If you had to choose between an AK-47, M4, or M16 assault rifle in a combat situation, which would you choose?
January 3rd, 2010 by eranio
If you had to choose between an AK-47, M4, or M16 assault rifle in a combat situation, when your enemy was anywhere between 20 and 150 yards away from you, which would you choose? Please enumerate your reasons, and please let your explanation contain more than the phrase that “such and such rifle sucks or is awesome”. Thank you.
Posted in military assault
January 3rd, 2010 at 3:42 am
I would take the M4. It is far more modular than either the M16 or AK-47. Though the AK-47 is far more reliable in all terrain, it lacks the accuracy needed to reliably hit a target everytime beyond 100 yards. All these people like to say how accurate certain brands of AK’s are, but those are generally highly accurized versions and they need a lot more time to aim each shot. With an M4, the sights are better and it allows for accurate shots up to and beyond 300 meters. Also, the better reliability of the AK can be made up for in the M4 by just doing some basic maintenance.
The ammunition is also lighter allowing you to carry more of it. There are many situations where it is far more advantageous to carry 500 smaller rounds rather than 250 larger rounds. In sustained firefights, you will want every round you can get. And for those that say the 5.56 has no stopping power, it is true that it lacks the power of its bigger cousins, but it does the job. In its own right, it is a fairly nasty round that tends to do massive tissue damage rather than knock the target over.
January 3rd, 2010 at 3:42 am
M4
January 3rd, 2010 at 3:42 am
good ole m4 carbine
January 3rd, 2010 at 3:42 am
m4 i can shoot it better.
January 3rd, 2010 at 3:42 am
Between 20 and 150 yards? any of them would work great.
If they were behind rocks or obstacles, i’d choose the AK for its sheer punching power.
If they were in the open, I’d like the light weigh and lower recoil of the M4 or M16…both use the puny 5.56 mm round that are still lethal at that distance.
January 3rd, 2010 at 3:42 am
M4 would be my choice, with M16 a close second. Colt rifles are some of the best quality rifles with a high degree of dependability and very accurate right out of the box.
January 3rd, 2010 at 3:42 am
Probably an AK. Its rugged, easy to use and won’t jam as often as an M-16 would.
January 3rd, 2010 at 3:42 am
Personally, I’d go for the AK.
More powerful cartridge and heavier bullet. MUCH better function in sand, dirt, and mud. Fewer maintenance issues. Less cleaning. More common ammo, in terms of worldwide availability. Unlike the M16, you don’t have to be a certified gunsmith to do even fairly extensive work on it.
Not great accuracy-wise at the outside parameters of the range you gave, but if you are familiar with your particular weapon and its quirks (and believe me, they ALL have their quirks), you should be able to compensate.
The other question is hand-to-hand — as the old comic said, if you run out of ammo, an AK is a fairly serviceable club, while an M16 makes a fairly serviceable wiffle bat.
Now outside of the choices you gave, I would be very tempted to go with either a Dragunov or an M14.
The Dragunov uses an AK-type action (TYPE – not the same but similar) but fires the heavier 7.62x54R cartridge, which is comparable to the 30.06. It, and the M14, are the only auto or semi-auto rifles that can be said to be almost as good as bolt-actions for long-range sniping. Now that real Dragunovs are so expensive, the Romanians are exporting a civilian semi-auto copy known as the PSL, which can run you about $750 US.
The drawbacks of a Dragunov is that it’s heavy and long, so at shorter ranges it might not be as good. However, it WOULD make an excellent club, and it’s durable as heck. A friend of mine had an original Russian Dragunov, and he backed his truck over it accidentally. After he finished crying, he cleaned it off and it worked fine.
The M14 (civilian M1A1) is (maybe) the most accurate auto or semi-auto out there, it’s not as finicky as the M16 or M4, and it also shoots a heavier cartridge, the .308 (some are chambered for the 30.06 cartridge, also heavier than the M16′s). M14s are basically the old WW2 Garand with a few alterations, most notably a detachable magazine rather than the "en bloc" clips that the Garand uses.
It’s also heavy and durable, although more difficult to control on full automatic fire. However, a good quality muzzle brake can alleviate that problem somewhat.
The lobbyists for the companies that made the M14 weren’t as skilled or as well funded as the ones who wanted the adoption of the new M16, and it didn’t fit the U.S. military’s then-new tactical doctrine, which are the two main reasons it is no longer the main U.S. military weapon. However, if given the choice, most knowledgable soldiers would prefer an M14 to an M16, particularly the newer modern ones with the nylon and polymer stocks, and accessory rails.
But I am something of an East Bloc collector, so I would still go with the AK, unless you opened up the choices, in which case I’d go with the Dragunov.
January 3rd, 2010 at 3:42 am
M16, because I’m more used to it..
January 3rd, 2010 at 3:42 am
The weapon of choice for me is not here but I would take the M-4. While it doesn’t have the punch of the AK at close ranges it does so at long ranges as the Ak loses it speed quickly at a distance. The M-4 is superior to the M-16 because the M-16 is so long that in urban situations that can be a problem in house combat a place where the AK excels but the M-4 is no slouch either. The M-4 also has a damn good short range sight that proven very effective in Iraq. The AK only has open sights. The other is comfort the AK will seem to gain weight as the day goes on especially in hot conditions. The M-4 is so light this is a blessing as the weight saved can go to other things like water or bullets. PS my choice is the M-14 it has the punch of the AK the accuracy of the M-4 and M-16. Though the length problem is still there I would put up with it. Also the weapon never fails.
January 3rd, 2010 at 3:42 am
M4 or M16
I like the M-16 better–preferably the 3rd burst capable one–as it is best at longer ranges, and has great accuracy…unwieldy close in, though…
But, it suffers at closer ranges, so the full-auto M4 would be good, as it is shorter…
NO WAY AK–hehe–it functions so well in dirt because it was made so crudely; the parts have gaps n stuff that let it work in mud…but, I use ‘work’ loosely in connection with this sack o’ crap
At those ranges, you kinda want to be able to hit stuff, right?
BUT MY ULTIMATE CHOICE:
The Steyr-ACR prototype Flechette rifle
hyper velocity straight line trajectory, low recoil, and ability to render body armor useless…pretty good…to bad politics got in the way and we decided on keeping the m-16 in the upgraded m-4…sigh…
January 3rd, 2010 at 3:42 am
My preference would depend on the situation. If there are buildings involved, I would tend to pick on the AK, the 30 cal bullet will go through heaver material than the 22 cal bullet. In the open, and in especial at the longer range you mention, I would take the 223 cartridge.
Overall, I much prefer something more on the lines of the M14 or the BM59, I like the heaver 30 cal bullets at 3000 FPS over the much weaker cartridges for the AK and M16.
January 3rd, 2010 at 3:42 am
I’d go with the AK. The AK is still effective at 20-150 yards and it will dominate in any terrain. I’ll stick with the M16 and it’s variants only if the firefight is fought at long distances, >300 yards etc.
January 3rd, 2010 at 3:42 am
I’d always go with the AK-47. The AK-47 is still accurate enough for me to get head shots at 150 yards. You don’t see a significant difference in accuracy between the AK-47 and M4/M16 until after 200 yards. Any further than that I’d use a 308 with a scope anyways. I am more comfortable with an AK-47 because I shoot them so often and I have never seen an AK-47 jam, yet. I have seen M4s and especially M16s jam quite frequently. I will not risk my life with a rifle that will malfunction on me in the battlefield. The AK-47′s 7.62×39 cartridge has far superior stopping power as well, while the .223 will just pierce right through the enemy. You are going to use more ammo to take down your enemies with a M4 or M16.
January 3rd, 2010 at 3:42 am
m16. Better range, muzzle velocity and accuracy. It also doesn’t have as many reliability problems as an m4 does.
January 3rd, 2010 at 3:42 am
ak-47
it just has great power up to 130 yards, i want a gun that will not malfuction on me in the middle of battle,yes the AK is not the most accurate gun out there,but boy it packs a punch,