AK47: Which is most "authentic" (modern) military version?

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joe6486

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I'm a bit of a nerd, so I have some (ballistics/penetration) testing I'd like to do with an AK-47 that's as close to a match as possible to the "real thing" used in combat. And it gives me an excellent excuse to own such an item (all in the name of science!) [ Obviously I don't need a full-auto ]

I know there are a wide variety of clones out there, but if I were interested in duplicating as closely as possible the performance, and possibly the appearance, of an AK as used in modern (i.e. not Vietnam) combat, which ones should I seek out? Which to avoid?

[ For example, the Norinco 84s in the classifieds looks nice, but I have no way of knowing if it's close to what our troops deal with, esp. with folding stock. ]

I suppose the same question would apply to the ammo I chose for it.

Thanks for any tips.
 
The Russian AK-47 is the real thing. Maybe a Sar-1 is what you want. I am not a huge AK guy. Somebody here can help you more.

Hope this helps.


http://www.ak-47.us/Russia.php

Russian made AK47 Varieties

  • AK-47 1948–51, 7.62 × 39 mm.
    The very earliest models had a stamped sheet metal receiver. Now rare.
  • AK-47 1952, 7.62 × 39 mm
    has a milled receiver and wooden buttstock and hand-guard. Barrel and chamber are chrome-plated to resist corrosion. Rifle weight 4.2 kg.
  • AKS-47 ×
    Featured an upward-folding metal stock as opposed to the fixed wood stock of the AK-47.
  • AKM 7.62 × 39 mm
    a revised, lower-cost version of the AK-47; receiver is made from several pieces of stamped sheet-metal riveted together and a revized muzzle flash suppressor. Rifle weight 3.61 kg.
  • AKMS 7.62 × 39 mm
    folding stock version of the AKM intended for airborne troops.
  • AKS-74 5.45 × 39 mm (AK-74)
    note the new, much smaller ammunition.
  • AK-74M 5.45 × 39 mm
    folding stock (for motorised infantry)
  • AKS-74U 5.45 × 39 mm
    tanker's self-defense weapon, folding stock, short barrel, altered sight and gas mechanism, odd-looking flash suppressor device on the muzzle. Nicknamed the "Krinkov" after its designer. Very popular with Spetznaz (Russian Special Forces) troops as well as Russian law enforcement in Russia's large cities.
  • AK-101 5.56 × 45 mm round (NATO round)
  • AK-102 short stock 101
  • AK-103 7.62 × 39 mm round
  • AK-104 short stock 103
  • AK-105 5.45 × 39 mm round (short stock)
  • SVD Dragunov 7.62 × 54 mm
    10 shot sniper rifle. This is semiautomatic, with a skeletal laminated "outline" stock. The standard optical sight is the PSO-1. Uses a unique, short-stroke piston system because a standard piston for the larger cartridge was so heavy that it upset the point of aim. The piston moves a bolt-carrier. Has a very distinctive flash suppressor device on the muzzle resembling that mounted on the PKM general purpose machine gun. Developed in 1958 by Yevgeniy Feodorovich Dragunov, a gunsmith at the Izhevsk Machine Factory, where he originally designed sporting rifles. Not as accurate as Western military issue sniper rifles but very rugged and reliable. Popular with the troops, it is nicknamed the "veslo," which means "oar."
  • MedVed Sporting Rifle, 9 × 54 mm
    Very similar to the SVD.
  • RPK-74 squad automatic weapon
    identical to an AK-74 but featuring a thicker, longer barrel and fixed bipod,
  • OC-14 Groza
    a bullpup rifle nearly identical to an AK-74 in function that also shares many internal parts,
  • Saiga 12K, a semi-automatic shotgun
Click to expand...
 
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It makes no difference for your test

Ballistically, if the barrel length is the same and the gas system is the
same, it makes absolutely no difference what "brand' the rifle is. I'd bet
that an SKS is so similar that you could not pick it out from a sample
of AKs just by looking at the ballistics data.
 
firtree said:
Ballistically, if the barrel length is the same and the gas system is the
same, it makes absolutely no difference what "brand' the rifle is. I'd bet
that an SKS is so similar that you could not pick it out from a sample
of AKs just by looking at the ballistics data.
Click to expand...

You're certainly correct, though for appearance and documentation, I'd like to duplicate the "authentic" as closely as possible (without breaking the bank). If actual combatants commonly use SKS and such, that would be OK.
 
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joe6486 said:
You're certainly correct, though for appearance and documentation, I'd like to duplicate the "authentic" as closely as possible (without breaking the bank). If actual combatants commonly use SKS and such, that would be OK.
Click to expand...

I'd wager that the majority of AK-47s currently in use in "hot spots" are based on the AKM platform (stamped receivers, 7.62x39), and probably manufactured in Russia or China (the Soviets left a lot of stuff over in Afghanistan when they bugged out). However, I wouldn't be surprised if there's a large number of AK-74 type (5.45x39... as favored by Bin laden), firearms in use also.

Anyhow, in your quest for authenticity (aside from barell length and twist rate), it's really going to be the type and country of manufacture of the ammo that matters and there's probably dozens of different variations (weight of bullet in grains, FMJ, AP, tracer, etc), of 7.62x39 that were produced when you consider how many countries have manufactured the stuff.

Unfortunately, in the civilian market in this country, there's not that much to choose from and even the more common manufactures aren't as easy to find as they were a year ago (Wolf, Barnaul, Bear).

Unless you can find some milsurp Russian or Chinese 7.62x39 (5.45x39 can be tough locating... particularly in this state since mail order ammo is verboten),
the closet match is probably Wolf Military Classic FMJ 7.62x39 (I'm uncertain which bullet weight is the more commonly used by combatants).
 
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Arsenal has good rep for AK's. I actually called them to ask which model is most authentic. They told me the SA M-7 was most like a real AK.

Arsenals are hard to find in MASS and that particular model has been discontinued. I actually got the last one. [grin] I had to really pester the distributor (Lou Horton) to find out which dealer had it.

I've seen Arsenals used at M&M's in Plymouth and Stoney Acre Sports usually has them too. Not an Arsenal, but Fat Cats in E Bridgewater has a nice VEPR (Russian?).

Here's my review of Stoney Acres...

Stoney Acre Sports

Here's a link to the Arsenal website...

Arsenal Inc

Here is my little beauty...

sam7carbine550x350.jpg
 
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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AK-47#_ref-12
Lots of AK info there. If you're looking for a standard AK47 design an SAR1 will be the cheapest and still allow for quality. If you want a high end product, Zero Hour always has nice AKs and can usually get you what you're looking for if they don't have it. If you don't mind .223 instead of the traditional 7.62x39, I have shot the one in the classifieds and it is a nice rifle.
 
Moderator said:
The model you show is a milled receiver. Though milled receivers are very accurate the original AK-47 was stamped.
Click to expand...

Yeh I guess you are right. Any-hoot, that's what they told me. It's a carbine length BTW. Just feels tre-cool in your hands. I don't know much about AK's except mines a good one and it's very fun to shoot.
 
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