Best Personal Defense Weapon: AK vs. AR

What platform offers the best personal defense weapon? Is it the AK or the AR? That's the question Guns & Ammo's experts are pondering in this provocative Direct Fire segment from Guns & Ammo TV.

One of the primary points of consideration between an AK and the AR as a personal defense weapon is reliability. Reliability comes from consistent feeding of ammunition and the AK would seem to have an advantage their because of its tapered rounds but advancements in AR ammo has made that debate much less sticky largely due to the inclusion of the .300 Whisper/Blackout.

Adding an optic is much simpler as well on the AR platform thanks to its rail system and plethora of accessories from lights to scopes.

Another key consideration: maintenance. The AK was designed to perform under dirty, nasty conditions and does so with gusto. The AR, on the other hand, is a "maintenance hog" that will require plenty of cleaning and care to ensure top performance.

To solve the debate you simply have to understand the point of a personal defense weapon: It's a weapon you can fire quickly, accurately and under duress.

The AK may have the edge in reliability while the AR gets the nod for accuracy and versatility.

What's your choice?