Keep AK &/or buy AR?

[Kankujoe]

I have a really clean barely used Norinco MAK-90 Sporter AK w/full military style stock & several high cap magazines & 1000 rounds of ammo...

My dilemma... should I keep what I have or sell it to buy an AR? OR should I keep it AND buy an AR?

I'm not a purest so really doesn't matter all that much to me at this time... I bought my AK back in the 80s? early 90s? when it looked like it would be getting more difficult to buy a military style (AKA sheep = assault) rifle with high capacity magazines.

I did not buy it to shoot often just to have if ever the SHTF...

Now, I would like to begin seriously shooting either a AK or a AR.

My question, which is best for 100 to 300 meter ranges? Which is more reliable? More accurate? Cost less to shoot per round? etc, etc, etc,....

 

[CDignition]

AWB will return, so I would keep it and also buy an AR

 

[nwilliams]

keep the AK and buy an AR the two look very cool together

 

[enoch_zembecowicz]

Should you sell your toaster in order to buy a blender?
AKs and ARs are different animals. Keep the MAK and save up for an AR.

 

[1 old 0311]

The MAK is just going to go up in value. Money in the bank.

 

[Glockfan.45]

OR should I keep it AND buy an AR

ding...ding...ding you are correct. They may one day become the new NFA items and you will kick yourself for letting one go.

 

[Kaylee]

Another vote for keep the darn thing and save up if necessary for the AR.

Aside from the whole historical angle, this way you can get a giggle at all the "AR vs AK" threads. Nothing quite like having a "representative sample" of each on hand.

 

[DMK]

If you want to shoot accurately at longer ranges, you'll prefer the AR. It will shoot flatter (less drop at longer ranges) and be more accurate if built and sighted correctly. It can also be much lighter (again, if built properly).

That said, don't get rid of the AK. At some point you'll be sorry if you did. It is arguably more reliable due to it's simple design and crude construction(although my ARs have never given me the slightest trouble) and for now anyway, it's still cheaper to shoot.

 

[Manedwolf]

I did not buy it to shoot often just to have if ever the SHTF...

IMO, ARs are good for soldiers or police with access to an armorer. Accurate, but not exactly maintenance-free. The AK will still shoot if dropped in the mud, and will run forever without even cleaning, typically. The armorer's kit is any screwdriver and any hammer.

So for a true SHTF situation where you want something that will ALWAYS go bang when you pull the trigger, no matter whether you haven't had time to clean it, I'd always choose an AK, myself.

That said, if you want the .223 caliber. there's plenty of .223 AKs out there now, too!

 

[kfranz]

Almost always AND instead of OR. Unless you're looking at a two for one kind of deal. During the ban, I sold a pre-ban Colt AR to get other stuff, but I got two FAL receivers and two kits out of the deal.

 

[Bartholomew Roberts]

AKs aren't going to get any easier to acquire, so I would definitely keep it. However, I would start saving for an AR as well since they may become hard to get soon enough.

IMO, ARs are good for soldiers or police with access to an armorer. Accurate, but not exactly maintenance-free. The AK will still shoot if dropped in the mud, and will run forever without even cleaning, typically. The armorer's kit is any screwdriver and any hammer.

There are Vietnam-era M16s with actual holes worn in the receiver still being used in South and Central America by troops that do not have even high school educations.

The AK is a great rifle and certainly more tolerant than an AR; but if you can't give your rifle (regardless of model) the maintenance required to keep an AR running, then you have much, much deeper problems than the type of rifle you own.

 

[Kaylee]

There are Vietnam-era M16s with actual holes worn in the receiver still being used in South and Central America by troops that do not have even high school educations.

Darn you Black Bart, ruining the Internet Myths!

(Joe, see above about "this way you can get a giggle at all the "AR vs AK" threads. Nothing quite like having a "representative sample" of each on hand.")

 

[RockyMtnTactical]

Keep the AK (if you like it), and buy a stripped AR lower. Then build the AR up slowly as you get the money for the parts...

 

[SeNNebogen]

300 yards is pretty much the max range for a 7.62x39 Kalash.

An AK is not "arguably" more reliable then an AR rifle it is more reliable. But it will will less reliable when it comes to hitting a target because its less accurate, alot less especially if you were to feed an AR high quality match ammo and compare it to your Mak.

If ever you would have problems keeping a rifle maintained and finding spare parts it would be some ye old SHTF scenario. In that case we would all have much deeper problems

I would keep your Mak and save up for an AR if I were in your shoes.

 

[CDignition]

my M95 has a 1:7 twist heavy barrel, and I would say it is on par with an off the rack AR15.. Ill have to sand bag it to see how good it is....

 

[TooTaxed]

The AK is strictly a specal purpose...assault...rifle good up to 300 yds, highly reliable, limited accuracy due to the short barrel and short distance between sights. The large cap vertical magazines are seriously in the way when bench or prone shooting. Due to its vertical ejection it uses short, low-power scopes that don't project above the open action. Ammo is mostly imported, not reloadable, bulkier than the AR's 5.56 ammo, and will dry up quickly if/when the current Congress imposes bans/controls.

The AR is far more versatile, useful at ranges to 500-yd, much more accurate due to its longer barrel and distance between sights, readily adaptable to use long scopes due to its' side ejection, easily adapted to use accessories such as tactical lights, ect. Ammo is made in the US and is reloadable. Imported ammo is mostly non-reloadable. The A4 version is equivalent in purpose to the AK, but is far more versatile.

Whatever you decide, I suggest you lay in a large stock of ammo, as the current Congress is highly likely to enact severe restrictions on procurement in the forms of restrictions, outright import bans, or exorbitant taxes....

 

[Fred Fuller]

Definitely keep the AK. They won't get any easier or cheaper to get, neither will magazines or ammo.

And you can "Johnny Cash Cadillac" the AR, buying it a piece or two at the time, and build it yourself. Start with the lower, then get a stock of magazines, then pick a barrel suitable for your purposes, and so on till you have it all.

hth,

lpl/nc

 

[ohioarmedneutrality]

KEEP THE AK!

My .02

 

[Kankujoe]

Thanks for all the replies!!! I'll keep the AK... now to decide which brand AR to buy...

 

[SeNNebogen]

Its not just the barrel length and sights that make an AK less accurate its the loose tolerances of its design (wich is what makes it so reliable)and the ammo itsself. Check a ballistic chart for the 7.62x39 round it totally drops off the chart after 300 meters. A longer barrel RPK would give a little more velocity but not much, the round has its limitations.

Its not a special purpose rifle in my opinion because most real combat happens within 300 meters.

Kankujoe, some Mak-90s are tempermental when it comes to shooting hollow points. Check to see if you have any problems shooting HPs if you decide to stock up on ammo.

 

[Savageshooter]

NEVER sell your guns

 

[grizz]

Keep it and get the AR.

 

[michiganfan]

My friend you knew the answer to the question before you posed it .

 

[texlurch]

Keep it and buy an AR, if you must!

I say get some other AK variants.. from my experience, AK's get lonely, and need friends to hang out with... the more the merrier!!

And they don't even complain if you insert their mags in other AK's..

 

[dstorm1911]

Actually, the limiting factor for accuracy with an AK is the ammo, I've got several in the collection that when running Chicom steel core or Handloads will easily shoot 1.5" from bags at 100, As far as scoping, ya can put a Posp 6-24x40 dead over the bore with a low mount Weaver railed russian side mount if ya so wish so just how much magnification do ya need? Visit Kalinka optics websight for the available options actually available for AK optics.

I also have several ARs mostly DPMS, the 5.56x45 aka; .223 is a great ground squirl round but I carried one for 9 years for uncle same during 3 "policing actions" and from those experiences there is no way in h#ll my life will ever depend on a .223 again!! Especially not in a tight tolerance wannabe version of an M16A2 NEVER I'll go with my .45 first! But an AK, best SHTF rifle ever designed only surpassed by a quality FAL which would be my pick over an AR if ya want a long range rifle.... why not be able to have the accuracy, the hitting power and no screwed up direct gas impingment BS? Get a Metric Fal reciever (most of mine are actually L1A1 inch pattern as I like em better but a metric is more common and easier to get custom parts for) then pickup onea the parts kits while they are still cheap and available then later assemble it and the ONLY advantage any AR shooter on the line will have over ya is a lighter read plastic and alluminum rifle, ya can tune the gas system on the fal to the ammo your useing and get the recoil down to less than the AR for faster follow up shots that won't just tickle the 500 yard gong they'll swing thet puppy!!