The AK-47 and AK-74 are both Russian-made assault rifles designed past Mikhail Kalashnikov. The AK in the name refers to Kalashnikov (K) automatic (A) rifles and the numbers refer to the year in which they were designed (1947 and 1974). In 1978, the Soviet Wedlock began replacing their AK-47 and AKM rifles with a newer design, the AK-74.

Comparison chart

AK-47 versus AK-74 comparison chart
Edit this comparison chart AK-47 AK-74
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AK-47 AK-74
Type Assault rifle (semi-automatic, full-auto available in US to sure federal licensees) Sport utility rifle (semiautomatic just; no imported fully automated examples)
Cartridge 7.62x39mm 5.45x39mm
Action Gas-operated, rotating bolt (Long Stroke Gas Piston) Gas-operated, rotating bolt
Sights Adjustable iron sights, 100–800 metre adjustments, 378 mm (fourteen.9 in) sight radius Adaptable fe sights, front post and rear notch on a scaled tangent, Flip-upwardly sight and forepart cylindrical mail (AKS-74U)
Variants AK-47 1948–51, AK-47 1952, AKS-47, RPK, AKM (well-nigh ubiquitous variant), AKMS AKS-74, AKS-74U, AKS-74UB, AK-74M, AK-101, AK-102, AK-103, AK-104, AK-105
Place of origin Soviet Wedlock Soviet Matrimony
Cage velocity 715 grand/s (2,346 ft/s) 900 thou/southward (2,953 ft/due south) (AK-74, AKS-74, AK-74M), 735 m/southward (2,411.four ft/southward) (AKS-74U)
Weight 4.3 kg (nine.v lb) with empty mag AK-74: three.03 kg (6.7 lb), AKS-74: 2.97 kg (half dozen.5 lb), AKS-74U: 2.5 kg (five.v lb), AK-74M: 3.iv kg (seven.5 lb)
Designed 1947 (Originally designed in '44-46, but it gets its proper noun from the new 1947 model) 1974
Designer Mikhail Kalashnikov Mikhail Kalashnikov
Feed arrangement 20 or thirty-circular detachable box mag, also compatible with forty-round box or 75-round drum magazines from the RPK 30-circular or 45-round RPK-74 detachable box mag
Charge per unit of Burn down 600 rounds/min circadian 650 rounds/min (AK-74, AKS-74, AK-74M), 650-735 rounds/min (AKS-74U)
Barrel Length 415 mm (16.3 in) AK-74, AKS-74, AK-74M: 415 mm (xvi.3 in), AKS-74U: 210 mm (8.iii in)
In service 1949–present 1974–nowadays
Effective range 300 metres (330 yd) full automated, 400 metres (440 yd) semi-automatic 600 m, 100–1,000 m sight adjustments, 350–500 yard sight adjustments (AKS-74U)
Length 870 mm (34.3 in) fixed wooden stock, 875 mm (34.iv in) folding stock extended, 645 mm (25.4 in) stock folded AK-74: 943 mm (37.ane in), AKS-74 (stock extended): 943 mm (37.1 in), AKS-74 (stock folded): 690 mm (27.2 in), AKS-74U (stock extended): 735 mm (28.nine in), AKS-74U (stock folded): 490 mm (19.3 in), AK-74M (stock extended): 943 mm (37.i in), AK-74M (stoc
Manufacturer Manufacturer Kalashnikov Business organisation (formerly Izhmash) Izhevsk Mechanical Works
Wars Vietnam State of war-present Soviet-Afghan War, various other conflicts in Asia and the Middle East
Produced 1947-present 1974–present
General Purpose Many applications Many applications
Near AK-47 stands for Kalashnikov automatic rifle model of 1947. It is a selective burn down, gas operated vii.62x39mm assault burglarize. Nearly 47's are actually the 1959 AKM. AK-74 is a 1974 update of the AKM.
Cost $350-$700 $400-$800
Restrictions No federal restrictions on semi-motorcar variant buying in the US. Full-auto restricted in the The states. No federal restrictions on semiautomatic variants. No transferable fully automated examples be.
Number built approximately 75 million AK-47, 100 million AK-type rifles 5 million+
Accurateness (sixteen" butt) ii-6 MOA i-iv MOA
History Developed in the USSR by Mikhail Kalashnikov in the late 1940s. Developed in the 1970's due to Soviet fears that the American v.56 cartridge was a breakthrough that needed to be imitated.
Dependability Functions well under any conditions Same extreme reliability
Recoil Blazon Mild, but easily managed in semiautomatic Barely noticeable; lighter than v.56 recoil.

An AK-74 assault rifle

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An AK-74 set on burglarize

An AK-47 assault rifle

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An AK-47 assail rifle

Design comparing

The AK-74 featured a new stock, handguard and gas cylinder. The stock has a unlike, rubber shoulder pad that is serrated for increased traction. There are weight-reducing lightening cuts on each side of the buttstock.

The AK-74 gas tube has a jump washer attached to its rear stop designed to retain the gas tube more deeply. The lower handguard is fitted with a leaf spring that reduces play in the rifle's lateral axis past keeping the forest tensioned between the receiver and the handguard retainer. All external metal surfaces are coated with a glossy black enamel.

Cartridge

The 5.45x39mm cartridge of the AK-74 makes it a more accurate and reliable rifle compared to the AK-47, which uses a 7.62x39mm cartridge.

Barrel

The barrel length of the AK-47 is 415 mm (16.3 inches) and is similar for the AK-74 except for the AKS-74U model which is 210 mm (eight.3 inches).

The AK-74 butt has a chrome-lined diameter and 4 correct-hand grooves at a 200 mm (1:8 in) rifling twist charge per unit. The front sight base and gas block were redesigned. The gas block contains a gas channel that is installed at a ninety° angle in relation to the bore axis. The forrad section of the forepart sight base features a threaded collar that is used to spiral in a newly-designed multifunction cage device (performing the function of a muzzle restriction, recoil compensator and wink suppressor) or a blank-firing adaptor. The distinctive muzzle brake features a large expansion chamber, 2 symmetrical vertical cuts at the forward terminate of the restriction and three vent holes positioned to forestall muzzle climb and lateral shift to the right (for right-handed shooters).

Magazines

Magazines for both rifles are similar except for the pocket-sized changes in dimensions to arrange different size cartridges. AK-74 magazines are polymer, and have a raised horizontal rib on each side of the rear lug to preclude their utilise in a vii.62x39mm AK.

Weight

At iii.03 kg (6.7 lb), the AK-74 is lighter than the AK-47 which weighed 4.3 kg. The lightest variant of the AK-74 was the AKS-74U that weighed only two.five kg.

Cost

The AK-74 is cheaper to manufacture for mass production than the AK-47.

Where to buy

Accessories for these rifles, as well as the Airsoft versions, can be purchased on Amazon or other gunshot accessories retailers.

Popularity

Equally both the AK-47 and the AK-74 were designed by the Soviet Union, they were never controlled by copyright law or patents. This enabled whatever country or manufacturer to produce versions of the set on rifles (some amend than others). Between this fact and the nature of the assault rifles' blueprint—that they were like shooting fish in a barrel to industry and utilise, reliable, and inexpensive to replace—the AK-47 and the AK-74 are ubiquitous in many nations around the globe. Information technology's even roughly estimated that nearly 100 meg AK-47s are in circulation.

References

  • Wikipedia: AK-47
  • Wikipedia: AK-74
  • Why did the AK-47 become then popular? - The Economist
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