Why is the AK-47 so popular?

Question

So if the AK-47 is so good, why does't the US use it?

Or at least reverse engeneer one.

Answer 1

It's cheap, common, durable/no cleaning necessary and can punch through standard body armor.

Answer 2

The Russians have moved onto the AK-74.

The reason why the Ak-47 is popular is because it's cheap. You can get an AK-47 for less than $20 in some countries while somebody would have to pay over $1,000 for an M-16 and the M-16A4 would be even more expensive if one could get one at all.

The main reason why the U.S. doesn't use the AK-47 is because of accuracy. The effective range difference is around 300 meters in favor of the M-16. Also with the M16A4 everything is plug and play. Just snap that flighlight, sniper scope, grenade launcher etc. right on. To mount a scope on a AK-47, you need to drill holes and you can forget about mounting a grenade launcher onto an AK-47.

Answer 3

The AK-47 is popular for ease of use. It is a very simple weapon to fire and maintain, its durability is legendary. throw it in some water, mud what ever it fires. The second reason it is popular is there are more AK-47's in the world than any other assault rifle. The Soviets flooded the world with AK's and the results are evident.

America will never adapt it officially although in Vietnam several Marines and soldiers would grab AK's from dead VC and NVA to use over there M-16's for several reasons. The Nato cartridge for rifles is 5.56mm, secondly it was not developed in the US, and an AK is not that accurate. The one shot one kill mentality is still in the US. It part of the US warrior culture dating back to the Rvolutionary War when the Coloniel Army added the word Aim to the command ready fire.

Answer 4

The AK-47 is so popular because of its durability. The AK-47 is unbelievably tough thats y almost every one else but the US uses them. The US doesn't use them because of its inaccuracy. When fired in full auto, the bolt inside rattles around, causing the firing pin to go all over the place.

Answer 5

ITS CHEAP AS HELL! You can find one second hand for 15 dollars! Plus its really reliable. For the 2 years you may be using it, you'll probably only have to clean it once or twice. Our rifle, the M16A2, is a great rifle, but only for a TRAINED SOLDIER. You can't treat an M16 the same way as you'd treat an AK and expect it to work.

BUT, it has its draw backs. It can hardly hit anything outside 300 yards. Plus the magazines as well as the amunition is pretty damn heavy, so you can't hold as many AK magazines as you can M16 magazines.

Answer 6

Here are a few reasons:
1. Cheap
2. Reliable
3. Efficient
4. Universally available on secondary markets
5. Simple to use and easy to train others to use.

It is a weapon that has stood the test of time. Millions are in use. During the Cold War, it was a readily available weapon that could be supplied by both sides to their vassal groups. It is a weapon of plausible deniability. That is to say, it is so readily available, that its immediate, and likely, supplier can be shielded if desired. Over time, it has become the weapon du jour for many of these reasons.
Regards

Answer 7

Unfortunately, it is the most reliable automatic weapon out there and has been for the past 50 years. It was used by the Chinese and North Koreans during the Korean War. When American automatic weapons become clogged from mud/snow, the AK47 just keeps firing.

Answer 8

the AK,compared to the m16,its bullets is more powerful than the M16,but the AK recoil is slighty larger,it means that if you put to auto,the AK is like a MG,so in terms the AK is cheaper in the black market and has decent accuracy,while the M16 tends to be more expensive,but more accurate

Answer 9

Its a very reliable weapon, doesnt jam or malfunction much, its very durable and uses a standard widely available nato standard ammo type.

And I would imagine the liquidation sales from the eastern block after the cold war helped out a bit too.

Answer 10

It so popular because:

It is an assault weapon
There are so many available to them
Other countries are willing to sell them to whoever wants them
They are a decent weapon that is easy to use and maintain
They pact a wallop
7.62 ammo is very easy to get