My new toy.

[Bonefish]

So, I recently scored a Romarms SA/Cugir WASR-3, effectively an AK-47 chambered for 5.56 NATO. It's pretty sweet. I've field stripped it a few times, and now I feel qualified to join a third world army.

[Raygun]

I have pretty much the same rifle but in 7.62x39mm. It's fun. Is there a range you can take it to nearby?

[Bonefish]

Yup. One problem though. While field stripping, when I take the gas tube off, when i put it back on(or try to...), the locking lever wants to act like a douche and be difficult. It's taken me some pliars to get her back in locked position, but this last time, the lever started bending like all hell. The gas tube is FULLY depressed into position, but it seems like the little ramp is a bit bigger than it should be.

After some blood, i gave up on getting the gas tube lever locked, and finished re-assembly: everything moves right and stuff, but that little lever is loose. I guess I should take it to a gunsmith and see about getting it ground down a little bit? I don't think it should be so damn difficult to get locked again.

[Bonefish]

But that damn gas tube lever is a BITCH!

Her name is Nadia Banhammer.

[DV8]

As someone who didn't grow up around firearms, this remains a puzzling hobby and fascination.

[Bonefish]

Cheaper than Dirt has this ammo available, 30rnds for 11 bucks and some change. I think i wanna buy a bit. I also need to find me some weiger 30 round magazines: ideally, i'd like to have 7 magazines and an ammo pouch. Ya know, in case of zombies.

[Raygun]

Yup. One problem though. While field stripping, when I take the gas tube off, when i put it back on(or try to...), the locking lever wants to act like a douche and be difficult.

Yeah, it's known to be a pain in the ass. Usually this means the back end of the tube (the squareish block that the lock pushes against) is either not down all the way or the front of the tube isn't sitting against the gas block the right way. Make sure the front end is properly seated, the swing the back end down and wiggle it side to side a bit, then try to push the lock down into position. You may need to wiggle the tube while you're pressing the lock down. Helps to have another pair of hands or a bench vise.

The bigger point is not to worry about taking the gas tube off so much, there's not a lot of point to it. It's a fucking AK. It'll run whether you clean it or not. But you can run a 12 gauge barrel brush and patch through the tube while you've got the bolt carrier out if you really feel like you need to clean it.

It's taken me some pliars to get her back in locked position, but this last time, the lever started bending like all hell.

Don't do that. You should have a cleaning kit in your stock, a tube filled with brushes and pin punches and parts to adjust the front sight and such. The tube itself has a notch cut in it to interface with the gas tube latch. If you put too much pressure on it, this tube will bend rather than the latch, and that means something's not right. I've never had to use it on mine. If you're having to use pliers and it's still not snapping into position, something's wrong. Don't do that anymore. Take it to a gun shop or someone who knows about AKs. Replacing the gas tube latch is a bitch unless you know someone with a riveting machine.

Oh, and save up money to buy ammo in bulk, 500 rounds or more at a time. I stick with the M855 (green tip) stuff in 5.56.

The gas tube is FULLY depressed into position, but it seems like the little ramp is a bit bigger than it should be.

If the latch was fully locked when you got it, it should go back into position again.

As someone who didn't grow up around firearms, this remains a puzzling hobby and fascination.

I kind of have the same feeling about living in places with a population density of 3500/km2.

Have you ever shot a rifle, Deev?

[Bonefish]

yeah, the wiggle isn't working. Gonna take her to a gunsmith in a few weeks and get them to look at the gas tube. When I'm looking at it, to my untrained eye, it seems that the nut on the lock and the ramp on the edge of the tube don't match up closely.

I seem to have an after market buttstock, cuz there's no hole for the cleaning kit(and no cleaning kit). Hey, what can ya expect for $100?

[Raygun]

I also need to find me some weiger 30 round magazines: ideally, i'd like to have 7 magazines and an ammo pouch. Ya know, in case of zombies.

I don't know about the Weiger mags, but the Bulgarian-made polymer mags are good. I have several of them. You can get them and pretty much anything else you'd need from K-Var. And yeah, I keep at least six mags loaded at all times, for both the AK and the AR. Not much point in having that kind of rifle unless it's ready to go.

yeah, the wiggle isn't working. Gonna take her to a gunsmith in a few weeks and get them to look at the gas tube. When I'm looking at it, to my untrained eye, it seems that the nut on the lock and the ramp on the edge of the tube don't match up closely.

Yeah. That flat spot on top of the block and the round side of the latch need to line up flush against each other. Well, do what you gotta do. I suppose it goes without saying not to try and fire it without that latch locked down, but I'll say it anyway. Don't shoot it.

I seem to have an after market buttstock, cuz there's no hole for the cleaning kit(and no cleaning kit). Hey, what can ya expect for $100?

Not a rifle that works, apparently. Careful with those fell-off-a-truck deals.

Some of the rifles from Century come with aftermarket stocks on them. That's not unusual. Still, having one of those cleaning kits might be handy. K-Var sells them.

[DV8]

Have you ever shot a rifle, Deev?

Oh yeah, several times, in the U.S. as well as in the Netherlands. Rifles and handguns. It was good fun for a while.

[Bonefish]

Yeah. That flat spot on top of the block and the round side of the latch need to line up flush against each other. Well, do what you gotta do. I suppose it goes without saying not to try and fire it without that latch locked down, but I'll say it anyway. Don't shoot it.

Yeah, common sense ain't so common. I wouldn't fire it, as I imagine it could do all kinds of bad things to it. I'm gonna take it in to a gunsmith in a week or so, No biggie. The block, whatever it is is pretty scrapped from where the nut locks into it, and either i'm doing it wrong, or it's just a bit poorly matched. Maybe a little of both. But i'll never field strip it that far again.

Not a rifle that works, apparently. Careful with those fell-off-a-truck deals.

Well, technically, it worked FINE, until I field stripped it.

You know any good optics to recommend for an eventual upgrade? I did a slight "modifcation" last night, popping a dot of white paint on the front post, and two dots of green paint on the rear wedge. I find it helps me get my sight picture a lot easier than black metal on black metal. When i get the money, i'm gonna try to get some tritium sights, though i also want some better optics too.

also, my flash suppressor prevents me from storing the cleaning rod on the rifle, so i guess i need to get one of those flex rods.

[Raygun]

You know any good optics to recommend for an eventual upgrade?

I'd go with the Ultimak rail or the Midwest rail and a cheaper but sturdy red dot (Konus, Vortex) mounted forward of your rear sight. The benefit of the Ultimak is that it will allow you to use your iron sights through the red dot sight (in case the battery dies or something), while the Midwest will require you to take the dot off, so a quick detach mount would be a good idea in that case. Bonus to the Midwest rail is that you can mount lights and forward grips and such on it.

Most of these AKs are pretty worthless past about 300 meters, so magnifying optics aren't a lot of use, plus the way optics mount to the side of the receiver and sit way above the top of the rifle is pretty terrible.

I did a slight "modifcation" last night, popping a dot of white paint on the front post, and two dots of green paint on the rear wedge. I find it helps me get my sight picture a lot easier than black metal on black metal. When i get the money, i'm gonna try to get some tritium sights, though i also want some better optics too.

Yeah. The stock iron sights on an AK are pretty bad. Mojo makes a click-adjustable aperture rear sight that's probably a nice improvement over the open notch rear. Don't think I'd bother with tritium, but that's up to you.

also, my flash suppressor prevents me from storing the cleaning rod on the rifle, so i guess i need to get one of those flex rods.

Or just leave it off and use a regular cleaning kit.

[Bonefish]

Most of these AKs are pretty worthless past about 300 meters, so magnifying optics aren't a lot of use, plus the way optics mount to the side of the receiver and sit way above the top of the rifle is pretty terrible.

Well, i was thinking of a collimating sight or reflex sight. Something decent for 100m or so. I figure, if I'm engaged from long distance(like 300m or so), I'd be better off using some suppression fire and then scooting away and evading. Again, the chief idea here is for a rifle to be used in a "shit hits the fan, zombies coming through the windows and doors" scenario.

[Crazy Elf]

Well, i was thinking of a collimating sight or reflex sight. Something decent for 100m or so. I figure, if I'm engaged from long distance(like 300m or so), I'd be better off using some suppression fire and then scooting away and evading.

I'm guessing that's not something you're ever going to have to worry about.

[Jeff Hauze]

I'm guessing that's not something you're ever going to have to worry about.

So you decided to give up on your invasion plan utilizing terrorist koala bears? I'm disappointed.

[Bonefish]

Well, i was thinking of a collimating sight or reflex sight. Something decent for 100m or so. I figure, if I'm engaged from long distance(like 300m or so), I'd be better off using some suppression fire and then scooting away and evading.

I'm guessing that's not something you're ever going to have to worry about.

Edit(edit): Yeah, I guess there's no potential scenario, ever, where law and order could break down in the US. And I guess, given the remote chance that things could go horribly wrong, having any sort of preparation is just silly. I should probably get rid of those canned goods and bottled water too. Won't ever need it.

Look, A rifle like this can be fun to shoot, it's a pretty cool looking machine, and it can be effective for it's intended role. But sticking it on a shelf and letting it collect dust is stupid: why keep a deadly weapon that you never intend to use, for any purpose? A decent little set of optics can go a long way towards improving accuracy, and if you don't think America has areas where 50-100m shots would never be useful, or required, then, well, dude, you're stupid.

I dunno, you do some kind of kung fu, wannabe ninja shit, right? Do some weapons training, maybe? Do you see those weapons as toys? Do you get the right one for the job, and one you do, do you take care of it?

Yes, I honestly hope I never use my rifle in anger. But that doesn't mean that I'm going to just keep it for "decorative" purposes. If I have it, I'm going to make sure that I'm skileld and confident in it's use, and I'm going to do what i can to make sure it's as useful as possible when it needs to be used.

[Crazy Elf]

Edit(edit): Yeah, I guess there's no potential scenario, ever, where law and order could break down in the US. And I guess, given the remote chance that things could go horribly wrong, having any sort of preparation is just silly. I should probably get rid of those canned goods and bottled water too. Won't ever need it.

Okay, you need to use the sarcasm hand if you're being sarcastic, because that came across as logical. I'm not entirely sure that's what you were going for.

... why keep a deadly weapon that you never intend to use, for any purpose?

I've no idea, but that's exactly what I wanted to ask you. Why on Earth did you pick up an assault rifle? I'm not one to pass judgement on this kind of thing because I picked up a metal Buster Sword for the Ninja a few Christmases back. It's heavy as shit and she uses it to chop apples:



I managed to swing the thing with one hand and then the Ninja got me to pledge that I would never do that again. It's not useful, it's not utilitarian, but it's a metal buster sword and it's awesome. It's purely for display. It's even safe to have on display with children around, because no child would be able to pick it up.

I know why I got that. Why the assault rifle?

I dunno, you do some kind of kung fu, wannabe ninja shit, right? Do some weapons training, maybe? Do you see those weapons as toys? Do you get the right one for the job, and one you do, do you take care of it?

When I train a weapon I tend to use it as part of my performances. You've never seen a Chinese spear in full effect until you've seen it used by a guy in a bee costume. I've never trained a rope dart, however, and thought, "This is awesome for killing kangaroos."

[3278]

Cheaper than Dirt has this ammo available, 30rnds for 11 bucks and some change. I think i wanna buy a bit.

I can't recommend enough reloading your own ammo. Not only is it kind of zen, but it can save you a bundle if you shoot often. And it's kind of like working on cars, or field-stripping your own rifle: you understand it better because you've taken it all apart and fiddled with it.

[3278]

Yes, I honestly hope I never use my rifle in anger. But that doesn't mean that I'm going to just keep it for "decorative" purposes. If I have it, I'm going to make sure that I'm skileld and confident in it's use, and I'm going to do what i can to make sure it's as useful as possible when it needs to be used.

Well, that's the thing. Obviously zombies aren't something you're going to have to worry about, and probably you won't have to worry about a terrorist attack or alien invasion or Chinese assault on America's east coast. It's there if you need it for those things, but yeah, it's probably never going to happen.

So the real reason you own the gun is enjoyment. The pleasure at the machine itself. The joy of shooting it. The satisfaction of cleaning it, of learning how to use it well. I possess a broad number of skills which I simply enjoy using - call them "hobbies" - which do not, themselves, have utilitarian purposes.

Do you need the gun for self-defense? No, probably not, although at least you'll have it and the ability to use it on the off chance you need to. But in the meantime, the weapon is enjoyable for its own sake, in the same way that dressing up as a bee and wielding a spear is, apparently, enjoyable for its own sake, since it certainly has no other utility.

[Raygun]

I can't recommend enough reloading your own ammo. Not only is it kind of zen, but it can save you a bundle if you shoot often. And it's kind of like working on cars, or field-stripping your own rifle: you understand it better because you've taken it all apart and fiddled with it.

Reloading doesn't make a whole lot of sense with 5.56, actually. In the context of a rifle like this, any improvement in accuracy will be negligible and volume of fire is a bigger concern anyway. It's better to have lots of it, and if you reload yourself, that means a progressive press and such, and that gets expensive. Also, you can't normally buy unloaded SS109 (military-grade) bullets. You can load other types of bullets, but in this context, buying in bulk is more practical. Military ammo is made and sold in bulk commercially.

Sure, knowing how the ammunition works and loading it yourself is useful knowledge and having the means to do it yourself is definitely something to consider from the point of self-sufficiency (plus portable tooling is pretty cheap), but it makes more sense to do it when tailoring loads for hunting or accuracy is the objective.

[Bonefish]

Okay, you need to use the sarcasm hand if you're being sarcastic, because that came across as logical. I'm not entirely sure that's what you were going for.

Ok, if that went over your head, then I'm not sure the rest of this is going to Parse. I'm sorry, I don't speak Stupid. Well, not the Aussie dialect, which seems even more retarded than the normal version.

I've no idea, but that's exactly what I wanted to ask you. Why on Earth did you pick up an assault rifle?

Because it was a deal(it's a $400 rifle, that I got for $100), because I want a reliable, powerful rifle just "in case shit", because shooting is fun, and because it looks cool. Simple enough reasons?

I managed to swing the thing with one hand and then the Ninja got me to pledge that I would never do that again. It's not useful, it's not utilitarian, but it's a metal buster sword and it's awesome. It's purely for display. It's even safe to have on display with children around, because no child would be able to pick it up.

I try not to waste my money on things that are purely for display, unless it's art. And I prefer Utility and and usefulness to "looks cool". I can see why you wouldn't understand, we have vastly different ideas.

When I train a weapon I tend to use it as part of my performances. You've never seen a Chinese spear in full effect until you've seen it used by a guy in a bee costume. I've never trained a rope dart, however, and thought, "This is awesome for killing kangaroos."

Ok, yeah, we're on vastly different wavelengths here. I picked up the assault rifle because it was a helluva deal, the guy selling it wanted to offload it before he did something stupid with it, and because it's useful. I can take it to a range and plink with it for fun, meanwhile practicing my aim and safety, and in a worst case scenerio, I have a rifle. It's a pretty piece of machinery, and it gives me enjoyment.

[Bonefish]

I can't recommend enough reloading your own ammo. Not only is it kind of zen, but it can save you a bundle if you shoot often. And it's kind of like working on cars, or field-stripping your own rifle: you understand it better because you've taken it all apart and fiddled with it.

Ray brings up a good point: for this specific weapon, handloading doesn't really make sense. And well, since I don't have any real storage of my own, I don't have a good work space for it. When I get my own place, with say, a garage or shed, and I pick up something more practical for handloading, like a handgun or bolt action rifle(I've got my eyes on a Mosin-Nagant, right now), then I'll have a good reason for handloading. But currently, as ray said: buying military ammo in bulk is probably the better choice. Because I do want to have access to firepower that could, say, disable a car reliably.

And you raise good points about the utility of the rifle: obviously, the odds of actually needing it are very low. But hey, it's still a nice thing to have, she's pretty, I can't wait to take her to the range and blast away. And, I gotta say, In the off chance that there are, you know, zombies, I feel an ak is a bit more useful than say, dressing up in a bee suit and waving a spear. Not as funny, but definitely more utility.

[Nicephorus]

My friend growing up was from a big hunting family. They reloaded shotgun shells but it a much simpler process as you're just crimpling down a plastic (or cardboard) shell after dropping in the powder, plug, and shot (well, also the primer cap) and the tolerances are greater due to the nature of a shotgun. He even let me reload a few as a kid.

The greatest thing about it is that they had cannisters of gunpowder lying around, which can be used for all kinds of fun.

[Bonefish]

The greatest thing about it is that they had cannisters of gunpowder lying around, which can be used for all kinds of fun.

Which is exactly my fear, living with a 13 year old. Last thing I want is for the house to be set on fire when they were playing with lighters and gunpowder.

[Raygun]

If you're going to have a rifle and ammunition and a 13 year-old in the same place, you need a safe or locker, dude. Any place that sells guns ought to have an economy locker that won't cost that much. Then, if you decide to reload, you can keep your powder in there. I do.

I love reloading shot shells. It's total monkey work, but it's fun. You can put all kinds of shit in them.

[Bonefish]

If you're going to have a rifle and ammunition and a 13 year-old in the same place, you need a safe or locker, dude. Any place that sells guns ought to have an economy locker that won't cost that much. Then, if you decide to reload, you can keep your powder in there. I do.

Yeah, it's my plan. The rifle, as I've mentioned, fell into my lap, so I wasn't actually prepared for it(hell, I still gotta pay the guy for it!). Fortunately, I have no ammo, for now. But my first purchase will be some form of storage and a padlock, rather than magazines or ammo.

Edit: what can you recommend for storage that will be more mobile than a locker? I'd like to have something that I can lock up, and stow under my bed but also something that I can fit in the, rather spacious, trunk of my car.

[3278]

I can't recommend enough reloading your own ammo. Not only is it kind of zen, but it can save you a bundle if you shoot often. And it's kind of like working on cars, or field-stripping your own rifle: you understand it better because you've taken it all apart and fiddled with it.

Reloading doesn't make a whole lot of sense with 5.56, actually. In the context of a rifle like this, any improvement in accuracy will be negligible and volume of fire is a bigger concern anyway. It's better to have lots of it, and if you reload yourself, that means a progressive press and such, and that gets expensive. Also, you can't normally buy unloaded SS109 (military-grade) bullets.

Ah! I had not thought of any of those things. My only reloading experience is with a .45, and I'd just sort of assumed identicalism and not similarity. So let me back up and say:

Does reloading really offer a benefit to accuracy? Why is that? I would have guessed that factory machines would put out a more regular round than handheld machines.

What's a progressive press?

[3278]

And, I gotta say, In the off chance that there are, you know, zombies, I feel an ak is a bit more useful than say, dressing up in a bee suit and waving a spear.

Yeah, it is a little weird to have a guy saying, "Look at this useless sword," and, "My weapons training is for comedy!" while simultaneously dissing the utility of a rifle. I think part of the problem is that people get hung up on the moniker "assault rifle," when it would be highly difficult for a term to be more useless and misunderstood.

Edit: what can you recommend for storage that will be more mobile than a locker? I'd like to have something that I can lock up, and stow under my bed but also something that I can fit in the, rather spacious, trunk of my car.

I like hardside cases - which can also, in a pinch, be gun lockers, but obviously someone determined is going to get it open - but most everyone I know just uses a cloth case; probably a quarter of the rifle cases I've seen are really just gun socks. But people up here tend to own working rifles, as opposed to recreational ones [not that one's any better than the other], so they use practical, inexpensive cases, and use different solutions for keeping kids from getting hurt by guns. In your case, I think you'll find a hardside case has better storage [for clips and so on], lockability, and durability for moving back and forth between home and car.

Be smart. There are laws for cars and guns, and they're different everywhere. Find out what they are, and obey them. Penalties can be crazy bad, for things you might well consider simple and innocent. And then be real smart about who knows it's in there. For that temptation, its utter lack of concealability will help: I don't know about you, but I'm not mature enough to carry a concealed pistol yet. An AK lessens the possibility, which is a great asset.

[Bonefish]

And, I gotta say, In the off chance that there are, you know, zombies, I feel an ak is a bit more useful than say, dressing up in a bee suit and waving a spear.

Yeah, it is a little weird to have a guy saying, "Look at this useless sword," and, "My weapons training is for comedy!" while simultaneously dissing the utility of a rifle. I think part of the problem is that people get hung up on the moniker "assault rifle," when it would be highly difficult for a term to be more useless and misunderstood.

I mean, It's understandable for people to to be a bit taken a back by this sort of weapon, as it is obviously similar to a military one: and semi-automatic fire can be pretty potent stuff, with some military forces making a premium on the use of accurate semi-automatic in preference to burst fire. I mean, it is a lethal weapon, utterly and completely. It should be seen as one/

I like hardside cases - which can also, in a pinch, be gun lockers, but obviously someone determined is going to get it open - but most everyone I know just uses a cloth case; probably a quarter of the rifle cases I've seen are really just gun socks. But people up here tend to own working rifles, as opposed to recreational ones [not that one's any better than the other], so they use practical, inexpensive cases, and use different solutions for keeping kids from getting hurt by guns. In your case, I think you'll find a hardside case has better storage [for clips and so on], lockability, and durability for moving back and forth between home and car.

Definitely, I've already been over to the Department of Justice's website and scoped the relevant material regarding transporting weapons in NC. I definitely want something durable and padlockable. That way I can stow it in the backseat and be safe. I'd still keep her in the trunk more often than not.

[Crazy Elf]

Because it was a deal(it's a $400 rifle, that I got for $100), because I want a reliable, powerful rifle just "in case shit", because shooting is fun, and because it looks cool. Simple enough reasons?

So one of the reasons you honestly picked up the rifle is in case society breaks down and you have to defend yourself against Russians or something? That certainly is a simple reason.

[Raygun]

Ah! I had not thought of any of those things. My only reloading experience is with a .45, and I'd just sort of assumed identicalism and not similarity.

Yeah. In most instances, handloading is the way to go in order to get the most out of a rifle, performance and value-wise. But in this particular case, we're talking about probably the most common military cartridge on the planet at this point in time being used in a rifle that's not really capable of great accuracy. So military ammo is exactly what this rifle is made for and it's readily available at prices that will make a reloader think twice about the value of his time.

Does reloading really offer a benefit to accuracy? Why is that? I would have guessed that factory machines would put out a more regular round than handheld machines.

There are two ends to the spectrum of how factory ammunition is made and marketed here. Cheap loads made from relatively inexpensive components that are easy to crank out at high volume (increasingly manufactured overseas for the commercial market, often not reloadable, but easy to improve performance by handloading) and premium loads that are tailored to maximize a cartridge's performance but require a lower volume of manufacture (tend to be ridiculously expensive; a handloader can often beat the margin by loading it himself). But there are some companies that work to meet in the middle. Depending on the kind of load you're interested in, the margin that they're charging over their cost for components can sometimes be less than you think your time is worth. So you just buy it.

What's a progressive press?

It's a reloading press that performs operations (decapping, case sizing, priming, powder charging, bullet seating, and case mouth crimping) on several cases at once, in progression, so that each time the lever is pulled, a loaded cartridge is the result, maximizing production time. It's what you want if you want to load as much ammo as you can in a given period of time, short of going to automation.

There are also single stage presses (which only perform one or two operations with each pull of the lever, depending on the die loaded; each operation is performed in batches. slow.), turret presses (which have a revolving turret with several dies loaded where the turret is manually rotated to perform each operation), and hand presses (which are portable, hand-held, single stage presses that often can't accommodate large cases).

[Bonefish]

Because it was a deal(it's a $400 rifle, that I got for $100), because I want a reliable, powerful rifle just "in case shit", because shooting is fun, and because it looks cool. Simple enough reasons?

So one of the reasons you honestly picked up the rifle is in case society breaks down and you have to defend yourself against Russians or something? That certainly is a simple reason.

You know, I'll explain it like this: about 4 years ago, someone shot the house 100m away from mine, on the same street, with an automatic AK or SKS. I hear gunshots often. I live in a shitty side of town, and if, say, the government collapsed and widespread rioting and looting took place, I'd be in a shitty place to be. So owning a high powered firearm to defend myself and my residence doesn't seem to be anywhere on the order of dressing up as a bee and waving a spear around.

Try to play this angle all you want, but the fact is I bought a rifle, because it was a good deal, and the friend who was selling it didn't want to have it available to him(something about a cheating spouse, babies not being his, etc). I like the idea of owning a functional rifle. I look forward to going to the range, I like the feel of the steel in my hands, etc. I bought it because I wanted to buy it.

You still can't seem to parse the difference between an anime sword that's useless for anything but decoration, and a lethal weapon designed to KILL people. Treating the two as anything even similar is stupid, which you seem to be intimate with. Yes, I do plan on enhancing the lethality of my rifle by adding accessories to it, such as a reflex sight. Yes, I do plan on having atleast 240 rounds of military grade ammo, the rifle, and LBE to carry it all. Yeah, because I want to.

Why don't you go fuck a koala or something?

[AtemHutlrt]

I asked a random 14 year old anime fan with Asperger's, and he agrees that Elf's LARP-sword is way cooler than Bone's rifle.

[Crazy Elf]

I live in a shitty side of town, and if, say, the government collapsed and widespread rioting and looting took place, I'd be in a shitty place to be.

And you honestly think that's something so likely that you have to prepare for it by purchasing an assault rifle? If you wanted to buy one because you wanted to buy one then fine, but is part of your justification seriously because you think that the government is going to collapse?

[3278]

And you honestly think that's something so likely that you have to prepare for it by purchasing an assault rifle? If you wanted to buy one because you wanted to buy one then fine, but is part of your justification seriously because you think that the government is going to collapse?

Actually, if you'd bother to read his posts, you'll note that's pretty much exactly what he didn't say. Most of his early justifications were in case of zombie, which I'm pretty sure he's not considering "likely." Let's look at his arguments for buying the weapon:

Look, A rifle like this can be fun to shoot, it's a pretty cool looking machine, and it can be effective for it's intended role.

Because it was a deal(it's a $400 rifle, that I got for $100), because I want a reliable, powerful rifle just "in case shit", because shooting is fun, and because it looks cool.

...the fact is I bought a rifle, because it was a good deal, and the friend who was selling it didn't want to have it available to him(something about a cheating spouse, babies not being his, etc). I like the idea of owning a functional rifle. I look forward to going to the range, I like the feel of the steel in my hands, etc. I bought it because I wanted to buy it.

Seems to me like he bought it because it was a good deal on something he wanted and liked, that he enjoyed the look of, that he enjoyed shooting, and that "government collapse" was a "just in case" issue, a bonus if you will, and not a primary cause of purchase, however much it would suit your narrative to pretend otherwise.

Of course, none of this matters to you. You're not making a rational argument. You're just latching on to something and bulldogging it, but your teeth are so tiny and your bark so squeaky and you can't figure out how to get your mouth over Bone so you just keep licking. It's sad to watch a dog get old; when they're young and pathetic, it's cute, but when they're old and pathetic, it's just quietly sad. I remember when you were an adorable little puppy, shitting on the floor and barking at every noise. Now I feel kind of bad for all the years I spent kicking you; you're all timid and run away whenever the guy with the deep voice and the black clothes comes around.

I'm sorry, little guy. I shoulda treated you better.

[Raygun]

I asked a random 14 year old anime fan with Asperger's, and he agrees that Elf's LARP-sword is way cooler than Bone's rifle.

Also, it doesn't really matter if kids aren't able to pick that sword up. Being Australian, they'll likely find a pointy bit to headbutt sooner or later.

[Bonefish]

Took Nadia* to the gunshop today(Hyatts on Wilkenson, apparently the largest independently owned gunstore in america... who knew?). Gunsmith Tyler toook her back, ground down the furniture(which was preventing the gas tube from being properly seated). I field stripped her again, the whole way, and with a bit of pressure on the gas tube and lever, it locks. But won't be going that far. Charge? I had to buy a box of bullets, so I picked up 20 rounds of green tip. Why not?

Also, I got a hard case for her, and padlocked it. I'm probably gonna scope up a 3 pack of padlocks from walmart tonight to further secure it. I don't want any accidents.


*Will everyone think I'm a pyscho if I keep talking about my gun like it's trim?

[Raygun]

Took Nadia* to the gunshop today(Hyatts on Wilkenson, apparently the largest independently owned gunstore in america... who knew?). Gunsmith Tyler toook her back, ground down the furniture(which was preventing the gas tube from being properly seated). I field stripped her again, the whole way, and with a bit of pressure on the gas tube and lever, it locks.

Good. I had a feeling it was something minor, being that it was locked before you stripped it down.

Also, I got a hard case for her, and padlocked it. I'm probably gonna scope up a 3 pack of padlocks from walmart tonight to further secure it. I don't want any accidents.

Cool. Just keep in mind that anyone can walk off with a locked case full of AK. Store it accordingly.

*Will everyone think I'm a pyscho if I keep talking about my gun like it's trim?

Any more psycho? Probably not.

[3278]

But in this particular case, we're talking about probably the most common military cartridge on the planet at this point in time being used in a rifle that's not really capable of great accuracy.

Speaking of which, why is his rifle chambered for 5.56 and not 7.62?

There are two ends to the spectrum of how factory ammunition is made and marketed here.

I think I see what you mean. It's not so much a question of reloading itself producing more accurate rounds, as that reloading makes it financially reasonable to produce rounds using materials and techniques that would ordinarily produce rounds too expensive [for poor people like us all] to purchase the mass-produced version of? Like, if we built a car, we wouldn't build it out of Yugo parts, we'd build it out of BMW parts, because if you're going to be going through the trouble of building the car anyway, you may as well go the tiny extra difference required to build a good one. But then there are times - like hand-building a TV - when the benefits of economies of scale are just too good to beat.

It's a reloading press that performs operations (decapping, case sizing, priming, powder charging, bullet seating, and case mouth crimping) on several cases at once, in progression, so that each time the lever is pulled, a loaded cartridge is the result, maximizing production time.

Huh. That's kind of like being told that there's a machine out there that you stick your hands in, and it cuts all your fingernails at once. Or a viable shaving helmet. I guess I don't mind that I've only done it the hard way, but it would have been nice to know an easier way existed.

[3278]

...ground down the furniture...

The what?

[Crazy Elf]

Actually, if you'd bother to read his posts, you'll note that's pretty much exactly what he didn't say.

Actually he was being sarcastic when he stated this:

Edit(edit): Yeah, I guess there's no potential scenario, ever, where law and order could break down in the US. And I guess, given the remote chance that things could go horribly wrong, having any sort of preparation is just silly. I should probably get rid of those canned goods and bottled water too. Won't ever need it.

So I want to know if that's seriously part of his mindset.

As for the rest of your post, 3PO, I'm afraid I got bored. Care to limit it to 140 characters?

[3278]

So I want to know if that's seriously part of his mindset.

Well, it's clearly part of his mindset. That's why he said, "powerful rifle just 'in case shit'," in the midst of his other reasons. You're trying to make it seem as if he's an ass because that's his only reason, when in fact those things clearly aren't true.

As for the rest of your post, 3PO, I'm afraid I got bored. Care to limit it to 140 characters?

I can do it in three: "Rhetoric! Rhetoric! Rhetoric!"

[Raygun]

Speaking of which, why is his rifle chambered for 5.56 and not 7.62?

Because manufacturers know that some people might want an AK (known for reliability) in a cartridge that they are more used to using in terms of external ballistics. 5.56 is also less expensive in terms of materials (the 5.56 bullet is half the mass of the 7.62 bullet) and more readily available on this continent. Not that 7.62x39mm is uncommon here, but that we depend more on inexpensive, imported ammunition (mainly from Russia) for that cartridge.

I think I see what you mean. It's not so much a question of reloading itself producing more accurate rounds, as that reloading makes it financially reasonable to produce rounds using materials and techniques that would ordinarily produce rounds too expensive [for poor people like us all] to purchase the mass-produced version of? Like, if we built a car, we wouldn't build it out of Yugo parts, we'd build it out of BMW parts, because if you're going to be going through the trouble of building the car anyway, you may as well go the tiny extra difference required to build a good one. But then there are times - like hand-building a TV - when the benefits of economies of scale are just too good to beat.

Pretty much, yeah. For example, right now, you can get cheap, Russian-made, non-reloadable 55 grain FMJ in bulk for .25 cents/round. That's not easy to beat in terms of cost, but it is pretty easy to beat in terms of performance and consistency.

Or you can get US Lake City-made M855 for about .40 cents/round in bulk, which is pretty good. That wasn't the case about five years ago (for the obvious reasons). You might be able to beat the cost and performance by handloading (with bullets of the same mass), but you're not likely to find those particular bullets any other way but buying loaded ammunition.

And premium ammo, like Black Hills 62 grain Triple Shock, is going for $1.50/round. You can beat the cost handloading it yourself, but performance isn't going to be improved substantially.

Huh. That's kind of like being told that there's a machine out there that you stick your hands in, and it cuts all your fingernails at once. Or a viable shaving helmet. I guess I don't mind that I've only done it the hard way, but it would have been nice to know an easier way existed.

Heh, yeah. Mainly what people are trying to accomplish with handloading is to maximize performance of the ammunition, so cranking it out in volume is not as important to them as being as consistent as possible from round to round. Like rifle competitors and such. But guys that do three-gun or handgun competition and practice a lot tend to want to crank out a ton of ammo while having some control over the quality and components, so they use a progressive press (if they're not sponsored by some ammo company).

...ground down the furniture...

The what?

Furniture. Probably the lower handguard (the wooden or plastic bit around the barrel that your supporting hand rests against on an AK) was binding on the tube while he was trying to seat it, so the guy had to file some material off of it so the tube would seat right.

[Bonefish]

...ground down the furniture...

The what?

That plastic looking stuff that's on "top" of the foregrip? It's the "furniture" of the rifle. Well, a bit of it was sized poorly, probably because this isn't a "top shelf" rifle. But the needed to do a bit of grinding on part of it, and it all worked out. I even field stripped it and got it locked into place, with a bit of trouble. I'm going to leave the gas tube on from now on, because... fuckit, it's an AK.

[Bonefish]

Actually, if you'd bother to read his posts, you'll note that's pretty much exactly what he didn't say.

Actually he was being sarcastic when he stated this:

Edit(edit): Yeah, I guess there's no potential scenario, ever, where law and order could break down in the US. And I guess, given the remote chance that things could go horribly wrong, having any sort of preparation is just silly. I should probably get rid of those canned goods and bottled water too. Won't ever need it.

So I want to know if that's seriously part of his mindset.

As for the rest of your post, 3PO, I'm afraid I got bored. Care to limit it to 140 characters?

Wow, you don't get it. Ok, let me explain this:
1) Not a toy
2) Not a display piece
3) Real, functional fully lethal weapon.

So if you buy a weapon that's fully lethal and dangerous? Well, you'd better respect it as such a thing and approach it with the seriousness it requires. And part of that serious is recognizing what this rifle is designed to do: it's designed to shoot people within 300m. It's not a hunting weapon. I'm not going to use it for home defense(Well, If pressed I would, but would prefer a shotgun... next on agenda). I will take it to the range so that I can work on my aim and develop familiarity with it. But If I ignore that it's a tool designed to be used to kill people, then I am not respecting the weapon's potential, and I don't deserve it.

And plus, if there's zombie russian paratroopers, then I'm good to go. I can scavenge parts from the AK74Ms, or use their gun after I kill a few. Man, post apocalyptica is gonna be FUN!

[Crazy Elf]

So, back to the issue at hand, you don't seriously believe that the government is going to collapse and you'd need the gun to defend yourself?

[Bonefish]

So, back to the issue at hand, you don't seriously believe that the government is going to collapse and you'd need the gun to defend yourself?

I think it's a possibility. Just like Zombies.

[Bonefish]

Can i run .223 Remington through my WASR-3

[3278]

So, back to the issue at hand, you don't seriously believe that the government is going to collapse and you'd need the gun to defend yourself?

I don't seriously believe the electricity's going to go out, but one of the many benefits of owning candles is being prepared just in case it does.

Do you seriously believe that it's impossible for the government to collapse sometime within the useful lifespan of the rifle [or its owner, whichever is shorter]?

[3278]

Can i run .223 Remington through my WASR-3

That's my understanding, but I'd definitely wait for Ray.

Have you sighted this thing in yet? How accurate does it appear to be thus far?