which AK?

[KiltedClaymore]

so im going to buy an AK. now im NOT asking what nation to get, im trying to decide wether to get an AK-47 or and AK-74. i know the advantages/disadvantages of both (meaning 7.62x39 and 5.45x39), and i just cant make up my mind. what do you all say?

 

[Hoppy590]

5.45 (74) is cheaper at this moment
7.62x39 (47) is more widely available

 

[Neo-Luddite]

AK-74---IF---you can buy a solid stockpile of ammo for it right now as future avaiability is an unknown. And of course, if you like the 'features' it offers. The ammo currently on the market will never be produced commercially with a hardened tungsten core, and that is something to consider---I could see it becoming not importable if somebody wanted to raise a meaningless fuss. It gets back on target quite a bit faster than the larger round in my limited experience.

With the 7.62 x 39 you have a wide variety of commercial loadings and could, if you wanted, utilize many lighter .30 projectiles if you reloaded for the rifle.

The best answer when it's a "steak or lobster" question is sometimes "surf & turf"---get both if you can.

 

[nalioth]

The ammo currently on the market will never be produced commercially with a hardened tungsten core, and that is something to consider

Why? What country produced or does produce that variety now?

Answer: Nobody.

Why would anyone want to buy sporting ammo with a hardened tungsten core, anyway? Not even the grizzly bears are that tough.

 

[saigafreake]

Get both i have aks in 223 308 5.45 7.62 commie 12ga and 410 there all great.

 

[mb419]

Right now, I would say get whatever version you can find. AKs are just getting harder to find. Surplus, mildly corrosive 5.45 is about the cheapest ammo to find out there, if availability of ammo is a major deciding factor for you. I have 6 different types of AK 47s, but no 74s. It's on my short list next.

 

[KiltedClaymore]

AKs are common here. and, unlike some, i can only afford one.

 

[Ben Shepherd]

Well if you can afford only one, then a pile of ammo at the same time is out anyway.

Own any other guns chambered for 7.62X39, like an SKS? If so, it'd make the choice easy for me. It'd be an AK-47 in 7.62X39. As I'd already have ammo already.

Do you own anything chambered in 223 already? Again this would influence my choice. I would choose the 7.62X39 AK-47 in this case as well. Why? Given the ballistics of the 223 and the 5.45X39, the 223 already has you covered in that area.

 

[FMJMIKE]

I have 4 AK's and they are all 7.62 x 39 caliber. I love the 5.45 X 39 AKs but no ammo is made for it in the US. The only country using 5.45 X 39 ammo any longer is Russia. When all the surplus is used up I fear there will be no more 5.45 X 39 ammo. US companies do make 7.62 X 39 ammo. I also like the penetration of the 7.62 X 39 round.

 

[saigafreake]

Wat are u willing 2 spend and wat are u going to be using the this rifle 4.

 

[KiltedClaymore]

i own an SKS, and thats one reason i was thinking about just getting an AK-47. but the 74 is flatter shooting, more controlable with rapid fire, and it's something i havent shot yet(novelty factor).


as for yourquestion Saigafreak, $450 is my upper limit. as for what im going to use it for, does it matter? (also, not to be rude, but please spell correctly as possible. pet peeve of mine)

 

[saigafreake]

You are going to have alot more options for the ak47 than the ak74 at 450.

 

[KiltedClaymore]

if i dont buy a large stock of ammo, i think i can go $500. J&G has a nice Polish Tantal 74 for $489.95

 

[saigafreake]

Ive heard bout oversized bores with some of the century tantals. But your going to find problems with just bout an rifle. Mag availability and price is a nother thing to look at.

 

[RP88]

74.

There are very few 74 models, and they rely heavily on import.

47s are everywhere, from drying-up WASRs and Yugos, to increasingly common Saigas and Arsenals

 

[Neo-Luddite]

Why would anyone want to buy sporting ammo with a hardened tungsten core, anyway? Not even the grizzly bears are that tough.


You're right--only the 'newest' is tungsten---increasingly, over time, they used harder and harder steels (not tungsten). Russia makes a tungsten core now also, however. That's kind of my point--one of the advantages of the thing is that 'real-deal' mil-spec ammo *IS* available that has a hard penatrator.

No, I'm not talking about using it for hunting but for self-defense aplications--as in the 'bad guy' is wearing body armor, etc

No, it's not AP in the sense that M2AP *is* AP, but all things being equal...

And the bullets are so cheap compared to 5.56 you get sick to your stomach just thinking about it.

For most real-world applications @ < 200m I'd bet on 7.62 x 39 having an edge--- except maybe at zipping through moderate body armor; it has the momentum advantage and isn't going to deflect as much when shooting at a target through concealment/non-hardened cover.

 

[Neo-Luddite]

KiltedClaymore:


Hey, given your situation having the SKS already, I'd get the 47 FIRST----then you'll have two weapons eating that ammo is one fails in a tight spot.

 

[saigafreake]

I would get 7.62x39 u can get a romanian aes 10b great rifle. Big and heavy though for bout 400.