They're probably using com-bloc weaponry more than anything, since the sheeple (read "TV-watching masses") over here think that stuff is scarier-looking.
Most of the sheeple, including the idiots who run the newspapers and many police, can't tell the difference between an SKS and an AK. True.
Ugh, the term "sheeple" is so elitist and obnoxious.
Secondly, there's nothing wrong with people not knowing the difference between two esoteric things.
Regarding an SKS being mistaken for an assault rifle:
Compare this:
and
* Wooden stock
* Large curved magazine (aftermarket for the SKS)
* Gas tube on top
* Large raised front sight
* Russian markings on receiver
And to complete the "menacing" illusion, just swap the wooden stock on the SKS for one of these:
At a glance, they're pretty similar.You'd have to know about either weapon to make the distinction, because on the surface they look pretty similar. We all know that the AK is fully automatic and has a detachable magazine, whereas the SKS is semi-auto and has a fixed mag. However, you can't tell that just by looking at the thing. Details such as the safety / selector switch aren't immediately obvious unless you what to look for.
The problem is when the news anchor or expert starts guess-timating what is being shown. They're just being fed whatever the writer is giving them, and the writers write to boost ratings. Quite frankly, "assault weapon" turns a lot more heads than "old cosmoline-encrusted rifle".
