AKs, M16s, Mp5s... Jeez

[Flak]

Hello,

Looking around this forum I see people buying AKs like they are buying cereal. Is owning a full auto weapon like AK47 all about collecting firearms? What else do people do with full auto rifles? Are there even many ranges that let you shoot auto?
And I don't think I would use a machine gun for home defense, I just want to stop the bad guy without fatality, not obliterate him/her.

Just curious, I'm new.

[thanker92]

99% are NOT full auto....although you can legally own a full auto if you register it.

[Shawn.L]

yes, I think you are confusing when people refer to their AK-style semi-auto rifle as an AK.

although a few people around here do have fun switches !

Some people who have FA's also have private property where they can shoot, and some ranges allow it, some do FA shoots. At PMSC we do a few a year where guys bring out there toys and let people enjoy them.

Your home defense comment is fodder for a much larger converstation.

[thanker92]

I would use a howitzer for home defense if I could do so safely.

[King 5.45]

Originally Posted by Flak

Hello,

Looking around this forum I see people buying AKs like they are buying cereal. Is owning a full auto weapon like AK47 all about collecting firearms? What else do people do with full auto rifles? Are there even many ranges that let you shoot auto?
And I don't think I would use a machine gun for home defense, I just want to stop the bad guy without fatality, not obliterate him/her.

Just curious, I'm new.

You're very new. Select-fire and/or full-auto (one allows single-shot and/or burst or full auto fire, the other only full-auto) options for private citizens and incorporated entities who are not attempting to resell to government agencies and in need of "dealer samples" are limited to items made or in the pipeline before 1986. Moreover, a decent and not shot-out example of a Colt M-16 or an AK-47 is going to run you about $18 to $20,000, bare minimum, plus the tax stamp and a considerable wait while they make sure that you aren't an ax murderer, etc.

And asking why one needs any firearm is a rather silly question. You don't need one until you need one, and were I in need of something to dissuade a crowd of armed individuals (think pissed-off biker gang) from doing me or a bystander considerable bodily harm, up to and including death, I could think of nothing better than a wall of 7.62x39 projectiles.

Additionally, you need to put away the Roy Rogers/Tom Mix silly Saturday afternoon at the picture show assumption that good guys only wing bad guys to make them drop their shootin' irons. That's a load of horse crap. You shoot to stop the threat to life, plain and simple, and that means shooting so that the threat stops ASAP. In most cases, that's at the center of an X, its axes drawn from hip to opposite shoulder. Plus, anything not COM is a threat to anyone possibly behind the target, which is what you consider the individual until they have stopped presenting a valid threat to innocent life around them.

[MuzzleFlash]

I think an MP5 would be a highly effective home defense weapon. If I can put 5 rounds of 9mm HPs in the invader before he has time to fire back, I'm more likely to survive. Also a "machine gun" is usually a big belt fed beast mounted on the side of a helicopter or top of a vehicle.

The AK's that most people claim to be buying are really WASR-10 semi auto AK look-a-likes. I haven't heard anyone on the forum refer to an AR-15 or M4 as an M-16, so when you see that they could well be talking about a real pre-1986 full auto M-16.

As for what it's about, prevention of tyranny and the preservation of our freedom. "Collecting" just sounds better than "stockpiling."

[ROCK-IT3]

Originally Posted by King 5.45

And asking why one needs any firearm is a rather silly question. You don't need one until you need one, and were I in need of something to dissuade a crowd of armed individuals (think pissed-off biker gang) from doing me or a bystander considerable bodily harm, up to and including death, I could think of nothing better than a wall of 7.62x39 projectiles.

Rep to you, King

[Flak]

Yeah haha I am new and I'm all for free arms. I don't want to get into legals but I thought someone can transfer a Class3 privatly without paperwork. $18,000 for a M16?, can you give me a break down of who makes the money and where, it surly doesn't come out of the factory with $18K MSRP.

[Steelblitz]

Originally Posted by Flak

$18,000 for a M16?, can you give me a break down of who makes the money and where, it surly doesn't come out of the factory with $18K MSRP.

That's a little high for one. I'm seeing them go for $12000-$15000 as of late on average with RDIAS slightly less and lightning links near half of that.

They cost no more than your typical semi coming from the manufacturers, but simple supply and demand regulates the NFA registered machine guns for the civy market. Think about it... only machine guns registered before the cutoff in 1986 are able to be transferred among the general population. That gives us a very limited supply to choose from. We, the consumers are setting the prices today, and the short supply/availability adds to this.

[WhiteShadow]

I look at it similarly as i do any other hobby. Some people spend thousands a year on guitars or golf equipment, or mountain biking, or cars. Some people just put that same money into firearms.

I dont see anything wrong or weird about it.