Any gun enthusiasts? Buying an AK-47...

[The Cold Water Kid]

I want to buy an AK-47. From what I can tell it's a better value than the M-16, but which one should I get? It seems many countries are making many different version of the gun and some are far superior to others; which one should I buy? I'd like one that I could use for hunting as well as home defense...

[bishopnl]

I'd like one that I could use for hunting as well as home defense...

Oh my.

What, exactly, are you hunting with an AK-47?  Elephants?

[The Cold Water Kid]

lol, I'd like to do some hog hunting. It's dangerous, but it would be nice to have a supply of organic meat. Besides, the cruelties inflicted on hogs and cattle by the meat industry bother me.

[Chseeads]

So pump em full of lead with a semi-automatic instead.....  lol

[bishopnl]

So pump em full of lead with a semi-automatic instead.....  lol

Beat me to it. 

[Scott]

I want to buy an AK-47. From what I can tell it's a better value than the M-16, but which one should I get? It seems many countries are making many different version of the gun and some are far superior to others; which one should I buy? I'd like one that I could use for hunting as well as home defense...

Do you qualify for the FFL Excemption? Do you have an LLC?

IF not - I assume you are going with the semi auto wanna be version?

If you just want the looks, pick up a decent deer rifle and trick it out.

[The Cold Water Kid]

From what I can tell, you can get an AK-47 for about the same price as a good deer rifle. I could be wrong, but it seems like you'd be getting more for your money with the AK-47. And yeah, they look cool too.

www.classicarms.us has some nice looking rifles, but I haven't been able to pin down which countries make the best rifles.

[The Cold Water Kid]

So pump em full of lead with a semi-automatic instead.....  lol

lol, I've got no problem with killing animals. It's the indifference to suffering that bothers me. Did you know they raise hogs in pens that are so small they can't turn around? Many of them go insane from the boredom and destroy their teeth by chewing on the iron bars of their pens... it's terrible.

[Scott]

Here is the deal - what you will get is an AK-47 - semi automatic.  (I looked at the web page) It is near impossible to get a fully auto one - because of the red tape you'd have to go through.

A true AK-47 is well known for being inaccurate - they are what are commonly called ''spray and pray'' guns.
Our military loves the AK's in the hands of the other side, because they are inaccurate.

You'd be better off getting a decent 30-30 carbine and buying the AK-47 kit. Hi Pointe has a line of assault rifle style guns, all carbines, all tricked out and they do shoot well. Mossberg has some nice tactical style .12 ga. that you may want to look into.

Also, bear in mind that if you have an AK variant and are hunting with it - the game warden will put you on your knees, hands on your head until he verifies that it is semi auto. 

[The Cold Water Kid]

This is the first time I've heard of them being inaccurate... that would be a deal breaker for me.

[Scott]

This is the first time I've heard of them being inaccurate... that would be a deal breaker for me.

they are highly mass produced, cheaply made and the parts are interchangable. That is why they are popular.

A friend of mine was a cop, he went head to head with a bad guy with an AK - my friend had a hand gun. My friend is still alive.

IMHO - forget the cool appeal - go with Marlin 30-30 cowboy style



This will be a far better gun for you.

[(R.I.P.) YooperYankDude]

I have also looked into the AK-47 vs a AR-15 / M-16... I would rather go AR-15... sometimes the used ones are not that bad for price, depending on where you are in the country. And as with most anything, you do get what you pay for, and I have heard they are inaccurate as well, from people who own both AK-47 and AR-15's.

I have also looking into the FFL, and there is a lot of things to jump through, and adds a few hundred dollars to the total price. Full Auto is fun, but you waste a lot of Ammo... that is why 3 round burst is nice, but then you have all the rules and regs to worry about, and they know where you are...

One of the nice thing about the AR's is that there are so many modifications and things to be added onto them... but again, price plays into it.

www.gunbroker.com is interesting place to look...

[Scott]

I think the AK looks pretty dumb, and the Civilian AR 14 semi auto looks pretty nice.

If you want home defense:




This will chamber a .45 or a .410 shotgun shell.

[The Cold Water Kid]

I came really close to buying a Ruger LCR back in March. I may still get one next time a gun show comes through town.

[Scott]

The Ruger LCP and LCR are nice,  but the Judge can handle .410  triple 0 buck or .45 shell. Perfect for whatever  you want to shoot.

[The Cold Water Kid]

I thought about buying The Judge back in March, but decided against it. Shooting 4-10 shells from a handgun? The recoil must be terrible. It would be a good gun to have if you were in a tight spot, but I doubt it would be much fun to practice with... and it looks like it would be too heavy & bulky for concealed carry.

Is the Ruger LCP a good gun? I saw a really good buy on one the last time I was at a gun show - $274. It's so small it looks like it would basically just be a belly gun; probably the best gun on the market for a woman though.

[Scott]

Remember, the .410 is not that big of a kick - in a long gun it is the beginners shotgun.  Look it up on youtube


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CrSGiJG25E4


The Ruger LCR or LCP are nice little guns - remember we talk .38 caliber and for years that was the standard police issue caliber.  It is a snub nose so your range is uner 10 yards.

[Babs]

* Just Plain Ole Barb ponders buying an AK-47.................then realizes it might not be a good idea.............so leaves the thread 

[Warrior]

1. Most states limit mag capacity to 10 rounds during a hunting season. AK-47 variants are standardly a 30 round magazine, and it doesnt matter whether or not you load the mag full, the magazine is prohibited from most hunting because of its capacity.

2. The AK-47 is not a match gun. It is made more for durability than for accuracy. In the Vietnam war we put to use the then new m16 machine rifle, which in those fighting conditions jammed quite often, and there have been many accounts of American soldiers taking AK's off dead viet kong during that time, because the m16 was not as reliable, HOWEVER, the m16 has undergone many changes since then. it was experimental at that time.

3. if you want to hunt hogs, you dont need a large caliber, unless you are a lousy shot. You talk about being humane, well if you cant put it down with less than 3 shots, it wasnt humane; according to many hunters. there are plenty of different types of ammunition out there, such as +P jacketed hollowpoint ammunition, which will create sizable ventilation even if only using a .38 spl snubnose. If you want power to ensure taking down a larger hog, Marlin makes a trail rifle that is a lever action .45-70 govt. (A round which at one point was used mainly for hunting buffalo).

Do you know what an SKS is? It fires the same cartridge as the AK, but in its standard platform it lacks the pistolgrip that the AK has, and it holds ten rounds, loaded into a fixed box magazine, either manually or in stripper clip. You can often find them used for around $350. Norinco makes pistol grip variant sks rifles, and if you so desire, you can purchase kits that will convert most sks rifles to accomodate a detchable magazine. (generally 30rds).

http://hi-pointfirearms.com

take a look at their carbines, offered in 9mm and 40 cal (a 45acp version will be available this august). These are assault rifles improved from their original 995 series, their carbines have 10rd magazines that feed into the pistol grip, they are great guns, and I know this from experience. an already tricked out version with all the bells and whistles will cost you under $500.

The AR platform weapons use the .223 cartridge, which is smaller than the 7.62, but has a higher velocity rate, and is often more accurate in more conditions. The .223 is NOT considered ideal for hunting what you want to hunt.
it is a fast round, but it is small, and even with jacketed hollowpoints, a hog could take several hits and live for weeks. However, the standard FMJ .223 round delivers approx 1040 ft lbs on impact, so if you have the right shot on the target, not a problem.

You can get AR platform weapons that chamber the .308 cartridge, which is very close to the 7.62x39 used by the AK.
Most AR platform weapons will run upwards of $500, even in the used market.

Its all about whether or not you are experienced with firearms, and how much you want to spend. My suggestions would be this:

Check out Marlin firearms and Henry Repeating arms lever action rifles, Henry makes a .44 mag, and marlin makes a .45-70.

HI-POINT CARBINES- great rifles, very affordable, accurate and shoot well right out of the box.

Kel-Tec makes a couple rifles that chamber the .223 round. and while they look mean, you have less of a chance of being hassled by the DNR because of it.


***************************
HOWEVER:

to answer your original question:
AK-47's are mass produced assault rifles, the country it is from really will not have much of an effect on the quality. AK parts are easy to come by, i.e, if an AK is overly inaccurate,  you can order a new barrel online for $20-$50 and put it in yourself.

One of the cheapest ways to acquire an AK-47 is to order what is called a "parts kit", which will have all the parts of the AK, minus the receiver. (the action). You then purchase a receiver that will fit the AK from the parts kit, and install it.

This is very popular with gun enthusiasts, and if you have a friend who finds it a little creepy that you have an AK (well I would tell them they need to grow up, but I digress), you can simply tell them that you put it together yourself as a hobby project.

But honestly, its a ridiculous choice for hunting. And is more likely to get you arrested than to get you a meal.

[The Cold Water Kid]

Great post Warrior, thanks!

[mini]

Just found this thread.  A .223 is a good round, and Rock River (I think) has some great looking ones.  AR-15.

A Mini 14 is a good gun too.  Still a .223, but Ruger makes the Mini 14 Ranch Rifle and they are customizable beyond reason...LOL

[(R.I.P.) YooperYankDude]

Just found this thread.  A .223 is a good round, and Rock River (I think) has some great looking ones.  AR-15.

A Mini 14 is a good gun too.  Still a .223, but Ruger makes the Mini 14 Ranch Rifle and they are customizable beyond reason...LOL

I love the Mini 14! LOL, I think they are customizable to the point of becoming a replica of a Tommy Gun... :grin:

Don't own one... but I have shot the 10/22... it is a lovely plinker... and also customizable to the point of craziness... but a 10/22 won't of much use for anything other than plinking... so those comments can be regarded as the ramblings of a Yoop... lol

[mini]

I bought a Gamo .177 air gun the other day...now you talk about a plinker.  Dude is 1200fps, complete with scope and a seriously bad attitude.   LOL  I have declared war on pigeons....