"Americans will not make the AK as well as the old standard commie countries."
It's funny, but I fully believe this to be the truth. I think the guns will work just as well, but won't be made as well. Americans absolutely destroy anyone else on the planet when it comes to finding ways to cheap out on product that don't irk the customer enough to affect sales. We are the kings of cheap junk (and yes, that includes having said junk made overseas to cheap out even more in a way that doesn't impact sales)
There is also an undeserved myth about a lack of craftsmanship in the Bloc countries. Show me an American in the 80's that was still employed making Nixie tubes by hand (Ukraine made them up until the collapse, and I believe still does to service aging equipment). The Soviets spared no expense when they thought it was needed, but also cheaped out when they thought they could; being a poor societal governor, these choices were often not very good.
"How in the world could you cheapen the AK design? It's based on over-gassing, over-springing and a massive bolt to beat to dust anything that gets in it's way. No need for fine components."
Furniture, surface finish, non-contacting machined surfaces, dimensional compatibility. None of these things figured highly in the first place, though. Ironically, since robots are already so much cheaper than humans in the gun-building world, several of these items are guaranteed for a bump. I also think we'll see plastic used where it is kinda inadvisable (think trigger guards, guide rods, and safeties)
TCB
