Posted on 02/12/2013 8:34:58 AM PST by demshateGod
It's about time I buy a scary rifle. I've been looking at prices on the local classified and Gun Broker and started thinking an AK-74 would give me the most for my money. I'm interested in hearing from those of you who are much smarter and informed.
5.45x39 is a good round and it's cheap, but will this always be the case? Will I even be able to get it 10 years from now?
I'm doing all I can to avoid paying panic prices but if I don't buy one soon, the money I've set aside for it will end up being used for other things.
They are both good. We have one of each. I think the Bulgarian AK 74 with the C2 trigger is the best and you cannot beat the new Wyndham AR 15 HBC heavy barrel. Ammo is readily available for both.
In a survival situation - where up kept and maintenance is a low priority - that weapon will perform. When yo buy it - take the top cover off and you’ll see why. I have both - but in a urban - close quarter situation that weapon will fire - and fire - and go on like the Energizer Bunny!
It’s a hardy battle rifle - and has been proven. Which is why low intelligence - non-educated types carry it - (I’m not calling you that) - but insurgent forces worldwide use either that or the AK-47 (7.62x39mm).
And when you are out of ammo - you can hit people repeatedly with it like a club until you can find more ammo...just my two cent’s...
I live in Oklahoma, the reddest (non-commie-red) state in the country.
That’s great information, just what I was looking for.
Thou Shalt Not Covet They Neighbor's MBR.
Do you plan on doing much range shooting? If you want to shoot the weapon often the AR-15 will be more accurate, less recoil, and IMO more fun. If you want to have a rifle just for self defense or shtf scenario I would go with the AK-74 as it has more punch and can take a lot more abuse. As these are the two most popular rifles in the world, availability/cost of ammo will be a wash in the long run.
Either way you might want to wait a couple of months as I don’t think congress or the tyrant in cheif can act that fast and I see prices going down slightly.
I take it you haven't tried to buy reloading equipment or the supplies lately.
That would have been good advice a few months ago.
I own the "super" version in 308. Damn fine rifle.
Sorry, 47.
I faced a similar question at one point, and chose not to really answer it, and just bought both, rather than choosing one over the other.
Both rifles have strengths and few weaknesses. With the AR you have better accuracy, less recoil - allowing for better followup shots. I’d keep a couple of parts kits on hand, just in case.(I’ve never had the need for one - yet)
With the AK, you get a bit harder hitting round in the 7.62, but the rifle is a bit less accurate because they generally aren’t made with the same level of precision. You could run over one with a tank, and it would probably still function. They are so so simple to work on and maintain as well. My dad was in Vietnam. He said the VCs would come up out of the mud with their AKs and it would be flying out of the receiver along with the spent casings as they were firing. (I can’t imagine an AR doing that lol)
I would certainly use it at the range but not a lot. It’d mostly be for defense, or offense if comes to that.
If you shop carefully you can equip your whole family with Chicom SKS’s for the same money you'd pay for an AR-15.
These are solid weapons of medium surplus grade. On mine I refinished the stock by sanding, staining and then treating it in linseed oil. The butt plate and other hardware are easily removable for this purpose. My philosophy is buy it cheap and improve it by cleaning, tightening, refinishing, polishing, re-bluing the original components.
But there's an abundance of mail order parts to customize these things including banana clips and pistol grips and tactical scopes, recoil buffers, bipods, etc.
Of course as Ivan Chesnokov, talking about replacing Soviet AK47 parts with American, once posted on a gun forum:
WHY YOU WANT RAIL FOR KALASHNIKOV? IS NOT GOOD ENOUGH AS PROCURED FROM IZHEVSK MECHANICAL WORKS? YOU THINK NEEDS IMPROVEMENT? THEN MAYBE YOU FIND JOB WITH ARMY OF RUSSIA! YOU HAVE DRINKS WITH MIKHAIL KALASHNIKOV, TRADE STORY OF MANY WEAPONS DESIGNED AND DETAILS OF SCHOOL FOR ENGINEERING!
OR MAYBE YOU NOT DO THIS. PROBABLY IS BECAUSE YOU NEVER DESIGN WEAPON IN WHOLE LIFE. YOU LOOK AT FINE RUSSIAN RIFLE, THINK IT NEED CRAZY SH*T STICK ON ALL SIDES OF WEAPON. YOU HAVE DISEASE OF AMERICAN CAPITALIST, CHANGE THING THAT IS FINE FOR NO REASON EXCEPT TO LOOK DIFFERENT FROM COMRADE. YOU PUT CHEAP FLASHLIGHT OF CHINESE SLAVE FACTORY ON ONE SIDE, YOU PUT BAD SCOPE OF AMERICAN MIDDLE WEST ON OTHER SIDE, YOU PUT FRONT PISTOL GRIP ON BOTTOM SO YOU ARE LIKE AMERICAN MOVIE GUY JOHN RAMBO. MAYBE YOU PUT SEX DILDO ON TOP TO F*CK YOURSELF IN A**HOLE FOR MAKING SHAMEFUL TRAVESTY OF RIFLE OF MIKHAIL KALASHNIKOV, NO?
I like that you almost get multiple rifles in one: With uppers chambered for almost every round.
Picked up a Ruger American 30-06 at WalMart this weekend. The saleman said gun and ammo dealers could just pull there truck up to the back and sell...nothing stays on th4 shelf very long. Took me about 20 min to do it, and they sold 2 rifles and a shotgun while I was waiting. Turned back at least half-dozen people looking for handgun ammo. Can’t find a .22LR anywhere in Tidewater.
Wow! Yeah, but something about paying more than 350 for a sks really bothers me. I started watching them on Gun Broker, hoping to get one cheap and put a scifi bullpup conversion on it, but they’re going for 600+.
I want an AAC honeybadger (300 Blackout)
The guy I talked to in Tulsa said they never know what’s coming on the truck. They got one box of 223 that day. I don’t understand the run on ammo.
Good thinking. I got Ruger Blackhawk in .30M1 to go with my carbine. If I had the money, would do the same with a .44
I had to look around just to get dies for my new 30-06, forget about brass, powder or bullets.
Lots of kids around here buy .22s and pimp ‘em up. They seem to have bought all the LRs.
Personally, I don’t think you need to worry about availability of ammo & replacement parts ten years out from today.
Either things will have improved a WHOLE bunch, and your concern will be fairly academic;
OR
The greta conflict of teh 21st century will be over and your concern will be fairly academic.
I don’t think this situation is going to become another Afghanistan or Viet Nam. When THIS pot boils over, it’s going to boil dry real quickly one way or the other.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.