Reply #79: Yes. IDENTICAL to a Ruger Mini Thirty intermediate-caliber deer rifle.

[benEzra]

And since I own a non-automatic civilian AK and have owned a Ruger Mini-14 in the past, I can speak directly to that comparison.

Ruger Mini Thirty, intermediate-caliber deer rifle:

Saiga (non-automatic civilian AK in a traditional 1800's-style straight stock):




My SAR-1 (non-automatic civilian AK in 1950's style stock):





Same caliber (7.62x39mm, similar to .30-30 Winchester).
Same rate of fire (once and only once when the trigger is pulled).
Same ammunition. Same range of magazine capacities.
Same accuracy (or if anything, the AK is better).
Same effective range.
Same (and relatively low) velocity and kinetic energy.
Same hunting utility and legality.

The main difference is, the deer rifle's gas system is upside down compared to the civilian AK's, allowing the gas piston assembly to be covered below the barrel by a cowboy-style wooden stock instead of being more visible above the barrel like it is on the civilian AK's.

Actual military AK-47's, and all other automatic weapons or those easily converted to automatic fire, are as tightly controlled in the United States as howitzers, tanks, and rocket launchers.