Re: why not an AK?
Having used several AKs in my life from conscript time to pleasure shooting time all i can say is most of the comments here are false and caused by lack of knowledge and to some degree skill with irons.
Before someone lets steam off lets clarify; yes AR platform is inherently more accurate than AK platform no argument there...
Most of you seem to judge various rifles by accuracy measured in MOAs and kind of staying one dimensional much like carriage horses with their blinds on. There is accuracy and then there is accuracy and comparing/demanding from gas rifles accuracy of custom built bolt guns or from mass produced infantry weapons surgeon precision is a major failure on your part to properly identify and judge strengths and weaknesses. In Europe this is discussion between Tigers and T34s some die hard german engineering fans will get all red and coronary about quality of their equipment forgetting simple fact that numbers (cost nowadays) also count. And comparing AK (cheapest here in EU is CZ 858 - not really an AK design much more like Stg44 and Saiga -> 280€-500€) to HK, Sig or AR (going from 1500-2600€) without incorporating costs is mildly put unfair.
As for accuracy:
I've shot, CZ 858m Yugo M70(both ab1/2), Yugo M72, Bulgarian AK47, Saiga (M3 exp version folder which i own). When i was conscript most of the rifles we've had were piss poor due to the fact average Joe here is an absolute asshole when it comes to government or not his property but still if one did his part 5 shot groups with Yugo ammo were below 10cm on average somewhere around 7cm however most people shot around 20cm (maybe had 2/3 in a group and the rest scattered or worse). Yugo Ak was excellent in auto fire as it seems to have thicker barrel (different steel) then rest of them and it didn't get very hot. Minus for Yugo is lack of chrome lined barrel which got severely pitted (again average Joe or Janez here "care") and weren't replaced as they should've been. M72 is an AK platform with bipod and longer barrel and used as squad support weapon (dunno the logic behind it as we didn't have drums for them - or just weren't issued) and with proper bipod loading/locking it would EASILY shoot below 5cm@100m and most people did great with it. Bulgarian crap AK was chrome lined plastic (Bakelite) gun which although shot somewhere the same i believe it's barrel would melt after couple of magazines on full auto (fired 10 shots in FA and started smoking and was basically baking...). CZ 858 and Saiga were/are both shot recently and getting 5cm groups on both is quite doable (i'll admit that my shooting could be better) just not all the time.
Problem with AK irons is in shape of rear sight and thick front post. U shaped rear and cylinder in front just doesn't allow for precise placement on target (but it works great on silhouette style targets - what it was designed for) also ergonomics are poor and getting constant cheek weld can be a struggle. With Kobra sight or POSP accuracy can be achieved even if one isn't familiar with irons or doesn't want to train shooting them.
I really don't see the point in trying to shoot for groups with an AK and then bitching it won't do submoa with 20c ammo and comparing 300€ gun to a 2500€ gun and again bitching its crap. Is Ak sniper weapon yeah only when sniper looses his primary weapon, no sane soldier will go shooting an AK beyond 400m, is it doable sure when having fun with friends at the range but that's it. I think both platforms have pluses and minuses and to some who prefer precision AR will be more appealing however my opinion is that for infantry weapon AK is better platform because of the price and reasonable accuracy. Philosophy that making cheapest weapon that will do the job adequately is closer to me than striving for engineering perfection at any cost. The latter works for civilians and armies that can afford it however in SHTF on a global scale first philosophy wins or had won...
PS: Irons on AK should be sighted @ 100m to 10cm high if one wants to shoot groups (we in Europe shoot @ ISSF 50m pistol target which has black circle with diameter of 20cm so 10cm up gets you an X) as lining up sights with circle on top is more precise (in AK terms
) than having 100m@zero and aiming to a middle of a black ring. 10cm up @100m is also a 200m zero which is quite usable as for 300m you are 70cm lower and with setting of 2 you'll be 20up@100, 20up@200 and 10down@300. 3 will be for 400m+ with being around 20-30down depends on ammo.