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Posted: 4/30/2011 5:57:02 PM EDT
[#1]
I have never fired an AK. I don't have an opinion on it.
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Posted: 4/30/2011 5:57:42 PM EDT
[#2]
It is simple.
It is ( when made even halfway properly ) pretty darn reliable. That being said....I am unimpressed by them. Crude, mediocre....etc. There are what they are....and they are not a rifleman's rifle in my opinion. I feel the same way about the Galil. I don't hate them....but I am VERY ambivalent about them. Essentially:  |
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Posted: 4/30/2011 5:59:52 PM EDT
[#3]
Let me put it this way:
I would have preferred it if the enemy used a less effective weapon. |
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Posted: 4/30/2011 6:00:52 PM EDT
[#4]
I own one because I have an interest in military type firearms. It's not a great gun. Yes, it works, but it's not fail safe.
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Posted: 4/30/2011 6:01:19 PM EDT
[#5]
Nevermind, thought how that would sound taken out of context.
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Posted: 4/30/2011 6:02:29 PM EDT
[#6]
It is the chosen weapon of many of our enemies. I own 2. I prefer the Stoner platform, I own several, but the AK is better suited for a street fight.
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Posted: 4/30/2011 6:04:03 PM EDT
[#7]
Tag
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Posted: 4/30/2011 6:05:26 PM EDT
[#8]
It is funny, back in the day when I saw them as pick-ups I thought they were junk. Most that we tried misfired. Today I like them because they are crude and work well. Hitting the target at 100 meters is easy with iron sights.
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Posted: 4/30/2011 6:09:30 PM EDT
[#9]
I fired them in Iraq and I was trained on them in Sapper school. Overall I am impressed with their simplicity but appalled by their crudeness. I am happy that the enemy uses the AK and not something better.
I own a Romanian AK but I have not fired it since I put together my AR-15 three years ago. The AR-15 is superior in every category that matters. |
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Posted: 4/30/2011 6:13:32 PM EDT
[#10]
Quoted: I fired them in Iraq and I was trained on them in Sapper school. Overall I am impressed with their simplicity but appalled by their crudeness. I am happy that the enemy uses the AK and not something better. I own a Romanian AK but I have not fired it since I put together my AR-15 three years ago. The AR-15 is superior in every category that matters. When I look at a AR I feel like Ill break the damn thing if I'm not careful. I do like the 22 conversion uppers though.....Fun plinking. An AK I would need to do something pretty bad to it to ruin it. I've owned about 10 ak's of different types and I'm down to 3. A Egyptian Maadi, a Polish Underfolder I built and a 73 Russian Tula kit that is sitting in a box waiting to be built. I wanna move to other weapons but the ones like the FAL'S etc are so damn expensive to built and feed. |
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Posted: 4/30/2011 6:13:38 PM EDT
[#11]
I like AK's.
It had to do with economics. I bought my first MAK-90 for $225. AR's at the time were $1000+. Now I'm hesitant to add another caliber. I like it simple. 7.62X39 308 12 gauge 9mm 22lr If I came into a bunch of money, I would add AR's, Garands and .45's. |
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Posted: 4/30/2011 6:16:05 PM EDT
[#12]
I've only fired civilian ones but they seem to be pretty decent guns. Not a real big fan of the ergonomics but eh....it's a Russian weapon. Whattayagonnado, joonose?
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Posted: 4/30/2011 6:16:35 PM EDT
[#13]
Quoted:
Quoted:
I fired them in Iraq and I was trained on them in Sapper school. Overall I am impressed with their simplicity but appalled by their crudeness. I am happy that the enemy uses the AK and not something better. I own a Romanian AK but I have not fired it since I put together my AR-15 three years ago. The AR-15 is superior in every category that matters. When I look at a AR I feel like Ill break the damn thing if I'm not careful. I do like the 22 conversion uppers though.....Fun plinking. An AK I would need to do something pretty bad to it to ruin it. I've owned about 10 ak's of different types and I'm down to 3. A Egyptian Maadi, a Polish Underfolder I built and a 73 Russian Tula kit that is sitting in a box waiting to be built. I wanna move to other weapons but the ones like the FAL'S etc are so damn expensive to built and feed. Have you ever handled an issued M16-A2? Just curious. The rifles we had in basic training saw some epic abuse (with customary push-ups) but still felt like a solid rifle. |
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Posted: 4/30/2011 6:17:46 PM EDT
[#14]
The AK is reliable. That is about all it has going for it.
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Posted: 4/30/2011 6:17:48 PM EDT
[#15]
Quoted: Not a A2 a A1. Quoted: Quoted: I fired them in Iraq and I was trained on them in Sapper school. Overall I am impressed with their simplicity but appalled by their crudeness. I am happy that the enemy uses the AK and not something better. I own a Romanian AK but I have not fired it since I put together my AR-15 three years ago. The AR-15 is superior in every category that matters. When I look at a AR I feel like Ill break the damn thing if I'm not careful. I do like the 22 conversion uppers though.....Fun plinking. An AK I would need to do something pretty bad to it to ruin it. I've owned about 10 ak's of different types and I'm down to 3. A Egyptian Maadi, a Polish Underfolder I built and a 73 Russian Tula kit that is sitting in a box waiting to be built. I wanna move to other weapons but the ones like the FAL'S etc are so damn expensive to built and feed. Have you ever handled an issued M16-A2? Just curious. The rifles we had in basic training saw some epic abuse (with customary push-ups) but still felt like a solid rifle. |
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Posted: 4/30/2011 6:18:20 PM EDT
[#16]
Quoted: The AK is reliable. That is about all it has going for it. Well that and the 7.62x39 round has some power behind it. |
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Posted: 4/30/2011 6:22:34 PM EDT
[#17]
I used to HATE them, being the "bad guy" gun and all.
I've fired a few and really like their ruggedness and simplicity. What I like even more is how much less it costs to feed a 5.45 gun. I do prefer ARs over AKs, though. |
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Posted: 4/30/2011 6:22:55 PM EDT
[#18]
I respect the AK, but I also understand its limitations, especially in the hands of unprofessional Soldiers. I would fear an AK in the hands of Spetznas more than I'd fear an M4 in the hands of an Afghan, but I still have a healthy respect for either.
I own an AK, and it's fun to shoot, but in a case where I need to use one of my rifles it's number 4 on my list, out of a list of 6. |
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Posted: 4/30/2011 6:23:49 PM EDT
[#19]
I have one (norinco mak90) and have been shot at with one in Iraq. (At least I assume that's what was being fired. I guess it could have been something else)
It's a decent rifle, but is not my first choice (AR). I definitely don't hate it, and would buy another one like a krink if it was in the budget. MAK90 was the first rifle I ever bought, and was the only "assault rifle" that I could afford at the time. |
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Posted: 4/30/2011 6:26:50 PM EDT
[#20]
Quoted: When I look at a AR I feel like Ill break the damn thing if I'm not careful. Lift a few big dudes in armor over a wall with them standing on your M16 and you'll have a new appreciation of its ruggedness. |
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Posted: 4/30/2011 6:28:16 PM EDT
[#21]
I respect it as a no-frills weapon. It's a good weapon to pass on to untrained groups due to its reputation for reliability. Personally, I think its too heavy and not a very stable weapon. Go to youtube and there is a vid of a side by side comparison of it firing in slow motion split-framed above and M16. Very violent machine actions. The sights aren't suited for anything over 150m(I know, I used to own a WASR-10 and I shot some captured Iraqi rifles while deployed)
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Posted: 4/30/2011 6:28:44 PM EDT
[#22]
out to 200yards or so it is a great field gun...
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Posted: 4/30/2011 6:31:57 PM EDT
[#23]
The AK is what it was meant to be. A cheap, easy to make, easy to train, reliable weapon of a somewhat powerful intermediate cartridge. The AK was meant to arm hundreds of thousands of conscripts that were sure to die en masse in WWIII, why arrm them with a $700 gun when a $100 gun will kill just as well and you don't have to train them on it as much?
Daniel |
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Posted: 4/30/2011 6:37:27 PM EDT
[#24]
My Bulgarian AK-74 is really very easy to hit with. I like it. I can only assume that the "real thing" has the same characteristics.
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Posted: 4/30/2011 6:37:31 PM EDT
[#25]
Quoted:
Quoted:
When I look at a AR I feel like Ill break the damn thing if I'm not careful. Lift a few big dudes in armor over a wall with them standing on your M16 and you'll have a new appreciation of its ruggedness. I started thinking about it, I have only seen two broken M-4s during my time in the Army. One was run over by a bulldozer, the other played lawn dart from a C-130. I have seen them dropped, dragged, submerged, kicked, and tossed around in IED blasts. I believe they are very rugged weapons. |
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Posted: 4/30/2011 6:37:45 PM EDT
[#26]
It's a classic. Unsophisticated, but very reliable and combat accurate. I have several, and enjoy shooting them all.
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Posted: 4/30/2011 6:38:18 PM EDT
[#27]
I really like the AK. 7.62x39 is a good round as well. AR's clearly have the edge, especially with their modularity but for a good, clean, simple short-range rifle, the AK is great. Only thing that really irks me is the length of the standard stock... too short!
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Posted: 4/30/2011 6:45:10 PM EDT
[#28]
Everybody should handle one and shoot one at least once, so they can appreciate the AR for the Cadillac it is. However I do have a Yugo underfolder, and a Polish Tantal, the Tantal I love, cheap to shoot, and much lighter than the standard AK, handles like a .22 LR. It still has the clumsy safety and mag changes though.
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Posted: 4/30/2011 6:48:20 PM EDT
[#29]
I own two
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Posted: 4/30/2011 6:51:30 PM EDT
[#30]
How can you not like a weapon that you can throw down the driveway and it looks better than before?
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Posted: 4/30/2011 6:54:43 PM EDT
[#31]
NDA prevents me from commenting.
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Posted: 4/30/2011 6:55:16 PM EDT
[#32]
 ...
Keeps me some AK love... |
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Posted: 4/30/2011 7:10:04 PM EDT
[#33]
I own one & it's fun to shoot
In a bug-out situation, I'm taking an AR instead |
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Posted: 4/30/2011 7:13:02 PM EDT
[#34]
Quoted:
Quoted:
When I look at a AR I feel like Ill break the damn thing if I'm not careful. Lift a few big dudes in armor over a wall with them standing on your M16 and you'll have a new appreciation of its ruggedness. I have zero combat experience but looking at my AR the only fragile part *might* be the adjustable stock. The rest seems pretty darned solid to me. |
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Posted: 4/30/2011 7:13:08 PM EDT
[#35]
An AR is still my go to intermediate cartridge rifle. I just have too much trigger time and familiarity with the system to choose anything else. If you ask the AK to do what it was designed for it works out just fine. Keep it under 200m. I own a SGL31 (Saiga) which is pretty close to can get to owning a Russian made AK-74 (minus the fun switch). The junky poor man AK clones (WASRs) of dubious quality hold little interest. Really need to pick up a 7.62 x 39 mm model next.
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Posted: 4/30/2011 7:15:38 PM EDT
[#36]
i own two
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Posted: 4/30/2011 7:17:36 PM EDT
[#37]
Tell us about the rifle on the right with CAR-15 flash suppressor and the drum? |
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Posted: 4/30/2011 7:20:46 PM EDT
[#38]
As a veteran without a tank icon because I'm too lazy to fetch my DD214 and scan a copy of it, I appreciate military firearms and own three AK variants. I like the AK platform except for the sights. I would like to build one someday but right now they are still cheap enough to just buy one.
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Posted: 4/30/2011 7:22:35 PM EDT
[#39]
Quoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
When I look at a AR I feel like Ill break the damn thing if I'm not careful. Lift a few big dudes in armor over a wall with them standing on your M16 and you'll have a new appreciation of its ruggedness. I started thinking about it, I have only seen two broken M-4s during my time in the Army. One was run over by a bulldozer, the other played lawn dart from a C-130. I have seen them dropped, dragged, submerged, kicked, and tossed around in IED blasts. I believe they are very rugged weapons. I wouldn't mind hearing about the C-130/lawn dart story. |
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Posted: 4/30/2011 7:23:51 PM EDT
[#40]
I like them and have owned a few. We also used to teach foreign weapons familiarization during our field training exercises.
Short video from about 2003. IIRC these were Romanian http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BcuhZlgWZyk |
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Posted: 4/30/2011 7:33:31 PM EDT
[#41]
They've killed about as many US soldiers as any other gun except maybe the 98K. Must have something going for it. Fired my first one in training in 69, first one I owned was a battle field pick up in 70. I have the utmost respect for the gun as does anyone who has had the misfortune to have been on the receiving end of one in the hands of a determined/pissed/stoned/communist/whatever opponent. I keep a few around and more than likely an AK variant is my go to gun. Don't shoot them much but I have absolute faith that it will work.
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Posted: 4/30/2011 7:47:32 PM EDT
[#42]
For their designed purpose, they are the best platform in existence. They are the glock of rifles. I've seen 1960s specimens in Afghanistan that were still serviceable, and cycled flawlessly. For close in, they rock. For sand people, they are hadj proof.
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Posted: 4/30/2011 7:48:30 PM EDT
[#43]
I had to learn to use one in 2004, and have since had to teach Iraqis, Afghans and Ugandans how to shoot and qualify with one.
They get the job done. |
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Posted: 4/30/2011 8:19:29 PM EDT
[#44]
I knew an NCO who was a big AK fan. he showed me his 100 yard target once, 10 shots on a pie plate. He didn't like when i told him my wife can put 10 shots into the size of my fist and she's not a marksman. That helped to sway my opinion of the AK as unfavorable.
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Posted: 4/30/2011 8:28:23 PM EDT
[#45]
Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: When I look at a AR I feel like Ill break the damn thing if I'm not careful. Lift a few big dudes in armor over a wall with them standing on your M16 and you'll have a new appreciation of its ruggedness. I started thinking about it, I have only seen two broken M-4s during my time in the Army. One was run over by a bulldozer, the other played lawn dart from a C-130. I have seen them dropped, dragged, submerged, kicked, and tossed around in IED blasts. I believe they are very rugged weapons. Friend of mine's M4 was run over by a Daystar semi pulling a trailer with many tons of gravel in it, and it looked pretty OK. I wouldn't have tried to fire it, but it certainly wasn't mangled like I would have expected. |
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Posted: 4/30/2011 8:30:45 PM EDT
[#46]
Cue the RustedAce "Make most Halal AK use Paki green tape!" pics.
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Posted: 4/30/2011 8:39:28 PM EDT
[#47]
I had some training on them back in the day when I was in the Army 1992 - 1998. I used to own a Polish Underfolder but, regrettably, I sold it to help fund a badly needed safe a couple of years ago. I currently own a Romanian AK built from a "G" kit and have a Yugoslavian M70B1 kit that I'm going to have built later this year.
Keep in mind all of my experience has been with AK's chambered in 7.62x39... LIKES: -Simple to field strip and maintain. -Reasonably powerful cartridge. -Very reliable...or at least the ones I've owned/shot have been. DISLIKES: -Relatively crude sights. -Bullet drops badly after 200 meters or so. -Not accurate enough for my taste past 200 meters or so. -High-riding reciprocating mass of the gas piston & bolt carrier causes more muzzle jump than I like...this makes quick, accurate follow-up shots difficult. -Hard to mount optics on one. (But this is beginning to change...) For what it is, the AK is hard to beat...it's a cheap/easy to produce rifle that's simple to maintain, very reliable, reasonbly accurate and reasonably powerful out to a couple of hundred meters or so. Not perfect but decent. I appreciate it for what it is and the history behind it but, that being said, I much prefer the AR over it. |
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Posted: 4/30/2011 8:41:48 PM EDT
[#48]
It's an inaccurate rattle box.
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Posted: 4/30/2011 8:45:46 PM EDT
[#49]
I like them just fine. They're not as accurate as an AR, but they weren't intended to be.
They're great guns for what they are. I've never had a problem with the ergonomics, even with underfolders. They work just fine for me.
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Posted: 4/30/2011 8:52:35 PM EDT
[#50]
Ak's are mostly hype, and generally no more or less effective than any other service rifle I've ran across.
It's whose pulling the trigger that makes any difference. |
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