cross-posted from: https://lemmygrad.ml/post/7638494

Political power grows out of the barrel of a gun. Not necessarily an AK or SKS, but the gun that suits your material conditions. As materialists, we know that social and material conditions determine our options for strategy and praxis. For example, for a proletarian in the US to purchase an $800 AK pattern rifle or SKS (especially if it’s in 5.45x39 or 7.62x39) for their first or primary rifle simply because they like the aesthetics and origin of the gun is often times anti-materialist and pointless. An analysis of the of the US will reveal that one can acquire an AR-15 pattern rifle for under $500 and an optic for ~$100, as well as that 5.56/.223 is by far the most prevalent and cheapest intermediate cartridge in the country, both in stores and in usage by other people. That paired with the ubiquity of AR parts and mags makes the AR-15 quite literally “the people’s rifle” of the Unites States.

AKs, AK parts, and AK ammunition are more archaic and expensive, not only requiring more money to acquire them but also making finding ammunition and spare parts for your rifle in a potential domestic conflict far more difficult.

Now, I will admit that in AR-ban states, an SKS with AK mags may be the best option for a semi-automatic rifle in an intermediate cartridge.

A material analysis will determine what the best guns to equip progressive and proletarian forces of a country are. I’m not policing or telling you what gun to buy, but I am recommending people to approach the situation materially and not ideally. If you happen to want to buy a Makarov, Tokarev, Mosin, or whatever as collectors pieces and have a surplus of money, then whatever. But relying on these weapons, particularly in the US, should be resisted.