3 Alternatives That Beat the AK-47 Hands Down

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The AK-47 is arguably the most ubiquitous gun in history. It’s appeared in movies, TV shows, comic books, and practically any place where a prop machine gun is necessary. When you say machine gun, people pretty much always think of the AK-47.

And there are plenty of good reasons for its familiarity. It was widely used by military forces around the world as a standard issue weapon, and it can hold its own from a performance perspective, no doubt.

However, is it really the best in its class today? If you take a close look at the alternatives, you might be surprised to find that the AK-47 may have outlived its supremacy.

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Off the Grid News has all the details:

1. CMMG Mutant/MK47
The CMMG rifle company has always been a unique company, producing modern, modular rifles in the AR platform. The CMMG Mutant is the company’s attempt to combine the best aspects of the AR-15 with the best aspects of the AK-47. The platform uses controls almost identical to the AR-15, including the safety placement which is 10 times better than the traditional AK.

The MK47 uses an ambidextrous magazine release identical to the AK-47, but that’s because it uses AK-47 magazines. The use of AK mags is what separates it from previous incarnations of 7.62 x 39mm AR-15s. The Mutant also uses a much, much bigger bolt, which increased reliability with the weapon.

The full-length handguard keymod handguard is an awesome touch that provides nearly unlimited options for mounting accessories. The flat top upper receiver allows the easy mounting of optics. The MK47 can accept almost all of the same accessories of a traditional AR, such as butt stocks, handguards and trips.

The MK47 is perfect for those like myself trained in the military on the M4/AR platform, but who have a personal preference for the 7.62 x 39mm round. The MK47’s customization is a major factor for some, as well as the ability to easily add an optic without a secondary mount. The MK47 is an excellent design, and its use of popular (and cheap) AK mags makes it an excellent AK alternative.

2. SIG 556R
The original SIG 556 rifle took a lot of inspiration from the AK-47 platform and utilized a bit of Swiss engineering to make a lighter, handier weapon to comply with NATO standardization. The SIG 556 uses a very similar method of operation, but was refined in the ergonomic category, was more accurate and chambered in 5.56.

3 Alternatives To The AK-47 That Are Simply More Accurate
The SIG 556R is a harkening back to the AK design, with SIG’s renowned ergonomics and ease of use. The SIG 556R is chambered in 7.62 x 39, and accepts standard AK-47 magazines. If you haven’t figured it out yet, the R is “SIG 556R” stands for “Russian,” a reference to the AK’s country of origin. The SIG 556R is more modular and comes with a standard handguard that can be swapped with a standard railed or keymod handguard with ease.

The SIG 556R has a flat-top upper receiver to facilitate the mounting of nearly any optics. The safety is also positioned to be much easier to activate than the standard AK safety. The stock is side-folding for easier storage, especially in vehicles. The 556R still uses a gas piston design, one that gives the shooter confidence when it comes to reliability. The design is so simple and easy that it’s reliable even during heavy use and rough terrain.

The SIG 556R also allows the user to adjust the gas system for use with suppressors, something the AK is lacking. The SIG 556R’s use of AK magazines, and its ammunition, makes this an excellent option for those who’ve never cared for the AR platform, and want something a little more modern than the AK platform.

3. PTR 32
This is a rather interesting rifle. Fans of the H&K G3 / 91 know that PTR produces some of the best clones of these weapons out there. They are well built, and certainly up to the high standard set by H&K. The PTR clones are normally in 308/7.62 NATO, but the PTR 32 is in 7.62 x 39mm.

The PTR 32 is essentially the H&K 91 just rechambered for the Soviet 7.62. This weapon is quite heavy, but has some excellent features. For one, the H&K style sights are wonderful and capable, and the sight radius is nice and long. The forward charging handle is incredibly accessible and can be locked into a notch at the rear of the cocking handle.

The safety is very easy and accessible; like all of these models, it is much better than the traditional AK model. This 9.8-pound rifle absorbs recoil like a champ, and it makes the extra weight worth it. The Gen 2 PTR 32 features a M4 collapsible stock, and a railed foregrip for accessories. The PTR 32 Gen 1 is traditional H&K 91 furniture. The PTR 32 is a Cold War warrior, but it’s an excellent, well-built weapon — a Soviet heart wrapped in a German coat.

The AK-47 will always have a special place in our hearts and in the rich heritage of firearm history, but these three alternatives might be the better way to go for practical use. What do you think?

Give us your opinion in the comments.

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14 COMMENTS

  1. The AK-47 isn’t a handgun. You might want to correct that for the benefit of someone who doesn’t know any better.

  2. If you are going to post I agree that you should keep the article accurate with all of the facts. You should have enough savvy to know the difference between a handgun and a Rifle or Carbine. This defeats your credibility with we who know. Do you not check and proofread your articles.

  3. You lost me at calling a rifle a handgun. The Galil is the best hybrid AR15/AK47 designed from an extensive Israeli combat field test and evaluation of both. If I am going to hump the weight of a HK clone, I’d rather have the .308 round.

  4. How about some pictures of the rifles you are reporting as better? And the AK47 is NOT a machine gun.

    I continue to be appalled by the quality of some of the articles on this site. Do the people writing them even actually know anything about guns?

  5. I Agree, the AK is not a hand gun. I personally own one. I don’t know any thing about the three guns you are putting up against the AK. I do know that you can drop the AK in the mud and drive over it with a truck and it will still operate. Can your three guns do that? If so then maybe they are better.

  6. Include the prices of those rifles compared to the $600 standard AK-47 you are comparing it to! You are not comparing apples to apples.

  7. What happened to the VZ(CZ)-58. It is twice the ‘assault rifle’ that the AK-47 will even be..

  8. Nothing in this article convinces me that the three alternatives are really superior to the AK platform. I would take an Arsenal SLR107FR over any of them!

  9. A picture of it would have been nice.
    By the way the AK isn’t a machine gun.
    Next article get a gun person. First you call it a hand gun – WRONG. You don’t include a picture of this new gun. And you call the AK-47 a machine gun.

  10. Everybody is always trying to change with mostly opinions, things that work. Opinions are like assholes, everybody has one and most of them stink. The most distributed weapon in the world is the AK-47, so I guess you might say it works and works damn well. Save your money, just buy more ammo and take your AK out and have some fun. Somebody will always be trying to change things to get you to spend some money.

  11. I find a ;ot of the comments laughable. While the AK 47 in standard configuration is not a handgun, in technical terms, there are several variants that sre hand guns. as for the machine gun statement, by BATFE definition, any weapon that fires more than one round with a single depression of the trigger, is a machine gun. The military version of the AK, the AR, or any other military ASSAULT RIFLE, is by definition a machine gun. This is the same argument that dumbass politicians are using to attempt to outlaw all of these weapons for civilian use. As I have been dealing with all of these weapons for a number of years, I can atest to the fact that any of them can be made to operate exactly as their military counterparts, simply by drilling a hole and changing a few fire control parts. Any of which can be purchased online for less than $10 bucks each. All except for the BCG, that can be picked up for under $100 bucks if you pay attention to the sales. While I agree that the AK platform is extremely reliable and inexpensive,( I used to pick them up still wrapped in cosmolene for around $150 bucks.) ,There are actually quite a few other manufactures that offer equally reliable sporterized versions of military rifles that preform extremely well. Now if you intend to go buy a pre-built rifle from a gun store, you can be assured that the price will be up there, but if you have a little snap, and pay attention to sales from one of many after market companies, you can build an AR for less than $600 bucks. and if not, here’s an example. Palmetto State Armory, has a sale going as we speak, where you can pick up what they call a blem lower receiver complete, for $149.95. On the same page, you can pick up a complete upper for $299.95. All one need do , is put the 2 together by way of the take down pins , insert a magazine, start pulling the trigger. Even counting the shipping prices, you have a functioning AR-15 for less than $ 500 bucks. When I bought my first AR-15, I went to one of those box stores, and paid $920 bucks for a pre-sale Bushmaster. One they market as an optics ready rifle( no sights at all, for those who don’t know), by the time I had bought a cheap red dot scope, I had well over $1200 INTO THE GUN. Needless to say, I began searching the web before I extended my collection. the next AR was a home assembled rifle, with parts of my choosing, that ended up with a cost of just over $600 BUCKS, AND IT ACTUALLY OUT PERFORMS THE OVERPRICED BUSHMASTER HANDS DOWN, it also happens to be chambered in 300 blackout, so out to 600 meters, it has the same terminal ballistics as the heavier .308. I f you think you need longer range, none of the 5.56 rifles ,OTHER THAN THE TRUE RIFLE LENGTH BARRELED MODELS, are going to be very effective at those distances anyway. I can say, that the MK-47, with it’s adjustable gas piston does make the use of a suppressor much easier to tune . This can also be accomplished with a JP Rifles Silent Captured Spring assembly, and the traditional direct impingement system. In conclusion, any of these rifles can be made to be just as reliable as the venerable AK-47, It only requires that one become completely familiar with their weapon, and understand the basic workings of that weapon.

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