ak47 for a woman?

[74novaman]

A drum might be too heavy for her to handle easily. A loaded 30 rounder with another nearby gets you within 15 rounds of drum capacity without the extra bulk and weight.

Not knocking drums, if I ever pick up an AES-10b I'll want one or two. Just don't think it's necessarily best choice for your moms hd gun.

[JeepGuy79]

true that. I don't know of any residential situation that would require 75+ rounds of 7.62x39 but its my mom. hah. Want to protect her somehow from afar I guess. I know I can leave a couple 30's loaded. Those things get hefty pretty fast.

[Beiruty]

i like to buy AK47 for my wife for her self-defense, what can you suggest?

Look to anything that has Arsenal, SIAGA or Izhmash stamped on it.

[The Annoyed Man]

AK47, AK74, AR are all good choices for people of small stature. As someone pointed out, small statured people of both genders all over the world have used the AK platform to good effect. I am still on a learning curve about AKs and honestly don't know very much about them. I've had good discussions with 74novaman about AKs pending getting one of my own some day, but I do know the AR platform pretty well. About a year ago or so, I built a AR carbine for my wife, and just a few days ago I taught her how to take it down for cleaning and put it back together. Now my wife has yet to actually clean one of her own guns.....because I or my son usually do it for her while we're cleaning all the other guns.....so she's not exactly an authority on how to field strip a firearm. She had no problem at all learning how to take down her AR15 and put it back together again.

I'm not making a pitch for the AR, although it is certainly just as valid a choice; but I am saying that if the AK is supposed to be even simpler than an AR, there is no reason why your mother couldn't learn to feed and care for one. It only takes the will. Without her willing participation though, this project is likely to just put a hole in your wallet the size of an AK just so that the thing will go to rust in the back of her closet. I would worry less about platform/caliber and more about whether or not she will willingly participate, because regardless of platform/caliber this is going to be an exercise in learning a new discipline....a thing which gets harder as we age. Not harder because we're dumber, but harder because we just may not be interested.

[Beiruty]

For ladies, I assume muscle power is a factor, especially if she has to load, make ready and take care of jams if any. That is even more so with age.

[Divided Attention]

I have an AR format 9mm and I love it! Fun to run, easy to strip and reassemble. Mine is an SBR, got it for home defense as well as something that could "reach out a bit" if need be. I also have a lever action .357 rifle that I have used as a teen for deer hunting. It is small enough for "home use as well". My newest acquisition that I desperately need to get out and run is a Remington 870 XS Tactical. I have practiced running and stripping, and while I have shot other 12g, this one is still yet to go to the range.

[74novaman]

I'm not making a pitch for the AR, although it is certainly just as valid a choice; but I am saying that if the AK is supposed to be even simpler than an AR, there is no reason why your mother couldn't learn to feed and care for one. It only takes the will. Without her willing participation though, this project is likely to just put a hole in your wallet the size of an AK just so that the thing will go to rust in the back of her closet. I would worry less about platform/caliber and more about whether or not she will willingly participate,

Very good point!! Maybe let her handle one of each and see which she likes.

I do think a '74 variant is a better choice than a '47 for the simple fact it recoils less and should weigh a little less (again, polymer furniture will help here).

If weight of the gun is the main factor, this is one of those rare occasions where even an AK fan like myself has to recommend an AR (specifically, a light weight one...NOT a 20" HBAR...you can go pretty nuts buildling an extremely light weight AR) because they are lighter guns and may be easier for her to use.

[Beiruty]

Exactly a super light weight AR is God given gift.

Something like this one: http://www.bushmaster.com/catalog_carbo ... 16m4FT.asp" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[woodsong]

Ahh -- I thought you were asking about a trade

[The Annoyed Man]

Exactly a super light weight AR is God given gift.

Something like this one: http://www.bushmaster.com/catalog_carbo ... 16m4FT.asp" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

My wife's:


It's not a composite receiver, but it only weighs about 6 lbs and shoots well too. Yes, a super lightweight AR is a pretty neat thing, and you don't have to spend the $932.99 that Bushmaster is asking for theirs. In fact, for that price, you might even be able to include the Vector optic mounted on my wife's.