RFI: Switching Calibers/Rifles/Platforms/Systems/Whatever (AK to AR)?

This is more of a RFA: request for advice. My first, and only rifle, is an AK. I bought it a few years ago. At the time, it (maybe) looked like the AK was going to take off in the US. I wanted a "general purpose"/home defense rifle that I didn't need to be obsessive about maintaining (not that I couldn't/wouldn't do normal maintenance), and that would be cost effective to operate if I wanted to go out and just shoot. I also (possibly mistakenly) wanted to be a little different.

Well, now it's a few years later, and I'm having second thoughts.

The AK market, while better, didn't seem to take off as much as I thought it would. Whenever I go out shooting, I'm the only one with an AK, so, yeah, I'm the special snowflake. I'm becoming increasingly concerned that it will get harder and harder to get parts if anything goes wrong, and 7.62x39 ammo isn't that much cheaper than something like .223/5.56. This being the American market, almost everything carbine (products, training, etc.) seems slanted toward the AR-15, so I would be looking to switch to one of those.

So, on one hand, once I would get into the AR-15 market, it would be much easier to deal with, but getting my money out of what I have would be a royal pain in the ass.

Advice?

...and "get/keep both" is not really a good option for me, for various reason (financial/relationship/etc).

Don't overthink this. If you want an AR, sell the AK and drive on.

What changes are you looking to make to your AK setup that the current aftermarket doesn't address?

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Originally Posted by DanM

What changes are you looking to make to your AK setup that the current aftermarket doesn't address?

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That's a good question. I don't think my current setup has any real deficiencies right now, I more worried about longer-term issues: ammo cost/availability, parts availability, can I get adequate training; that kind of stuff.

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Originally Posted by Hambo

Don't overthink this. If you want an AR, sell the AK and drive on.

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It's not really that I have a burning desire for an AR, it's the nagging doubt that I made the wrong choice.

What is the purpose/use of the rifle?

Serious use base AKs and ARs aren't far apart in price.

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Originally Posted by schüler

What is the purpose/use of the rifle?

Serious use base AKs and ARs aren't far apart in price.

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Mainly home defense in an urban area and recreational shooting.

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Originally Posted by Guerrero

That's a good question. I don't think my current setup has any real deficiencies right now, I more worried about longer-term issues: ammo cost/availability, parts availability, can I get adequate training; that kind of stuff.

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I don't know enough about AK maintenance/parts replacement to comment on spare parts availability. AKs definitely win on ammo cost for practice/training ammo. SGAmmo has cases upon cases of 7.62x39 steel case for the cost of 9mm fmj. The only AK specific class I can think of is Larry Vickers' but most of the prominent trainers allow AKs in their carbine classes. @Hizzie just posted an AAR for a John McPhee class in which he used an AK and John was able to improve his shooting.

I am no expert on the market for used AKs, but I suspect that how much money you get for it might depend on what brand of AK you have, and what (if any) mods/after market parts you have on it.

My gut feeling is that .223/5.56 ammo is probably easier to find anywhere in the US than 7.62x39, although 7.62x39 is not exactly rare.

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Originally Posted by Guerrero

Mainly home defense in an urban area and recreational shooting.

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If things are bad enough that you need the rifle then you may not have opportunity to obtain more of any caliber - what you have in hand is all you can really count on.

If you don't have a way to stock up then yes, import availability is a concern with x39. First thing I thought of when the trade tariff talk starred.

If a very low probability event occurs 5.56 makes more sense to me.

AR "pistol" or rifle with pinned 14.5 (if legal locally) sounds like the ticket. Plus a weight/recoil difference that matters to some people. Now is a good time. Recent events have stabilized fair prices for semi autos and availability isn't bad.

If the AK really is sunk cost for whatever reasons then it may be better to keep it and unload it at the next black gun blitz.