Aks are not practical at all. They are a very hi-powered, ruggedly constructed assault weapon. Home defense? The round, basically a .308 , will go through your adversary, the wall( studs too) your kid in the next room, the TV, through the next wall, into the neighbors house, through their cat, through the next wall, through the Mustang in the garage , through that wall, into the next garage, and bounce off the 2010 SS sitting there. The point is, its overkill for any application other than open range killing. Same with anything that shoots a .223 , which is actually a DEADLIER round, because it tumbles, and its supersonic, like the 308. When it hits a human, it will bounce around inside and tear organs to pieces. M-16s and Ruger Mini-14s are the primary weapons you see that fire that round. The best home defense weapon is a 12 guage pump. The racking will make any intruder crap their pants, you cant miss, and in close quarter combat, the spread pattern is approx. a foot . Tex should give away 12 guage pumps, not something that an untrained civilian will kill himself or someone else with. Jeesh. Just because you CAN , doesnt mean you SHOULD...