Why can't American companies produce quality AKs?

[Philip the Arab]

Because hand building one single AK at time in a hut without paying American machine operators' hourly rate is cheap. The reason US made AKs suck is because no one state side is willing to spend the money to build a proper forge. I've heard cost estimates in the millions to set up a proper factory. Considering the bulk of Ak sales is going to be full auto military type contracts to the middle east, Africa and so forth, building a full on AK factory state side wouldn't be able to compete with Cugir, Arsenal, and so forth for those contracts, so they would be building that factory just for the U.S. civ market and "we" refuse to think AKs cost over 300 bucks. You can't build an AR15 out of Papier-mâché same as you can't use shitty cast trunnions with a poor hear treatment for Aks.

 

[Philip the Arab]

Romanians produce the best AK for the price, it is about 750 USD and is much better than any American made AK for now.

Bulgarians produce Arsenal AKs which are better than Romanians but a good bit more expensive.

There are also Romanian DMR rifles

Also, Romanian RPK based rifle

 

[CrazyZ]

Too many interests in the USA are tied to the AR platform. AK is a novelty in the USA. To be fare the AR is a great platform. Modern versions are as reliable as the AK with much more modularity and relatively cheap (from an Americans prospective).

 

[Philip the Arab]

Too many interests in the USA are tied to the AR platform. AK is a novelty in the USA. To be fare the AR is a great platform. Modern versions are as reliable as the AK with much more modularity and relatively cheap (from an Americans prospective).

AR is easy to build with CNC machines pretty much anyone can do it. All the parts are usually made by the same factories.

 

[CAN_TR]

You can buy original civillian version of the AK-103 and AK-105 from Kalashinikov Group for ~1.800€ here in Austria.

Quality is better than ISD, Norinco and Zastava.

 

[Philip the Arab]

You can buy original civillian version of the AK-103 and AK-105 from Kalashinikov Group for ~1.800€ here in Austria.

Quality is better than ISD, Norinco and Zastava.

Russian, and Chinese guns banned here m8. We can get Serbian, Romanian, Bulgarian and a few other more I am forgetting.

 

[AViet]

Too many interests in the USA are tied to the AR platform. AK is a novelty in the USA. To be fare the AR is a great platform. Modern versions are as reliable as the AK with much more modularity and relatively cheap (from an Americans prospective).

Vietnam war was basically the war between AK and AR-15, and AK proved to be far superior than AR-15, even after many improvements, at least on South Vietnam's specific conditions. Even South Vietnamese / US soldiers will throw away their own AR-15 if they can get an AK (in Vietnam, mainly from USSR and North Korea) from Viet Cong forces.

 

[Philip the Arab]

Vietnam war was basically the war between AK and AR-15, and AK proved to be far superior than AR-15, even after many improvements, at least on South Vietnam's specific conditions. Even South Vietnamese / US soldiers will throw away their own AR-15 if they can get an AK (in Vietnam, mainly from USSR and North Korea) from Viet Cong forces.

If the AK was superior don't you think everybody would be using it? AR-15 evolved a huge amount, while the AK stayed relatively the same except for caliber changes.

 

[AViet]

If the AK was superior don't you think everybody would be using it? AR-15 evolved a huge amount, while the AK stayed relatively the same except for caliber changes.

AK was superior during the war. I am not sure about the current situation.

 

[Philip the Arab]

AK was superior during the war. I am not sure about the current situation.

Vietnam standardized the Galil ACE right? Isn't that like a blend between both platforms?

 

[AViet]

Vietnam standardized the Galil ACE right? Isn't that like a blend between both platforms?

As per some unofficial channel, Vietnam will not use Galil ACE as standard rifle. We will design rifle to meet our specific requirements (STV 215/380), but still manufacture at Z111 factory.

Clip below is about testing new rifle

 

[CrazyZ]

AK was superior during the war. I am not sure about the current situation.

Jungle environment favored the AK. This is true. The AR's longer range accuracy didn't matter if you can only see 25 meters away from your position. Both AK and AR are good platforms.