To each their own. A lot of my group like the AK-97 family because, well, they know it. They've seen it in movies all the time. (I'm the only gun nut in my group.).
Some players might like the Colt M-Family of Assault Rifles knowing they're lighter weight with the same caliber (Or same damage, close enough.).
An Ares Alpha is probably the equivalent of "'Runner Bling", only useful (Add the magic "Recoil Compensation Due To Design" and everyone drools over it.). It proves you're bad enough to own one. I'd prefer a Masterkey system to an underbelly grenade launcher myself, but that's just because I really don't see much use to launched grenades on most Shadowruns, while shotguns can always be effective in some cases.
AK-97s are handy because they make great "Disposable Weapons". They're cheap and plentiful, as long as you get the right type (Watch out for the knock-offs! Their quality control goes right down!), so having to strip down one and drop it into various sewers and dumpsters doesn't hurt the budget so badly when it gets too much heat on it. It'd advise External Modifications for it, get a Top-Mounted rather than integrated Smartgun Link for example, and you can move the important and expensive parts from weapon to weapon.
