Your favourite weapons - Soviet/Russian

[CDAT]

Originally Posted by .45cultist

Oh good God! Anything else I'd say would be ban material.

We were able to figure out what happened to the Glocks, but never could the AK's. The issue with the Glocks was the ammo that they were using, they had a fair number of squib rounds, it would get stuck in the barrel and then the next one would pop it out, after doing this so many times the barrel bulged and then when the slide went back the pistol locked up. So no a case of the Glock being a bad firearm, it is a very sturdy one, I do not know of any other firearm that would do that something like 15-20 were turned it the first time and not a single one had blown up. The AK's never did find out what was the issue, they were very dirty and you had to use a hammer to open the bolt but even after you got them open they would not function correctly. So just in case people were thinking that I was saying that Glocks and AK's suck never use them bla bla. That is not what I am trying to say, I am saying that I think (based on real world experience) that the reputation of the AK is blown way out of proportion, just like I will still run in to guys who say that they would never use an AR as it will jam on you if you look at it wrong. An AK if treated right (any probably needs less TLC) will treat you right, but like any machine if you abuse it it will break.

[StainlessSteelCynic]

Just going back over this thread and saw there's a few points I'd like to add.

I agree with CDAT, abuse any AK too much and it's gonna be screwed. I've seen some behaviour in the Middle East that almost made me cry. For instance, one time in Egypt I saw some Tourism & Antiquities police officers attempting to catch water runoff during a rainy day with the slanted part of the muzzle brake on their AKM's. They were having a great time, laughing about who could catch more water and so on. Never saw them clean it out afterwards but I really, really hoped that they did and that I just didn't see them do it... but who really knows? These guys were plain clothes so they weren't the typical, poorly educated farmboys who get conscripted into the lower echelons of the police.

For as much as the PK is a solid performer there is one thing I just can't get used to. Even the non-disintegrating belt I can live with but I just can't get used to it's righthand feed. I've trained on various Western MGs dating from the 1940s up to the 1990s and all of them were standard with lefthand feed, the PK's righthand feed is just too alien for me!

Draq, I hear ya loud & clear but I started this topic as a companion to the fav US weapons thread cos we were obviously limited to just one nations smallarms and, like you, I'm interested in smallarms from everywhere.
I too like the SKS but it's not my favourite and I agree too that the MP412 AKA REX-412 is particularly interesting, I'd like one out of curiosity value if nothing else!

[LT. Ox]

It seems that times change but people do not.
My experience with the AK started in US Army Class room then to the field but that was Chicom manufacture and VC operated. Not the best of the best to say the least.
Hmm that may be politically incorrect but oh well. About that I f any of you read WEB Griffin you will understand what a Dinosaur is in connection to the Cold war.
Since the war I have avoided contact (pun intended) with that group except for a limited range testing for my Department. To me there are so many better weapons from the west that I have limited my ownership and use to those.

[.45cultist]

Originally Posted by CDAT

We were able to figure out what happened to the Glocks, but never could the AK's. The issue with the Glocks was the ammo that they were using, they had a fair number of squib rounds, it would get stuck in the barrel and then the next one would pop it out, after doing this so many times the barrel bulged and then when the slide went back the pistol locked up. So no a case of the Glock being a bad firearm, it is a very sturdy one, I do not know of any other firearm that would do that something like 15-20 were turned it the first time and not a single one had blown up. The AK's never did find out what was the issue, they were very dirty and you had to use a hammer to open the bolt but even after you got them open they would not function correctly. So just in case people were thinking that I was saying that Glocks and AK's suck never use them bla bla. That is not what I am trying to say, I am saying that I think (based on real world experience) that the reputation of the AK is blown way out of proportion, just like I will still run in to guys who say that they would never use an AR as it will jam on you if you look at it wrong. An AK if treated right (any probably needs less TLC) will treat you right, but like any machine if you abuse it it will break.

I know the weapon reps, I'm amazed at the eff-up.

[Milano]

If I may add my 2 cents, when I was in a Sgt was teaching us about cold climate survival, he took an AKM with a loaded magazine and put it in a snow bank. We left it there for a few weeks and when we had a land nav deal we went back. The Sgt had us dig out the AK to make a snow cave. Anyway, the bolt couldn't be budged and the magazine and catch had rusted really badly. He banged the mag out with his knife. He stepped on the charging handle like a motocross rider. Used a little CLP. Inserted a fresh mag. Chambered. Rocked off 30 rounds like nothing had happened! Unsafe, certainly, equally impressive though. I have almost no experience with them but I do remember that, and for that I do think that the AKs have something that an M16 doesn't.

As for cool weapons that I DO like my vote is for the Bizon. I don't know why. I am obviously wrong since they took it out of service. (I think) There is just something really peculiarly enticing about how it looks.

[mpipes]

My assault rifle choice would be the AK-107 and AEK-971. SMG is the Bizon-2, and for a pistol the Makarov. RPD and OTs-48 round out my choices.

[Draq]

The bizon... I'd love to give it a try, both 9mak and 762tok, and the good old ppsh.

[Draq]

And I agree, the reputations of the ak and at rifles are both usually exaggerated. The ak can handle more abuse than an ar, but its far from invincible. It's a gun and it still has to be maintained. Same with the ar... Although I'd still rather put a piston in it.

[Silent Hunter UK]

The AK series is also simple to use: children can (and sadly do) use it easily.