Do Navy SEALs use AK 47s?
As an avid military FPS gamer, few topics get me more excited than speculating whether elite special forces choose to wield the iconic AK-47 rifle or high-tech kit like the M4 carbine. Let‘s dive into the facts and see whether America‘s top frogmen pack the infamous "Kalash" or rely on Yankee quality to neutralize threats!
The Legendary Kalashnikov
With unrivaled dependability, punch, and affordability, the AK-47 rightfully earns its reputation as a gaming and real-world heavyweight. Terror groups and militaries alike rely on its ruggedness – able to eat mud, sand, and neglect while still blasting heavy 7.62mm rounds with reasonable accuracy. I‘d certainly keep an AK handy for zombie apocalypse loadouts!
In the hands of gamers and seasoned trigger pullers, few weapons deliver as much intimidating firepower for the size. Up close, hardly anything can match the spray-n-pray thrills of mercilessly unloading those iconic banana mags at blistering RPMs. The dated tech and manufacturing makes AKs perform worse at longer ranges compared to modern ARs. But developers often balance that by boosting damage per hit to keep them competitive.
M4 Platform – SEALs Specialty
As much fun as the AK-47 can be, I understand why the SEALs opt for the supremely flexible M4 family over Soviet steel. The M4A1 SOPMOD Block II serves as the SEAL‘s primary weapon – mounting optics, illuminators, and other attachments to customize for any mission. Shortened variants like the MK18 CQBR excel in close quarters while staying quiet and lightweight.
Where the AK-47 seems clunky by comparison, the M4 strikes an elegant balance between portability, customization, and accuracy at range. By mounting improved barrels, triggers, and muzzle devices, SEAL armories squeeze every bit of performance possible out of the M4‘s ergonomic frame. The ability to tweak and tailor keeps these carbines exceptionally competitive in multiplayer.
M4 vs. AK-47 Stats
| M4A1 SOPMOD | AK-47 | |
| Caliber | 5.56x45mm NATO | 7.62x39mm |
| Weight | 7.5 lb | 9.5 lb |
| Effective Range | 600+ m | 400+ m |
| Muzzle Velocity | 975 m/s | 715 m/s |
You can see even vanilla M4 specs generally beat the AK-47‘s tradeoffs of power for portability. The SEAL‘s upgraded SOPMOD M4s stretch practical engagement distances even further – though I‘d allow some fudging there in-game to keep things interesting!
"Baptism By Fire" – AK Use in Naval Special Warfare
Though AK-47s seem seldom used by modern SEAL units, looking back shows a history of special operators wielding Kalashnikovs when called for. Necessity has pressured frogmen to occasionally forgo standard kit in favor of erring towards reliability.
In 1970, lack of 5.56 rounds forced Israel‘s naval commandos in Shayetet 13 to adopt AKMs built domestically as the Galil rifle later replaced them. Decades earlier amidst WWII, the joint US-Canadian special unit Project Kayo made use of Russian PPsH-41 smgs begged from Soviet embassy guards after losing gear in a botched beach landing!
Stories like these emphasize mastery of foreign weapons as an underappreciated skill in special forces training. Braving adversity with an opponent‘s rusty AK builds character – even if SEAL fireteams overwhelmingly select upgraded M4s when available!
My Take As a Gamer
While I enjoy racking up killstreaks with the AK-47 in FPS titles, analyzing the statistics makes the M4 seem almost unfairly dominant outside hyper-close ranges. Yet I hesitate to declare the Kalash obsolete – history shows even Navy SEALs answer its crude siren call when the waters get rough and lose that precious American high-tech edge!
If stranded kitless behind enemy lines, would SEAL operators resort to scavenging foreign AK-47s and SVD Dragunovs? We see British SBS troopers wielding captured AKs alongside their standard SA80 rifles in one documentary covering a hostage rescue in Sierra Leone. Fact can inspire fiction!
At the end of the day, both platforms scratch very different itches. As much as I appreciate the M4 letting me tactically outgun enemies at range, mowing down endless bad guys with AK spray just hits the spot when I‘m feeling less patient. Even elite SEAL trigger pullers would likely agree – when your primary goes dry and Russian steel is all you‘ve got, you point and shoot!
