AK47 vs AR15

Here is a side by side comparison on AK47 & AR15 tactical rifles. I have both & enjoy shooting both but there are some clear differences. I will discuss topics dealing with accuracy, dependability, extras, & who uses them. This is not "this gun is better than that gun" but it will show their strengths & weaknesses.

Who Made Them


AK47 -
Former Soviet Union tank driver, Mikhail Kalashnikov created the AK47 in 1947.

AR15 -
A chief engineer at ArmaLite, Eugene Stoner created the AR15 from a scaled down AR10 in 1960. This platform includes the M16, M4, C7, & C8.




Tolerances


AK47 -
The AK47 was designed to be loose on purpose. These loose tolerances make it where foreign materials do not interfere with the moving parts. This allows the rifle to shoot consistently without any lubrication or cleaning. Milled AK's are heavy & the stamped sheet ones are around 2.5lbs lighter.

AR15 -
The AR15 was designed with very tight tolerances. All the parts are precision made so there is immense friction when chambered & fired. If the rifle is not maintained regularly it will malfunction. AR's are extremely light to the point that it feels like a toy.



Accuracy & Feel


AK47 -
The AK uses the 7.62X39mm round. This round has a large diameter but a short length. This causes the round to fire slow & for short distances. This design was intentional because the fighting in WWII was close combat. Due to the size of the 7.62 & the loose tolerances of the rifle, it is accurate for about 300 yards. The groupings will usually not be extremely tight as well. There is significant recoil but several accessories help control it, especially the AK74 muzzle brake.

AR15 -
The AR uses the .223 Remington or the 5.56X45mm NATO round. This is a very high speed round that is accurate to around 600 yards. Adding the tight tolerances of the rifle ensure that any missed shots are all operator error. This accuracy eventually made the Russians adopt the 5.45X39mm round for the AK74 & AKM. Recoil is almost non-existant which makes it great for keeping the target in the cross hairs.



Accessories


AK47 -
As time goes on & the AK gains popularity, the number of accessories will increase. Currently the AK after market is filled with polymer & tactical furniture, folding stocks, side & top rails, & ultra-capacity magazines. While all these accessories are great, they do very little to improve the actual use of the gun. Adding a rail for a optic is great but the loose tolerances may make it hard to keep a zero. Also, the AK is heavy to start out with; Adding mounts, rails, optics, lasers, & flashlights will make it a chore to carry.

AR15 -
The AR has so many accessories that its ridiculous. One company, Magpul, is dedicated to art of the AR. They carry flip-up sights, an extended bolt release, & a multitude of tactical stocks. Many companies produce very intricate rail systems & free floating systems that sometimes cost more than the rifle itself. The tight tolerances help keep a zero on an optic.  AR's can also be easily converted to fire other calibers as well.


Conversion

AK47 -
The AK cannot easily be converted to shoot a different caliber, nor is there a market for this.

AR15 -
There are so many calibers that can use the AR platform that it make me giddy. The AR can accept upper assemblies in .22LR, 9mm, .45ACP, 7.62X39mm (AK47), 5.45X39mm (AK74/AKM), 300 AAC Blackout, .458 SOCOM, 6.8X43mm Remington, & the .50 Beowulf. A full description of these conversions can be found here: http://gunsnpigs.blogspot.com/2012/05/ar-15-upper-conversions-22-9-458-762-50.html


Reliability


AK47 -
The AK has been proven to work in every environment that armies have placed it in. The actual testing of the AK included throwing sand, mud, & water into the bolt & chamber. It will fire if two conditions are met: The bolt carrier can be kicked open due to rust or debris & if you have a magazine with ammo.

AR15 -
The AR has been proven to work in most environments. It is prone to malfunctions in wet & colder areas. The tight tolerances also cause it to stop working when debris gets into the bolt assembly & chamber. The AR platform has improved its reliability over time put only a handfull of Desert AR's are able to match the AK's reliability.


Who Uses It?


There's a misconception that only U.S. uses the AR platform. In actuality over 90 countries use the AR & some of them are not our friends. Most of these same also countries use AK, including the U.S. which sometimes give them to their special forces. Many clandestine groups use AK's because they are cheap to get because The russians gave away millions of them during the Cold War.

AK Platform Countries: All Countries & Militant groups

AR Platform Countries (Colt Countries List): 90+ Countries

My Thoughts

I really enjoy shooting both style rifles. I personally do not care about the accuracy issue because I can't see past 300 yards & if i really needed to shoot something that far away, i'd use an AR10. Some people say "AK's are for anyone that can pick up a gun & AR's are for professional shooters"; This attempt at an insult only shows how unprepared that person is for a combat situation. The ability to pick up a gun & not have to be trained on it, not have to worry about cleaning or lubing it, not having to worry about it jamming is everything, & still be able to shoot tight groups at 300 yards makes the AK my personel favorite. The reason that the AR15 was given to the U.S. soldiers was because they wasted 100 million rounds early in vietnam war, using M16's. The accuracy issue is mute to me because long distance fighting died in WWI.

On the other hand, being able to convert the AR into another caliber to suit my needs is amazing. To be able to go from a .22LR to a .50 Beowulf makes it a powerful tool. You can go from target practice, to sniper, to blowing up engine blocks with the same rifle. Plus the fact that the rifle is so light, even with all those accessories on it.