Question by : What are some major drawbacks to the AK 47?
I mean no weapon is perfect everything has it’s pros and cons, and I’m sure the AK 47 has one or two cons that come with it. What is the AK 47’s biggest disadvantage on the battlefield?
Answers and Views:
Answer by Captain Cab
Accuracy and recoil. That thing’ll jump and jitter around in your arms, no matter how strong you are. Also, the bullet spread is pretty bad. I’d suggest a good ol’ American M16 to hit something at long range. However, if you wanna clear a room, the AK is a good choice.
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conranger1 says
The only AK-47 variant that was made with quality in mind were the ones made in the D.D.R. (East Germany) as the Germans even under communism had pride in their work.
All others were made by shoddy mass production methods with the spray and pray mentality in mind where hundreds of thousands of A.K.’s in the hands of Communist fanatics and anti-Western terrorists with little or no training would out shoot N.A.T.O. troops.
Alexander P says
When someone shoots at me with it I know it won’t jam
Jer.L says
I’ve used both can can tell you that the main drawback is the accuracy of the AK. You’re not going to be dropping targets at 350m with it. Then again it is a spray and pray weapon. The recoil is more than an M-16 or an M-4 but then only an idiot would think that a larger round would not have substantial recoil. Some Delta operators like Randy Schugart actually chose to use the M-14 because of it’s great accuracy and knockdown power.
The PROS are, the thing is nearly destructible. Easily modified. Made for every climate and the stopping power is just amazing. It doesn’t jam (Neither does the M-16 or the M-4 if you clean it and check the gas rings) very often and like I said the knockdown power is staggering.
Tom says
Just from personal experience, I would say where it was made. If you can manage to get yourself one that was made in Romania, Poland, etc. You have a reliable, easily maintained, effective weapon. If you find yourself with Russian surplus, some Chinese variants, or one that was assembled in a gun market in Pakistan you’re out of luck.
A lot of the surplus Russian guns, and about 90% of the ones that get assembled in Pakistan will literally start falling apart on you after some time in the field. In Afghanistan both the police and the ANA units still using the AK-47 often have 90mph tape or string holding parts of their weapon together. Aside from that, their weapons (and their operators) have terrible accuracy, and are heavy as hell compared to Western firearms that employ alloys and polymers.
Chris A says
You have to move your hand to manipulate the safety lever.
jeeper_peeper321 says
weight weight weight
A soldier can carry three times the ammo load carrying a M-4
as a soldier carrying a ak-47
That’s why the US went to the m-16 from the m-14
An ak47 with 30 rounds weighs 11.5 lbs
A m-4 with 30 rounds weighs 6.9 lbs
Ak ammuntion weighs approx 3 times as much as m-4 ammunition.
GuerillaRadio says
It is a good weapon only if you are experienced and have trained with it. The AK is difficult to aim and has a ridiculous amount of recoil. Also ammunition is expensive and very heavy. It depends on the situation, in a jungle or any tree setting the AK 47 reigns supreme. An AK bullet will hit a tree and go straight through, whereas an M16 bullet would be stopped dead in its tracks.