I have a Springfield M1A and am thinking about selling it to get AK's. Taking value and cost out of the picture, in a combat situation which would be best? The M1A is more accurate but the AK seems more reliable.

What kind of combat are you contemplating?

Are you preparing for and ETOW scenerio?

In the toughest of conditions it is difficult to have firearm more reliable than the AK, but providing your M1A was built w/ GI parts the reliability of the M1A is very near the AK. The AK is heavy and w/optics the M1A will also be heavy even w/ 16-18" barrel. The M1A in std. configuration is a battle rifle vs the AK being "assault" carbine/rifle and packs more punch at greater ranges. As mentioned, application is key to answering your question and for me anyway, much prefer the M1A/M14 rifle over the AK, but the fact remains that there are countless millions of AK and variants being used all over the planet and in the toughest applications. I have LRB M14SA std. configuration and excellent rifle and easy 1moa rifle out to 800yds, but for absolute reliability the nod goes to the AK(don't like to admit it!)

Instructor's post is a good one.

I could state certain conditions, where one of them is superior to the other.

I have shot both of them a fair amount.

I would say IF your M1-A, is working good, then keep it.

I would also say I think you should bak it up with a good AR15 type rifle...

Mainly because if the "Bad Days" do come, most every body else, including Law Enforcement and US Military, use the AR15/M16, so spare parts, extra mags, and ammo, and extra rifles will be in abundance.

Do not get me wrong the AK 47, and the 7.62x39 is a great rifle/cartridge combo, but there will be a lot more AR type "stuff" around, if/when it hits the fan.

quote:

I would also say I think you should bak it up with a good AR15 type rifle...

Mainly because if the "Bad Days" do come, most every body else, including Law Enforcement and US Military, use the AR15/M16, so spare parts, extra mags, and ammo, and extra rifles will be in abundance

Yep. An AR for everyone in the house is not a bad idea.

Why would you ever want to get rid of a perfectly good rifle?

Save up and buy an AK and an AR.

As above the M1A and AK are two different animals. I have both, one is a SA M1A Super Match and the other is a milled MAK 90. THe M1A is a true rifle and can be used for ranges out to 600yds and farther depending on your skill level, the AK is a assault/carbine type weapon designed for much closer in ranges around 200yds and in. Both have their places, however I would never sell a M1A just to get a AK. The main advantage to the AK is dependability, they simply run in the worst of conditions with little or no maintenace. That said the M1A will run as long as you maintain it, that is keep it greased.

Look at the scar h. I just got one and have never been more impressed with a rifle.

I have a M1 socom and have owned ak's ( I can't see those sights any more). It is close to the ak in weight and point-ability, and matches the M1 A in power and range.

The scar is much easier to ue with optics than either the M1 A or the ak. It has the power and range of a battle rifle and the speed of a AK or AR15.
It is piston drive just like the AK and should be just as dependable

Expensive but worth it.


See the Scar thead this page for more info.


JD

Almost like asking what is better, a pickup truck or a compact car?
It all depends.

I got my Distinguished Rifleman’s Badge with a M1a and think very highly of the rifle. But it was developed as a marksman’s rifle. The US military wanted a powerful and accurate rifle. In that time period the Army Qualification course was out at least to 500 yards, inferred from the layout of existing WW2 ranges, they expected Soldiers to hit people at those sort of ranges. I know from Vietnam era Marines that once a year they spent two weeks on the range shooting, so the training level was high prior to the AR15.

The Russians, and the Germans, came to the conclusion that the cannon fodder they shoveled out in WW2 did not have the time or training to become good shots. All the cannon fodder needed was a simple, reliable, cheap, (why give an expensive gun to a solider with an 9 month life expectancy?) , and lightweight rifle. Since untrained cannon fodder will basically spray and pray, accuracy was not a high priority and neither was range, since at distance, these guys won’t hit anything they are aiming at.

The AK47 is the rifle to issue to untrained cannon fodder. Does not kick hard, requires little to no maintenance, functions under conditions that choke AR15’s.

American dropped the M14 and the concept of trained marksman in the early 60’s. The US military shoots at 25 yard ranges, KD ranges are rare and unused. A bud of mine ran a range in Iraq. The 100 yard part of it was never used, the 25-50 yard points were the mostly heavily used.

The OP stated his question of selling an M1A ($1100-$2800 depending on the model) in order to obtain AKs (assumed intent to be able to arm more than one person with a weapon capable of defending his castle against whomever).

Logically, it is a good question, practically, however, I must admit I'd rather have one solid M1A than three AKs- preferentially speaking. In practice, my choice is one medium caliber magazine fed light recoiling rifle for each adult in my house. It is a tactical decision designed to enable massive firepower that is useable in a rational scenario of defending against mulitple threats from several directions at once.

While I chose other than the AK platform, selling off the M1A fro three or so AKs, magzine and about 2000 rounds of ammo makes lots of tactical sense in a semi urban/suburban situation.

Personally, I choose a scoped bolt gun for long stuff, AR carbines for everything in between contact and 200m, backed up by common make and caliber pistols to get to either the long rifle or the carbines...

Since personal armor is now a part of the threat equation, and penetration thereof is requisite, shotguns seem to be of less utility than ever before (Iknow, faces are not armored, but ever try hitting a 4 inch cirlce on a stick bobbing back and forth and up and down deliberately lately?) 556 M855 is effective at the anti-armor (CL3A and down) task, and multiple hits are rather easily obtained by even novie shooters at short to mid ranges.

Best choice in the OPs situation- sell the extra TV, trim the budget of unnecessary frills, keep the M1A, and obtain the AKs (or ARs)....
Best;

quote:

Best choice in the OPs situation- sell the extra TV, trim the budget of unnecessary frills, keep the M1A, and obtain the AKs (or ARs)....
Best;