Questions about AK Rifles and Ammo

 By Reginald Kaigler (DEMCAD)

Viewer Question

"I overheard a conversation at my local gunshop and wanted to know your thoughts on the subject. Two gentlemen were discussing cheap 7.62x39 namely tul ammo and wolf, they said that due to the cheap metals that are used to make this ammo that by roughly 4,000 rounds said ammo will ruin the barrel in your ak47. Being that it is not an easy task to replace a barrel in an ak, what are your thoughts."

My Response,

This is why I tell people to conduct their gun research before going into a gun shop. I've never heard so much bullshit and false information as I've heard walking into gun shops. The salesmen often don't know what they are talking about. Frankly, if the salesman is under 50, I would ignore him. I'm kidding. Well, not really. Generally, the old guys tend to be the ones who know what they're talking about.

As far as the customers, too many people repeat crap they've heard from people who know nothing about the product. Last year, I walked into a gun shop, asked a 20 something salesman about the AKs and he gave me some dumb joke about the AKs and talked about the superior accuracy of the AR. The idiot then showed me a rifle he referred to as a Czech AK. There's no such thing. It was a Vz-59. Despite having the same caliber, he had no clue that the guns had two very different designs and they didn't even accept the same magazine.

Now it's true, you will need a gunsmith to get the new AK barrel replaced. However, it will take a hell of a lot of ammo and usage to wear a barrel out. Unless you rapid fire with corrosive ammo for two hours 7 days a week for the 10 years and never clean it, I doubt you'll have to worry about it. It's okay to repeat fire sometimes, but keep in mind that excessive heat is what helps the friction wear the barrel out over time. Few people have the money to wear a barrel out.

As far as Russian ammo, just clean the rifle after you shoot it. I prefer to stick with non-corrosive ammo as it is easier to clean the rifle after shooting. I've shot Wolf (Military Classic and Black box), Golden Bear, Brown Bear and Golden Tiger with absolutely no problems. Just clean the rifle and you'll be fine.