AK M4 AR?

[BETH]

can someone explain the difference they all look the same to me

[jack404]

a AK is a kalashnikov AK 47 AKM etc Russian made

a AR is the stoner colt fairchild design that became the M16 , the latest service variant of that is the M4 ( what your troops are using now )

a M4 is a AR just a version of it

[prof_fate]

Ak is a russian design made all over the planet. There is AK47 (7.65x39) and the newer AK74 (5.56 I think...or the iron curtain variant of it). They say 1 in 5 guns on the planet is an AK. Very simple gun - only has 7 parts. Very very reliable.

AR is the original, which became 'famous' in vietnam as the M16. The M4 is a shorter version. Can be had in .223 or 5.56 Nato (the latter can shoot the former, but not the other way around). If accuracy is you objective get a 223 rifle and shoot only 223 in it.

You can also get them in 22LR now from many companies - same size/looks just not as costly to buy or shoot, nor as deadly.

[BETH]

So basically its the design and where it was made, so why would someone get a ak or ar in a 22lr just for the design and looks right?

[jack404]

i think in the USA you explain that as "mall ninja" here we explain it as a wish to be locked up. everywhere is different and thats a good thing , the Good Lord did not make just one bird theres a million types some that fly some that dont some that swim underwater but all birds .. , each to their own i say

[prof_fate]

Originally Posted by BETH

So basically its the design and where it was made, so why would someone get a ak or ar in a 22lr just for the design and looks right?

I have a 22lr, bolt action, from years ago. A great rifle. My son, age 11, however is of the gaming generation and is M4/MP5/AK crazy. A wood stock is 'so old dad'. Also it's adult size and hard for him to hold properly.

I can get him a youth 22 for $150-200 OR a mossberg tactical 22 for $50-100 more - and it's got an adjustble stock for him or me, and it 'looks oh so cool dad' - so he's more interested in shooting (and hopefully less interested in other less creative/directed activities).

And I can shoot it for what, 5c a shot if that? A 223 is gonna run 50c per shot and I know I can't be doing that in my back yard.

As for AK or M4 - the M4s are mostly american made and very customizable. AKs are imported (often from not so friendly countries...if you're concerned you're supporting terrorists) and assembled here (from what I understand) as all AKs are full auto and well, you can't just go buy a machine gun.

Cost wise from what I've seen AKs are cheaper to buy, but you're getting 'used' guns of various quality and most if not all have wood stocks, but you can of course change that, negating the savings.

Like a 1911 an M4 costs more than a 'regular' gun of the same action and caliber. Cool has a cost.

[BETH]

Thanks for the info cool dad

[joncutt87]

M4 is the full auto capable version of the ar, pretty much the same gun. The ak uses a piston instead of a gas tube, which makes is more reliable if your going to take it swimming in the sand dunes. The ar you can setup however you want it, whether you want it to be light weight or even a heavy varmit rifle just by swapping the parts out. You can do this with an ak, but it can be hard to make them accurate at range.

[joncutt87]

Another series to throw in would be the ruger mini 14 and mini 30

[gdmoody]

1. M-16
2. M4
3. AK-47

[Albtraum]

Originally Posted by prof_fate

I have a 22lr, bolt action, from years ago. A great rifle. My son, age 11, however is of the gaming generation and is M4/MP5/AK crazy. A wood stock is 'so old dad'. Also it's adult size and hard for him to hold properly.

I can get him a youth 22 for $150-200 OR a mossberg tactical 22 for $50-100 more - and it's got an adjustble stock for him or me, and it 'looks oh so cool dad' - so he's more interested in shooting (and hopefully less interested in other less creative/directed activities)

Sadly I come from the gaming generation too (20) and when I was ~11, I thought wood was ugly. I wanted black-everything. My first .22 was an old Ithaca X-5, and I loved it, and really appreciated it. Now I know that a walnut stock (or any wood/ or laminate) and blued steel will always be nicer than stamped sheet metal and plastic.

[BETH]

thanks everyone

[Smoke]

Originally Posted by prof_fate

Ak is a russian design made all over the planet. There is AK47 (7.65x39) and the newer AK74 (5.56 I think...or the iron curtain variant of it). They say 1 in 5 guns on the planet is an AK. Very simple gun - only has 7 parts. Very very reliable.

I just wanted to clear this up, I didn't want some one to load up the wrong ammo.
The AK47 shoots the 7.62x39mm round and the AK74 shoots the 5.45x39mm round.
The BATF says most AKs have 16 countable parts.
And I do agree the AK is a very reliable simple gun.