Why do I need more than an Ak74 and an AR?

Status
Not open for further replies.
R

regal

Member
Joined
Nov 1, 2008
Messages
269
I have a nice AK-74 AIMS 74 (folding stock) replica SAR-2, Surprisingly well built (one of the early ones), recoils like a .22LR with the original rommy brake and 1k rounds of high quality ammo costs me $125. Also takes 45 round bulgarian mags. I can carry several loaded mags without being weighed down.

Also have a bare bones S&W M&P-15 OR, very well built for the $599 price tag. Ergonomics are great. Simply have flip up sights, nothing else to weigh it down.

Of course there is a pump 12GA, a 22lr savage and a couple Glocks.

I don't have time to target shoot alot, these are here in case govenment falls or a civil war breaks out basically. What I like about the 2 auto rifles is ability to stay on target with rapid fire, loaded mags are light, ammo cost pretty reasonable. Good ergonomics. I am middle aged and have some old injuries.

I've been kicking around buying one of these AMD 65 rifles.

They are importing true hungarian #'s matching built AMD-65's, with a SBR stamp this is probably one of the last opportunities to buy a real combloc made AK for under 5 bills. Seems like a nice inexpensive investment. This is the lightest AK-47 and considered to have the lowest recoil. But what tactical use do I get out of it in an EOTWAWKI situation over my other 2 rifles?

Or are there any other must have's, I have often asked myself if I need a "battle rifle" like an AR10, Saiga .308, Vepr 7.6x54R, PSL. But would probably never get the practice/training to really gain any range over what I already own. The AMD-65 OTOH may be useful for close range defense where the 5.54/5.56 wouldn't have enough penetration (ie attack from a rouge vehicle of bandits)?

Any advice from more experienced folks out there?
 
Once you have one, the need is satisfied. The rest are wants. You need to buy the wants because you can......chris
 
In call of duty I always take the AR bcuz it's waaaaay moar tactical.

All joking aside, lighten up ;). The world isn't going to end. Dont be one of the losers who hopes for it to! Buy what you want and HAVE FUN!
 
All joking aside, lighten up . The world isn't going to end. Dont be one of the losers who hopes for it to! Buy what you want and HAVE FUN!
Click to expand...

What he said!
 
Yeah, worrying about Mad Max is about as useful as believing that all Hollywood movies are documentaries. My own criterion is that anything in a movie is likely 180 degrees from reality.

Any reliable semi-auto with a box magazine will work equally well as any other insofar as self-defense at home, if a person plans on a rifle for that purpose. "Light and handy" is likely the most useful criterion.
 
Yes you purchase because of the "wants". I do not need 95% of the stuff I have and if the
case government falls or a civil war breaks out basically
Click to expand...
I would probably still be standing in front of my safe trying to figure out what to take after everything is over!

Also with weapons it really is not that important (providing you buy something everyone wants) because you can always sell or trade or get rid of it if you decide you do not want or like the thing.

Nice to have owned and experimented with different weapons; some bring more to the table than others but most have a place.

P.S. I like the 7.62x39 round and was not sure I would.....but hey I do.
 
Last edited:
I would add a mosin nagant to your collection simply because they are cheap, fun, practical rifles. I've considered selling mine countless times, but it always comes down to I like to shoot it and I don't need $60 to $100 dollars that bad.

As far as end of the world preparedness I like to look at it this way, I have the guns I need and the guns that I might have to use for trade; I think this is the only semi sane reason to have a surplus of guns besides just wanting them.
 
Why do you need more than an AK and AR? Range. Those rifles are both on the weak end of intermediate power rifles, and are not too terribly effective out past 300m. In the type of scenarios you are talking about, I think that it would be smarter to stick outside the bad guys' max effective range than it would be to try to take them on at close quarters. So yes, I think a battle rifle like an M1A, FAL, M1 Garand, .308 AR, or something of that nature would be a good addition to your lineup, considering how you already have a couple of intermediate power carbines. That or more of a long range precision/sniper type bolt action rifle.

You mentioned that you probably wouldn't be able to practice marksmanship at longer ranges very often where you live. What I do to keep up my long range skills is to practice regularly on reduced size targets at closer range to keep my fundamentals sharp. Then when I get a chance to make it to a full distance range, I record my come-ups and wind dope for various ranges, and practice trying to get first-shot hits on targets at various ranges. So even if I can't make it out to the full distance range very often, I at least have all the data I need to take the shot at distance.

Buying that AMD wouldn't be such a bad idea though... you would have one more of the common rifle calibers covered. I am a fan of the idea of having a rifle in a lot of the various common calibers, so you can buy whatever is cheap, and in the case of an ammo shortage, you will hopefully be able to find at least one of your calibers. There is also the penetration issue you mentioned. But even if you get the AMD, you should consider buying something with a little longer max effective range, and even greater penetration.

Don't mind the folks that are talking down on you for wanting to be prepared. I am a firm believer that everybody should take their 2A duties seriously and prepare for the possibility of having to defend our liberty, no matter how remote the chances are. I don't consider it being paranoid or hoping for disaster... it is hoping for the best but preparing for the worst. Some of it is deterrence... it is a lot less likely that we will ever have to defend our liberties in that way if it is well known that there are enough people willing to stand in their defense.

When it comes to tyranny, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. And "prevention" is what having an armed citizenry is all about!
 
You seem to be pretty well stocked. If you want anything else, go for it. Remember that guns are another thing subject to SABLE.

SABLE = Stock Acquisition Beyond Life Expectancy.
 
I'll also sugguest going the .308 route (though I'm also a fan of the 7.62x39). Something along the lines of a FAL (my personal favorite) M1A, or an AR 10 would be perfect. It'll give you more range and more power when it gets there, as well as a better chance of punching through barriers like "rogue cars". You can hunt woth it too if you ever run ino an opportunity to go with someone (you might have to buy a 5rnd mag depending on state law) Also, ammo is everywhere, especially during hunting season.
 
Yes, firearms and ammunition will always be of importance. However, if society collapses, zombie hordes or Chinese paratroopers will not be your concern. Starvation, dehydration and pestilence will be.

Indeed, buy what you think you need and squirrel it away. Then, as some others have suggested, try to enjoy life.
As stark as our future may look, these are some bountiful times.
 
Yup, store enough to get you by as long as you think you'll be able to manage, and just enjoy.

Remember: the man who dies with the most toys, wins.
 
Since you have an AK74, you should definately get another AK74 that uses the same magazines and ammunition. Speaking of that, buy as much of that ammo as you can afford, to have on hand for fun shooting past the date when the surplus imports stop.

2 is 1, 1 is none...
 
henschman summed it up the best.;)

I cant think of anything to add.

Sound advice IMO.



11B
 
Svaz is right, buy ammo, if only because of growing prices. And Ro1911 also; you can still get a long mosin and a can of ammo for 150-200, or so, and if you're worried about gunfights you can hit someone from a long distance with one, and the ak/ar will not have your range. This is generally true, there are exceptions.
 
About the only thing I can say negative about many guns is many types of ammo.

My pistols seem to stick to 40, 45, 38/357, 22, 45Colt, 44mag, 9mm.
I see no reason for the 45 GAP, 357 Sig, the Russian Tokarev cartridge, or a .380 at the moment. On the other hand, I own four pistols chambered in 40, and multiples in those other cartridges.

My rifles stay in 7.62x39, 5.56x45, .308, 30-06, and .22. I see the need for some other cartridges, but maybe not some obscure Eastern ones.
 
I'm not thinking "end of the world" or anarchy ruling the land in some post-apocalyptic nightmare; I'm thinking more like driving on the logging road that is only accessible using 4WD up to our hunting camp to spend the weekend with my wife and daughter... it has been broken into 3 times, the last time they stole all the copper pipe out along with about 1000 round of ammo that was locked up. So the thieve(s) took a long time playing burglar up there... what if we would have arrived in the middle of it all? There are no local police only state police (upstate NY) and response time is in hours not minutes. Of course I would have pulled the fastest 180 possible and tried to get out of there but if I saw strange trucks when I got to the top of the mountain I would have just thought it was one of the other owners that was up there with friends...

bottom line, there are times and places where you need firepower beyond armageddon
 
Motega said:
the last time they stole all the copper pipe out
Click to expand...

It seems this is becoming more common. Just last month H'ville saw a duo who attempted to remove copper gas line from a summer home... with an acetyline torch. The outcome was spectacularly tragic, I understand.
 
+2 what Henschman said

You don't have anything in 7.62x39, so go with the AMD (or better yet Saiga)

Also, I see a .308 in your future.

M
 
Last edited:
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top