Americans Are Snatching Up Russian AK-47s In record Numbers

TBI ^ | 8-15-2012 | Geoffrey Ingersoll

[blam]

Americans Are Snatching Up Russian AK-47s In record Numbers

Geoffrey Ingersoll
Aug. 15, 2012, 1:17 PM

I'll never forget the first thing my ex-wife's father said to me: "Wanna go shoot an AK?"

I obliged.

It turns out Americans are turning to AK 's in droves to fill their home armories.

Russia doesn't mind, and neither do it's arms companies, like Izhmash, which are quickly shifting from military to civilian fabrication in order to fill all the orders.

Overall it's been a good deal for American enthusiasts, and for Russian investors, since existing laws banning Chinese imports essentially subsidizes Russian businesses.

Andrew E. Kramer of New York Times reports "And in the United States, Izhmash cannot be underpriced by Chinese competitors. The federal government has banned most imports of Chinese handguns and rifles since 1994.

Selling Saigas in the United States is integral to the enterprise’s evolving business model of making single-shot civilian guns to occupy workers and equipment in between government orders for fully automatic assault rifles. About 70 percent of the factory’s output is now civilian rifles, up from 50 percent two years ago. Of the civilian arms, about 40 percent are exported to the United States."

To be clear, we're talking about perfectly legal to import, and to own in some states, civilian versions of the AK-47. One shot, semi-automatic. These companies have cut back on their fully automatic, military versions in order to supply the U.S. market.

Due to the Second Amendment and America's widespread culture of gun ownership, the US market for civilian weaponry is among the largest on the globe. The AK has not only a violent history, .

(snip)

[Army Air Corps]

Man, there a lot of us klutzes on FR. I had a couple of guns once. I thought that I’d go target shooting in the woods a while back. It is the damnedest thing, but I lost those guns in some field.

[Joe Brower]

I bought a Romanian SAR-1 years back when GWB was issuing those $600 'tax refunds'. Got the rifle, 1K rounds ammo, and 12 East German 30-rnd mags plus tax, shipping and FFL fees... all for less than six bills.

Of course, all of this fell out of the canoe years ago. A dark day, that was.

[Nervous Tick]

GLUTTON! What, 500+ posts isn’t enough for you so you’re reposting the link??!?

(Actually, that is one of the most interesting threads I’ve seen on FR in quite some time.)

[Obadiah]

Always curious about that picture. Anyone know who that woman is and what excuse she was executed for?

[onedoug]

Beware of variants made in China.

(In Vietnam we called them Chicom-56.)

[Durus]

Not bad for a rifle designed in ‘44 by Nazis.

(German Wehrmacht's Sturmgewehr 44 was the real basis for the “Kalashnikov”)

[ImJustAnotherOkie]

The fish are taking up arms.

[tumblindice]

http://www.norinco.com/c1024/english/productsandservices/index.html#

Milled receivers, right? They have the manpower, that’s for sure.
A stamped receiver is faster to make, lighter and cools faster.

[Caipirabob]

GrAtIfiCaTiOn is a warm AK!

[struggle]

Lost my SKS after it fell from my canoe.

[Gritty]

Izhmash makes great weapons in it's Saiga line - tough as nails and decent shooters. They are not nearly as refined or as accurate as a US made AR-15 type. But they are mostly cheaper and certainly help fill a very large market niche. Also, there are not as many aftermarket parts available and the magazines are more expensive. However, they are terrific weapons for the price and simply eat the cheaper Russian ammo (again, not as accurate as US ammo but good for shooting).

Anybody looking for a US made AR-15 type can find some really good choices at less than $900 and even a few nice stripped down ones under $650. Ruger also has a nice line of somewhat comparable rifles with it's Mini 14/30 Ranch rifles.

It's a buyers market out there these days for these types of rifles, and 0bama is apparently the best salesman around.

[AppyPappy]

My SKS was lost in a kiln explosion.

[Nervous Tick]

>> Lot of that happening these days...

I’m disappointed; y’all really should have taken better care of your guns.

I always took really good care of mine... but last winter the bills piled up and then my car crapped out and I had to get it fixed to get to work and I was strapped for cash.

So I sold all of my guns, the decent ones anyway, to a guy I met at luby’s; we were eating there and just happened to strike up a conversation... he was into guns, too... let me think, his name was Smith. Yeah, that’s right. John Smith.

I got John to sign a bill of sale with the serial numbers on it. I have it around here someplace in case it’s ever needed.

[MrB]

Mine? Bizarre Rice Krispie treat accident...

[Ruy Dias de Bivar]

I always wanted an AK since 1968! Finally I got a high dollar Valmet and it was great, except it was way too heavy and atrocious sights! Traded it off and got a chinese AK. Bought a bunch of ammo, took it home and found out the ammo did not match! Had to buy a SKS to shoot up the ammo.

Now the SKS has replaced my 30-30 Winchester but I still have the AK. Can’t reload as the AK throws the empty case into a galaxy far far away.

[rashley]

I haven’t really tested it for accuracy beyond about 50 yards, where I find it plenty accurate. Others would vehemently disagree with you.

[InsidiousMongo]

I prefer to build. They can just send me the parts!

[Nik Naym]

Know what?

Knowing the kind of people who I would bet make up the majority of purchases - This makes me feel better about our nation.

It makes me feel SAFER to know so many of our citizens are arming themselves.

[Nik Naym]

Know what?

Knowing the kind of people who I would bet make up the majority of purchases - This makes me feel better about our nation.

It makes me feel SAFER to know so many of our citizens are arming themselves.

[Nik Naym]

Sorry for that double post.

My clicker finger had a spaz when I hit post!