why is an ak 47 better then an SKS?

horatioo

New member
I have an SKS, why would someone prefer an AK over that?

A similar question is why is an AR15 better then an M1 carbine?

I am pretty ignorant about these weapons, so basic answers work for me.

Thanks
 

jman841

New member
I think that the answer to your question is simply opinion. The AK-47 and SKS are both very reliable weapons that fire the same cartridge. the AK-47 has the advantage of being designed for detachable magazines. The SKS however is more of a traditional rifle as apposed to being designed to fire at a fully automatic rate. I personally love my SKS but would be equally happy with an AK-47 variant.

The AR-15 and the M1 Carbine are much different however. The AR-15 fires the .223 rifle cartridge which has a much greater effective range over the .30 cal carbine round used in the M1. and many other reasons that i'm sure other posters will expand on.
 

GONIF

New member
CAPACITY,AND FAST MAG CHANGES. in the real world the full auto option was a big plus also .
 

ThomasT

New member
I have two SKS rifles. One is the standard Norinco and the other is a paratrooper model. I wouldn't trade either one for any AK. AKs are suppose to be super reliable. Just not very accurate. They hold lots of rounds so that by the time you empty the mag maybe you will get a hit or two.

Guns magazine did a reveiw on one of the CZ Aks and the best group was around 8" at a hundred yards. They always report the best groups so who knows what the worst groups were.

Keep your SKS. I have picked up several AKs and hate the way they feel. Clunky and awkward. But thats an opinion. They may feel just right to you.
 

Quentin2

New member
I have an SKS and AK (WASR10). Like them both but prefer the AK due to its lighter weight and fun factor. Nothing wrong with the SKS other than weight and slower reloading. My SKS is the Yugo version so very heavy compared to the Chinese version which is more manageable.

I love the M1 Carbine and wish I had one but as far as being useful, the AR has it beat by a mile.
 

darkgael

New member
better?

Better is not the word that I would use in either of these cases. Different.
I own three of the rifles mentioned - the SKS, an M-1 Carbine, a Colt AR-15.
I bought the SKS because it was very inexpensive at the time and provided reasonable accuracy with ammo that , back in the day, was cheaper than I could reload it. The slight difference in reloading speed- I didn't buy it because I thought that the world was going to end any time soon - is not a factor. Detachable mags can be had and stripper clips work just fine.
The difference between the M-1 and the AR is substantial. The AR is more accurate and more powerful at any distance and ammo is cheaper to buy and easier to reload. No doubt, though, that the M-1 Carbine is a handy little gun and great fun to shoot, as well as a piece of history. For me the AR is a piece of sporting goods as opposed to a plinker or a gun bought and kept for combat purposes. It is very accurate and very reliable. Very. That's why I bought it and that's all I really care about when I use it.
Pete
 
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Snakum

New member
It's all just opinions. We like to hear ourselves talk/see ourselves write.

Research the rifle you're looking at on the net, ask around in the real world, buy it and shoot it. If you hate it, sell it and repeat till you find something you love.
 

BusGunner007

New member
Better THAN...

...the word is T-H-A-N...THAN.

Sorry, I find the misuse of the word 'then' for 'than' quite irritating. :D

Back on topic...
I've never had an AK-style firearm.
I wish I'd never gotten rid of my SKS Paratrooper...:eek:
I do like the AR-platform very much. :)
 

Baba Louie

New member
SKS might be a tad bit better when shooting from prone position when compared to an AK w/ a 30 rd. mag hanging below it. Russia began production in '45 IIRC. Quickly superceded by the AK of '47.

Which would you choose if you had to "assault" an enemy held position with a company of soldiers behind armor? Probably the full auto AK.
Alone, to hunt or shoot targets not shooting back? Might be the SKS, maybe not.

M1 Carbine design was to replace handguns. AR was originally chosen to guard USAF SAC bases by LeMay who were using M1 Carbines at the time.
 

Daily Fred

New member
I have one of each - a WASR-10 and a Yugo SKS. I love them both but if I had to pick one, it'd be the SKS - it's more like a proper rifle.
 

chris in va

New member
I've also had both, a Yugo SKS and my Saiga unconversion.

The SKS had a bunch of useless junk on it that really made it heavier than I liked for a 'carbine' length rifle. 10 rounds max, had to be fed through the top which I also didn't care for.

The Saiga is much lighter being stamped and sans extra junk. I haven't looked back.

 

svaz

New member
IMHO the difference, for the shooter, is comfort & capacity. I've shot both and found the AK more comfortable but with a shorter sight radius (or so it seemed to me) and the big honking 30-rnd mag does nothing for bench shooting.

However, if I could get a SKS w/ a detachable straight-walled 20-rnd box mag (ala M-16/M-14, etc.), it would be my choice of carbine.

Perhaps the AK was cheaper to make than the SKS, hence the Soviet's preference; could also have been politics.
 

Technosavant

New member
The AK is more compact, more maneuverable, has larger capacity and faster reloading, and also more capacity for optics. It's also easier to get a decent trigger pull on an AK than on the SKS. Not to mention the bolt design of the AK is more tolerant of junk in the action than the free floating firing pin of the SKS (which is notorious for getting gunked up and resulting in slamfires).

The SKS is slightly more accurate.

You can doll up a SKS into an AK-like abomination, but it is still going to be heavier and longer with more awkward mag changes (from usually iffy magazines).

They're both good guns, but they are what they are. For hunting, I'd go with the SKS. For defensive purposes, I'd take the AK 100% of the time over the SKS.
 

TheManHimself

New member
Get both.

By which I mean, the SKS-D model which accepts AK magazines. Better accuracy than the AK, but you still get the AK's reliable, nearly indestructible detachable magazines. IMHO, the SKS's safety placement is far superior to that big, awkward lever on the AK (Which requires removal of the firing hand from the grip, or some yoga-like contortions, to operate).
 

shepherddogs

New member
I like the SKS better than the AKs. Just shoots more naturally for me. As far as why an AR over an M1 carbine the answer is easy. AR is considerably more powerful, much more accurate and much greater range.
 

GONIF

New member
you guys are comparing the bottom of the barrel AK's to the SKS. The WASR-10 ak is not a great weapon . You need to look at a real quality AK ,like a Arsenal Bulgy or a Saiga ,or a Polish under folder to name just a few . The Century WASR-10 is an abomination assembled by monkeys. It is sad nowadays what passes for an AK. decent Ak's in 7.62x39 will hold 4 inch groups at 100 yards,AK 74's in 5.45x39 will hold 3 inch's at 100 yards and my Arsenal Bulgy with a milled receiver in 5.56x45 will get 2 inch groups with 55 grain m193 all day long. if you buy junk you get junk.
 

Big Bill

New member
why is an ak 47 better then an SKS?

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I have an SKS, why would someone prefer an AK over that?

A similar question is why is an AR15 better then an M1 carbine?

I am pretty ignorant about these weapons, so basic answers work for me.

Thanks
They're NOT! In fact, they're inferior.
 
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