Campfire Discussions

The Classic Gun Debate – AK or AR?

by Outdoor Hub on February 13, 2012

The Classic Gun Debate – AK or AR?

Gather ’round the Campfire this week and weigh in with your opinion on this age-old gun debate. Which is the better small arms platform – the AK (AK-47, AK-74 and so on) or the AR (M16, M4 carbine and so on)? Both have seen considerable development and improvement since their respective introductions in the mid-20th century, and both are widely available to civilian shooters. Some say the AK has the reliability and the AR has the accuracy, but is that true? Where do you stand?

Join The Discussion
More Discussions

How to Use Campfire Discussions

  • Posting: Start typing your message in the comment box, and then click Post As in the lower right corner. From there, you can either post as a guest or log in using one of many social media accounts, such as Facebook or Twitter.
  • Images: Click the + Image button after typing your response to include a photo. 2 MB limit.
  • Videos: Embed YouTube videos by pasting URLs in the following format - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cw3kRJdoa_8
  • Marker

    AK all the way. They’re simply more reliable and easier to clean than your standard AR. A gas piston system, be it short stroke or long stroke, is simply superior to a direct impingement system partially because of those reasons. That’s why you see so many “revolutionary” AR upper designs these days that simply use a gas piston reloading method instead of the dirty DI action.

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1463862436 John McDonough US Armyvet

    I have had no accuracy problems with my AK, It shoots just as accuratly out to about 400 meters. over 400 meters is just about as good as I can see so, with out a scope I’m not doing any better.
     

    • Mvacdude

      you must have one hell of an ak to get that performance! hang on to that one ’cause its a peach! i’ve got several and can’t get that out of them!

  • Offtheporch52@yahoo.com

    If the question had been which is the better battle instrument, the answer would have been close with a possible advantage to the AK. The question is which is a better platform and there is no question on that. Using the basic AR upper, you can have half minute of angle accuracy (Impossible with the AK) You can instantly change from a small caliber high velocity varmint type round to the mid caliber hunting round to a heavy bullet at slow speed. There are almost a hundred pages of accesories for the ARs in Brownells catalog and thousands of companies making more.

    As a wepons system unmodified for battle, it’s close, As a wepons system for almost any application, the AR is the most versitle system in the history of firearms because of it’s modular design. The AK is a great battle instrument but not adaptable. .

  • Edmund Heckler

    HK all the way 

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=34302308 Colin Anthony

    The AR-15 is American and thus i support the AR platform in this convo… But the AK has unreal reliability and is a gun worth having just for the sure fact that in combat the AK never stops taking a beating.

  • Gene

    My AK has been less reliable then my AR but just as accurate.  The AR has better ergonomics and sights but the AK is easier to clean and maintain.  I like them both but if I had to pick one it would probably be the AK.

  • http://www.facebook.com/daniel.j.rioux Daniel J Rioux

    I have both, each one is a tool, when used correctly, is a great tool to have at your side.  I would say they are about equal.

  • Norman

    Get a vz58 and you have the best of both! 

  • Own Both

    AK-74 – 5.45×39, AR Accuracy, AK reliability, I own both, both great but almost apples and oranges. AK47 more raw power and STHF mob at your door. AR more calculated dam near sniper level weopon in comparison.  Unless you have to a bunch of mall ninga gear that you have to have hanging of of your weapon that will fail when you need it (alot of AR guys), get an AK and learn to use iron sights (no batteries required)

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Vance-Markus-Jones/564898302 Vance Markus Jones

    take your average standard russian or chinese military army issued ak..and i’ll take the m-16 i had in the usmc.  we’ll stand 5 football fields apart.  1 round each, and i’ll give you first shot.

    • Mvacdude

      in your scenario i am with you, however, it is not often you get to choose this perfect scenario. thanks for your service! semper fi!

  • http://profile.yahoo.com/VF6MGRMH3ILD6THYI5AHRCDABA Richard

    one of the bad things about the AK is the trigger guard isn’t big enough ———— the anchor roper won’t fit through it.————–that is what it is good for ———a boat anchor.
    SPECTER

  • Daryl Augustine

    I am not a communist, therefore, I will stick with the AR

  • Mvacdude

    if i had to arm an army of low skill level but of mass numbers of individuals it would be the ak. this system has undeniable reliability and will function in the most adverse of conditions due to the loose tolerances and piston system. massive .30 cal. firepower will definitely get you out of a jam. however, for an elite group of highly trained individuals, i would definitely choose the ar platform (preferably piston driven over direct gas impingement system) for its accuracy and terminal performance. i am an American patriot and former service-member and am very familiar with both. by stating the positives of a communist produced weapon in no way makes one a communist or socialist! the ak is a very good and very reliably made firearm. to not see this is to claim the king clothes are beautiful (from the children’s tale)! if i could only choose 1 and it was to arm an informal mass of humanity it would have to be the ak. it is funny that we patriots did not want to give mr, Kalashnikov his props during the development of the ar are now copying the piston system and placing it in high demand(and rightly so)! don’t let “foolish pride” stand in the way of recognition of a good design, but let “righteous pride” lead us to develop the finest weapons for the finest troops in all mankind’s history!   oorah! by the way, i personally prefer the ar platform in .30 cal with piston system! if this was mass produced it would be my weapon of choice!

  • http://twitter.com/icetrout Chris Foltz

    I’ll keep my HK91 :)