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August 2008

Semi-Autos for Self-Defense, and Fun: Pick Arsenal’s AK

The leader on the front nine was unquestionably Century Arms’s C15 Sporter AR-15 clone, but a massive stoppage killed our enthusiasm for it. Ruger’s KMini-14/5 was solid, but ho-hum.

Many shooters want a lightweight, handy 223 carbine for self-defense—and that means reasonable accuracy, a good trigger, shooter friendliness, and ease of handling. In self-defense use, reliability is paramount, but the gun has to have enough accuracy to hit what it's aimed at.

There are several potential solutions to this firearms problem, one of which is the Ruger KMini-14/5 Ranch Rifle ($894), and we can't ignore the hoary AR-15–type rifle, which in this test will be a parts gun assembled by Century Arms—the $795 C15 Sporter. …

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