U.S. G.I's with AK's

[flightsimmer]

I have noticed in several pictures I have seen of American troops carrying AK's, 47 or 74 I don't know which but I'm curious of the rational, can someone explain?

I can't post any specific pictures but over a period of time I have seen several. Do they just like them better or what?

 

[fullmetaljesus]

Something something more reliable than an m16 something something.

Funny story.

My very first Indy 1500 gun show. If had never seen most of those guns in real life before. I was at a table full of ak's and ARs.

Guy behind the table was talking to a guy. About how when he was shipped out. After they would engage with the enemy they would pick up their ak's bc they were more reliable and were much better than their m16s. Then he made a comment about how you could always just pick up a new ak from someone else after you ...you know.

I tuned the rest of the conversation out bc was trying to figure out how I being broke as hell could figure out how to get $300 for an ak.

 

[johntheplinker]

Somewhere around here are a couple of pics of a young Sp4 johntheplinker toting a AK47 on a patrol along the inter German border. We did stuff like that just to **** with the E. Germans.

 

[trophy hunter]

think i read the ars were gettiing too dirty to run properly with the powder the army was using in the ammo, so alot of gis were using the aks because they would run dirty as sh** and still shoot.

 

[rooster]

There are some good podcasts with Jeff Kirkham explains that the army and green berets in particular wanted to develop a weapons platform for the 7.62x39 so they could use battlefield pickup ammo and mags. They tried the fancy ar47 route and then a cw5 sanctioned and oversaw testing at crane of the ak47 platform in the early 2000’s if I remember right. Anyway the army had never actually tested the AK and it turned out to be more reliable and more accurate than the several thousand dollar AR47 variants they were testing. He said he started carrying an AK to stop his indigenous forces from looking at him and thinking he was only better because of his fancy gear.

this I think is the podcast. Good listen

Episode 463: Jeff Kirkham - The AK-47 Episode

The anticipated return of Jeff Kirkham and his nearly 30 years of service in the Army Special Forces to share his expertise on the Kalashnikov. First

sofrep.com

 

[Michigan Slim]

Special Forces have great leeway on the tools they carry.

 

[Hatin Since 87]

was trying to figure out how I being broke as hell could figure out how to get $300 for an ak.

Did your wife ever find out you sold her ring?

 

[rooster]

Also worth noting that just bc a soldier has a pic of them with one doesn’t mean they used it. I found a Russian pocket pistol, 1st sgt confiscated that quickly and one of those AK sniper rifles (dragonov?). We found all kinds of stuff.

 

[fullmetaljesus]

Did your wife ever find out you sold her ring?

Funny thing. This story happened back in 06. So I wasn't married.

Years later I was married. Then divorced. She left her ring behind.
I sold it and bought a s&w m&p 1522

Needless to say I'm much happier with the rifle.

 

[Hatin Since 87]

Funny thing. This story happened back in 06. So I wasn't married.

Years later I was married. Then divorced. She left her ring behind.
I sold it and bought a s&w m&p 1522

Needless to say I'm much happier with the rifle.

Sounds like a good trade to me!

 

[KokomoDave]

It cost me over $275,000.00 for my divorce in loss income, housing, 2 Harleys, a small metal shop / business and a tubbed out S10. Well worth it.
Too old to do that now unless I plan on working until I'm 90.

 

[edporch]

I have noticed in several pictures I have seen of American troops carrying AK's, 47 or 74 I don't know which but I'm curious of the rational, can someone explain?

I can't post any specific pictures but over a period of time I have seen several. Do they just like them better or what?

A friend of mine was in the Army 40+ years ago.
He told me of seeing guys qualifying with the AK47.
I want to say it had something to do with them being in intelligence work.
(I'll have to ask him next time I see him and have home refresh my memory)

If memory serves, it had something to do with being less detectable in enemy areas where the AK47 was the common weapon of the enemy.
I'M SURE there's people here who know a lot more about this than I do who could chime in.

 

[Gingerbeardman]

I may or may not have heard that some guys deployed in the most recent situation used aks because there wasn't paperwork related to shooting them. I'm not sure if that's accurate, like every payroll vehicle unofficially had one in it. There were definement plenty of stashes discovered and then posed with!

 

[OakRiver]

A friend of mine was in the Army 40+ years ago.
He told me of seeing guys qualifying with the AK47.
I want to say it had something to do with them being in intelligence work.
(I'll have to ask him next time I see him and have home refresh my memory)

If memory serves, it had something to do with being less detectable in enemy areas where the AK47 was the common weapon of the enemy.
I'M SURE there's people here who know a lot more about this than I do who could chime in.

Were those service members doing the SF Q Course to get familiar with foreign nation's weapon platforms?

 

[edporch]

Were those service members doing the SF Q Course to get familiar with foreign nation's weapon platforms?

I don't know.
I just remember my friend when he was in the Army telling me something to the effect that some guys in intelligence were qualifying with AK's.

It's been 40+ years ago, but I'm still in touch with him.
I'll ask him if he remembers this next time I talk to him.

 

[Kirk Freeman]

I have noticed in several pictures I have seen of American troops carrying AK's, 47 or 74 I don't know which but I'm curious of the rational, can someone explain?

I can't post any specific pictures but over a period of time I have seen several. Do they just like them better or what?

We have long history of using foreign weapons since the War of Independence, but unless we have photos, hard to say.

Could be SOF. Could be LBGs working with SOF.

Could be cross training with allies. American troops photographed with G36s, G3s, AKs, MP5s is very common.

Could be foreign weapons training: https://www.militarytimes.com/2013/...rines-take-foreign-weapons-instructor-course/

If we have photos, context and patches, we can tell you what is LIKELY happening.

 

[Kirk Freeman]

We have long history of using foreign weapons since the War of Independence, but unless we have photos, hard to say.

Could be SOF. Could be LBGs working with SOF.

Could be cross training with allies. American troops photographed with G36s, G3s, AKs, MP5s is very common.

Could be LCpl Mack and PVT Snuffy posing with captured weapons because if I was 19 I would likely send Mary Jane the same photo.

Could be foreign weapons training: https://www.militarytimes.com/2013/...rines-take-foreign-weapons-instructor-course/

If we have photos, context and patches, we can tell you what is LIKELY happening.

 

[MrSmitty]

I once had to patrol around our photographic facility with a broom stick ( we only had 1 M-16....no mag) I was willing to sweep with the enemy.........

 

[Magyars]

It cost me over $275,000.00 for my divorce in loss income, housing, 2 Harleys, a small metal shop / business and a tubbed out S10. Well worth it.
Too old to do that now unless I plan on working until I'm 90.

Been down that road. Cost about the same for me too!
I have good friend who's divorced as well...he states next time he feels like getting married he's gonna find a women he hates and buy her a house.

 

[rooster]

T

I may or may not have heard that some guys deployed in the most recent situation used aks because there wasn't paperwork related to shooting them. I'm not sure if that's accurate, like every payroll vehicle unofficially had one in it. There were definement plenty of stashes discovered and then posed with!

that Wouldn’t surprise me at all. Battlefield pickup weapons and ammo require no accounting for rounds fired as long as the immediate senior NCO’s and LT are onboard.