Every gun owner has had the debate before. Which is the better rifle? AK-47 or AR-15? It seems that everyone has a favorite, and they aren’t shy about telling you why. AK guys will tell you that there has never been a more reliable rifle made. AR guys preach the availability of accessories and “mods” that can be found for their rifles. Both rifles have a loyal following.
They are two of the most mass-produced weapons in history. The civilian AK-47 and the AR-15 are both semi-automatic and accept detachable 30 round magazines. Both rifles (or their variants to be specific) have been and continue to be the primary infantry rifle for nations around the world. With so much in common, you may wonder why there are such sharply divided loyalties. Let’s take a closer look at both rifles to see what we can learn.
The AK-47
AK-47 History
Mikhail Kalashnikov was an officer with the Russian army during World War II. After being wounded during the Battle of Bryansk in 1941, he started developing a new rifle while he was recuperating. His main reason to develop a new rifle was that he saw German infantry had automatic rifles while the Russians did not. Although his first design of a sub-machine gun was not accepted by Russian authorities, his skill as a firearms designer was noted, and after fully recovering he was reassigned to the Central Scientific-developmental Firing Range for Rifle Firearms of the Chief Artillery Directorate of the Red Army. In 1945, Kalashnikov faced a major setback when rival designer Sergei Simonov developed his SKS-45 which was accepted by the Russian military as their primary battle rifle. The setback was short-lived, however, as Kalashnikov would perfect his design for an automatic rifle just two years later, and the AK-47 was born. The AK-47 and SKS-45 shared the same intermediate power cartridge, the 7.62x39mm, but that’s where the similarities ended. The AK-47 was everything that the SKS was not. The AK-47 had selective fire capability, while the SKS was only semi-automatic. The AK-47 had a detachable 30 round magazine, while the SKS had a hinged (but not detachable) 10 round magazine. The AK-47 was lighter and more compact with a pistol grip, while the SKS was large and long with a traditional rifle grip. The military quickly saw that the AK-47 was the future and replaced the SKS in service with AK-47s for all Russian military troops. It has since gone on to become the most produced firearm design in history, with up to 100 million having been produced.
AK-47 Accuracy
Minute of Angle (MOA) is not a measure of time, but actually a measure of accuracy. 1 MOA is the ability to fire a 1” group at 100 yards. So a 3” group at 300 yards would still be 1 MOA accuracy. MOA is a standard way of measuring accuracy for both rifles and optics.
Nobody has ever claimed that the AK-47 is the most accurate rifle on the market. It is definitely not a sniper rifle meant for long-range shooting. But what the AK-47 was made to do, it does extremely well. It was made to be a simple, reliable combat infantry rifle. Most infantry engagements are within 300 yards. At that distance, an AK-47 with a 3 MOA will shoot 9” shot groups. Nothing to brag about, but more than sufficient to kill an enemy combatant.
AK-47 Maintenance
Now here’s where the AK-47 really shines. It’s true that all firearms function better when they are well maintained. But the AK-47 might just be an exception to this rule. They perform flawlessly with just a minimal amount of maintenance. Pretty much all you have to do is keep the barrel clear of obstructions, and it will fire. I’ve seen them fire after being dug up from a hole in the ground, pouring sand in the chamber, even firing underwater.
AK-47 Reliability
Reliability is another win for the AK-47. It has historically been one of the most reliable war weapons in existence. This is because of its simple design and its ability to continue to fire with low to no maintenance. It can also take abuse like no other firearm on the market. It can be dropped, run over, submerged in water, and it keeps firing.
There are many tests conducted to see how reliable the AK-47 really is. You can find many of these “torture tests” on Youtube. Freezing it in a block of ice, burying it in a hole, or submerging it in a lake overnight, each time the AK-47 comes out ready to go.
The AR-15 was originally prone to misfires, although later designs mostly eliminated that. However, the AR-15 still requires frequent cleaning or it will jam. In the battle of reliability, AK-47 beats AR-15.
AK-47 Overall
The AK-47 is the most produced firearm on the planet. There have been more than 100 million individual rifles produced. This is because of its simple, reliable design. That design has been manufactured in over 20 different countries and the AK-47 is the official rifle of at least 50 counties’ armies around the world.
Accuracy at long distance is not what the AK-47 is famous for, although, at close (combat) distances, it’s more than accurate enough. Where the AK-47 really shines is its low maintenance requirements and unwavering reliability. This gun will fire every single time you pick it up, no questions asked. For this reason, it will always have its place in history as one of the best firearms ever produced.
The AR-15
AR-15 History
The AR-15 got its start in 1957 when the United States military held a competition to design a new rifle for combat troops. One of the competitors was ArmaLite Corporation and its designer Eugene Stoner. Stoner and his design team’s submission to the competition was called the AR-10 and was chambered for 7.62mm NATO. His submission lost out to a rifle that would eventually be called the M14, but everyone was impressed with his design ability. After poor reports from the field about the M14 and its heavy, full power ammo, the AR-10 was rechambered for the new, smaller 5.56mm NATO round and renamed the AR-15.
On the 4th of July, 1960 at a party for ArmaLite President Richard Boutelle, Air Force Vice Chief of Staff General Curtis LeMay was invited to fire the AR-15 at watermelons on posts. He was impressed with its light weight and accuracy. He becomes the first high ranking advocate for the AR-15. His influence and persistence paid off when, in 1962, the M16 as it was now designated, made its way into the U.S. military arsenal for the first time. Within a few years, every branch of service had adopted it.
AR-15 Accuracy
When compared to the AK-47, the AR-15 is a much more accurate rifle. It can consistently reach targets of over 400 yards with iron sights, and 600 yards with good optics. One reason why accuracy is better is that the ammunition is often better quality. Most AK-47 fire surplus ammunition, which leaves dirty residue behind in your barrel and chamber. Over time this causes reduced accuracy. AR-15s fire much cleaner ammunition and the weapons themselves are cleaned more frequently.
Because we talked about MOA for the AK-47, it makes sense to discuss it here as well. In the hands of an experienced shooter, an AR-15 can achieve about 1.5” groups at 100 yards, which is 1.5 MOA. An excellent shooter with match grade ammo may be able to get 1 MOA, but 1.5 MOA is about average. Compare that to the 3 MOA from an AK-47, and it’s no question. AR-15 wins the accuracy competition.
AR-15 Maintenance
After the AR-15 was adopted by the U.S. Military it was redesignated the M16 and sent directly over to our troops fighting in Vietnam. The first reports of its performance were not good. Because the M16 needs proper maintenance to function properly, and because G.I.’s in the field often discarded their cleaning tools and lubricant to lighten their loads, misfeeds and jams were common in the beginning. The heat, humidity, and mud of the jungle certainly didn’t help keep the weapons in good working order. Some modifications were made, such as going with a three-round burst instead of fully automatic. After the Vietnam conflict had passed, there was a new appreciation for the M16 in the military. In the early 1990s, the M16 was redesigned once again. This time, it was given a collapsible stock and shorter barrel. These changes prompted the name change again, this time to M4 carbine. With simple, basic maintenance the M16 and M4 can be kept in prime operating condition.
For additional maintenance information on AR-15’s, please see our article on cleaning and lubricating your AR-15.
AR-15 Reliability
When the reports came back from Vietnam, people formed an unfair opinion of the M16 as unreliable. When, in fact, all it needed was a proper cleaning. After the war, when the discipline of garrison life began to creep back into our troops, the weapons were again maintained properly and their reliability was no longer an issue.
AR-15 Overall
Today, the AR-15 is the civilian version of the M4. It is a single shot instead of selective fire, but otherwise identical. The AR-15 is one of the most popular sporting rifles in the United States. One of the reasons it’s so popular is the modifications that can be made. There are entire companies that sell only accessories for the AR-15.
The AR-15/M16/M4 are lightweight, highly reliable, accurate rifles. The 5.56mm round is lighter than 7.62x39mm which means troops can carry more ammunition. While not as unfailingly reliable as the AK-47, with basic maintenance they are more than reliable enough for any application. And amongst the troops, the M4 is a favorite.
Comparison and Conclusion
Both the AK-47 and AR-15 are iconic, history-making rifles. They are two of the most mass-produced firearms in history. In head to head battle, The AR-15 wins accuracy, while the AK-47 wins reliability and maintenance (none needed!)
The battle between ammunition is as heated as the battle between rifles. The AR-15s 5.56mm is smaller and faster than the 7.62x39mm that the AK-47 fires. 5.56mm travels a flatter trajectory which makes it more effective at longer ranges. But one drawback of its smaller size is that it does not have the stopping power that AK-47 rounds have. 5.56mm rounds are designed to break apart upon impact. The pieces go different directions in the body and create separate wound channels. This, in theory, creates more internal damage than a 7.62mm round, which is designed to punch straight through its target.
In the end, there is no definitive answer to the question of which is best. It’s all subjective. The two rifles have very different designs and very different pasts. They were on opposite sides of the Cold War, and more recently have been on opposite sides of many battlefields in the Middle East. The two rifles have one thing in common. With the many millions of both that have been produced over the past 60 years, the AK-47 and the AR-15 aren’t going anywhere for a long time.
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