Ak47 a good idea?

daniel craig said:

My opinion? Just because the Russian ammo
Ban is in effect doesn’t mean it’ll be permanent. It also doesn’t mean that cheap ammo won’t be available. Plenty of former Soviet block countries as well as China still make it and my even ramp up production to capitalize on the now wide open American market.

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I say buy one but don’t sell a gun to do so.

I wouldn't go so far as to say everyone needs to own an AK.

But, I'd say if you want to be well versed in the art of carbines, you owe it to yourself to get to know one.

I had one built (Polish AKMS underfolder) and ran it hard in drills and practice for a few years. Figured out what I do and don't like about the platform, and that I prefer AR's.

They're nice, ergo's and Manual of Arms are manageable. The AR is just better for me in almost every way.

If they were still as cheap as when I built my first one, I'd have another. This time a 5.56 triangle folder with a left side rail though. But I'm not dropping enough to build two nice AR's, on one AK just to have something different.

I definitely wouldn't trade a nice 29 for one.

daniel craig said:

My opinion? Just because the Russian ammo
Ban is in effect doesn’t mean it’ll be permanent. It also doesn’t mean that cheap ammo won’t be available. Plenty of former Soviet block countries as well as China still make it and may even ramp up production to capitalize on the now wide open American market.

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The only way Russian arms import licenses will be allowed again is if Putin dies, his successor is a wildly Pro-West, Saint on Earth, AND we have a miraculously 2A friendly Executive and Legislature.

Direct Chinese arms and ammunition imports have been banned for decades in the US.

This is a complicated question as the answers above suggest.
1. Steel-component ammo (case or bullet jackets) are not required to operate AK variants.
2. There is not just the one caliber. 7.62x39 is the original, 5.45x39 followed that; many are now 5.56x45. And more.
3. There's not just one "AK" they are in a withering array of variants.
4. There's not just the one source, either. Lots of people fielded AK variants. The Finns, the Israelis, even the Swiss put out variants

The ammunition makers are going to continue to pump out 7.62x39 ammo, it's just in too wide of use. Some of that ammo may wind up using steel components, too. They just will not be shipped from Russia. The Czech company Sellier & Bellot has several ammo production lines, and all over. The only ammo that is likely to get scarce is 5.45x39, because most of the factories were in Russia. 5.45 has it's proponents, but really, it does not offer anything that 5.56 doesn't.

There are plenty of reasons to buy an "AK"--probably none worth selling a 29. All kinds of "AK" to consider, too. Valmet, Galil, SIG500, and the like , as well as a Maadi or PSA or Zstava

I think everyone should own an AK, just so you can learn to work and shoot them and shoot them well. They really arent bad rifles, just a tad different. I just think a lack of, if any, real experience with them, has given them a bad rap.

Unfortunately, the time to get one reasonably priced, and with very reasonable ammo, has long passed now. This really isnt the time to get into one, unless you dont mind paying the premium.

Back in the 90's, there was a ton of Chinese guns and ammo coming it, until that was cut off. And that hasnt changed. I wouldn't bet on things getting better with the Russian stuff either, it hasnt so far. It would be great if both did, but I woudnt hold my breath.

NIGHTLORD40K said:

The only way Russian arms import licenses will be allowed again is if Putin dies, his successor is a wildly Pro-West, Saint on Earth, AND we have a miraculously 2A friendly Executive and Legislature.

Direct Chinese arms and ammunition imports have been banned for decades in the US.

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Ok good point. That doesn’t preclude other countries who manufacture it from importing it to us. I’m also not super knowledgeable about import regs but what’s to stop a different country from importing Russian ammo and then exporting it to us after repackaging it?

AKs are much more name than game at this point IMO. Other than a very friendly compact size and detachable magazines, I don't see anything that an AK offers vs an SKS, and SKSes don't get half the hype.

KY DAN said:

Given our government current stance on the importation of steel cased ammo would it be a quality idea to buy one?

All steel case ammo in western ky has vanished and I hate to sell a Smith and wesson 29-2 to buy a shiny turd.

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For one thing, I wouldn't trade a S&W 29 for an AK... ever!

Secondly, I wouldn't let the current ammo sanctions against Russia influence a decision to buy something chambered in 7.62x39. This will pass, and Russian ammo will be available again.

Think long-term. I've seen a lot of anti-gun measures come and go over the last 30 years or so, and overall, gun rights, the 2nd Amendment, and gun owners are in a stronger position than before.

There's enough new Russian 7.62x39 already in country to last for many years at reasonable prices... if gun owners didn't panic. I'm not very pleased with many of my fellow gun owners hoarding ammo and driving up prices since the election and the pandemic... and now the sanctions.

I haven't bought any 7.62x39 since over a year ago, and I won't until prices come down... and they will.

daniel craig said:

but what’s to stop a different country from importing Russian ammo and then exporting it to us after repackaging it?

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The way Import Licensing works is as a specific trade compact.
So, the property to be imported has to be identified as to country of origin, original manufacture, etc. after the fashion of property Title.
Then, the end use must be identified as complying with all local and national laws.
Evaluations of the property are made to calculate the Excise--the tax upon that importation--which has to often be deposited in escrow in advance.
Then the specific License for that one importation is either allowed or denied.
Now, that import might be in many shipments, thousands of units, over several months or years (that gets factored into the excise).

This is where all the labeling on products winds up being so important and tied up in a tangle of laws at either end of the deal. (It's the "why" behind the label of "Made in USA from globally sourced parts" gets put on stuff.)

How this shakes out in the future will remain to be seen.

CapnMac said:

The way Import Licensing works is as a specific trade compact.
So, the property to be imported has to be identified as to country of origin, original manufacture, etc. after the fashion of property Title.
Then, the end use must be identified as complying with all local and national laws.
Evaluations of the property are made to calculate the Excise--the tax upon that importation--which has to often be deposited in escrow in advance.
Then the specific License for that one importation is either allowed or denied.
Now, that import might be in many shipments, thousands of units, over several months or years (that gets factored into the excise).

This is where all the labeling on products winds up being so important and tied up in a tangle of laws at either end of the deal. (It's the "why" behind the label of "Made in USA from globally sourced parts" gets put on stuff.)

How this shakes out in the future will remain to be seen.

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Ahhh that makes sense…if I understood it all correctly.

daniel craig said:

if I understood it all correctly.

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Not sure anyone does, really []
You need import license for everything. But they can be for one thing, or for a thousand things in batches of 100. Cars, crescent wrenches, 10mm sockets, 7.5mm swiss ammo, all sorts of stuff.

I do like mine. A lot. Accurate enough to engage a man sized target out to 300 meters, ungodly reliable and durable, very interesting from a historical perspective. A history still being written. The most popular small arm in human history. I think in 7.62x39mm ammo won’t be much of an issue as the market adjusts. They are extremely effective weapons.

They're not going to be as cheap to shoot as they were for a while, but what is? Buy one and enjoy.

4v50 Gary said:

If you don't have the ammunition and don't have access to it, why bother to buy the fyre arm for it?

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As I mentioned in my reply above and others have said... ammo shortages and high prices are temporary. Investing in one of the most popular firearms and calibers in the world is just plain smart.

I don't have an AK. I have a Ruger Mini-30 and a CZ 527 in 7.62x39, but I can appreciate the historical and continuing success of the AK. It's not going away anytime soon.

I buy ammo when it's reasonably priced and have gone years without buying any when it's too high. I have thousands of rounds of 7.62x39 and enough reloading components for a couple thousand more. if you get caught flat footed with no ammo for a gun you have or want, just wait a while... it will be back at decent prices.

we have copious amounts of 7.62x39 at local stores in central Illinois, even farm stores like Rural King. It's priced too high though, so I won't be buying, but it's there for people who can and will pay anything for it.

AK ammo (762x39) is not only made in Russia. Granted, as of right now, most of it is....but...Romania makes it...Serbia makes it. Bulgaria makes it (rare to see...but it does) Taiwan even makes it.

It wont take long for those other nations to crack it out and largely replace the Russian stuff.

Plus...gun running is the most American of all crimes. I'm sure some clever and shady types will move Russian stuff around and repackage it, then import it under another nations tag....and avoid Trader Joe's latest lame attempt at back door gun bans....

Just going to take a little time for the adjustments.

Trust in Captialism guys. It always wins. Where there is demand...someone will meet it.

Yankee captialism...just cant be beat!

To answer the OP question, Yes they are.

People think of AK and the first thing that comes to mind its shooting 1000 as fast as possible and the ammo cost, sure Russia ammo is banned “for now” but AR ammo is just as expensive, 300blk, 6.8 spc, 6.5 grendel, 300 hammer, 350 legend, 450 bushmaster, 224 Valkyrie to name a few... and lets not talk about other calibers like 308, 6.5 CM, 7mm, 300wm even the 30-06 and 30-30 are expensive nowadays.

I say conserve your ammo and sharpen your aim.

I JUST got back into AKs. Owned a few Veprs. Had some unexpected cash come in & bought an Arsenal SA-M7s. Very happy I did so. Buy one. Buy quality. Enjoy it. The ammo will be around.

NIGHTLORD40K said:

The only way Russian arms import licenses will be allowed again is if Putin dies, his successor is a wildly Pro-West, Saint on Earth, AND we have a miraculously 2A friendly Executive and Legislature.

Direct Chinese arms and ammunition imports have been banned for decades in the US.

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I don't think Putin has anything to do with this at all. The goal of the ban is to get at the American shooters and gun owners. They used Magnitsky as an excuse.

zaitcev said:

I don't think Putin has anything to do with this at all. The goal of the ban is to get at the American shooters and gun owners. They used Magnitsky as an excuse.

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Agreed.

Mosin Bubba said:

AKs are much more name than game at this point IMO. Other than a very friendly compact size and detachable magazines, I don't see anything that an AK offers vs an SKS, and SKSes don't get half the hype.

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Well that’s just the thing. I would hate to be in a shootout with an SKS with just 10 rounds and having to rely on the slow stripper clip reloading method. And an SKS is considerably longer and bulkier than most AKs.

An AK remains a formidable fighting rifle. The SKS is fine for range use and hunting, but it is obsolete for much of anything else. And that comes from the proud owner of both.

js8588 said:

I JUST got back into AKs. Owned a few Veprs. Had some unexpected cash come in & bought an Arsenal SA-M7s. Very happy I did so. Buy one. Buy quality. Enjoy it. The ammo will be around.

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I agree. I’ve recently bought a SAM7 and it’s a whole lot of fun. Extremely high quality, built tuff with a forged receiver.

Ukraine, Serbia, Poland, Bulgaria and plenty of other countries make 7.62x39. But Russia sold it cheapest (possibly subsidized, to put the others out of business). American distributors will be working contacts in those countries to secure supply. It will get sorted out, but it takes time to get the arrangements and licenses in place and to ship a couple containers of ammo. Also distributors are going to be worried that somehow the Russians will flood the market again with cheap ammo, once they buy more expensive ammo from elsewhere. We all thought Russian ammo was going to be banned once Russia invaded Crimea, but it wasn’t.

Buy an AK!!

Trading a S&W pistol for an AK would be a hard no from me dog, but I wouldn't give a squirt of warm urine for an AK. I never liked them

Nature Boy said:

Trading a S&W pistol for an AK would be a hard no from me dog, but I wouldn't give a squirt of warm urine for an AK. I never liked them

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...my AK runs on warm urine





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