My Case for the AK

I have to admit a lot of things about the AR-that they are more accurate, more ergonomic, lighter, accept more accessories, and will make me look more like "one of the good guys" during SHTF.  I have even had to grudgingly concede that a lubed AR is just as reliable as an AK, especially in a semi auto configuration.  (Though you can file this under "Things you can't do with an AR")

All in all, it is hard to argue that the AK is the superior platform and I will not try to do so here.  Rather, I am going to discuss why the AK is the  group platform, both why it was chosen and why it remains so.

Like most Hoosier roughnecks, my first semi auto rifle was an SKS.  Several of my buddies got SKS to match with mine when prepping was just, as Tam likes to put it, a spam can of 7.62, a head colander and a map to the local Big Box store.  So the initial upgrade to the AK was a simple matter of logistics-I could share ammo with the folks who had SKS rifles and use the same front sight tool.  A couple other guys upgraded as well, and generally passed their SKSes on to less fortunate group members who were still stuck with Mosins or shotguns.  (My SKS was pawned for rent money, and I still miss that Norinco whore every day.)

Anyway, that is more or less what it comes down to-it was building off the rifles we had rather than planning for the future.  It was, at heart, a brutal economic decision-but I don't really regret it.  We're wedded to the platform now, in terms of magazines, ammo, spare parts, web gear and most importantly of all muscle memory.  We know the AK, how to take it apart and keep it running, how to sight it in and shoot it.  And perhaps most importantly of all, if a new person shows up with no guns at all, we usually have a spare SKS we can toss them for 200 bucks so they can find a place in the vehicle column and not be totally helpless.

If I had it to do all over again, knowing what I know now about the AR vs. AK debate, I'd go with AR.  But you have to remember that guns and training is a tiny fraction of the prepping equation, and it would be a lot more valuable to me to invest in a new generator, dehydrator, water filter or even a pistol than a new rifle.  There are some concrete disadvantages to the AK not entirely offset by reliability, but not enough to make me tell a group of 25+ motherfuckers "Hey, drop your shit and get new rifles at 900 bucks a pop, along with new ammo, web gear, spare parts and magazines."  And one thing the AK will always have is cost-without optics, a top quality AK is usually about 1000 bucks, whereas a good AR starts at 1000 bucks and goes up-up-up.

I'm just gonna be content with the AK and accept that I won't be making long range sniper shots on any zombies in the near future.  In the end, I think it will prove enough gun for me.  Until then, I will continue to mock AR users by kicking dirt into their barrels.  And I will always love the AK, a beautiful monster, just good enough for a scumfuck like me.

Good night, Scumfucketeers.