Some hard truths from ACTUAL real world testing of AK's

[FeuerFrei]

Tagged before this mutates into a steel cased vs brass ammo argument followed by the inevitable Luckygunner video etc..

[martialcomp]

I have always considered AK's to be made from cheap stamped parts. That being said, I have no problem with people buying them and having fun with them. To each his own but AK's are just not my cup of tea.

[FiveSeven]

^

That cheap stamped parts (receiver) if done right is several times stronger than more expensive forged Aluminum or other lightweight metal receivers.
There's few exceptions where cheaper is better and this is one of them.
Other parts like CHF barrel, bolt & BC are not cheap compared to anything else in similar class.

It's alright and thank God it's not everyone's cup a tea, the last thing we need is shortage and even higher prices due to demand.

[kalieracer]

If you look around the world AK type files out number AR types in military service and production. New guns made to mil export spec are tough and well made. I would take the AK over any of my other rifles.

I have always considered AK's to be made from cheap stamped parts. That being said, I have no problem with people buying them and having fun with them. To each his own but AK's are just not my cup of tea.

[kcstott]

I have always considered AK's to be made from cheap stamped parts. That being said, I have no problem with people buying them and having fun with them. To each his own but AK's are just not my cup of tea.

Just remember every plane you get on is made from stamped sheet metal usually not even steal there usually stamped aluminum.

Your truck or car is made from spot welded stamped sheet-metal to

[sl0re10]

Unless you're dumping all 4k multiple mags at a time, that's probably several lifetimes... because you're not generating full auto heat levels by squeezing off shots every couple seconds, a mag here and a mag there.

Heat is the enemy of mechanical lifespans... not so much the mileage, so to speak.

Excellent.

and agree; what your saying about heat makes sense.

[Bobby Ricigliano]

I have always liked WASR's and have owned a couple. Some of them will not feed hollow point ammo at all, but are 100% with FMJ.

I've owned several other AK builds, and have shot them all to an extent, but nothing like the OP described. The only time I've had an AK "break" was a Century GP1975. Very slick and reliable, but one shoot without warning the retaining pin connecting the piston to the bolt (my nomenclature might be wrong) came out and took the gun out of action. Totally fixable, but would have been bad juju in a SD situation.

[SuperSet]

Real world, combat accuracy testing for the AK should include blind firing over one's head or pointed around a street corner and should also include hip firing while being pushed in a wheelbarrow.

[Bobby Ricigliano]

If you own an expensive boutique brand AK, purchased with the assumption it would last forever and digest a million rounds without failure, here is a tip:

Get a cheaper one and shoot / abuse it. Leave the boutique rifle unfired in your safe. Bring it out to show friends, take warface pictures with it for your Facebook page, or caress on your lap during war movies. But don't shoot it. Leave it unfired so that your fantasy about it being unbreakable is never at risk of being shattered by cruel reality.

[kalieracer]

I don't know who thinks that, guns wear out. The more expensive / exotic the worse they tend to be. I will say that I would rather have a Saiga over an Npap/Opap any day. Even parts guns on Nodak's will be super tough as long as they are assembled right.

If you own an expensive boutique brand AK, purchased with the assumption it would last forever and digest a million rounds without failure, here is a tip:

Get a cheaper one and shoot / abuse it. Leave the boutique rifle unfired in your safe. Bring it out to show friends, take warface pictures with it for your Facebook page, or caress on your lap during war movies. But don't shoot it. Leave it unfired so that your fantasy about it being unbreakable is never at risk of being shattered by cruel reality.

[morthrane]

The only time I've had an AK "break" was a Century GP1975. Very slick and reliable, but one shoot without warning the retaining pin connecting the piston to the bolt (my nomenclature might be wrong) came out and took the gun out of action. Totally fixable, but would have been bad juju in a SD situation.

ppft, that just means you have a straight pull bolt action repeater. Not the end of the world in a SD situation

[barrage]

Just remember every plane you get on is made from stamped sheet metal usually not even steal there usually stamped aluminum.

Your truck or car is made from spot welded stamped sheet-metal to

I worked in aircraft parts fabrication and turbine blade repair for a few years out of high school, specifically in cold forming those "stamped" parts and it's not even a million light years in the same ball park!

A lot of what you call "stamped" on an airplane is actually forged with 5 ton drop hammers.

[JohnnyMtn]

I find threads like this to be quite entertaining. The AK guys get bent out of shape because their platform, even with good credible data, is still not recognized as a viable rifle. And the AR guys get disregulated because their highly-engineered machines do not perform as well as some cheap, primitive device. Sort of like Nasacar vs. Indy discussions from years ago.

For the record, I like both platforms and find considerable joy in shooting both.

Great article btw. Maybe thousands and thousands of full-auto rounds is not a real world scenario but it is good data nonetheless. It would be nice to get this data on all of their guns.

[p220nut]

I find threads like this to be quite entertaining. The AK guys get bent out of shape because their platform, even with good credible data, is still not recognized as a viable rifle. And the AR guys get disregulated because their highly-engineered machines do not perform as well as some cheap, primitive device. Sort of like Nasacar vs. Indy discussions from years ago.

For the record, I like both platforms and find considerable joy in shooting both.

Great article btw. Maybe thousands and thousands of full-auto rounds is not a real world scenario but it is good data nonetheless. It would be nice to get this data on all of their guns.

IMO one would be a fool to not consider the AK 74-47 a viable rifle. It was never my intent to turn this into an AK vs AR discussion.
Just wanted to present proven facts on the reliability of the AK rifle from the great folks at Henderson Defense. I am glad you like your AK

[kcstott]

I worked in aircraft parts fabrication and turbine blade repair for a few years out of high school, specifically in cold forming those "stamped" parts and it's not even a million light years in the same ball park!

A lot of what you call "stamped" on an airplane is actually forged with 5 ton drop hammers.

Do you mean the aluminum sheets formed with a drop hammer?? because that is still not forging,

Forging is starting with a billet and beating it into shape and it takes a wee bit more then five tons to do it,

All you were doing was a proprietary process that Rohr developed in the 40's and it ain't forging. it's still sheet metal work, It's the only way to get the sheet to form in complex shapes they were making but it was still a sheet or a panel

Now if you were to sight the Ti parts and the SPF process to form those parts sure that's a whole other ball game
.
Fact remains sheet metal work and rivets are strong in the correct design and correct application.