(GunReports.com) — A recent tabulation of 467 respondents to a GunReports.com survey question, “Which is the better platform: The AR or the AK?” showed a strong preference for the designed-in-America ArmaLite Rifle model. However, the intensity of comments slightly favored the AK, said GR’s sales manager Gene Taylor.
“We counted 282 votes for the AR platform and 185 votes for the AK,” said Taylor. “That’s a decisive win for the AR, of course, with 60 percent of GunReports.com’s users voting for it. But, it seemed to me, that the AK loyalists were more vociferous in their choice of the Russian design.”
More than 100 voters left comments, and those comments broke down into wide areas of agreement about each design’s positives.
Among the most-cited AR positives were its wide cartridge availability, accessorization, and familiarity to military and law-enforcement users.
Dennis wrote, “Our military has chosen this rifle as the shoulder weapon of choice to defend our nation. The Taliban has chosen the AK. Need more be said?”
The AK’s adherents noted its 7.62x39mm cartridge power, run-anywhere-anytime durability, and worldwide availability.
On the AR side, Bill L of Vandalia, MI (respondents’ names have been redacted in most cases to protect their privacy) said, “AR’s are inherently more accurate, especially at longer ranges. AR’s can be accessorized with dozens of enhancements. AR’s are prettier. AK’s suck, and are accurate at 25 to 50 yards and are only adequate for Spray And Pray shooting. AR’s are made in AMERICA!”
And this from Chas, someone who has been there, done that: “As the former Weapons Officer for COMNAVSPECWARCOM, I had a piece of ceramic armor from one of our Vietnam era river boats on my desk with several armor piercing AK rounds either all the way through or most of the way through the armor. Try to duplicate THAT with your AR!”
Please see the accompanying Special Report for full details on the survey results.
http://www.gunreports.com/special_reports/long_guns/AR-AK-GunReports-Survey-AR-15-AK-47-556mm-762mm2010-1.html
