rules are simple. In your opinion, which CommBloc weapon was the 'best' and by best i might mean : best made supressive fire ease of maintenance best sniper best value best undiscovered gem to add to your collection best at putting food on the table best at over throwing the red menace etc. If it's not listed just post a comment as i can not get all options listed nor do i know all of them. so here it goes.
RT-2PM - SS-25 SICKLE Approximately the size of the U.S. Minuteman ICBM, the SS-25 carries a single-warhead atop a three stage system. The SS-25 is road mobile, making the missile inherently survivable and capable of reload/refire operations. It can fire from field deployment sites or through the sliding roof garage it occupies at its base. The SS-25 joined operational Soviet SRF regiments in 1985. A total area of approximately 190,000 square kilometers could be required to deploy a force consisting of 500 road-mobile SS-25 ICBMs.
'Best' defined as the most successful in overall production, sales volume and the sheer number of countries, bandit groups, and American gun-crazy whackos (myself included!) that use it...... The AK47 and it's derivatives, hands down! Simple, reliable, easy to manufacture, relatively idiot-proof, accurate enough for it's designed role. What else from the Land of Lenin comes close?
The AK platform as a whole.. That would include (from the choice list) AK-47, AK-74, Saiga 12. Personally, my favorite is the AK-101.
I have to agree with Seawolf; nothing comes close to the AK when you consider sheer numbers, longevity, ease of operation and durability. It's been used in virtually every armed conflict since its inception in 1947, sometimes on both sides.
I have to go with the AK because I've on both sides of that one ,I don't like it pointed at me and would rather be holding it. JMHO
I'm not too sure the MN and Mauser belong in this batch of choices. The MN was an empire design even tho' mfrd and used by a number of commblocs. I'm less certain of the Mauser being co-opted by the commies, but well could have been. Classics, yes. "Best" is an eye of the beholder sorta thing, especially with the open purpose. Love my MN fire starters --
I have shot the 5.45mm AK74 Krinkov - very controllable and pretty fair accurate, for an MG. Not as precise as the F/A Steyr AUG, but a close second....... I believe the 5.45 round is very under-appreciated.
The Honey-pot. AKs kill people, missiles destroy and deny area....the honey Pot trap pockets politicians and garners their influence; The best Soviet Block weapon ever conceived.
Well? I voted for the Mosin. Why? I just spent two days being trained by an active staff sarg just returned from Afganistan. He told me the only gun they fear out there is the Mosin sniper rifle. His team kills insurgents all the time that are armed with Ak-47 rifles because they shoot them before the Hajis get into effective range. 5.56 with optics are making head shots on Hajis at 400 yards and out. The gun killed Americans are being sniped by hajis with Mosins or other 30 caliber bolt guns. So in my opinion the Mosin has stood the test of time to this day. Yea the Ak will fire full of mud and the 7.62 by 39 is more powerful then the AR-15 inside 100 yards. But ask a guy whos over there. Which one does fear the most today? The Mosin sniper rifle that can kill him from 1000 yards. That one. KF
Did not vote because of the lack of parameters. Firepower, then certainly the AK--- long range shooter then a Mauser or MN --- crowd pleaser then a shotgun. So---I vote for them all and have most. Love my MNs, AKs,and Mausers.
The durability and proliferation of the AK-47 is beyond imagination; derivitives/copy-cats abound. I'm kind of partial to the Polish-made weapons because of their craftsmanship, but then, beggars can't be choosy.
If I had my druthers, I'd druther not be on the WRONG end of any of them...Tried that once, was not what I called fun. Now as far as a sniper weapon, the MN is scary but it takes a real cool head and a talented person to make it that way...( Soviet women! YIKES!) The AK is a nasty and can lay down a field of deadly lead, really fast...It's so easy to operate, 10 year olds make it look simple!
The Kalashnikov is too hard to beat. The MN is an excellent sniper. Ruskies proved that in WWII and the Finns did also in the Winter War. Eastern snipers work with their infantry; they shoot at leaders and belt feeders etc at normal combat ranges. The long range precision sniper is Western doctrine.
