sharpshooter rifle in this caliber and remember nothing worthwhile about this cartridge. The ammo will only get harder to find and more expensive when found. There is no reason to pick 5.45x39 over the ubiquitous 5.56x45.

 

[rule303]

The big draw to the 74 platform was the availability of cheap surplus ammo. Now that ship has sailed, and the only ammo readily available is steel cased commercial imports from the former Soviet Union. AR prices have also dropped to the point where you can buy a decent one for less than a pieced together AK-74 clone, and find a variety of .223/5.56 ammo on the shelf nearly anywhere.

 

[ugaarguy]

Before the ATF ended the import of 7N6 because of some foolish companies in the US making and importing 5.45x39 pistols, 7N6 could be found for 16 cents or less per round. Now, the cheapest I can find 7N6 is 21 cents per round. New manufacture Russian non-corrosive steel case FMJ ammo that doesn't have steel cores in the bullet is 23 cents per round. Additionally, the Hornady steel case loaded with a 60 gr VMAX is one of the only (if not the only) factory loaded 5.45x39 ammo that's suitable for hunting and better for defensive use than FMJ.

In comparison, 7.62x39 FMJ from Tula is 18 cents per round, and Wolf is 20 cents per round. For hunting or defensive use Remington, Winchester, and Federal all load JSP, Cor-Bon offers JSP and Barnes DPX, and Hornady offers a SST.

Also, 5.56 NATO is 26 cents per round for Tula or Wolf steel cased FMJ, and there's a huge selection of factory loaded hunting and defense ammo in .223 Rem and 5.56 NATO.

Finally, there's the price of the rifles. New, US made AR-15s are going for as low as $500 + shipping. The cheapest I can find a new, unconverted Saiga in 5.45x39 is $500 + shipping. A new US made Century AK-74 is $610 plus shipping. The next lowest priced AK-74 I could find is the Waffen Works, and that's a used parts kit assembled with a new US chrome lined bbl and other compliance parts, and it's still $620 + shipping.

In other words, a $500 Saiga or a $600 AK-74 shooting 21 cent per round corrosive surplus in a caliber with only one factory loaded hunting round isn't really cost effective anymore. When you could get a Saiga for $250, spend about another $100 for parts to convert it yourself, and get surplus ammo for 13 to 16 cents per round it was such a great deal that it didn't matter that ammo was corrosive, there was no hunting ammo available, and you'd voided the warranty by converting the rifle. Now, more accurate AR-15s like S&W M&P-15 Sport ready to go out of the box with a lifetime warranty are available at prices as low as $550 shipped. Non-corrosive .223 ammo only 3 cents more per round than non-corrosive 5.45x39 (or the same .223 for 5 cents more per round than corrosive 5.45) and there's that huge selection of hunting and defensive ammo already mentioned. So, with prices what they are now, the base model AR-15s are a better choice for many.

 

[JustinJ]

I suspect the 74 is far more popular than AK's in 5.56. Such is probably the case because of prior availability of cheap 7N6 and readily available and cheap mags (although they did dry up for a bit). Relative to the 47 though, everybody knows the AK47. Only gun guys are familiar with 5.45.

 

[Averageman]

It is typically harder to find quality aftermarket gear made for the AK 74 or for that matter the 47.
With the 7N6 supply being manipulated the price of ammo is going up.
Couple this with high quality AR's going down or stabilizing in price and aftermarket gear in abundance, the better choice is clearly the AR now.

 

[W L Johnson]

Everywhere you turn you'll find 7.62x39 ammo for sale, 5.45x39 not so much.

 

[dvdcrr]

Bought my first one in 2005. They are way more popular now than then. Give it a little time.

 

[joeyabc123]

The 7n6 didn't dry up its all over. I just ordered 1080 rounds. All the bulk ammo sites have 7n6 for .20 cents a round and wolf ammo for .25 cents a round

 

[joeyabc123]

I don't know of anyone that likes to shoot steel case ammo out of an AR and cheap brass 223/556 is like 37-40cents a round. Also most ak parts will out live the owner. ARs need bolt, bolt carry, gas key cam pin replaced after extended use.

 

[HOOfan_1]

I can reload 5.56 for 23¢ a round...with brass cases.

 

[sappyg]

Really it comes down to the round it fires is just not worth the bother. I like it and would be a buyer if it had something to offer at a lower cost than an AR.

The entry fee just went blue light special IMO.

 

[dvdcrr]

There have been times in the last few years that the ammo and rifles completely dried up. I think that situation will get better.

 

[ugaarguy]

The 7n6 didn't dry up its all over. I just ordered 1080 rounds. All the bulk ammo sites have 7n6 for .20 cents a round and wolf ammo for .25 cents a round

That doesn't change the fact that 7N6 is banned from import to the US. In one week prices went from 16 cents per round to 20-21 cents per round. I doubt it will go higher because it's corrosive surplus, and new manufacture Wolf 5.45x39 can be found as low as 23 cents per round. New manufacture non-corrosive 7.62x39 is as low as 18 cents per round. I think most AK buyers are going for the less expensive up front AK-47 variants with better magazine availability, less expensive steel case ammo, larger selection of ammo types, and better local availability of ammo in general. That's probably a large reason why

I don't know of anyone that likes to shoot steel case ammo out of an AR and cheap brass 223/556 is like 37-40cents a round. Also most ak parts will out live the owner. ARs need bolt, bolt carry, gas key cam pin replaced after extended use.

There are plenty of AR owners who shoot steel case ammo as cheap range fodder. Bolt replacement is typically required at about 10k rounds on guns that see large amounts of high volume, rapid fire shooting. ARs that are used more casually will go longer. And we're talking about a $40 part that literally takes only seconds to swap out. I've had to tighten gas keys that weren't staked but I've never had to replace one. I've never seen or even heard of a bolt carrier breaking. I've only seen or heard of cam pins breaking when the bolt carrier was improperly manufactured. Even if you wore one out it's a $5 part that again takes only seconds to replace.

 

[joeyabc123]

Most bolt carrier groups are $80-250 I just got a a real nice Nib-x coated bolt carrier group for $200. I have a Spike's Tactical AR I use in 3 gun competition, I use to practice with steel case and my extractor went bsd after about 3k rounds everyone said it was because I was shooting steel case ammo

 

[Ignition Override]

The constant video images (last spring) showing Russian troops in the Crimea seemed to increase certain gun prices practically overnight.
The Saiga 5.45x39 rifles available at Classic Arms in Deer Trail NC sold out overnight when people finally contemplated the tv images.

A US gun maker's very unique product apparently violated an ATF interpretation-even though it reportedly is Not armor piercing-which prompted the ATF to ban the cheap Russian ammo.
Why spend more for an AK-74 when an SKS in excellent condition is easily found for much less, and shoots a much more common type of ammo at similar prices to what is now available? Saiga 5.45 or AK-74? No thanks.

My question is with the fighting in eastern Ukraine, why there is no "run" on Russian and Ukr. 7.62x39 ammo...complacency?

 

[justice06rr]

Shhhhhh!!

Don't blow our little secret...

Main reason is probably the anonymity of the round with most people and it is not sold readily in stores, unlike the 7.62 versions.

 

[Davek1977]

While they never reached the popularity of the 47/AKM, their popularity has taken a severe hit recently with the announcement that no more cheap surplus would be coming in due to a fidning by the ATF that it was "armor piercing". The ability to shoot cheaply was one of their greatest advantages over the 47, and now that advantage has largely been erased.

The 7n6 didn't dry up its all over

Are you completely unaware of the fact that NO MORE 7n6 can legally be imported into this country? If you think those prices are here to stay, you have a very rude awakening coming when its time to reup your supplies. As it stands, the 7n6 and Wold that ARE available are higher priced than comparable 7.62x39 ammo, which is also MUCH easier to find for most people

I don't know of anyone that likes to shoot steel case ammo out of an AR

Don't get out much, do you?

 

[TRX]

The Combloc countries tended to export the "obsolete" AK-47s while keeping the "new, improved" AK-74s for themselves. During the post-Communist "kit" era, the vast majority of parts kits coming into the US were 47s.

I don't know what the sales figures are, but 74s in .223 certainly aren't hard to find, and I'd buy one of those before I'd buy one in 5.45.

 

[RainDodger]

I have this weird prejudice towards them. I guess I'm old(er) and I have this proclivity to not want anything to do with anything that was originally designed and built in our Cold War opponent's country. I just don't. I can't help it. I also lost too many friends to variants of that rifle. I won't own one and I won't own anything that fires that caliber.

I know. It doesn't really make sense to anyone but me.

 

[joeyabc123]

I dont get y everyone keeps referring back to the 7n6, its corrosive smmo u probably shouldn't be shooting anyways. None corrosive 5.45 is the same price as 7.62 but its a superior bullet low recoil, accurate, deadly and it lightweight , you can carry twice as much as 7.62. I have a hard time hitting paper at 250 yards with 7.62 but I can shoot 3inch groups with 5.45. So I dont get y price of non corrosive ammo is a big deal when its the same as 7.62 but a better round and its still way cheaper than brass 223/556

 

[Sam1911]

I dont get y everyone keeps referring back to the 7n6, its corrosive smmo u probably shouldn't be shooting anyways.

1) It is some of the best surplus ammo available in any cartridge. More accurate than pretty much any other mil surp. ammo.

2) It has the original "poison pill" bullet that the Soviets designed to work with the cartridge and do what it needs to do. Very effective projectile, and commercial ammo doesn't have it.

3) It's "mildly" corrosive. Not any big deal, at all. I've got my AKS-74 sitting now since the weekend without cleaning (because I'm going to shoot it again today), and it hasn't shown any signs of surface rust starting.

4) Still cheaper than any other option, though less inexpensive now than it was previously.

So what do you mean "probably shouldn't be shooting anyways?"

 

[Davek1977]

my extractor went bsd after about 3k rounds everyone said it was because I was shooting steel case ammo

Extractors are cheap and easily replaceable. I certainly wouldn't let such a thing keep me from enjoying chap practice with an AR. How many extractors can one buy with the savings difference between 3 cases of brass ammo, and 3 cases of steel? My guess would be certainly more than one!