Retro or Modern which one are you?

[denden 16]

Maybe we should ask the OP for more clarification on what he meant by "Retro" or "Modern" so everyone is voting with the same set of assumptions. Originally I thought Classic AK meant the silhouette of the rifle was what we've all known for the past 60 years. Poly furniture didn't change the classic silhouette. Then I saw that some were voting that poly furniture tossed the rifle into the modern camp. A further area of confusion for me was the non-classical option had the word "tactical" in it. At the very least, a clarification that says in order to be a "classic AK" it has to have wood furniture would help. When did AKs first leave the armory with folding stocks? Would a folding stock make the rifle modern vs. classic? How about muzzle breaks?

[Rhodes1968 1,638]

Oddly enough an AK produced today does have composite furniture.

[Mossberg Man 1]

Well to my surprise it seems that currently the modern tactical flavor is getting out in front of traditional or retro or whatever you want to label it (I am a tactical guy myself) I will wait until the end of next week to see the "official" results probably Sunday night.

[Polak 10]

[Mossberg Man 1]

Well the votes are in and the winner is........MODERN TACTICAL!!

 

The votes fell as follows:

 

28 votes for retro: 48.46%

 

31 votes for modern tactical: 52.54%

 

There you have it everyone. So modern tactical is the new Black.

[hatemail 2]

I really like both. but id say modern

[ekim 6]

Couldn't vote, don't care for the retro look and I'm not into the tactical thing. A stock Saiga isn't bad as is,IMO.

Maybe a smaller fore grip and 15/20 round mag's and better sights. If it's not broke, I can't see trying to fix it.

[volkov 318]

poll needs room for some middle ground... I like the classic AK, but I prefer the more modern poly grips and handguards.. I'm not big on tacticooling it out.. Maybe a red dot or POSP for me but no flashlights/lasers/can openers on my guns. My 47 came with a quad rail but its o the list of things that need to go.

 

I'm not sure what camp I fall in.. sort of the "I like modern russian milspec".. Basically I like classic design but prefer poly to wood.

 

 

edit: after further reading I'm pretty convinced this poll completely failed based on peoples interpreations of modern tactical AK.. did you mean modern mispec AK? or an AK with modern tacticool enhancements covering it

 

People with the same opinion as me voted both ways out of confusion for which category "current milspec" falls into.. It mantains the classic silhoute of an AK.. and it sure as heck isn't tacti-cool.. but it's not wood either..

Edited April 22, 2010 by volkov

[denden 16]

edit: after further reading I'm pretty convinced this poll completely failed based on peoples interpreations of modern tactical AK.. did you mean modern mispec AK? or an AK with modern tacticool enhancements covering it

 

People with the same opinion as me voted both ways out of confusion for which category "current milspec" falls into.. It mantains the classic silhoute of an AK.. and it sure as heck isn't tacti-cool.. but it's not wood either..

I couldn't agree more. Let's toss this puppy out and start over with better guidance on what the options really mean.

[mgconnor13 206]

I like the wood look but a flash light and optics are nice to have. Hard one really. I like the qualities of both.

[BrutalGardener 205]

I like the AK-103 look on my SGL21 and came to the conclusion that it's best kept simple. It's a rather light, well-balanced weapon as is. The more crap you start adding to it, the more you destroy this equilibrium. I got rid of my quad rail, flashlight and vertical grip.

[whitetrashrn 74]

My first conversion was tacticool. I have a brand new 7.62 Saiga waiting for a conversion and a full set of Iron Wood. Best of both

worlds.

[t3mac21 1]

Classic

[-dW 2]

Why choose?

 

go ahead, you can have both! and if your wife gives you any shit tell her to bring you a sandwich..

[FatalSylence 8]

I like the modern better. All the black polymer and metal rails and sweet pistol grips and vertical grips and everything. It's just wicked.

[tire iron 13]

I think there are primarily three different types of AK owners.

 

1. Classic owners - they are more collectors - that may or may not shoot their rifles much. They appreciate the simpleness of the original AK. Some may like modern plastic furniture (as the modern AK's have) or some may prefer the more traditional wood stocks.

 

2. TacticOOl owners - they like their rifles all black - and loaded with accessories, like lasers, bipods, folding stocks, etc.

 

3. Tool owners - the category of AK owner views the AK as a tool. Something to be used to perhaps defend one's house and home. Now of course the other two categories could use the AK for that too - but the tool owner's PRIMARY REASON for owning an AK is for a fighting tool. These guns typically are a mixture of category 1 and category 2. Tool owners *probably* have an UltiMak rail with a red dot of some sort - and *probably* a lever on the safety - and *may* have a folding/collapsible stock - but only if it adds utility for the user - not for looks (unlike category #2). The "tool owners" guns may be painted with Walmart rattle can paint to make it more subdued and more of a color or colors found in nature, i.e. not black.

 

Which am I??

 

I am primarily a #3 - but I do have an AK that I am building that will be totally a #1 - with wood stocks (as much like an original AKM as I can get it without spending my 401k).

 

So - I wish we could vote multiple categories - as I would be a #1 and #3.

 

cheers

 

tire iron

[mgconnor13 206]

"Tool owners *probably* have an UltiMak rail with a red dot of some sort - and *probably* a lever on the safety - and *may* have a folding/collapsible stock - but only if it adds utility for the user - not for looks (unlike category #2). The "tool owners" guns may be painted with Walmart rattle can paint to make it more subdued and more of a color or colors found in nature, i.e. not black"

 

Funny you almost described my AK to a T right down to the wal-mart spray paint camo job. I'm a #3 guy/ practical redneck

 

My AK it a TOOL!!! It makes holes in things that needs holes to be put in them, I like to think of my AK as a high speed drill/ lead injector/ organ scrambler/ improvised club

Edited May 25, 2010 by Rusty truck

[Deaden 30]

I like both, but when I get my Saiga 7.62, I'm going to convert it to a classic AK. Love me some old school Kalashnikov.

[TO THE FLOOR IN A 63 121]

I prefer the plain black look of my 7.62x39 and the wood furnature on my S12...go figure.

[VladTepes 160]

prefer the classic LOOK.. but these are tools.. so what it looks like doesnt really matter a whole lot.. I guess that's why I run the Ultimak stuff... I do not generally keep 8 million accessories strapped all over it.. but like having the option to use additional accessories if the situation arises..

[davswn1986 7]

When I first got my X39 i was all about making it tactical. Bought the tapco pistol grip and m4 stock combo they make for saigas and even had a bushnell trophy red dot on it for a while. Took off the red dot. Now i'm looking into doing the conversion and really leaning towards polymer funiture for the classic look. Mostly because wood furniture gets pricey.

[corbin 621]

May I suggest a few other categories?

 

 

*Keep CLASSIC - Meaning wood furniture and only issued accessories.

 

*Maybe add MODERN CLASSIC - Meaning it retains the general outline of the AK, but with modern materials like synthetic furniture.

 

*MODERN - Meaning different style stocks, forends, but no lights, lasers, red dot scopes, etc.

 

MODERN TACTICAL - Basically a red dot or maybe a light added. Or perhaps a vertical grip. Not too tricked out, but by no means traditional.

 

ULTRA TACTICOOL - Fully tricked out setup with a quad rail, lights, lasers, optics, etc.

 

 

 

Just a thought

 

 

 

 

 

Corbin

[Tram 11]

I like both.. Oddly enough I felt I was more of a purist until I was recently playing COD 2 and have been waxing guys with a modernized AK..

 

I'll keep my Yugo and Bulgy classic.. My S12 is modern with classic composition.. I'm going to be converting a 7.62 soon.. It will be modernized..

[VaiFanatic90 360]

Classic all the way, I can't wait to get mine converted with the wood pg, hg and stock. There's just something about the wood on an AK that makes it much more appealing to me than using synthetic furniture.

[Azrial 1,091]

I am practical, I could care less when a good idea was originated. On the other hand, I have no problem with the direction that someone else takes their firearm.

[Stomper4x4 1]

Function over form. I love the traditional wood look, but my rifle is pretty much my MBR. I went with an adjustable butt stock so that it fits the various sized people in the family out at the range.

 

If it wasn't my #1 I would dress it up for looks.

 

Having said that, I don't have red dots and forward grips and stuff all over it. I keep it simple and that works well for me and I think ti works for this platform. These things aren't light to begin with so I try to keep it slim for all day carrying.

[hebbeclan 0]

I like modern but Ido like the origonal russian red colered wood but I dont like the ones like on the WASR 10

[VaiFanatic90 360]

Haha, I thought of taking a WASR-10 and giving the wood a Sapphire stain with a nice clear gloss over it.

[GeorgiaPD 408]

I'm totally stuck in the middle on this one. I am old enough to appreciate the classic lines, but young enough to use all of the new modern tactical accessories. So, I compromised and have purchased or built numerous variations of both

[Rhodes1968 1,638]

Function over form. I love the traditional wood look, but my rifle is pretty much my MBR. I went with an adjustable butt stock so that it fits the various sized people in the family out at the range.

 

If it wasn't my #1 I would dress it up for looks.

 

Having said that, I don't have red dots and forward grips and stuff all over it. I keep it simple and that works well for me and I think ti works for this platform. These things aren't light to begin with so I try to keep it slim for all day carrying.

 

+1 On this.

When the rifle is slated for survival flexibility and simplicity defines function. I set mine up for irons and low light use as well. There are a lot of little tricks to make life a bit easier like a little radium paint instead of more expensive solutions.