Doomsayers like to preach that an AWB is one executive order away from being banned, but the reality is that it's unconstitutional if Congress has not passed some law concerning it. And, since Congress is MUCH more likely to pass something than a sitting President running for reelection, I'd ignore it for now. The current Administration has no desire to make guns a hot topic right before the election, it would be potentially a political pratfall.
Sources of gun parts are what it's all about, and AK sources of cheap parts are, as said, coming to an end. In the seventies we had great .308 rifles and ammo all being dumped for the 5.56 move, and now we're seeing AK's dumped for newer designs, like the Chinese QBZ-95. Right, even they have dumped the design and went for a bullpup. Whatever, we'll continue to see AK's on the market for the next 5-10 years, but they will be diminishing in quantity and going up in price.
In contrast, AR's are becoming the next hot commodity. Parts kits for A1's are less than $450, with a stripped lower you get a functioning rifle - mostly GI used parts - under $550. The Bargain Bin CMMG is $599 all new, what could change is someone picking up a very large number of older weapons to deconstruct and sell. FNFAL kits did very well in the day, but lowers were the key item and never really cheap. AR lowers are - and will likely stay cheap.
Inflation will continure to spiral prices, but the AR market will generally be resistant to that because of rising demand and continuing sales. There will be plenty of room for competition. If the government buys into a new rifle, that will make the M16 series even more collectible, and with 20 million plus prior servicemen and women, demand will be strong for two more decades as they shop to get their service rifle, just like the Garand generation. They just can't go the CMP route.
Nothing stays the same, and prices will always keep rising - it's when they don't that you might really want to have a rifle and lots of ammo. The one advantage of going the AR route is you can get the CCW now, and still buy AR parts as cash flow permits. Building it from a stripped receiver means you're further ahead, and taking time to research and read up long term exposes you to a lot more background to make better decisions.
Like, reloading - because that's what antigunners are focusing on, banning ammo. If you can reload, you will have ammo if imports are restricted. No fun getting a rifle that shoots cheap ammo just to see it dry up overnight - and that could be much more likely. If you don't think so, view the Wrangle vote on closing the BATF new machine gun registry in 1985. It's not the President, it's Congress taking away your rights.
