Need advice: AK-47 for self defense in a residential area?

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AK-47 just a bad idea for a residential (not tightly packed) area?

Yes, you'll do more harm that good.
7
18%
No, its better than nothing.
12
32%
No, that's an excellent idea.
10
26%
WTH is it with you and AK's?
9
24%
 
Total votes: 38

Dr. Winston
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Post by Dr. Winston »

Before long, we'll be reading about how you shot at a bad guy and yet killed someone a block away! An AK is NOT a close range self defense gun, but then again, your mind is already made up, so go ahead and shoot someone with it. That way the anti's will be all over everyone elses guns who keep them but know better than to use them is a habitat area. :evil:
"A free people ought not only to be armed and disciplined, but they should have sufficient arms and ammunition to maintain a status of independence from any who might attempt to abuse them, which would include their own government." George Washington
Illuminaughty
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Post by Illuminaughty »

rickt wrote:It's a shame the Box O' Truth hasn't tested the 7.62x39 round.

http://www.theboxotruth.com/
A member on another board pointed this out too, but yeah, I think they only use .223 in their tests. Shame indeed.
Dr. Winston wrote:Before long, we'll be reading about how you shot at a bad guy and yet killed someone a block away! An AK is NOT a close range self defense gun, but then again, your mind is already made up, so go ahead and shoot someone with it. That way the anti's will be all over everyone elses guns who keep them but know better than to use them is a habitat area. :evil:
Uh... What? This thread wasn't made about me wanting to shoot someone. Do you think people only own guns with the secret desire harbored to shoot people? Do you think the same of people who get a concealed handgun liscense?
TunnelRat
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Post by TunnelRat »

gunsho919 wrote: I figure overpenetration will be the last thing on my mind when Im pumping 30 rounds into some thug that has broke into my house.
It may well be the last thing on your mind during a criminal encounter, but you can bet it will be very much on your mind afterwards if some of your 30 rounds go on breaking windows down the street. Unless you live in a rural area, carbines and rifles are not the wisest choice for home defense.
TunnelRat

"Applying the standard that is well established in our case law, we hold that the Second Amendment right is fully applicable to the States." ~ McDonald v. Chicago

When your only tools are a hammer and sickle, every problem starts to look like too much freedom.
GWC
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Post by GWC »

An AK today is much better than a shotgun next week, month or year.

HP or SP are the best choice, as long as they feed reliably.

Overpenetration is an issue, so make sure they know how to shoot the rifle accurately.

If you are only shooting 2 or 3 rounds, and they hit the BG, overpenetration is a minor issue. If they are going to empty the mag trigger control is the problem, not the type of gun.

I keep a CAR15 handy, but I live in a rural/semi-rural area with solid log walls.

The bottom line: Make sure they practice with the AK. One or two shots is probably all they will need to fire to defend themselves.
"The police are not here to create disorder. They are here to preserve disorder".
Mayor Richard Daley, 1968

I am not a lawyer. Nothing I say or write is legal advice.
Illuminaughty
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Post by Illuminaughty »

GWC wrote:An AK today is much better than a shotgun next week, month or year.

HP or SP are the best choice, as long as they feed reliably.

Overpenetration is an issue, so make sure they know how to shoot the rifle accurately.

If you are only shooting 2 or 3 rounds, and they hit the BG, overpenetration is a minor issue. If they are going to empty the mag trigger control is the problem, not the type of gun.

I keep a CAR15 handy, but I live in a rural/semi-rural area with solid log walls.

The bottom line: Make sure they practice with the AK. One or two shots is probably all they will need to fire to defend themselves.
Good advice, thanks!!
haspelbein
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Post by haspelbein »

ScottyPotty wrote:[...]
yeah but the 7.62x39mm will go through the BG, then drywall, through the side of the house, through the neighbors house.......

the penetration/energy of a high powered rifle is amazing....
Well, I've shot quite a bit of wooden logs with 7.62x39mm, and it will most likely go straight through, but so will most handgun calibers. In either case we would be at least in the next room. (And the 7.62x39mm would carry further, I agree.)

The point I was trying to make was: While you may (or may not) hit something with the 7.62x39mm round behind your target, the inverse reasoning that a shotgun with buckshot would be safe is not true.

If you miss with the AK you may have a round that goes through a number of rooms. If you miss with the shotgun you may have 15 00 Buckshot balls in the next room. Which is worse? I really don't know.
"A fear of weapons is a sign of retarded sexual and emotional maturity." Sigmund Freud, "General Introduction to Psychoanalysis"
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ScottyPotty
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Post by ScottyPotty »

If you miss with the AK you may have a round that goes through a number of rooms. If you miss with the shotgun you may have 15 00 Buckshot balls in the next room. Which is worse? I really don't know.

Depends on what is in the next room....... :lol:
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Zen
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Post by Zen »

Dr. Winston wrote:An AK is NOT a close range self defense gun
Yeah, but it's not exactly a long range one either. Military (and terrorists) use them in urban combat.

My two pennies: It depends on what's attacking your home. Mobs, rioters, invading zombies, bears, etc. might require it.
Never submit, comply or follow the commands of an attacker...

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TunnelRat
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Post by TunnelRat »

Zen wrote: It depends on what's attacking your home. Mobs, rioters, invading zombies, bears, etc. might require it.
For zombies I still prefer a grenade launcher... 8)
TunnelRat

"Applying the standard that is well established in our case law, we hold that the Second Amendment right is fully applicable to the States." ~ McDonald v. Chicago

When your only tools are a hammer and sickle, every problem starts to look like too much freedom.
GWC
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Post by GWC »

For zombies use a baseball bat. They mush kinda easy.
"The police are not here to create disorder. They are here to preserve disorder".
Mayor Richard Daley, 1968

I am not a lawyer. Nothing I say or write is legal advice.
Illuminaughty
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Post by Illuminaughty »

Since there's been some good reasons to get a shotgun present on this thread for home defense... what do you think of the best of both worlds between the AK-47 and the 12 gauge pump... the saiga 12?

Image
johnisaly
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Post by johnisaly »

ImageImage
John in Columbus
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Illuminaughty
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Post by Illuminaughty »

johnisaly wrote:ImageImage
No explanation, just some emoticons? Funny... its not beating a dead horse to me, as I'm asking the question an obviously must not know something you do. Why don't you volunteer the information that's so worn out to you to enlighten me a bit?
Zen
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Post by Zen »

Illuminaughty wrote:Since there's been some good reasons to get a shotgun present on this thread for home defense... what do you think of the best of both worlds between the AK-47 and the 12 gauge pump... the saiga 12?
I'll take one of each, just in case :)
Never submit, comply or follow the commands of an attacker...

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Dr. Winston
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Post by Dr. Winston »

Zen;

You said, "...Yeah, but it's not exactly a long range one either. Military (and terrorists) use them in urban combat." Vietnam was NOT urban combat! and the communist used them against us everyday!
"A free people ought not only to be armed and disciplined, but they should have sufficient arms and ammunition to maintain a status of independence from any who might attempt to abuse them, which would include their own government." George Washington
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