As American citizens, I think we should all be able to purchase and own rifles as long as we don't have a record of felony criminal acts. Pistols, as much as I would like to see sold as freely, are too commonly used in crime. A waiting period and background check for these is prudent.

Surplus eastern block weapons are a good start to the shooting hobby for an economical price. The 7.62 short ammo is a good all purpose round, with decent power and accuracy. It will easily bring down most medium sized game. The ammo is cheap and readily available, and it makes a good target weapon to learn on. As long as the weapon was well maintained, it should be very reliable.