"Which machine is better": The Western press decided to compare the Soviet AK-47 and AK-74

Mikhail Kalashnikov changed the world when he created the AK-47. This automatic rifle has become the most popular in the world, writes Travis Pike to Business Insider on July 14.

Everyone knows about the AK-47. It appeared in 1947 and very quickly became the main small arms of the Soviet Army. It used cartridges of 7,62 × 39 mm caliber. Wherever conflicts arose, the AK-47 appeared.



But this machine was further developed in the form of the AK-74. It was developed in 1974. It used cartridges of 5,45 × 39 mm caliber. The assault rifle quickly replaced the AK-47 in the Soviet Army. He received his baptism of fire in Afghanistan, and the Americans first saw him in the Soldier of Fortune magazine.

However, many may not know the differences between the AK-47 and AK-74, so they need to be compared. These are brothers-in-arms, the AK-74 is similar to the AK-47, which makes the confrontation between them much more tragic. The days when the 7,62 caliber prevailed on the battlefield were over, and the Russians recognized the potential of the smaller caliber. For example, in the American M16 rifles (adopted for service in 1962), cartridges of 5,56 mm are used.

The AK-47 has a larger cartridge than the AK-74. It hits very hard, breaks through brick, wood, glass and much more, almost without slowing down. But this ammunition is more expensive and produced in smaller quantities. Sighting shooting is carried out at 350 meters, although the bullet flies at 3 km. The machine is incredibly easy to maintain.

The AK-74 has a lighter, cheaper and smaller cartridge and is just as easy to handle. The 5,45mm caliber has a tendency to yaw and shatter when hitting the case, while the 7,62mm variant punches straight holes. The lightweight cartridge provides low recoil and is easier to handle, especially in close combat, and has an effective range of 500 meters. This assault rifle provides more controlled firing to suppress opposition. In this case, you can take more cartridges with you.

Now the AK-74 is becoming more and more popular in the US, but it is still far from the "vintage" but powerful AK-47. It's hard to say which machine is better, the classic AK-47 or the "young and perky" AK-74. If I was going to war, I would choose the AK-74. If I were an ardent supporter of small arms, I would take the AK-47, summed up a Western researcher, arguing against the background of large-scale unrest in the United States, regularly discussed in the local press over the past year.