Ar 15 vs ak

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  • ram77

    Plinker
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    Jun 17, 2010
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    I'm considering selling my ar 15 because I am buying 2 ak's. I like my ar platform and I know it's better for a long range gun but I could sell for a decent amount. The ar is great but it jams more than I know an ak would and I know an ak is more reliable. Is it worth keeping or would it be smart to sell?
     

    M67

    Grandmaster
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    23   0   0
    Jan 15, 2011
    6,181
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    Southernish Indiana
    The ar is great but it jams more than I know an ak would and I know an ak is more reliable. Is it worth keeping or would it be smart to sell?

    Then fix your AR or run better lube. I sold both of my AKs because they weren't as reliable or accurate as my ARs (and cause they're a PITA to suppress). I've never cleaned my ARs and they run great (the exception being the 8.5" 300blk which has so much crap in it it's hilarious and would make an AK cringe). The AKs.....picky on magazines and they still feel like a crapily designed rifle when you shoot them. Just my :twocents:
     

    OakRiver

    Grandmaster
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    0   0   0
    Aug 12, 2014
    15,013
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    IN
    Will you be selling the AR with full disclosure to the potential buyer that you believe it is broken? If so expect to be offering a discount on what it is worth. Alternatively if you tell us what issues you are having with your rifle perhaps one of our sage members can help you get it running reliably so you may keep it, or sell it for what it is worth.
     

    SnoopLoggyDog

    I'm a Citizen, not a subject
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    61   0   0
    Feb 16, 2009
    6,204
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    Warsaw
    Keep and fix the AR. Always better to have two options when it comes to rifle ammo. Given the current state of political and cultural affairs, it may be difficult to find certain calibers of ammo in the future.
     

    MilitaryArms

    Master
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    0   0   0
    Apr 19, 2008
    2,751
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    I'm considering selling my ar 15 because I am buying 2 ak's. I like my ar platform and I know it's better for a long range gun but I could sell for a decent amount. The ar is great but it jams more than I know an ak would and I know an ak is more reliable. Is it worth keeping or would it be smart to sell?

    Get a quality AR15 like a BCM and you won't have any reliability issues. Heck, you'll find it will run quite well in extremely adverse conditions. Colt and FN, same story. Budget AR's aren't such a good value, IMHO. Buy once, cry once and have a rifle that will last you a lifetime.

    [video=youtube;dHwoZ6SS_pY]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dHwoZ6SS_pY[/video]
     

    warriorbob

    Sharpshooter
    Rating - 96%
    24   1   0
    Feb 6, 2011
    678
    18
    I'm in the "get one of both" camp assuming you're getting a quality rifle. I'm also curious as to what ar you are running. In my experience, assuming both rifles are quality rifles, the ar will be more reliable than what some will have you think and the ak will be more accurate than what most will have you think. Again assuming both rifles are quality builds.
     

    Tombs

    Grandmaster
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    0   0   0
    Jan 13, 2011
    12,022
    113
    Martinsville
    The debate was already settled, watch and decide for yourself...

    [video=youtube;YAneTFiz5WU]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YAneTFiz5WU[/video]

    [video=youtube;DX73uXs3xGU]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DX73uXs3xGU[/video]

    If your AR15 won't run, something is seriously wrong with your rifle, not the design.
     

    Bfish

    Grandmaster
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    13   0   0
    Feb 24, 2013
    5,801
    48
    Pretty much going to echo here, but if you buy a nice AR it'll serve you just as well as an AK. Heck you see MAC saying that and he's a self admitted AK guy. Have both, like some of the guys are saying. Just save a buy something quality!
     

    Tombs

    Grandmaster
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    0   0   0
    Jan 13, 2011
    12,022
    113
    Martinsville
    I'd say keep the AR and pick up a SKS if you want to shoot the 7.62x39. My buddy picked up a AK and I wasn't a fan of how the rifle felt.


    AKs are difficult rifles to buy. There's an enormous amount of junk labeled as an AK, and a handful of reliable and respected AKs that are somewhat difficult to come by. If you want an AK ready for warfare, it's going to cost you vastly more money than an AR of equal quality. If you want a collector gun, sure, those are pretty easy to find cheaply. Building one is always an option, but it requires some blacksmithing...

    Arsenals were always a go-to, but since saigas aren't coming in now, I haven't seen an SGL series gun sitting on a rack anywhere.

    Veprs are amazing, but you're going to be investing a ton of money and work into one if you want it to be an honest AK look alike.

    ARs are just cheaper and easier to get right, and service should something happen to go wrong with them.
     

    xoregonian

    Marksman
    Rating - 0%
    0   0   0
    Jan 14, 2013
    193
    28
    Jay Co.
    +1 on the SKS. I've taken a WASR, SKS, and AR to the range multiple times and most people that shoot the SKS are impressed with how accurate and easy to shoot it is. I like each one for different reasons and am going to keep all three. The SKS is also a large folding knife depending on what flavor you get.
     

    seedubs1

    Master
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    24   0   0
    Jan 17, 2013
    4,623
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    Don't write off the AR15 platform because you purchased a junk one. That's like swearing off pistols because you once shot a hi-point that wouldn't run.

    The whole reason for buying an AK used to be that you could buy a good reliable one for $400 and a good reliable AR used to cost you $1000+. That's not the case anymore. Now a good reliable AK will cost you $600ish and you can buy a PSA premium, Spikes, Colt 6920, or other full mil-spec AR that is absolutely able to be dropped into Afghanistan for $700-$850. And those AR's will be every bit as reliable as a good AK and will be more ergonomic and more accurate to boot. Not to mention, they're easier to work on and easier to get a gunsmith to work on as well.

    I have went the other direction from what you're thinking about doing. I sold all of my AK's. Couldn't be happier. LOVE the AR platform. But as always, don't buy junk. That's the main problem with the AR platform.....lots of junk that you could buy. Do your research, and buy good parts, and the platform will run like a raped ape.
     

    88E30M50

    Grandmaster
    Site Supporter
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    12   0   0
    Dec 29, 2008
    22,751
    149
    Greenwood, IN
    I'm considering selling my ar 15 because I am buying 2 ak's. I like my ar platform and I know it's better for a long range gun but I could sell for a decent amount. The ar is great but it jams more than I know an ak would and I know an ak is more reliable. Is it worth keeping or would it be smart to sell?

    Or, fix the problem that is causing it to jam. ;)

    If you are a stand up guy, you will either fix the issue with the AR before selling it or will sell it with full disclosure of the issue. If you fix it, then why sell. If you disclose, you will have to take less money for it since you cannot expect someone to pay the price of a working AR for one that has issues. Once you diagnose and correct the issue, revisit the question of selling it then. Your perspective could be different.

    Then fix your AR or run better lube. I sold both of my AKs because they weren't as reliable or accurate as my ARs (and cause they're a PITA to suppress). I've never cleaned my ARs and they run great (the exception being the 8.5" 300blk which has so much crap in it it's hilarious and would make an AK cringe). The AKs.....picky on magazines and they still feel like a crapily designed rifle when you shoot them. Just my :twocents:

    I've moved away from the AK platform for practical use because I really prefer shooting through a halo sight. It's simple to put an Eotech on an AR, but with an AK, it becomes an issue. That and BUIS with a true cowitness is not possible on an AK. If you don't get an AK with the Nato length stock, you might find it to be awkward in handling.

    On the plus side, the AKs would run anything I threw at it. One of my ARs does not like the poly coated steel case Russian ammo. I've had no issues other than that with them. Oddly, I found that I needed to put more work into cleaning my AKs than I do with the ARs. I just run the ARs and dump a bit of lube in them. They run and run without issue. With the AKs, I often shoot corrosive ammo and then put a lot of time into disassembly and cleaning afterwords. One Century AK I had developed a lot of rust on the gas piston within 3 days after a shoot that I did not realize had corrosive ammo included. I still have one AK, but it's more for the collection than for any practical use.
     

    Michael762

    Plinker
    Rating - 0%
    0   0   0
    Feb 14, 2016
    97
    8
    Centeral
    Sold my AR for an AK... I don't really look back, I miss my aimpoint... but not enough. So I bought another AK and I am waiting on my third to come in the mail :) my Bulgarian lady :)
     
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