Accurate? Killer number 47

Pistols, SMGs, Shotguns... finished. The only two catergories left are Rifles and Sniper Rifles- I don't use Machine-guns. I would be shooting myself in the foot if I were to lug around one of those. But rifles? If you look at them, they are not as heavy, and neither do they lack in firepower, rate of fire whatsoever. Well, today I'm going to present to you a gun made for the 50s and 60s, yet still dots the globe in usage and... headshots. I'm sure I need not mention the name, the looks of it should set off the sparks in your mind, and your interest:




The brainchild of Kalashnikov, the brain-killer of thousands- Ak-47. In the world of Counter-strike, this piece of wood and metal is no different. I'm sure many of you are pretty much well acquainted with this rifle, both behind and in front of the elaborate barrel. But for the benefit of the new and naive, and the benefit of those who are perhaps still mystified by its power, I won't leave this out of this blog. To learn the secrets of this gun, and some weaknesses that you could take advantage of, read on...

Firepower: Despite where its age might be shooting at, the AK-47 has perhaps the highest firepower among the rifles. Through personal experience and field observation, I have seen a bullet from this gun do 20+ to 30+ damage- which means 3-4 bullets to the chest for a kill, as opposed to the normal 4-5 bullet kill of other rifles. But what made the gun popular was its ability to silence people with a single bullet in the skull. The damage level is high enough to be multiplied into a sure-kill single bullet to the head, with or without helmet. Anyone could fall prey to the lucky bullet, from downright raw recruits all the way to international experts.

Accuracy: Due to the outrageous recoil (as compared to other rifles), the accuracy of this gun would diminish rapidly with every bullet after the first 2 or 3 bullets fired, making it useless at medium to infinite range. But that disadvantage could easily be eliminated by firing in singles or triples with rests in between. While doing so, the bullets you fire would pretty much obey your sights. However, at point-blank range to medium range, you could circumvent the inaccuracy by pointing the gun below the chest, ensuring that the stray bullets from your guns would put holes in your opponent's torso and face.

Range: The range varies with how you use it. If you fire in bursts of 1 or 2 bullets, it would easily be possible to snipe out a victim at far range. But if you were to fire 3 to 5 bullets in one go, expect no results unless the the enemy is at medium. At full automatic, expect absolutely no results unless the enemy is very close to you.

Clip Size: A standard banana magazine for the AK47 would hold 30 7.62mm bullets, which would be enough to hold off an enemy charge. Try to restrict your consumption whenever you suspect an enemy plot to swarm you. As long as you fire in automatic mode in a desperate attempt to save yourself from the guy below, you would unknowingly run out of ammunition. Perhaps 6-10 bullets per nearby enemy would do fine. Retreat when you really run out of ammo. Repeat if you think you're capable and healthy enough.

Ammo Pool: You would be able to carry another 90 bullets in your pocket. More than enough to last you through a match, even a long skirmish between 20 CTs and 20 Terrorists.

Rate of Fire: The AK-47 has a relatively low rate of fire, lower than all the other rifles. This could actually be used to your advantage. The slower rate of fire means you could control better how many bullets you want to fire. Control is part of the formula to victory. But, the low rate of fire could also mean a slight disadvantage at close range whenever you want to go auto, against other rifles, as the other rifles could fire faster, especially the FAMAS, which has a dangerously high rate of fire of almost double of the AK-47.

Reload Time: Another happy feature of the AK-47 is its ability to reload fast, much faster than any other rifle as no bolts or levers would need to be pulled or pressed, pushed whatsoever. This would mean a better chance against being swarmed, as faster reload means better reaction whenever you're out of bullets. But as always, never try to reload under fire without cover.

Cost: Reputable partially due to its cheap price at $2500 (The M4A1 costs $3100 while the Steyr Aug is $3500), the AK-47 is easily affordable, and highly cost effective in terms of firepower. The cut in the price is due to the recoil perhaps.

Weight: However, the heavy nature of the gun could be a problem, as it weighs more than any other rifle, which would automatically translate to slow movement. This may make you easier to hit, so do not let your enemies catch you in the open. Jump behind a crate or a wall if you can, otherwise, stay behind to reduce your chances of getting hit.

So, in summary, the AK-47 is not very versatile, but cost effective due to its high firepower and conditionally high accuracy (For as long as you don't fire in full automatic, the accuracy would stay high), plus quick reload speed. In order to use it well, consider the following:

1) Aim for the head- a single bullet would down a person, with or without a helmet.

2) Fire in singles or doubles at far range. Anymore bullets would reduce your accuracy, making the third bullet and more useless, and you more vulnerable to enemy fire.

3)At medium range, feel free to unload 3-5 bullets. Do not fire in automatic mode as the accuracy would drop to oblivion.

4)However, you could circumvent the inaccuracy by aiming below the chest. The stray bullets will hit the torso and sometimes the head.

5) Fire automatically only at point-blank range to near range. But try to limit yourself to 7-10 bullets per person, especially when you're engaged by a group of enemies.

6) Hide behind cover, as your low speed would make you vulnerable in the open. Switching to a pistol would only make you more vulnerable via the low firepower and rate of fire.