The Gun Counter

Skill Set: AK's
(Author's Note: I want to correct a mistake in Tuesday's column: Near the end of the column I should have said that it is best to practice dry with a dummy weapon - NOT a live weapon -- to reduce the chance of making any mistakes. The archive copy is corrected at http://www.thetacticalwire.com)

by Tiger McKee


We get several calls at Shootrite about bringing AK's for Defensive Carbine classes, wondering if it's an acceptable rifle. My answer is always yes. The AK is an ideal fighting rifle, especially when working under adverse conditions.

The AK will function under the harshest conditions, with a minimal amount of upkeep. Bury one in the dirt, dig it up a year later, dump some motor oil in it and crack open the charging handle with your foot. Run a rag through the barrel, load and shoot.

As for ergonomics it's not as user friendly as the AR, but learning the techniques for operating it isn't difficult. One of the biggest issues is the safety. I usually handle that by keeping my right hand a little forward, and off the grip. As I depress the safety my hand drops down to hit the grip. I don't engage the safety until I'm sure the shooting is over.

Cycling the charging handle is no different from a M14 or anything like that. Come underneath the rifle and pull the charging handle to the rear with the support hand. The other option is to operate it with the primary hand, which takes your hand off the grip, but at that point you can't fire anyway, and this may be easier for some individuals. I'm not sure which is better, and depending on what position I'm firing from I've found myself using which ever hand seems to be the most efficient at that moment.

Reloads are easy. Once you realize the rifle is empty the support hand grabs a fresh mag. Bring that mag up, hit the mag release button with the new mag, and swipe out the empty. The fresh mag is rocked into place, seated, and you cycle the charging handle to chamber a round.

One issue to consider is the penetration of the 7.62x39. This round will smoke through a lot of stuff until it comes to a halt. For example a .223 round will normally penetrate halfway through a normal concrete block. The 7.62x39 will run though the block, destroying it in the process, and keep going. So it probably isn't the ideal round for home defense, especially in an urban environment. Accuracy is another thing to consider. The AK ain't a sniper rifle, but it will hit a man-size target out to 3-400 yards as long as you do your part.

There are a lot of accessories out there for the AK, but I think it's perfect as is. You just have to remember what it was designed for, and learn and practice the techniques for operating it. If you don't own one it's still a good idea to know how to work them. There are millions of them out there, and your chance of coming across one is very likely. If you're fighting with a pistol, and the opportunity to acquire an AK comes up, you need to be able to use it properly.

Tiger McKee is director of Shootrite Firearms Academy, located in northern Alabama, author of The Book of Two Guns, a staff member of several firearms/tactical publications, and an adjunct instructor for the F.B.I. (256) 582-4777 www.shootrite.org