JT

No hate mail from me. I like ARs, but I also really like AKs. Each has its strengths. ARs are more reliable than many give them credit for, but they can’t compare with an AK. On the other hand, ARs are much more accurate.

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Blessed be the Lord my rock who trains my hands for war and my fingers for battle. Psalm 144:1

Si vis pacem, para bellum

Hekkenschutze

I am gonna have to agree with JT and Ben Hennessy! I have owned two Mini-14s and no one, not even highpower rifle shooters could wrangle in a better group than 7inches at 100 yards. The AR-15 literally shoots circles around that!! It burns me that Bill Ruger wrote his infamous letter to Congress that basically started the "high capacity" Brady Bill B.S. and labeled the AR-15 Family of Stoner Rifles as "Assault Weapons" while the Mini-14 (similar in function, but not in accuracy to a AR-15) was NOT labeled an assault rifle and Ruger made High Capacity magazines for it. I have a lot of beef with Ruger politically and against their Mini-14 politically and accuracy wise but their Ruger Super Blackhawk 44 mag is awesome.
Ben Hennessy had a point in the Ak's ruggade relaibility, nice cartridge (ballistaclly equvilant to a 30-30) and can actually hold a tighter group at 100 yards than the Mini-14!!
Why not just have both the AR and the AK? :D And forget mini, just get the sweet ol' M-14!

pgrass101

It is hard to beat the SKS for value. I would suggest that anyone who is worried about when TSHTF or TEOTWAWKI to start off with this carbine especially since they are so affordable.
I love The AR and am trying my hand at building one. That being said I do believe that an AK will still be working when my AR is junk, and the SKS will probably out last the AK. Of course this all depends on which rifles you get, some are very good and some are scrap metal. I would suggest to get a SKS and lots of striiper clips first, and then go with the AK or AR.

Bando

You can't beat an SKS for $149 out the door(cheaper than dirt). Sure their ugly at that price, but you can get a new fiber force stock for $40 dollars. Great intro to rifles. Can anyone say value?

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The Problem: When stupid people do stupid things, smart people end up getting killed.

p8riot

For the uninitiated TEOTWAWKI = "The End Of The World As We Know It"

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"You can get more with a kind word and a gun than you can with a kind word alone." - Al Capone

The second amendment is the reset button of our Constitution.

joe/OH

Just my experiences. I have never had or seen reliability issues with mini-14's. Cartridge aside, the AK has a horrible trigger (I do mean horrible), ergonomically doesn't work (for me), and worst the accuracy is unacceptable in all examples that I have seen. If a rifle can't hold 4 MOA - then it is not suitable as a battle rifle. I haven't seen an AK that can hold 4 MOA - but I'm sure they exist. I haven't seen a mini-14 that won't hold 4 MOA (even with surplus ammo) but again, I'm sure they exist. Again - just my experiences.

Ben Hennessy

joe/OH thats for sure the AK is not a good target rifle with a trigger like a mini-14. But as for as battle rifle, it might not be America's choice but for sure it is the World's choice. And I'm sure for many reasons. And it fits the bill for a SHTF rifle.

JT

My Vepr will hold 4 MOA (actually better), has a good trigger and good ergonomics.

To me reliability is at the very top of the list of criteria for a combat rifle. Nothing comes close to the AK in that department.

__________________
Blessed be the Lord my rock who trains my hands for war and my fingers for battle. Psalm 144:1

Si vis pacem, para bellum

Squawker

I wish I had your confidence that we'll be safe until 2008. With the new Demoncratic majority (not misspelled), headed by Nancy Pelosi and Nevada's own Harry Reid, I'm hoping that I can come up with enough money to fulfill my wish list as far as rifles and high cap mags go by March. I figure that at worst, it will take the gun banners at least until then to get an AWB going. I've supported GWD, but he's let me down in a number of areas (not all his fault- the Republicans in Congress never could figure out how to govern, and let a minority run roughshod over them), and I'm not convinced that he would veto a AWB. I sincerely hope that you are right, and no new bans will be enacted. I own an AR, and I have my eye on a SOCOM II. I would like to be able to get it, enough hi cap mags, and a good supply of ammo, before the dems go nuts ( ok, go even MORE nuts). I things work out the way I hope, I may be able to get everything that I need by the end of the year. Nut that's up in the air right now, as finances have suddenly gone south (just lost my job).
But, there's a good chance that things might turn around this week. O/W, I'll have to save my pennies, and pray that there are enough pro 2A congressmen and Senators to keep the Dems under control.

Fragman

I would have an AK over an SKS, its just more carryable and holds more ammo in standard mags. A lot of people seem to get SKS's and then start spending more money tring to turn them into AK's.

Don't get me wrong, the SKS is good too, and I have one of those too. But the AK is the SHTF gun, no doubt.

And, Katrina basically made my mind up to go AK rather than AR. You may not be able to keep the gun pristine clean when it all goes pear shaped and the AK is more forgiving.

As for accuracy, the AK is plent accurate enough for combat ranges. Should easily hit a man sized target up to 300 meters. If I needed more accuracy than that, I would likely want a scope anyway and would be lookng to use my Remington 700 bolt action which is plenty accurate.