Because they use .22 caliber battle carbines and not .308 battle rifles, infantry squads of both the East and the West will no longer be able to rely on small arms for engaging barricaded targets in urban areas and will have to rely instead on grenades, rockets and crew-served weapons.
Andy Tillman – Test Fire Report: The AK-74
I think that pretty much covers as an answer to Steve’s question in the comments to yesterday’s QotD.
If not, try tomorrow’s on for size.
Since the main objections for not carrying a proper battle rifle are weight of the ammo and rifle, we need to look at each of those beefs.
Ammo: 200 rounds of poodleshooter ammo weighs the same (roughly) as 120 of .308. Since urban encounters for the rifleman usually don’t involve using up all his/her day’s battle supply, this usually isn’t an issue. Besides, the superior penetration of the .308 when it IS directed at a holed-up urban target means that the .308 needs less rounds on target to smoke out the baddie.
Second, the weight of the rifle. A bare M-4 weighs about 60% of a bare CETME, but, by the time the M-4 is loaded up with all the usual extra sights and battle gear, what does it weigh? I have yet to adorn my CETME with anything but a sling, and if I do, it will be a simple claw mount and scope, so I don’t think that this difference is very important.
Point well-taken. I’m working on making one more major purchase before my wife has our baby in August. BTW,we’re having a baby in August! I’m excited but aware that it’ll be my last major gun purchase for a while- but I think this helps settle the rhetorical “if you had to buy a battle rifle but only could buy one, which caliber” question.
Model-wise, I do covet the Hun Bastard. I need to do some reading.
After that, I’ll pretty much be hanging out on diaper blogs discussing the merits of huggies vs pampers.
I keep getting pressured by my poodle-shooting friends so I appreciate your emphasis on the 7.62 nato rounds. A few extra ounces toward being able to take out more than a groundhog seems worth it.
I know it’s the same as the .45acp vs lesser calibers argument. While I have the common smaller calibers for plinking, if I was grabbing a pistol for defense it’d be a .45.
Is the author of that quote arguing the merits of the AK or just pointing out the lack of cinder block penetration behind the 5.56? I can’t see the AK’s 7.62 punching through walls at a rate enough to make a difference.
As far as the lighter ammo argument, it’s all about distribution. 200 rounds of 5.56 feels about the same as 200 of 7.62 Nato in a well built rig. In my experience, if you can run 1,000 meters in 5.56 web gear, you can do it with SAW boxes, grenades or 7.62 nato mags the same (Assuming your not 5’4″ or prone to knee injury).
The guy is reviewing the AK74, with it’s 22cal/5.45 cartridge and not the AK47.
Iiieee! I bad! Same mistake I inwardly laugh at others for. Even my favorite running shirt has the ’74 on it (and high tech air cooling holes)