-
The BladeForums.com 2024 Traditional Knife is ready to order! See this thread for details: https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/bladeforums-2024-traditional-knife.2003187/
Price is$300$250 ea (shipped within CONUS). If you live outside the US, I will contact you after your order for extra shipping charges.
Order here: https://www.bladeforums.com/help/2024-traditional/ - Order as many as you like, we have plenty.
Beckerheads Sound OFF! AK or AR, Why?
- Thread starter Zombie Zeke
- Start date
- Joined
- Apr 30, 2010
- Messages
- 1,499
For me, it's the AR. I don't currently own an AK, but I have had some experience with them in the past. I enjoy the heck out of shooting them.
One of the things I love most about the AR (and this has been mentioned already) is the modularity of them. The one I have now, is a "Frankenrifle", meaning that I have mixed parts on it. An Armalite upper on a Bushmaster lower, and it's as tight as a drum. I've had Bushmaster puros, Stag Arms, DPMS, etc. and I find that my Frankenrifle is my all time favorite. I'll be keeping this one around for awhile.
One of the things I love most about the AR (and this has been mentioned already) is the modularity of them. The one I have now, is a "Frankenrifle", meaning that I have mixed parts on it. An Armalite upper on a Bushmaster lower, and it's as tight as a drum. I've had Bushmaster puros, Stag Arms, DPMS, etc. and I find that my Frankenrifle is my all time favorite. I'll be keeping this one around for awhile.
- Joined
- Sep 19, 2007
- Messages
- 4,293
AR. More accurate, less recoil, just as reliable if taken care of properly. More aftermarket options.
- Joined
- Jun 11, 2008
- Messages
- 1,409
AR-15 has a MUCH bigger boom potential.
Here is one that I have in .450 Bushmaster. The factory ammo is 250grain ballistic tips but my hand loads are 400 grain hard cast bullets. This set up has enough "knock down" to stop any vehicle engine in one shot, same energy at 100 yards as a .50 Beowulf when I use my handloads.
[youtube]IADTABGbbfg[/youtube]
Next, the AR can be retrofitted with a .22lr or a .22mag conversion bolt. This turns your primary weapon into a small game gun, the most valuable caliber in a self reliance situation.
The 5.56/.223 round that the standard AR15 takes is more commonly available in the US than any other. From military surplus to bulk plinking ammo to varmint and medium game hunting ammo, the .223 will probably be available when other calibers are not, especially since its the standard designation for all US armed forces.
Accuracy- The AR has come a LONG way, especially in the past ten years. My favorite AR for example, has a match .223 chamber and shoots handloads to 1/2MOA.
Here is my shooting partner putting a hole in a coin at 200 yards in one shot with a DPMS AR15, using a Nikon scope and Leupold Mounts.
[youtube]eEhNkIUSBSM[/youtube]
Reliability- There is a lot of crap out there about the AR platform being unreliable. Most of it is B/S. I got jams fairly often in Basic because my weapon was to dry. That was remedied quickly at my first duty station. Once the M4 came out, reliability became awesome. In 8 years I only had three jams in my M4 and 1 of them was a pop-and-no-kick jam (bad ammo). We should also remember that the platform Stoner created was designed for a faster burning powder than the military uses in standard M-193 light ball ammo. When Stoner wrote about this he was met with opposition because the Army had already commissioned contracts for the ammo and decided not to cancel them. This is where the idea of low reliability came from.
Mags- most "picky" AR15's are not pick with ammo, just with mags. There are a lot of guys at my range, both Mill and Civ ranges, that find their so-called picky guns work just fine after they find mags that the guns like.
Dirty AR15's???- Not true at all. When I run Three-Gun I dip my entire bolt on Mobile1 motor oil. I'm not kidding, the gun I use for rapid comp likes to run that wet. It may shoot 3,500-5,000 rounds in a day and it does not get cleaned till it's all over.
One size fits all- AR's are modular weapons. As said earlier, they really are the Legos for adults. My favorite is my .450 Bushmaster. Its light, pointable, and has more boom than a target knows what to do with. My wife's however is a LWRC SBR (legal, with permit) in 5.56 because it has the best balance for her. My shooting partner likes his DPMS best because it's bull bbl give it enough accuracy that it can out shoot many bolt guns when using hand loads (sub 3/4 MOA). We all like going squirrel hunting with a .22 bolt conversion. From tree rats to Brown Bear, the AR really can do it all.
I also hunt with the AR. I have a .223 upper that is just for coyote hunting. It has a 4-12 scope for most hunting situations but also has a day visible green laser for those times when he sneaks up closer than you realized and your gun is pointed the wrong way.
Here is one that I have in .450 Bushmaster. The factory ammo is 250grain ballistic tips but my hand loads are 400 grain hard cast bullets. This set up has enough "knock down" to stop any vehicle engine in one shot, same energy at 100 yards as a .50 Beowulf when I use my handloads.
[youtube]IADTABGbbfg[/youtube]
Next, the AR can be retrofitted with a .22lr or a .22mag conversion bolt. This turns your primary weapon into a small game gun, the most valuable caliber in a self reliance situation.
The 5.56/.223 round that the standard AR15 takes is more commonly available in the US than any other. From military surplus to bulk plinking ammo to varmint and medium game hunting ammo, the .223 will probably be available when other calibers are not, especially since its the standard designation for all US armed forces.
Accuracy- The AR has come a LONG way, especially in the past ten years. My favorite AR for example, has a match .223 chamber and shoots handloads to 1/2MOA.
Here is my shooting partner putting a hole in a coin at 200 yards in one shot with a DPMS AR15, using a Nikon scope and Leupold Mounts.
[youtube]eEhNkIUSBSM[/youtube]
Reliability- There is a lot of crap out there about the AR platform being unreliable. Most of it is B/S. I got jams fairly often in Basic because my weapon was to dry. That was remedied quickly at my first duty station. Once the M4 came out, reliability became awesome. In 8 years I only had three jams in my M4 and 1 of them was a pop-and-no-kick jam (bad ammo). We should also remember that the platform Stoner created was designed for a faster burning powder than the military uses in standard M-193 light ball ammo. When Stoner wrote about this he was met with opposition because the Army had already commissioned contracts for the ammo and decided not to cancel them. This is where the idea of low reliability came from.
Mags- most "picky" AR15's are not pick with ammo, just with mags. There are a lot of guys at my range, both Mill and Civ ranges, that find their so-called picky guns work just fine after they find mags that the guns like.
Dirty AR15's???- Not true at all. When I run Three-Gun I dip my entire bolt on Mobile1 motor oil. I'm not kidding, the gun I use for rapid comp likes to run that wet. It may shoot 3,500-5,000 rounds in a day and it does not get cleaned till it's all over.
One size fits all- AR's are modular weapons. As said earlier, they really are the Legos for adults. My favorite is my .450 Bushmaster. Its light, pointable, and has more boom than a target knows what to do with. My wife's however is a LWRC SBR (legal, with permit) in 5.56 because it has the best balance for her. My shooting partner likes his DPMS best because it's bull bbl give it enough accuracy that it can out shoot many bolt guns when using hand loads (sub 3/4 MOA). We all like going squirrel hunting with a .22 bolt conversion. From tree rats to Brown Bear, the AR really can do it all.
I also hunt with the AR. I have a .223 upper that is just for coyote hunting. It has a 4-12 scope for most hunting situations but also has a day visible green laser for those times when he sneaks up closer than you realized and your gun is pointed the wrong way.
Last edited:
- Joined
- Jul 28, 2006
- Messages
- 1,077
Well I do have both and while they are both fun and functionable for a defense rifle. If I had to pick one it would be the AR. That said my personal choice for defense would be a FAL and a AR for fun. Although I'm current tring to buy a FN SCAR 17 (.308).
- Joined
- Jan 1, 2011
- Messages
- 162
Ar-15 stoner rifle Vs communist ak
Becker designs. Vs walmart china
Becker designs. Vs walmart china
- Joined
- Mar 31, 2010
- Messages
- 5,513
That brings back memories. I bought one of those in 1997 for $295, with the thumbhole stock. Milled receiver if I remember correctly. Sold it to buy my first FAL, which was a non functioning Century POS.
- Joined
- Sep 9, 2010
- Messages
- 1,300
I hear ya. I was in the gun shop couple weeks back - couldn't believe the prices on Minis and ARs ($850 ish for a Mini, $1500 for an AR ... ouch)
Bought my Mini in 1985 for $229 - Prob. doesn't have a 1000 rounds through it. (LOL) Gonna' be fixin' that right quick though.
Last edited:
- Joined
- Jan 23, 2011
- Messages
- 1,860
Mosin! LOL
If I could get my hands on either an AK or an AR I'm game.
If I could get my hands on either an AK or an AR I'm game.
That .450 is nuts. 
I've shot both. AK's are cheap, fun and reliable, but the accuracy goes to the AR.
I've got a 1:9 Del-ton kit on order that I cannot wait to get together. I've already started getting different types of rounds to test out on it.
So, you guys saying the AR shoots fine dirty, would that include shooting steel cased ammo?
I've shot both. AK's are cheap, fun and reliable, but the accuracy goes to the AR.
I've got a 1:9 Del-ton kit on order that I cannot wait to get together. I've already started getting different types of rounds to test out on it.
So, you guys saying the AR shoots fine dirty, would that include shooting steel cased ammo?
I'm thinking of going AR for versatility and modularity, but I might swing and stick with rimfires.
- Joined
- Jun 11, 2008
- Messages
- 1,409
One of my five AR's is just a plinking/training gun, shoots nothing but steel cased wolf ammo, the really crappy stuff with the berdan primers. Going on 8,000 rounds since the last cleaning. Has had a couple misfires from the ammo (primer strikes did not ignite powder) but the gun has not jammed yet. That one is a DPMS Low-Pro upper on a Rock River lower (spare parts gun).
- Joined
- Apr 9, 2010
- Messages
- 360
The AR in one word, Versatility.
They can be dressed up to Way Tacticool, built as tack hammers, change caliber and cartridge with a two pin change .204 ruger thru .458 Socom for as little as $350 per upper. Uppers are also available in pistol chamberings 9mm, .40 s&W and .45acp.
My 6.8SPC is legal to hunt deer size game in WA. my .45acp is set up as an "entry" gun and is just a hoot to shoot. A buddy has one in 7.62X39 commie, also a legal hunter here.
I never have had an AK, but I will yet, when I find what I want for a good price.
I have an AR10 in 7.62x51, and HK91 and L1A1 clones in the 7.62 nato as well
AR15 6.8SPC
AR15 .45 acp
Two in 6.8spc
7.62 nato
I also like my Mini in 6.8!
They can be dressed up to Way Tacticool, built as tack hammers, change caliber and cartridge with a two pin change .204 ruger thru .458 Socom for as little as $350 per upper. Uppers are also available in pistol chamberings 9mm, .40 s&W and .45acp.
My 6.8SPC is legal to hunt deer size game in WA. my .45acp is set up as an "entry" gun and is just a hoot to shoot. A buddy has one in 7.62X39 commie, also a legal hunter here.
I never have had an AK, but I will yet, when I find what I want for a good price.
I have an AR10 in 7.62x51, and HK91 and L1A1 clones in the 7.62 nato as well
AR15 6.8SPC
AR15 .45 acp
Two in 6.8spc
7.62 nato
I also like my Mini in 6.8!
Make sure it's wet, real wet.
Just don't switch to brass ammo right after running a bunch of steel.
And to answer the OP, hands down no question...AR
- Joined
- Sep 9, 2010
- Messages
- 1,300
The AR in one word, Versatility.
They can be dressed up to Way Tacticool, built as tack hammers, change caliber and cartridge with a two pin change .204 ruger thru .458 Socom for as little as $350 per upper. Uppers are also available in pistol chamberings 9mm, .40 s&W and .45acp.
My 6.8SPC is legal to hunt deer size game in WA. my .45acp is set up as an "entry" gun and is just a hoot to shoot. A buddy has one in 7.62X39 commie, also a legal hunter here.
I never have had an AK, but I will yet, when I find what I want for a good price.
I have an AR10 in 7.62x51, and HK91 and L1A1 clones in the 7.62 nato as well
AR15 6.8SPC
AR15 .45 acp
Two in 6.8spc
7.62 nato
I also like my Mini in 6.8!
Nice ... very nice. Ain't gonna' break into your house anytime soon (lol)
What's the knife in the second pic at the bottom ? Ranger ?
One of the few knives that make a BK 2 look thin.
- Joined
- Feb 28, 2003
- Messages
- 19,858
on those 7.61 NATOS ... mmm, like that FAL is that a PTR-91? or a real HK? can't tell what that other one is...
need to see some Becker blades in these pictures
keep it topical
as for upper swapping... sometimes that works great, and sometimes you get a bum kit that doesn't feet quite right/etc. for the cost, esp for 22 shooting, i'd rather have a dedicated 22 for that, ESP for plinking two two two guns is more fun than one. for accuracy though with 22 and practice, a bolt action is for me.
i suppose ONE of these days i'll end up with an AR ish platform, it's just a question of WHAT. the .450 bushmaster is just sick
is that a PTR-91? or a real HK? can't tell what that other one is...need to see some Becker blades in these pictures
keep it topical as for upper swapping... sometimes that works great, and sometimes you get a bum kit that doesn't feet quite right/etc. for the cost, esp for 22 shooting, i'd rather have a dedicated 22 for that, ESP for plinking
two two two guns is more fun than one. for accuracy though with 22 and practice, a bolt action is for me.i suppose ONE of these days i'll end up with an AR ish platform, it's just a question of WHAT. the .450 bushmaster is just sick
