Guns, Bows, Shooting Sports, and Hunting AK-47 vs AR-15

[WMonroe]

I have been waiting for my local gun store to get a ar15 in, and when I stopped today they had two new romanian ak's. The ak's are going for about $550. I know the ar is more accurate than the ak. but my question is, is an ar that much better than the ak that I should keep waiting?

Thanks

Will

 

[The patriot]

I ran my AK in a class I recently took.

While a LOT AR's were going down en mass, the AK kept on plugging. (Stag's were puking a lot!!!)

The Romanian was a good buy for about $300~ish last summer.

I have the Arsenal milled receiver jobs. THE rolls royce of AK's.

It's a LOT more accurate than most other AK's. I believe the limiting factor is the Wolf ammo.

If you want something you will keep in the truck, or not keep up on maintenance, get the AK.

If you want to accessorize it, get the AR.

Neither will be cheap to feed anymore. Maybe the edge to the AK... . slightly.

If youre buying it for a specific use, that would help in deciding.

 

[WMonroe]

I am buying for target practice, fun, just in case they tell me I'm no longer allowed, and you never know when you might need it. Probably not going to do many accessories (if any at all) to either gun I would get. I just keep thinking that the money I would save going with the ak would buy a lot of ammo.

Thanks for the reply. Keep them coming.

Will

 

[WDixon27]

i use to work here building most of those and you can do some fun stuff to a ak, the legion saiga's all come with a test target where it is usually a ragged hole (i don't remember the range) don't let someone tell you all ak's are crap on the paper, sometimes you will get a ******* that just won't print a decent group but that holds true for anything

 

[MickeyMiller]

Two ground combat tours in Nam made me a believer in the functional reliability superiority of the AK vs AR. That said, the AR has been refined into a splendidly accurate, and reliable, weapon but the AK's highly tappered 7. 62 X 39 case will ALWAYS give the AK the edge in reliability. For plinking, or a close fire fight, I give the AK the edge... for target shooting, and long range accuracy, the AR is better. The AR has a much better trigger...

 

[AMink]

I have a pre-ban Polytech AK. It is a superbly reliable firearm. It will eat whatever you feed it, as long as it's the correct caliber. I have never, not once, had a misfire after thousands of rounds. Not that the AR is bad. As mentioned, it's come a long way, baby! But for knocking around, the AK is a superior firearm. Neither ammo is cheap anymore, but the AK is a hoot to shoot. Military Channel named it the number one battle rifle of all time. The AR was a close second.

 

[PatrickHansen]

WMonroe, have you considered the Ruger Mini 14? It's chambered for 5. 56 (. 223), the gas system doesn't carbon up, and is available in a target model with a nice thumb-hole stock. If you prefer 7. 62, Ruger makes the Mini 30. Both of these are American-made.

 

[Flying_gage]

The AK is like a 1994 Dodge Cummins 4x4.



The Ar is like a 2003 Dodge Cummins 4x4.

 

[Curious Dave]

I can only speak for the AR. It is awesome for accuracy. In my intro to the AR I was disced 2 misses and still shot expert at 500 meters. No scopes or anything fancy. That was 20+ years ago with a weapon that was well used. Could I do it again? I think with an AR the reliability and the accuracy are only as good as the person using it. In combat and in severe conditions I could see some potential issues. But your weapon is your life in those situations. You must take care of it like you would take care of any part of yourself.

 

[The patriot]

I am buying for target practice, fun, just in case they tell me I'm no longer allowed, and you never know when you might need it. Probably not going to do many accessories (if any at all) to either gun I would get. I just keep thinking that the money I would save going with the ak would buy a lot of ammo.
Thanks for the reply. Keep them coming.
Will

The AK will be OK up to 200 yards. The "better" brands of AK will go to 300 IMO.
The AR will put em on the paper up to 600 yds with the right rifle/ammo combo.
My AK has a superb trigger. NO trigger slap at all, and lets off at about 4 lbs. Sure it has some takeup, but it's not like dragging a brick over concrete with your finger or anything. It's very smooth.
But it still cant compare with the RRA trigger on my AR. Apples & oranges.
Whatever you decide, get LOTS of mags and ammo.
This is the AK I got, except green furnature:
#ad

 

[WMonroe]

Well I stopped this morning to pick up one of the ak's and they had both been sold. It was about 45 minutes after they opened, he told me a guy came in first thing and bought both of them. So it's back to waiting and watching.

Thanks for the help

Will

 

[AABEN]

If your AR has a 1in8 or a 1in9 it will shoot a heaver bullet the older ones have a 1in12 or some had 1in14 . If it was to fight with I will take the AK it is good at what it was made for A 152 grain will have more knock down power than 62 grain by a longe shot. All so lest win drift.

 

[JJPage]

I purchased an SKS Paratrooper at "Dale's Cashaway" in between Koskia and Kamiah Idaho for $99. 00, plus a K rounds of 7. 62x39 ammo for $179. 00.



This was in 1996, not near the weapon of an AK... . but heck, you coundn't shoot a . 22 for that price. The accuracy isn't too bad, within a 10 inch group at 100 yards, this is with this cheap ammo.



I have not seen these anymore, I guess they were just China/Russian made knock offs?

 

[Skydiver]

I like the AK. Fun to shoot and I can hit with it.

.

This young lady is going to make some man a good wife one day.



YouTube - McKenzie - 11yo Girl Field Strips AR15 in 24 Seconds

 

[The patriot]

Most of the less expensive and more available 7. 62x39 is NOT 152gr.

IIRC it's 124gr, or thereabouts.

 

[JBodenhamer]

As an active duty Army officer with two tours in Baghdad, Iraq, I say go for the AR. I own a Stag Arms one myself. The nice thing about them is all the accessories. Once you have a lower you can get lots of different uppers with longer barrels for accuracy, shorter for combat shooting, and there are tons of weapon lights, sights(I like EoTech and ACOG personally--very different designs, but both good in their own right), bipods, etc, etc. They are fun to shoot, accurate, kick very little, fire as fast as you can squeeze the trigger on semi if you have it clean and lubed and use good brass ammo, and if you reload, the . 223 is real cheap.
If you want a play around rifle to fire that you never clean, the AK is your best bet. They can be made accurate but are not as nice a weapon. Or, just go with an SKS. I have one of these also and it is super reliable and will fire every type of ammo I have put in it no problem. I think it has been cleaned once or twice since my dad brought it back from Vietnam as a war trophy...

 

[kenny61]

If you just want to plink at under 1 or 2 hundred yards go for the AK. It will hit the target and you dont have to worry about cleaning it so much. You want to engage people shooting back at you from 1 to 5 hundred yards go to the AR

 

[ERogers]

You may want to consider a Mosin-Nagant in one of it's various configurations.

Cheap, powerful ammo,

Easy to accessorize,

It's C&R status helps keep it below the radar,

AND if you break it, you're only out $99. 95!

 

[AMink]

You may want to consider a Mosin-Nagant in one of it's various configurations.

Cheap, powerful ammo,

Easy to accessorize,

It's C&R status helps keep it below the radar,

AND if you break it, you're only out $99. 95!

It does have a little more "POP" than an AR or AK. Like OUCH pop, especially with the metal buttplate. :-laf

 

[WDixon27]

it depends on the ammo on the size of the bruise, i shot a box of CZ steel core and that stuff was toasty

It does have a little more "POP" than an AR or AK. Like OUCH pop, especially with the metal buttplate. :-laf