why no 100% american made ak rifles?

[ulfrik]

why in the usa does no one make a semi auto ak-47/akm from scratch?

they could make them in heavy factorys by the thousands. retail price would be around 500$

dont gun companies like making money and quality rifles?
just look at how izhmash makes ak rifles.

 

[Justin]

If it would be so easy to make an all-US AK and meet the price point of $500, perhaps that's a market you should explore.

 

[Robert]

they could make them in heavy factorys by the thousands. retail price would be around 500$

Based on what? Do you have market research to back this up?

dont gun companies like making money and quality rifles?

It has everything to do with demand. In a country where AR is king why would I buy an inferior, IMO, rifle when I can get an AR for about $200 more?

 

[Rail Driver]

Retail price for an alright AK is already around $500... They can be found for cheaper if you look hard enough.

I think the reason they're not manufactured here is because the tooling and design has to be licensed (correct me if I'm wrong please, I'm not 100% on that) or else it has something to do with some ignorant BATFE regulation or other equally pointless law.

 

[SpeedAKL]

Also consider that the AK is a Communist-bloc weapon and that many collectors are looking for "the real thing", or at least something with enough original components while still being 922(r)-compliant.

 

[sarduy]

why in the usa does no one make a semi auto ak-47/akm from scratch?

they could make them in heavy factorys by the thousands. retail price would be around 500$

because i can get a saiga for $329.00 or a romanian UF for $349.00 and save the extra money for ammo....

 

[Zombiphobia]

'cause it's an "inferior" commie weapon.. and the AR is a "superior" American weapon...

If needing to be very clean to function reliably makes it superior...

It might be more accurate, but it is NOT superior, or even equal when it comes to reliability.

 

[Girodin]

Economics. Even if we assume agruendo that a domestic AK was $500 that might only mean a saiga would start selling for $250 again. Throw a hundred dollars at converting it you still beat the pants off a $500 domestic.

You also have to consider the initial investment to tool up to build them vs the the amount of time before you see any return on that investment. I'm sure if it were a no brainer someone would do it.

I've wondered why no domestic company has looked at building a S12 style weapon (box fed semi even if not totally AK based. They sell at a much higher prices and domestic competition might be more feasible. Although there have been some designs so maybe its just isn't economically that feasible. It is not a huge market.

It has everything to do with demand. In a country where AR is king why would I buy an inferior, IMO, rifle when I can get an AR for about $200 more?

Well there are already companies selling AKs for more than $500, so it is more an issue of profit margin than the fact no one would buy a $500 AK.

 

[Robert]

What part of that is my opinion was unclear?

I find the AK to be vastly over rated and the AR does not need to be very clean to function reliably. You argument might have been valid 40 years ago but it is no longer the case today. This is not 1964, it is 2010.

 

[Girodin]

If needing to be very clean to function reliably makes it superior...

The need to be lubed more than clean (at least for properly built ones). Ask pat rogers about this.


Please stop buying into simplistic internet myths. Don't click on the following link if you don't want to have your AR assumptions shattered.

http://www.bravocompanymfg.com/v/vspfiles/assets/images/filthy14_oct10.pdf

 

[Robert]

so it is more an issue of profit margin than the fact no one would buy a $500 AK.

Girodin,
Thanks for that correction.

 

[mshootnit]

I believe the Centurion is 100% American made, and the Sam7r from Arsenal is built on a US milled receiver and other parts making it mostly American. (if not all American?)
Somebody on here recently posted a video of a Colt m4 carbine being shot full auto until it burst into flames. The rifle became a single shot in less than 4 minutes of constant firing. Would an AK do the same thing? I don't know. I do know that a Vepr is based on an RPK action and would darned well pass the full auto test.

 

[ulfrik]

come on it couldn't cost izhmash more than 300$ to make the ak-103 or ak74m.
the ak-103 is superior to the m-4, at least in reliability. however the ar-15/m-4 rifles are still excellent rifles.

the kalashnikov should not be denied to the people.

and yes if i had the money, i would set up my own ak factory and only sell rifles to the right people.

 

[Justin]

'cause it's an "inferior" commie weapon.. and the AR is a "superior" American weapon...

If needing to be very clean to function reliably makes it superior...

It might be more accurate, but it is NOT superior, or even equal when it comes to reliability.

Please stop repeating things that are demonstrably untrue. I have more than one AR that I've run thousands of rounds through between cleanings with nary a hiccup, as do many, many others.

If AR-pattern guns were truly so unreliable, perhaps you'd care to enlighten us as to why, despite their supposed inferiority, they are the dominant choice among competitive rifle shooters in both precision and run 'n' gun sports, law enforcement, and the military.

 

[Robert]

come on it couldn't cost izhmash more than 300$ to make the ak-103 or ak74m.

Again, this is based on what?

the kalashnikov should not be denied to the people.

It is not. In fact it is easily in the top 5 of just about everyone on this board. Who is denying people the ability to buy a well made AK?

only sell rifles to the right people.

Who are the right people?

 

[ulfrik]

what i mean is a normal akm cost around 850$ when it shold cost arond 400$.

what is the true retail price of the akm rifle when greed and politice are taken out of the equation?

 

[Robert]

what i mean is a normal akm cost around 850$ when it shold cost arond 400$

Ok and how do you determine what it "should" cost? Do you have hard market data or is this just a happy double rainbow unicorn feeling "should"?

what is the true retail price of the akm rifle when greed and politice are taken out of the equation?

Maybe we can redistribute the wealth of all those people who worked hard for their money so we can all buy a dirt cheap AK...

 

[ulfrik]

i will try to do some more research. however it is a good guess that the ak cost around 300$ to make i would say.

so you think guns should cost more just so poor people can't buy them???

 

[jcwit]

Not suggesting for AK and against AR or the other way around, frankly not something I'm not interested in but for those that have access to there's a short article in my latest Army Times 15, Nov. 2010 about the AK. Just a heads up.

 

[Justin]

Wait a second.

How is an AK that costs $500 more accessible to someone of limited means than an imported carbine that can be had for around $350?

 

[Girodin]

Ulfrik you don't have a business or economics background do you?

 

[Robert]

so you think guns should cost more just so poor people can't buy them???

Yup that is totally what I said
I am poor. I would love to see the price of firearms come down. But I am not going to tell anyone what their prices should be based on my feelings. One man's greed is another man's capitalism. I am going to get every penny I can for what I do. If a price is what I deem to be to high I don't buy that item. I will do more shopping around and see if I can find something similar, or better, at a better price. The market seems to be bearing the present prices just fine. When the consumers decide that the price is unfair and stop paying companies will either lower the prices or go broke.

 

[Zombiphobia]

Ok, the Ar/M16 weapons I've used are limited to military weapons, and in my experience, other than accuracy-wise, they suck. Accuracy is outstanding, reliability is crap... IN MY EXPERIENCE.

 

[ulfrik]

they cant import normal akm rifles because of u.s. law .
they import sport rifles (or parts) and modify them, then sell them for a litle more than the are worth.

i try to provoke thought, then it some how turns into controversy?

i was just asking why no one has capitalized on how cheap and easy it would be the make the excellent akm rifle from scratch in the usa.

 

[Acera]

I wish Larry Eugene Phillips, Jr. could attest to the reliability and performance of his AKM.

Both guns have their strong points, and are the best in the world at what they do. There will never be a clearly defined winner as long as the emotions and hearsay rule the playing field.