how come America doesn't use the ak-47?

Question

i never saw Americans use one.

Answer 1

Just to add to the good answers before me, the U.S. military and the Soviet military had a different philosophy which required different weapons.

The Soviets relied on numerical supremacy, relative to the West. They also had an offensive strategy, hoping to roll through Western Europe before NATO could provide an adequate response. The bulk of the Soviet military was made of short-term conscripts, many of whom came into the military without much experience with weapons or machinery. It was to the Soviet's advantage to have a weapon that was easy to use, easy to learn, very durable, and able to reliably expel a lot of lead. They didn't have the time or ability to teach soldiers to use and maintain more finely-tuned weapons. The Soviets needed something that an average man with little training could pick up and use in an offensive situation.

The AK weapons were also more suited to the Soviet economy; they didn't require a lot of complex machining or special technique to make, relative to other weapons. These benefits made up for some of the AK's weaknesses, like a lack of long-range accuracy.

The U.S. military was very different than the Soviet military. Though relying on conscripts at times, it also had a substantial portion of longer-term volunteers. Being in a defensive strategic posture against a numerically superior enemy called for an accurate, high-capacity weapon. If there are only 2 Americans in a foxhole facing 20 charging Soviets, it helps for the Americans to be able to pick off the enemy from a farther distance without having to reload too often. This meant smaller-caliber, more finely made weapons. Although these weapons were a little harder to produce, maintain, and learn to use, the U.S. Army could afford more training and had the industrial ability to produce the weapons in sufficient numbers.

Thus part of the reason why the American military doesn't use the AK-47. It is popular among American civilian shooters, and AK variants are used by many American mercenaries in Iraq.

Answer 2

The AK-47 does not have the effective range of the M-16.... but, it's range is good enough for most instances. The AK does not rattle(at least the eastern European and Russian made AK's don't/didn't. In Vietnam, I took particular note that one could shake an AK and it gave off no sound.... not so with the M-14 & M-16 rifles, we had to use tape to stop the rattles, since having the ablility to move quietly is important at times in warfare. We did use AKs at times, although not officially, ammo could be a problem and the AK makes a distinct sound when being fired.... wouldn't want to become targeted by our own troops.... :-)

As for reasons the USA doesn't use them: $$$ going out of the country.... depending on a foreign source, but then our troops are using non-US made sidearms.

Hopefully, someone who has had recent experience with the AK-47 and the M-16 will post an answer. My experience is old and there may have been some changes to both rifles.

Answer 3

It just wasn't the weapon assigned to our armed forces; our armed forces wanted weapon(s) that would be greatly different than the rest of the world, and since the AK-47 was made (and this was the weapon of choice for the Russians back in the Cold War), we wanted weapons that were different then that of the Russians during that era, and we've stuck with the same design and manufacturers pretty much ever since.

Some will also go on to say that the AK-47 and it's variations are in most aspects a better performance weapon than the M-16 or M-4, which respectively it was for a short time, but recent updates to weaponry made them more sophisticated than the outdated AK-47, which to date is the most mass-produced weapon ever. Most of the countries in NATO do not use the AK-47.

Answer 4

I think the U.S. army doesn't use them because they were first produced and distributed by the Soviet Union, and the U.S. was against the U.S.S.R and its inventions during the Cold War in which the two were in an war of influence. Instead, it uses the M16 or some type of variation of it. Indeed, based on my limited experience (from war videogames haha), the AK-47 is more effective than the M16 is, but I suppose the latter is more accurate while the former makes stronger shots.

Answer 5

AK-47 are a soviet developed weapon. During the cold war AK-47 were only available to members and allies of the USSR (at least in significant quantities). During that the US invested a great deal to develop it's own leading assault rifle - the M-16 and the family of weapons based on it. By the collapse of the Soviet Union the US had a well founded rifle industry of its own.
The US prefers to use the products of its own industries for several very good reasons: economically, investing in local industry creates work places and so forth; using local products means you can profoundly effect the product, it's under your own control; in many cases (assault rifles might not be one of them) it's important the enemy not have full information on the weapons you use, which is almost impossible to accomplish if you purchase them from a foreign country.
Hope I answered your question.

Answer 6

I've seen American gangsters use them. The United States military has much better weapons than the AK-47, that's why we don't use them.

Answer 7

Because it is a crappy rifle by our standards.

It was designed to be used in 'spray and pray' mode while US troops are trained to put two aimed shots into the target.

Thus for our soldiers a more accurate rifle is better.

If your troops lack training - then you need something like the AK-47.

Answer 8

maybe because of pride? i mean the russian invented AK-47, after all american was in war with russian in the past, maybe the pain and memory still linger.

i never knew this fact. good question.. !!

Answer 9

That's like asking why we do not use the t-64 (russian) Main Battle tank, one reason is the M-16A1 rifle is a better weapon then the ak-47 High muzzle velocity, more acurate weapon ,.. taking nothing from the ak47 ., it is a good weapon,. but ours is a lil better ,. and more acurate ,.

Answer 10

It sucks in accuracy and range. While you can stick it in the mud and still fire it you will not hit anything over 300 meters. As opposed to the M16 or M4 which can hit targets accurately to 800 meters.