Ak-47

HIEROPHANT

Hi all,
Excuse the stupid question, I was just wondering: has anybody ever fired with an AK-47 or a similar assault rifle? Is there any place (in the world), where you can walk in and try an AK-47 at the shooting range?

I know there is no lawful ownership at least in the Western Countries, but do shooting-range with assault rifle exist in the world?

thanks

(I know I will be mocked )

DamoKen

my brother was backpacking around Vietnam a few years back and he was offered the chance to fire off a magazine in an AK 47 at a live cow for 50 dollars. Alternatively he could take the more adventurous option and toss a live grenade at the poor thing. Needless to say he politely declined both offers.

Dr Strange

I believe China has public firing ranges for the "enjoyment of the general public". As far as I can remember you can use assault rifles and even heavier stuff as well.

Rew

Alot of Eastern European contries you can fire them as a blackmarket tourist attraction.

Certain parts of the US its no problem to walk in and shoot one. Vietnam and some other asian countries have that and other shooting as tourist attractions. Depends on the State Las Vegas/Nevada comes to mind as an obvious one.

I was in China earlier in the year and found out too late that there is a range just outside Beijing where you can fire anythign from a .22 to a mortor or RPG, you just have to pay for the ammo. It would be well out side the relms of the average Chinease citizans affordability though.

Rovi

As Rew says, there are plenty of places in the States to do this.

I can personally recommend Discount Firearms Inc., 3084 S. Highland, #B, Las Vegas, NV 89109.
Nice people, and lots of cool stuff.
Closed Sunday, go early in the week to avoid the weekend rush.

Bananaman

Automatic Firearms are illegal here in Ireland tho.

I'm interested to know why you are looking?

Are you planning to organise your Holidays around somewhere that offers this facility?

B'Man

Rew

Bananaman wrote: »

Automatic Firearms are illegal here in Ireland tho.

Illeagle in European Union as a whole AFAIK.

rabbitinlights

I shot a range of weapons (including an AK) at a shooting range just outside of Phnom Penh in Cambodia in January. It was pretty strict and was well run, they even give you a nice menu to browse while you waiting!! It was $40 for the gun and as much ammo as you wanted for .50c each.

I also threw a Grenade into a shallow quarry for $30 which was loads of fun. I could not quite strech to the RPG at $200, as I wanted to shoot a few different style guns. My personal fav was the full auto blast on an M16, although the H&K MP5 was pretty cool. Most of the modern weapons seem to be coming in from Russia according to a guy working there.

The whole blowing up cows with RPGs etc has been stopped for about 10 years now, Im not saying its totally stopped, but you would be paying upwards of at least $600 (probably $1000) at least if you could find someone sick enough to let you.

DamoKen

rabbitinlights wrote: »

The whole blowing up cows with RPGs etc has been stopped for about 10 years now, Im not saying its totally stopped, but you would be paying upwards of at least $600 (probably $1000) at least if you could find someone sick enough to let you.

was just thinking reading that and realised it was 1999 when he was there, so for a few years ago read 8! Yeah he thought much the same, pretty sick thing to be doing alright. Maybe I got the price wrong too, though he said 50 but could just as easily been 500

Rew

rabbitinlights wrote: »

Most of the modern weapons seem to be coming in from Russia according to a guy working there.

Maybe in Cambodia but generally I wouldnt think that was the case globally.

HIEROPHANT

Bananaman wrote: »

I'm interested to know why you are looking?

Are you planning to organise your Holidays around somewhere that offers this facility?

B'Man

Well, I like to travel. I was planning to go on holiday in some Eastern-Europe coutries, and later on maybe in places like Turkey or Morocco.
As there are huge armoury in the ex-Soviet countries, I was wondering if could be possible to have the experience to try an AK-47.

Of course my idea would be not only to do something legal, but also (relatively) safe, like in an authorized shooting range. Otherwise I think I would fear the bullet to explode in my hands (I know a guy who lost a finger in the army, like 20-30 years ago, because his rifle "exploded" in his hands, due to a flaw of the bullet).

I know all this can sounds childish, and I would not travel just for this, but could be a nice experience in a holiday I would have had anyway.

Thank you all for the useful information.
Unfortunately looks like I would have to travel much farther away than I hoped.

regards

rabbitinlights

Rew wrote: »

Maybe in Cambodia but generally I wouldnt think that was the case globally.

I was just talking about that particular shooting range!!

stevoman

yes my parents went to veitnam a few years ago and they went on a tour around where they went to see all the viet congs tunnels and the like. there was a range there and they were allowed to shoot an ak47, it cost one american dollar per bullet. he bought himself a magazines worth and belted away for a few minutes, he said he enjoyed it.

about being offered to shoot a cow with one or a hand grenade, im not saying whoever wrote that is fibbing, buts its about the third time i have heard that story, all from unreliable sources, but i could be mistaken.

Rew

stevoman wrote: »

about being offered to shoot a cow with one or a hand grenade, im not saying whoever wrote that is fibbing, buts its about the third time i have heard that story, all from unreliable sources, but i could be mistaken.

Its well known to happen, I know somone reliable who was offered it.

Rew

rabbitinlights wrote: »

I was just talking about that particular shooting range!!

Ahh right sorry, makes sense

DamoKen

stevoman wrote: »

about being offered to shoot a cow with one or a hand grenade, im not saying whoever wrote that is fibbing, buts its about the third time i have heard that story, all from unreliable sources, but i could be mistaken.

I'd say my brother would be a reliable source, not much reason for him to lie anyway. Lot of stories from travelling around the region, have a few myself from when I was over that way and you generally don't need to make stuff up.

meathstevie

Don't know what your chances would be to licence a semi-automatic or straight pull version in Ireland for target shooting purposes ? Deffo a big "don't like the look of that" factor. The makers of the AK make a semi-auto hunting rifle based on the Dragunov action as well, chances of licencing that are probably a lot more realistic...

Mellor

Is it not possible to legally own one of these in the US?

Assualt weapons were illegal for a few years but the law ran out and wasn't reinstated.
So assualt weapons are ok, as long as they comply with a few things. Not sure of the whole list but its things like flash suppressors and colaspable stocks. Is the AK outside this.

Illkillya

DamoKen wrote: »

my brother was backpacking around Vietnam a few years back and he was offered the chance to fire off a magazine in an AK 47 at a live cow for 50 dollars. Alternatively he could take the more adventurous option and toss a live grenade at the poor thing. Needless to say he politely declined both offers.

Are you sure this wasn't in Cambodia? I haven't heard about it in Vietnam, although I know this is still happening in Cambodia, although I think it's $100 to kill the cow.

I fired an AK47 in Vietnam by the Cu Chi tunnels, it was $1 per bullet... not at a cow of course.

stevoman

DamoKen wrote: »

I'd say my brother would be a reliable source, not much reason for him to lie anyway. Lot of stories from travelling around the region, have a few myself from when I was over that way and you generally don't need to make stuff up.

dont get me wrong i was'nt sayin you where lying, i just heard the same story from a few lads before and they would be known to tell many a tall tale, so i was scepticle about beleiving it

Dr_Teeth

Mellor wrote: »

Is it not possible to legally own one of these in the US?

Assualt weapons were illegal for a few years but the law ran out and wasn't reinstated.
So assualt weapons are ok, as long as they comply with a few things. Not sure of the whole list but its things like flash suppressors and colaspable stocks. Is the AK outside this.

It hasn't been legal to own an automatic weapon in the U.S. for some time now, with the exception of weapons that existed before the ban date (some time in 1984 I believe) which are classed as "transferable" and can be bought subject to state law, paperwork, a federal taxes etc.

The "assault weapon ban" you refer to had nothing to do with automatic weapons, it was mostly "scary looking semi-auto rifles ban". Now that it has lapsed you can easily buy rifles that *look* like AK-47s and M16s in the U.S., but are not fully automatic.

Mellor

I know fully automatic weapons have been banned for quite a while.
That is why I said "assault weapon", strictly speaking the term assault weapon refers to semi-auto weapons that were based on fully auto models, such as a Tec-9. But Law often includes other guns by name.
When I refered to assualt weapons I was refering to semi auto models of the AK47, puriest could refer to these are "only looking like" Aks, but strictly speaking they are AKs in terms of manufacture and name. Fully auto models or models with a fully auto mode would still be banned.

alan123

DamoKen wrote: »

my brother was backpacking around Vietnam a few years back and he was offered the chance to fire off a magazine in an AK 47 at a live cow for 50 dollars. Alternatively he could take the more adventurous option and toss a live grenade at the poor thing.

Legend!!!


Isnt it the case that you can buy automatic weapons in most states in the US but they have been modified to make them semi-autos. Needless to say there is no shortage of hick militia groups that will "unmodify" it for you for a small fee!

Rew

Alan I think you are watching too much TV and this threads run its course.

Its a pretty horific way for a cow to go and shouldn't be supported.