Firearms Recommendation

[mack_t_knife]

Now if you truly want a rifle that you can't hit the broad side of a barn with even while standing inside the barn, then go buy a Ruger Mini30 in.....

If you can get it to work and keep working.

 

[SIFU1A]

Actually, the 7.62x39 is somewhat of a turd of a cartridge, as is the 5,45 x 39 in its military form.. The Russians themselves discovered that when they started chambering AK-100's in 5.56 x 45 and lo and behold, much to their surprise, those rifles were MUCH more accurate. Now if you truly want a rifle that you can't hit the broad side of a barn with even while standing inside the barn, then go buy a Ruger Mini30 in 7.62x39

its sure filled up a lot of cemetaries the world over to be a "turd" lol. imho its one of the top choices for what its designed for which is killing folks, ya cant argue with success, while ya often hear of the 556's problems with stopping power ya dont ever hear that about the 762X39, or the 545X39 for that matter.

really most AK's are a lot more accurate than folks give them credit for, mine will easily hit an 18" plate at 300 yards, some would have ya believe ya cant hit anything with one at that range, not true.

also imho it has more to do with the rifle than the cartridge the 762X39 is pretty similar to a .30-30 and should be at least as accurate as one,

 

[Unk]

A cheap Romanian AK for my truck/trunk rifle..topped w/Tasco ProPoint Red Dot..hard to beat for it's intended purpose. Stock looks like it was finished with a brush. Like a Timex watch ..takes a licking and keeps on ticking. I'm on my second case of Wolf and no complaints.

No black rifle snob, own several, however a beater AK has it's place. The pretty ones don't shoot any better than mine... at our range anyhow.

 

[Gov't Mule]

Actually, the 7.62x39 is somewhat of a turd of a cartridge, as is the 5,45 x 39 in its military form.. The Russians themselves discovered that when they started chambering AK-100's in 5.56 x 45 and lo and behold, much to their surprise, those rifles were MUCH more accurate. Now if you truly want a rifle that you can't hit the broad side of a barn with even while standing inside the barn, then go buy a Ruger Mini30 in 7.62x39

Your post implies that there is a "non-military form" of 5.45x39. There is no such cartridge, unlike the 5.56/.223.

The Afghans called the 5.45 the "poison bullet" for its terminal ballistics. Its wounding capability is equal, if not superior, to the 5.56. Several prominent US manufacturers are chambering AR15 uppers in this caliber.

The AR direct-impingement gas system is inherently more accurate than the AK piston system. However, put a 5.56 AK up against a 5.45 AK and they will both be as accurate as the shooter.

7.62x39 is far from a dead round. The Russians still use it in urban operations, such as Grozny, due to the short ranges involved. It will turn cover into concealment much more effectively than either 5.56 or 5.45.

 

[jawilder]

Bushmaster makes an AK-47? News to me...

Sorry, I misread that. I was thinking AR :foot:

 

[Infi-del]

Out of a bolt gun 7.62X39 is a very accurate round. So it isn't the round. 300 whispers will move a similar bullet with less velocity in an accurate fashion. AKs have a lot of slop to them. That's why they never jam. My problem with the ak is that from my experience when they get hot (after a mag or two) their groups open up fairly noticably. I've been told it's due to the barrel being fixed the way it is and then being connected to the overbuilt gas system it has. All this means the barrel isn't allowed to "Whip". When the barrel heats up this becomes a bigger issue and so you see wider groups. But the AK has very acceptable combat accuracy. And within 250 yards it's a bad mamajama. It would completely suck to take that round in the chest. For a short range combat rifle (Short range meaning within 300 yards) it's a nasty customer. It's one of the few rifles I think is perfect just like it is. No fancy bi-pods, or scopes, or red dots are needed. Maybe a set of night sights and a weapon light and you got yourself an effective combat weapon.

 

[Steve Hayden]

The best production AK 47s were made by Valmet from Finland.

The 7.62 X39 isn't even a pimple on the butt of the .308. The only thing it looks good against is inferior stuff like the .223 and even then I would question it. It is sort of a lightweight with 30-30 like ballistics, not in the running with high powered rifles.

 

[SIFU1A]

depends on how ya define "high powered rifles", if your definition of one is a 375 H&H then a 308 isnt even "a pimple on the butt".

and again, for what it is designed to do, kill folks, the 762X39 works as good as anything short of a 50BMG, and while you often hear of stopping power problems with 556 ya never hear that about the 762X39 or the 545X39, and ya wanna know why? because it works.

10 or 15 yrs ago, before i had one and had a chance to see what they would do, i thought the AK was a clunker, very reliable but not accurate at all, thought an AR was better, while i still think an AR is good (with proper cleaning/etc) the AK is as good for what it was designed to do, and is a lot more accurate than i ever thought it would be, a lot more, 300 or 350 yards if i can see it i can hit it, i'm not sure that the AK wouldnt be a better rifle for your std run of the mill soldier vs an AR they are just so much more reliable and need a lot less love to keep running.