January 11, 2008: While the AK-47 is
famous, it is not all that popular once users have some money and a little
choice. Such has been the case in Afghanistan, where drug gangs can now afford
expensive American, European and Israeli weapons. A top line Western sniper
rifle can cost over a thousand dollars, although an old G-3 (a Cold War era
7.62mm long rifle), or more modern weapon of the same caliber, can be had for
less. Anyone carrying an AK-47 is looked down, because a beat up model can be
had for less than $20. Afghanistan is full of AK-47s, thanks to the Russian
army, the Egyptians, Israelis (who all
sent in assault rifles during the 1980s) and the Taliban (who brought in more
in the 1990s).
In many countries, like Lebanon or
Colombia, late model AKs (of different calibers) cost as much as Western
weapons (($500-$1,000). In Pakistan, there are so many cheap AK-47s coming
across the border from Afghanistan, that the price is under $300. In parts of
the world where there used to be a lot of action, but there is no longer much,
and there was no large-scale turn-in of weapons, there are a lot of elderly,
and cheap, AK-47s available. In Uganda, you can get an AK-47 for less than
$200. In Cambodia, it's under $50.
One problem with the AK-47 is that it's
a lousy hunting weapon, unless you fix the sights, or practice, and burn a lot of ammo (which costs
about 20 cents a round, not cheap for a part of the world where most people
live on a buck or two a day). The AK-47 is mainly good for shooting, at close
range, people who are not moving much.
Wild animals are more elusive, and require a more precise firearm to bring
down.
