Ignore everyone else... You will never regret buying an AK-47. If you do manage to say it, it'll probably be a tongue in cheek comment about "aww, I feel like I'm missing out on all the drama your rifle gives you, that's not fair!"
I bought an AK. 10k+ rounds through it without a hiccup from dirty wolf to more dirty wolf and some occasional walmart x39 and yet more dirty wolf. Flawless
I've killed coyotes with it ~the 100yard mark with favorable results. 1 hit puts em down nice, pigs the same way though I've yet to shoot one for myself with my AK, I have been present when someone else shot one with his AK though.
If SHTF, AK's the first one in my hand. Cheap too, ultra simple, very very reliable in my experience, and a whole lot of fun.
I've shot stuff with a very wide range of firearms, and the AK has served me very well. I cannot speak highly enough of it, but I will recommend highly that you get one as it IS what you want.
The accuracy thing? I've won group initiated competitions with my AK, I won't say it's a tack driver at a mile, but from 0-400 yards I feel pretty good about killing something.
I realize this rifle does not exist but there has to be something close. So far a friend of mine recommended a mini 30. When I went to the gun store they said no way get a Weatherby vanguard 25-06.
Nonsense, you just described THIS rifle -
As far as the Weatherby Vanguard goes..
Well, here's mine in .270 -
Hasn't let me down yet, with well over 30 deer under it's belt since 1994. It is the rifle I feel most comfortable with.
if you DO want an alternative to the AK though, guess what else fits your description to a T?
M44, I picked that one up for 50$ from a gunshow and have since put several thousand rounds through it. It's a blast to shoot, and by far the most eventful rifle I own. Accurate enough, packs a WHALLOP (the penetration is rather insane), ammo is even cheaper than x39 for the AK, and, well.. It's a beautiful rifle that feels like home to the touch. I'd still say go with the AK though, but if you want a boltgun that's great and cheap to shoot, grab an m44? It's cheap!!!! why not? You could buy 7 or 8 really good ones with 700$. Or 1 and a few thousand rounds of ammo.
Decision breakdown -
Ak-47 - 300$ to as much as you want to spend on an AK. Mine was 300$ and is viewed as a POS AK. I LOOOVE my AK.
7.62x39 for the AK is probably around 200-210$/1000 now vs 5.56x45 running in at probably 280-400$/1000 compared to .308 which is even more expensive.
7.62x54r for the m44 rolls in at about 170ish/1000. Note also that a LOT of people talk a LOT of crap about wolf .223 AND it's way more expensive than the x39.
If you really want the rifle you described, you want an AK. My favorite ammo for my AK so far has been the wolf 154gr x39. That's what I tagged the yote with as well as several other critters. It's my workhorse round and runs about 20$ higher than the other stuff per 1000rds.
