AR vs AK

[Hoser]

I like Chevys.

[Cman]

I like Marlins

[Ranger]

Oh look, a squirrel.

[SU405]

I like Chevys.

HAHAHA WIN!

I was going to mention... you might as well start a Chevy or ford thread.

Or for you gearheads LS1 vs The WORLD! LOL

I'm sure you will end up with one of each when $$$ permits.

[gcrookston]

Oh look, a squirrel.

Where?!? Where?!? Oh, Snap! I forgot it's april fools

[StagLefty]

Where?!? Where?!? Oh, Snap! I forgot it's april fools

I saw it

[spencerhenry]

not sure who posted it, but someone earlier in this thread listed a negative of the 5.56 of penetration. i used to think that until i did comparisons on steel, the 5.56 fmj out performed the steel core 7.62x39. NOT a scientific test, but enough to convince me that the difference is negligible.
i had an ak many years ago, about 1991 or so. i think it was a maadi or something from egypt or somewhere. it would group about 6 inches a 75 yards. i got rid of it, then a couple years ago i bought a norinco ak in 5.56. they are kind of tough looking guns, and this one is pretty accurate, but just not a "nice" gun. trigger sucks, sights are about average for a battle rifle, reliable, other than the occasional double. i shoot it about 100 rounds a year.
if i had to choose, it would never be a question. i would rather have just about any ar15 type rifle than a "good" ak.

[monganian]

This disproved my theory that AK's are more reliable that AR's:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CqRwx4wtmms

[mcantar18c]

This disproved my theory that AK's are more reliable that AR's:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CqRwx4wtmms

Guy's got an interesting way of holding the AR.... left hand trigger, shouldered on the right.

[BigMat]

I think the comparison of rifles is the wrong place to start, first you should look at caliber as this better reflects what you may need to do with a firearm.

close or far?
volume or accuracy?
# of targets?
type of targets?
amount you want to shoot relative to cost of the round?
Do you want glass, VFGs, etc.?

-this could go on and on and on.

5.45- shoots like an 223, costs like a 22- but often corrosive and surplus.
-best - at high volume shooting-
-worst - as its corrosive and good luck finding it at Walmart, not main stream.

5.56/223 - low recoil, fast follow ups, American manufactured (if import worries you), light.
-best accurate round that can handle plenty of types of bullets-
-worst - hits like a 5.45, without the benefit of the nasty Russian bullet, but costs like the 7.62-

7.62x39 - 30 cal round, (best explained by Jeff Cooper I think, mass is forever, velocity is fleeting). recoils like it means it, weighs more, hits harder, too slow to go too far without some serious Kentucky Windage.
-no one ever asked if an AK is lethal enough-
-worst-I'd say recoil, you will be slower than a 223 in a 3 gun match-


Once you decide what you want your bullets to do, you can decide what car they get to the prom in. They make the product before they make the box to send it in.


ARs own the 5.56/223 round, there are 556 AKs, but that is generally owned by guys who own ARs and want to share ammo with their AKs.

AKs get the other two. Same but backwards. You can get an AR in 7.62 or 5.45 but honestly, is an AR as reliable as an AK, probably, but is a 7.62 AR as reliable as an AK, I doubt this very much. I have no evidence, or experience to support this claim, but science is for nerds. And do you really want a gun known for sh##ing where it sleeps, shooting corrosive ammo?


As to the choice of gun-
they are both great, but you have to decide what you want to do with your gun and what you are willing to do for your gun.


A little break down

-Accuracy, meaning glass on top - AR
-Ergos - AR
-Cost of Admision - AK - top end no collector grade AK is about $1000 (Arsenal folder, $850 if you want a fixed stock). Top end AR is double this at least. Lowest AK is about $350, lowest AR is about double this.
-Cost to feed - 545 AK
-power - 7.62 AK
-Shares ammo, mags parts with US service weapon - AR
-availability of parts/accessories - AR
-training - AR, most training for firearms is AR based, AK would work but they are for sure mostly AR based.
-need of care in order of least to most - 7.62 AK, AR, 5.45 AK


To get a reliable gun depends on the user more than the firearm. I have owned an AK (WASR 10, I should have known better.) that couldn't finish a mag without pretending it was a bolt action, and an AR (RRA/Del-ton Frankengun-note, not top tier) that ran well over 2000 rounds, over multiple trips, without a hiccup. I cleaned it before it failed.



I say, look at a bunch of pictures, buy which one seems sexier to you, as they will both get it done in a serious way. The reason the debate is impossible is because it is just like the ford vs. chevy battle, is the 150 or 1500 better, neither, they are both shit trucks!



Buy a Dodge and a FAL!



P.S. my dodge used to catch fire for fun (this was a bad trait for a college kid on a first date)
"hey mat, whats that towel on the seat for?"
"Oh, That, sometimes my truck catches fire, don't worry about it"
*end date here

and I have never owned a FAL