Help me choose between the AR-15 & AK-47

[swanny70]

I have been thinking about getting one of these the last few years but I have never fired either and would like some advice from shooters that have experience with both. Please let me know the biggest differences and why you prefer what you do.
...also are there any ranges in northern Indiana that lets you rent and shoot them?
Thanks

swanny70

 

[BehindBlueI's]

AR has better ergonomics and iron sights, IMO. AK shoots a heavier bullet. AKs used to be cheaper, but that gap has closed. Ammo prices and mag prices are on par, too.

 

[Bennettjh]

I'm an AR fan myself. Not that AK's are bad, I just never got into them. I see you're in Goshen, have you checked out ZX gun?

 

[swanny70]

Yes I purchased a .45 from ZX gun...Nice guys and nice store that is close to me.

 

[loony1]

AR has better ergonomics and iron sights, IMO. AK shoots a heavier bullet. AKs used to be cheaper, but that gap has closed. Ammo prices and mag prices are on par, too.

Not busting balls, but the AR platform allows for a lot of different caliber options....one being .30caliber(same as AK). I say go AR for the option to customize your platform exactly the way you want it.

 

[Trigger Time]

.300 blackout in an AR period. AK can't touch that .... Drops mic and walks offstage

 

[SSGSAD]

A R, all the way !!!!! Just a little biased .....

 

[RobbyMaQ]

Well, you can choose America, or Communism. All depends on which country you like more.
Pretty simple really

 

[OutdoorDad]

.300 blackout in an AR period. AK can't touch that .... Drops mic and walks offstage

Says the guy with an AK in his signature line!


As with everything, depends on your use.

Personally, I resisted the AR for a long time (two decades). But it is an incomparable platform.

Some call it the modern sporting rifle. And you can, if you like. But it is hard to beat in the mil spec offering.

I only have one in .223. And I am delighted with it. Plug and play in many configurations, and my 10 yr old can reach out to 200 yds with ease.

If we want to play with a different calibre, its not a difficult process to switch an upper.

So despite all my prejudice, I'd recommend a mil spec AR over just about any other long gun.

 

[Trigger Time]

Says the guy with an AK in his signature line!


As with everything, depends on your use.

Personally, I resisted the AR for a long time (two decades). But it is an incomparable platform.

Some call it the modern sporting rifle. And you can, if you like. But it is hard to beat in the mil spec offering.

I only have one in .223. And I am delighted with it. Plug and play in many configurations, and my 10 yr old can reach out to 200 yds with ease.

If we want to play with a different calibre, its not a difficult process to switch an upper.

So despite all my prejudice, I'd recommend a mil spec AR over just about any other long gun.

true

yeah I LOVE my AK's but if I had to pick one rifle to fight with and to target shoot with and to hunt, it's a .300 blackout AR

 

[BehindBlueI's]

Not busting balls, but the AR platform allows for a lot of different caliber options....one being .30caliber(same as AK). I say go AR for the option to customize your platform exactly the way you want it.

You are right, I debated adding the combat Lego aspect. He said AR-15, so I responded figuring the .223 instead of the AR-10 or the "nonstandard" calibers. Valid point, though, run .223 or .458 with an upper swap.

 

[slowG]

I dont have as much experience as a lot of folks but I have had both. I personally like the ak platform. I know the saiga comes in 7.62 5.45 and .223 pick your poison. An ak runs with little to no maintenance and is very easy to operate. I think the only benefit to an ar is the simplicity to swap uppers and a few more options to add accessories. Ak can run steel all day.. Ar is hit or miss from what I read. Most guys wont run it. Ak ammo is cheaper as well in most cases. If you are patient you can find 1k 7.62 for 200$

 

[MohawkSlim]

Every army in the world equips their men with AKs. Every army that can afford to do so equips them with ARs.

AKs are like the pudgy sister that's fun to hang around with. She still has big boobs and you have fun together but she's kind of a tomboy. You want her on your side in a fight but if your friends are watching, you act like you weren't holding her hand. The AR is her hotter sister. She's not as fun to spend time with and she's finicky as hell but she's a lot easier to lift in the shower and you're always proud to claim she's yours when your friends are watching. You even tell people you're dating her. But, at the end of the day, bottom line is they're both chicks you'd spend the rest of your life with.

In all seriousness, since they're about the same price now I recommend the AR. It's a lot easier to get good with and all your friends and family can shoot it too. The AK is a beast. It's a damn fine weapon but it's not for first time shooters. It is for peasants, partisans and men who won't be ruled.

 

[Bfish]

true

yeah I LOVE my AK's but if I had to pick one rifle to fight with and to target shoot with and to hunt, it's a .300 blackout AR

I'm right there with you TT... It's easy to love!

OP, you can't go wrong either way! I love both! I bought an AR before an AK but just because I guess. I also think as far as quality mag availability and things like that it's easier to get ahold of with an AR. It's way easier to find them as store x, y, or z than it sometimes is with AK stuff. Not that it's a big deal, just something I thought of.

 

[Sniper 79]

I chose AR

Set it up the way you want. Easy to take apart and clean. Like others have said the 300BLK is sweet. Parts availability. Many other reasons.

AK is a good rifle too if you get a good one. Prices have gone way up on them and dropped on the AR presently making them about the same cost. Think you would be happier with an AR.

 

[HKUSP]

Gee, there's no way a question like that could possibly launch a giant thread that gets out of hand.

 

[loony1]

You are right, I debated adding the combat Lego aspect. He said AR-15, so I responded figuring the .223 instead of the AR-10 or the "nonstandard" calibers. Valid point, though, run .223 or .458 with an upper swap.

I was actually referring to 300blk and 7.62x39 which both still use the AR-15 lower.

 

[BehindBlueI's]

I was actually referring to 300blk and 7.62x39 which both still use the AR-15 lower.

That's the "or the "nonstandard" calibers" I was referring to. I was posting from the phone, so brevity may have gotten in the way of clarity. What I meant was with an AR-15 you can play "combat Lego" and swap the standard .223 upper to run non-standard calibers such as the .458 Socom. In addition, I did not address the .308 AR-10 because he specifically said AR-15.

Plus I was trying to find something nice to say about the AK. :P

 

[vitamink]

it's a journey that begins with 1.

My vote is cheap AK. It won't let you down even with the dirtiest and crappiest ammo. 1000rds of 7.62 for 2 Hun isn't bad either. Since its your first rifle you're probably going to go cheap anyways. You'll have more fun with a $500 aK than you will with $600 low end AR that you cobbled together.

Eventually you'll start tuning the AK as you learn more like polishing the trigger, rails, carrier, and bolt. You may even weld a piece of metal onto the safety to make it easier to flick on and off. You may even repaint the whole thing with grill paint because "who gives a ****?!" You'll then want to add rails and such even though your new AK pals call you a douche.

At that point you'll want to buy an AR...a good one. Throw some high end glass on it. That way you can appreciate the accuracy, ergonomics, and the precision tight tolerances afford. Soon you'll miss the ol girl. Stacking little 22 sized holes in paper at 50 yards becomes a yawn fest until you have a failure. yikes.

Now you run back to the AK. You'll decide you need a really nice unmolested wood AK so you go out (to appease your pals) and buy a SAR or MAADi or Polytech or maybe even an underfolder even though they are difficult to shoot and harder to be accurate with (if any of you say "well actually I can hit blah blah..." I don't care and no you can't). You'll then tear down your original $500 grill painted ak with some tapco, UTG, or airsoft-almost magpul like something or other on it and start buying precision parts for it. ALG triggers, ultimak rails, good glass, dbals/peqs until you have the most reliable gun ever with the most precision parts made that shoots a round that's worth a ****.

Then you'll go back to the AR. You'll buy uppers out the wazoo like 458 and 300blk and apply the same accoutrements to them as you did the AK. Youll find your 300blk can do everything the 7.62 ak can do. You'll step back and realize that the only way you can tell the difference between your tactical AK and your 300blk AR is that one had mags that rock in and even then you're still not sure which one that is.

At at that point get a suppressor. Screw it onto your AK and shoot it without hearing protection... Before driving back to the salesman to kick him in the junk, put it on the 300blk. Now you'll understand the benefit of the round. Go to the range and with a friend and spare no expense because guns are about to get super cool. Shoot a couple thousand rounds in the tranquil quiet while having a conversation in library voices with your friend. Now go sell your body on Washington street to pay for that expensive ass ammo as rent's due and you make poor financial decisions. Once your debt is paid and your apeture elasticity has been restored, go back to the AK.

 

[loony1]

That's the "or the "nonstandard" calibers" I was referring to. I was posting from the phone, so brevity may have gotten in the way of clarity. What I meant was with an AR-15 you can play "combat Lego" and swap the standard .223 upper to run non-standard calibers such as the .458 Socom. In addition, I did not address the .308 AR-10 because he specifically said AR-15.

Plus I was trying to find something nice to say about the AK. :P

OK