Would you rely on an AK as your primary defensive rifle?

Would you Rely on an AK as your primary defensive rifle?

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Would you rely on an AK as your primary defensive rifle?
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Only if I was expecting to encounter a rampaging gang of barn doors. 🙄

The AR-platform is my “primary defensive” weapons system. It includes 5.56 and 7.62/.308 variants. All are reliable and accurate. Ammo in both calibers is plentiful.
 
Miami_JBT said:
Birdshot is for birds, not people. I've stepped over enough crime scene tape to see the end results of what birdshot does and what 00buck does.
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Turkey hunters have killed turkey hunters. Harrisonville Mo.
 
I did for a while, years ago (a ban-era Romanian SAR-1).

The biggest shortcoming of the AK as a home-defense carbine is the caliber; 123gr bullets at 2350 ft/sec penetrate more in building materials than 55gr JHP at 2950+. I lived in a brick house at the time, though, so a round exiting an exterior wall would have been unlikely.

The AK itself is a fine rifle, less refined than an AR but well designed, handy, and fun to shoot. I had a Kobra optic on mine (siderail mounted) and it made it a lot more accurate in my hands; the short-radius irons are hard to shoot well and easy to shoot badly. I preferred the 20rd Hungarian tank-crew mags for most purposes. I ended up selling that rifle to fund a move, and deeply regret parting with it; it was one of the most fun-to-shoot rifles I’ve ever owned, within 200 yards or so.

05B6670C-7AEF-440A-953C-1CBF64D8F45C.jpeg
 
I guess that I am different. For home defense I have a handgun of some sort usually at arms reach. Carry a P365 most of the time when in public. If you are talking about when SHTF I'll have my AR, but have nothing against the AK. It is a fantastic rifle.
 
I have shot plenty of rounds through both platforms, and the AKs have never missed a beat, ever! Can’t say the same with my ARs. The tapered 762x39 case, in my opinion, is superior to a straight case. I have no problem using my AKs for SD:) If one breaks, I’ll just grab another.
IMG_0208.jpeg
This one is so light and handy, it would get the nod
 
theotherwaldo said:
This self defense stuff is very situational.

The only time that I had to defend me and mine, all that I had was a Topper 12 gauge and a cap and ball revolver.
The attacker had a semi-auto .30-06 and was 100 yards away.
I eased around him while he was shooting at where he thought that I was.
I knocked him rolling while he was trying to reload.
I never fired a shot.

If I'd had an AK or AR in this situation I might have had a rush of brains to the head and tried to hold my ground and shoot back.
I might have died from excessive weapon-induced bravado.

The brain is the real weapon... .
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Yup, you fight with what you have, not what you wish you have.

Ever see that episode of "In The Heat of The Night" where Bubba has to fight off a bunch of AR-toting assassins with nothing but a T/C Contender?
After it's all over, the Chief tells him, " I didn't even think that gun worked." 😳😊

Please, please write that book I keep bugging you about!
 
JDGray said:
I have shot plenty of rounds through both platforms, and the AKs have never missed a beat, ever! Can’t say the same with my ARs. The tapered 762x39 case, in my opinion, is superior to a straight case. I have no problem using my AKs for SD:) If one breaks, I’ll just grab another.
View attachment 1186434
This one is so light and handy, it would get the nod
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So cute! 😉
 
I chose an AR because I am infinitely more familiar with it. I have an AR chambered in 6.8 SPC as my primary HD weapon, so I kinda have the best of both worlds in my choice...great platform that I'm intimately familiar with and more impressive performance from an alternate cartridge.

However, like many others, if I had an AK already, I wouldn't have any concern using it after lots of practice/training/vetting.
 
I voted AK, but It's close to a toss up. USMC so I know the AR/M16 platform intimately, and know how to take care of them.

My only deciding factor is knowing the AK can stand up to a lot more neglect/punishment before malfunction.

Accuracy = AR

Ergonomics = AR

This thing is gonna shoot regardless of what I did to it = AK
 
CraigC said:
Agreed. I don't get why so much in the gun world devolves into a frothy "Ford vs Chevy" scenario. The need to choose one and hate the other.
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My honest opinion... is because some want to... have to... believe that what they like and have is the be all, end end all best out there.... That's a deep rabbit hole to dive into in the gun/cartridge world when all things are considered....

Guess it helps em sleep better at night... 😄
 
The majority of my long guns are locked up in my safe.

JIC the lights go out permanently and I cant get my safe open...
I keep my old SAR-1 bought in 2001 outside of the safe. It had a Russian Kobra Red Dot on it.

I got this great idea about changing out the original batteries on the Kobra at one point and time to Duracell batteries. Can you guess what happened?
The Duracell batteries leaked!

Light Mounted SAR1.jpg

There's usually an AR floating around the house as well.
 
drobs said:
The majority of my long guns are locked up in my safe.

JIC the lights go out permanently and I cant get my safe open...
I keep my old SAR-1 bought in 2001 outside of the safe. It had a Russian Kobra Red Dot on it.

I got this great idea about changing out the original batteries on the Kobra at one point and time to Duracell batteries. Can you guess what happened?
The Duracell batteries leaked!

View attachment 1186539

There's usually an AR floating around the house as well.
Click to expand...

Have you tried Lithium Ion batteries for your Kobra?
 
BreechFace said:
Have you tried Lithium Ion batteries for your Kobra?
Click to expand...

I might have to try that. I've been more focused on AR's lately. I have a couple of those Master Mount Side Rails I need to put on my home builds. Plus a Primary Arms RDS that will go in an older RS Regulate side mount.

This is an old pic but I built the 2 AK's on the left and the 2 on the right.
Romanian AK.JPG

I really hate shooting with an underfolder but had to build one out of a Romanian G kit.
G underfolder.jpg
 
drobs said:
I might have to try that. I've been more focused on AR's lately. I have a couple of those Master Mount Side Rails I need to put on my home builds. Plus a Primary Arms RDS that will go in an older RS Regulate side mount.

This is an old pic but I built the 2 AK's on the left and the 2 on the right.
View attachment 1186575

I really hate shooting with an underfolder but had to build one out of a Romanian G kit.
View attachment 1186576
Click to expand...
What stock did you use?
 
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