Kentucky Armory Club

Coach Fudge's most recent "for trade" post got me thinking about my attitude toward "Commie guns."

I have a great deal of respect for the varied firearms of the former Soviet Union; they're cheap and easy to manfacture and unquestionably effective, but with the single exception of a solitary Tokarev (which I sold many years ago) I've never owned one. I've shot them, fondled them, carted them around as souvenirs downrange, but each time I even consider a purchase I back out. Mosins, SKSs, AKs, RPKs...they just don't float my boat.

I thought I was alone in my feelings until I saw the "Gun Stories" AK-47 episode where Gene Pearcy (AKA "Evil Roy") said--and I paraphrase--that he didn't own one because he saw it as a gun of the "bad guys."

Maybe that's it, but I just don't know. Those of you who love the AK and its many variants: what is it about them that you like?

Generally cheap, reliable, close range fighting rifles in the case of the AKs.

Again, cheap (or at least used to be), reliable, and accurate (if you find a good one) in the MN or PSL platforms.

I like my commie guns, but for real precision work, I reach for something else, usually.

Crush, kill, mangle, maim, destroy.

Wyldman wrote:Generally cheap

We were actually joking at the shoot that it's almost easier to find a decent AR cheaper than a decent AK these days...lol

No gun collection should be without one, um or a few.

Ak makes your junk bigger, fact.

I like them all and for various reasons. I have had multiple ar's and ak's at any given time but usually like the ak better for same reason as Glocks (simple, less parts usually, and tool like) versus "prettier" guns with mission specific purpose.

The prices are so upside down these days so people that buy ak's do so these days because they like them and not because they are cheap. Ak's I'm looking at for soon purchase are $800-$1200 production models. Custom ak's are $2200+.

The Mosin is a Tsarist gun not a commie gun IMHO.

WLJ wrote:The Mosin is a Tsarist gun not a commie gun IMHO.

You are absolutely correct. Since I don't like them either (and I do like contemporaries like the Swedish Mausers) perhaps this is a clue.

Am I just anti-Russian? Does that make me a bigot? Should I feel ashamed?

Frailer wrote:

WLJ wrote:The Mosin is a Tsarist gun not a commie gun IMHO.

You are absolutely correct. Since I don't like them either (and I do like contemporaries like the Swedish Mausers) perhaps this is a clue.

Am I just anti-Russian? Does that make me a bigot? Should I feel ashamed?

My Mosin is one of my favorite guns. Ridiculously cheap when I bought it, cheap ammo that I stocked up on long ago, very accurate and it's solid, with an oddly appealing simplistic tough as nails design.

I've never felt satisfied by the "pew" of a .22 or even an AR, but the "thump" of a 91/30 with a metal butt plate fired as quickly as I can work the action with THE BAYONET ATTACHED really puts a smile on my face.

BTW, lots of American made AK's are out there now.

For you AK guys, here's an interesting video with Buck Thomas, who might just have more hands on time with AKs and general knowledge of communist weapons than anyone alive in western nations.

Buck Thomas bio:

Former Infantry jarhead (0311) and Scout Swimmer in an Amphibious Raid unit.
Spent 11 years deployed as an OCONUS security contractor working PSD/Static/and training and mentoring of host country national security forces contracts.
2.5 years at a conus training center as the lead firearms instructor/Armorer/and Rangemaster. Also taught Mindset/SUT/PSD formations/immediate action drills/Security and precision driving/etc.
Has trained with LAV/Pat Rogers/PFT/McMillan sniper school/Cheytac/Gunsite/Frontsite/and others in the civilian sector.
Is currently writing a book and considering his options for employment which boil down to rolling back OCONUS or a possible career change to a practitioner of the custodial arts in Montana.

Buck’s experience using AK pattern weapons in a professional capacity spans roughly 20 years. That includes open and closed enrollment training packages both stateside and OCONUS, using them as an issued primary weapon, and having them available for use when issued US Government provided weapons. He has used them in a few dustups in far away lands, trained and mentored people to operate them in combat zones, ran a “Battelfield pickup” program where he inspected, repaired, customized, and readied for service with a minimum of tools over one thousand AK based weapons, lots of which were captured from defeated enemy fighters. He has seen them hit by small arms rounds, frag, burned, and “repaired” by Khyber Pass and Afghan “Gunsmiths” and how that effects them in day to day operations where our guys were averaging three gunfights a week over two and a half years.

I don't know notten bout them Cammie guns,
Buck sounds like he is the MAN