I don't know much about guns so maybe you guys can give me the low down. I'm looking at AR-15's and i need a rundown. I hear guns called M-16 and AK-47 and what not, what's the difference? Is it just a difference in ammo (.223 vs 5.56)? Is one top of the line? Does brand matter much?
Plus should I buy from Cabela's or is there a better place? I play modern warfare, are the guns on recent games accurate?
M-16 : Military Issued Rifle designation for the AR-15 rifle adapted for semi-automatic, three-round burst and full-automatic fire. See below for description.
AR-15: light weight, 5.56 mm, air-cooled, gas-operated, magazine-fed semi-automatic rifle, with a rotating-lock bolt, actuated by direct impingement gas operation. The select-fire AR-15 entered the US military system as the M16 rifle. Colt then marketed the Colt AR-15 as a semi-automatic version of the M16 rifle for civilian sales in 1963. The name "AR-15" is a Colt registered trademark, which refers only to the semi-automatic rifle. IT DOES NOT HAVE 3 ROUND BURST.
AK47 : The AK-47 is a selective-fire, gas-operated 7.62×39mm assault rifle, first developed in the Soviet Union by Mikhail Kalashnikov. It is officially known as Avtomat Kalashnikova. It is the most widely used assault rifle outside the US for NATO forces and anyone else who likes fucking up third world countries. The AK-47 can be buried in concrete, dug up and chipped clean of concrete, and still fire without fail. The AR Platform not so much.. You get one grain of sand in the bolt carrier and you are toast until you clean it. Very well designed rifle in my opinion the AK.
.223 : The .223 Remington is a sporting cartridge with almost the same external dimensions as the 5.56×45mm NATO military cartridge. It is loaded with a 0.224-inch (5.7 mm) diameter, jacketed bullet, with weights ranging from 40 to 90 grains (2.6 to 5.8 g), though the most common loading by far is 55 grains (3.6 g). When loaded with a bullet that expands, tumbles, or fragments in tissue, this cartridge is capable of delivering devastating terminal performance.
While the external case dimensions are very similar, the .223 Remington and 5.56x45mm differ in both maximum pressure and chamber shape. The maximum and mean pressures for some varieties of the 5.56 mm (different cartridge designations have different standards) exceed the SAAMI maximums for the .223 Remington, and the methods for measuring pressures differ between NATO and SAAMI.[2] The 5.56 mm chamber specification has also changed over time since its adoption, as the current military loading (NATO SS-109 or US M855) uses longer, heavier bullets than the original loading did. This has resulted in a lengthening of the throat in the 5.56 mm chamber. Thus, while .223 Remington ammunition can be safely fired in a 5.56 mm chambered gun, firing 5.56 mm ammunition in a .223 Remington chamber may produce pressures in excess of even the 5.56 mm specifications due to the shorter throat
5.56: 5.56×45mm NATO (official NATO nomenclature 5.56 NATO) is a rifle cartridge developed in the United States and originally chambered in the M16 rifle. Under STANAG 4172, it is a standard cartridge for NATO forces as well as many non-NATO countries. It is derived from, but not identical to, the .223 Remington cartridge. When the bullet impacts at high velocity and yaws in tissue, fragmentation creates a rapid transfer of energy which can result in dramatic wounding effects. Either way you slice it, whatever you hit with it will not be able to designate a difference in .223 or 5.56mm.
What type of rifle you want depends on your need.
You want a good battle rifle for just in case TSHTF? Go with an AR-15 and trick that fucker out.. There are endless configs for tactical and hunting usage. Its a pretty low maintenance rifle. Buy one with dual use for .223 and 5.56mm. Not all are designated to shoot both types of ammo.
You want a good rifle for home defense and tougher game like a feral hog? Go with an AK-47. When you absolutely need to kill everything in the room... AK-47
Like I said before, the AR-15 is sensitive to sand, carbon deposits, and outside interference from weather.
The AK-47 is almost indestructible and will fire even if it is loaded with mud or sand.
Take your time, don't rush into buying one. Talk to a few guys at a gun shop or gun range and get some help on buying one. It is possible these days to build a nice starter rifle in AR-15 for about 700 bucks.
The AR-15 I have is built more for prone distance shots rather than up close and personal room to room type stuff.
It's Spikes Tactical Infidel Lower, CMMG Upper, with Badger Ordinance Full Heavy 20" Barrell, with a 3X9 Nikon buckmaster on it. It will absolutely drive tacks up to 300 yards and further with a little dope change on the scope. With 30 rounds stacked in her she's quite the little widowmaker and game harvester.
To answer your question about Cabelas and who ever...
If you are the type to buy things complete where you don't have to mess with it, I suggest buying from Cabelas, Gander Mountain, or Academy. It will save you a FFL Transfer and Shipping.
If you are like me and are absolutely crazy about weapons, then you should shop around for all of the parts to assemble a rifle and buy them. Then you will have to get an FFL Transfer to your local gunshop. It's way more fun building your own custom firearm. That way, you get to know the internals and externals by name and have a bond with the rifle because it's your baby.
Brands to look at: Palmetto State Armory, Bushnell, Colt, DPMS, Armalite, H&K, FNHerstal, Remington, Spikes Tactical, Bravo Company, CMMG, Stag Arms, Rock River...
A little known Fact: Most of the rifle manufacturers listed above use the same Suppliers for their parts, only they stamp their brand on the part and call it their brand name. So technically, you are buying all of them when you buy one of them, statistically speaking...
Do not get suckered into buying Hi-Point or Kel-Tec if they offer an AR Platform.
If you need anything else, I am a walking book of info. Just holler.
and which one(s) should I be interested in? Guess I shouldn't be so concerned with owning them, but I don't want my rich BIL or sister to get the best of me on this (is this borderline sorriness on my part)? sorry for the rambling...
