YAGT: *POLL* M16 vs AK47. Which is the superior weapon?

[MrColin]

Originally posted by: Shockwave

Originally posted by: Booster

I don't quite like people like you.

Hell, no wonder. Most people would call me a coward, but, in fact, I'm an open-minded, non-brainwashed person unlike them. Just think of one thing... Patriotic people want to die for their country and some ideals but their understanding of these ideas is limited by their lifetime which can be so easily and pointlessly interrupted even with a kitchen knife, not speaking of automatic weapons. If I could, I'd like to tell people who want to kill and to die that they need to wake up and face the reality.

Would you rather people just beat each other's heads in with rocks and sticks?

Exactly. I'd like to live in a world where there are no firearms, quite frankly.

i agree Booster, i wish we could live in a world with no military weapons as well. Alas, we cant. As such, we have to have those big mean nasty guns.
But I'm all for "normal" gun ownership. Sport hunting, marksmanship competitions. Boy Scouts. Etc etc. And I plan, and do, fully exercise my right to keep and bear arms.

In my heart I agree w/ booster too. Sadly though we live in a food-chain and we all compete as individuals, small groups, nations, and as a species. That's why I would pick the M16 from those choices. More Accurate to pick off my enemies and prey from a safe distance. I'd actually prefer a higher power single shot or bolt-action rifle, and a 12ga for more intimate encounters.

 

[Ulukia]

Ak47, or Ak74 if I can get my hands on one.

 

[hytek369]

don't a thing about guns, but i hear about the AK47 more often

 

[Mookow]

Originally posted by: hytek369
don't a thing about guns...

Thats OK, you have some company in this thread.

 

[robh23]

frankly most combat is a between point and spray distance and 100yds, also its mainly at night. so id rather have an ak, simply because the other guy can probably hit me, so i want my first round to wipe him out. i dont want a jam, and if im up against m-16's and also arty snipers and mortars, i keep out of sight and do hit and run instead of controntational combat.

the ak is preferable in most cases. the americans and other sophisticated groups prefer 5.56 since they dont have to resupply as often, and the soldiers can clean the rifles. generally most soldiers arent as well equipped and supported as americans and europeans and therefore dont need as many rounds at once and cant clean the rifle as well. so they have fewer rounds, fight closer and need a weapon that wont jam.

 

[colonel]

AK47 are good in a tough terrain always

 

[Calin]

Well, the AK-47 was built considering that (during 1st and 2nd World Wars) the distance at which you could see a enemy soldier became smaller (much smaller). So the larger calibre leng-barreled rifle was dumped in favor of smaller calibre short barrel rifle (and with automatic fire capability). The AK-47 was buit specifically for targets at about 300m (this is the "storage" position of the iron sights, incidentally).
The AK-47 bullet is capable of hitting a soldier protected by a small armor (like inside a vehicle, or wooden barrier, or simlpe earthwork, which the M16 with its lower calibre bullet is not capable of. As I remember, a bullet from AK-47, short barrel, wooden stock (not folding stock version) is capable to penetrate about 1mm of steel at 100m.
If one can properly aim enemy soldiers at >300m, the M16 is probably a better choice. However, a moving soldier might be a difficult target even at shorter distances.
For better accuracy, there is the long-barreled version of AK-47, complete with a bipod on the barrel. And yes, 40 bullets magazines (unlike the 30 bullets that are the standard on AK47).
Reliability? I fired a AK47,and in about 30 rounds I had a "double-load" incident. Does that count?

I voted for a AK-47, if anyone of you is interested - I somehow like it better (even if I never saw the alternative)
Calin

 

[Mookow]

Calin,
1mm of steel is awfully thin, though I dont know how thick a 10 gauge steel plate is.

M855: Defined in MIL-C-63989
NATO specifications for M855 Ball require a 61.7 grain (q 1.5 grains) with a hardened steel penetrator at a velocity of 3,000 fps (q 40 fps) from a 20" barrel @ 78 feet from the muzzle. Typical velocity 15 feet from the M16A2's muzzle is 3,100 fps. Accuracy: maximum of approximately four MOA over the 100 to 600 yard range. Typical accuracy of average lots in an M16A2 is about 2+ MOA. This round must also penetrate a nominal 10 gauge SAE 1010 or 1020 steel test plate at a range of at least 570 meters (623 yards).

 

[ShotgunSteven]

Originally posted by: K1052

Originally posted by: ShotgunSteve
Good site with good information about the SKS in its many forms: LINKY!

Oh yes, that site is famliar to me.

I also tend to spend some time at mosin-nagant.net and lurking in the Collectors forum at gunboards.com


Quitting time here. See you later.

I wasn't able to get the camera from work last weekend, I will try again this weekend. I have been thinking about getting the guns out for their annual pre-Spring cleaning anyway.

 

[K1052]

Originally posted by: ShotgunSteve

Originally posted by: K1052

Originally posted by: ShotgunSteve
Good site with good information about the SKS in its many forms: LINKY!

Oh yes, that site is famliar to me.

I also tend to spend some time at mosin-nagant.net and lurking in the Collectors forum at gunboards.com


Quitting time here. See you later.

I wasn't able to get the camera from work last weekend, I will try again this weekend. I have been thinking about getting the guns out for their annual pre-Spring cleaning anyway.

The weather shot up into the 60s here (Illinois) and I got several of mine dirty with a little range time.

The recoil on my CETME chipped off a small chunk of the stock though.:|

 

[AlienCraft]

The one with ammo in it, while in my hands is the superior weapon.
The weapon does nothing until force is applied to it by a user.

 

[MustangSVT]

i seem to get more kills with aks rather than colts.

 

[ShotgunSteven]

Originally posted by: K1052

Originally posted by: ShotgunSteve

Originally posted by: K1052

Originally posted by: ShotgunSteve
Good site with good information about the SKS in its many forms: LINKY!

Oh yes, that site is famliar to me.

I also tend to spend some time at mosin-nagant.net and lurking in the Collectors forum at gunboards.com


Quitting time here. See you later.

I wasn't able to get the camera from work last weekend, I will try again this weekend. I have been thinking about getting the guns out for their annual pre-Spring cleaning anyway.

The weather shot up into the 60s here (Illinois) and I got several of mine dirty with a little range time.

The recoil on my CETME chipped off a small chunk of the stock though.:|

Looks like I might be able to get the camera this weekend, so I will try and finally get those pictures.

 

[K1052]

Originally posted by: ShotgunSteve

Originally posted by: K1052

Originally posted by: ShotgunSteve

Originally posted by: K1052

Originally posted by: ShotgunSteve
Good site with good information about the SKS in its many forms: LINKY!

Oh yes, that site is famliar to me.

I also tend to spend some time at mosin-nagant.net and lurking in the Collectors forum at gunboards.com


Quitting time here. See you later.

I wasn't able to get the camera from work last weekend, I will try again this weekend. I have been thinking about getting the guns out for their annual pre-Spring cleaning anyway.

The weather shot up into the 60s here (Illinois) and I got several of mine dirty with a little range time.

The recoil on my CETME chipped off a small chunk of the stock though.:|

Looks like I might be able to get the camera this weekend, so I will try and finally get those pictures.

Cool.

 

[dr150]

The debate is relatively moot.

A QUALITY MARKSMAN will excel in combat with either weapon.

As for general military use, I'd take a reliable AK as most hits are at close range. Neither weapon is meant to be used as a sniper weapon.

As far as the Army choosing the M16 is more of a political/financial matter rather than a "who is better?" matter.

 

[dr150]

Originally posted by: maddogchen

Originally posted by: DanTMWTMP
i saw on discovery channel about this...

ak47 is a much more powerful weapon, but very inacurate, but very durable, and can be used as a bat.

m16 is highly accurate, but not as powerful, and not very durable, but lighter.

US special forces use the ak47 just in case i heard....

The only reason I would think of special forces using ak47s is if they didn't want it to be known they were US soldiers. Easy to stand out if everyone has an AK and you show up with an M4

Exactly! Took the words out of my mouf.

In addition, beards were grown to follow the status-quo of the region and maintain anonymity.