The AK-47 and AK-74 are both Russian-fabricated assault rifles designed by 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 Union began replacing their AK-47 and AKM rifles with a newer design, the AK-74.

Comparison chart

AK-47 versus AK-74 comparison nautical chart
Edit this comparison chart AK-47 AK-74
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AK-47 AK-74
Type Assail rifle (semi-automatic, full-automobile available in U.s. to certain federal licensees) Sport utility burglarize (semiautomatic only; no imported fully automatic examples)
Cartridge 7.62x39mm five.45x39mm
Action Gas-operated, rotating commodities (Long Stroke Gas Piston) Gas-operated, rotating bolt
Sights Adjustable iron sights, 100–800 metre adjustments, 378 mm (xiv.9 in) sight radius Adaptable fe sights, front post and rear notch on a scaled tangent, Flip-up sight and front cylindrical postal service (AKS-74U)
Variants AK-47 1948–51, AK-47 1952, AKS-47, RPK, AKM (near 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 Matrimony Soviet Matrimony
Muzzle velocity 715 k/s (ii,346 ft/s) 900 thou/s (two,953 ft/s) (AK-74, AKS-74, AK-74M), 735 m/s (2,411.four ft/southward) (AKS-74U)
Weight iv.3 kg (ix.5 lb) with empty magazine AK-74: 3.03 kg (half-dozen.seven lb), AKS-74: 2.97 kg (6.5 lb), AKS-74U: ii.5 kg (v.5 lb), AK-74M: 3.4 kg (7.5 lb)
Designed 1947 (Originally designed in '44-46, but it gets its proper name from the new 1947 model) 1974
Designer Mikhail Kalashnikov Mikhail Kalashnikov
Feed organization 20 or 30-circular detachable box magazine, besides compatible with xl-round box or 75-circular drum magazines from the RPK thirty-round or 45-circular RPK-74 detachable box magazine
Rate of Fire 600 rounds/min cyclic 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 (16.3 in), AKS-74U: 210 mm (8.3 in)
In service 1949–present 1974–present
Effective range 300 metres (330 yd) total automatic, 400 metres (440 yd) semi-automatic 600 one thousand, 100–one,000 chiliad sight adjustments, 350–500 chiliad sight adjustments (AKS-74U)
Length 870 mm (34.3 in) fixed wooden stock, 875 mm (34.4 in) folding stock extended, 645 mm (25.iv in) stock folded AK-74: 943 mm (37.1 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.ix in), AKS-74U (stock folded): 490 mm (nineteen.iii in), AK-74M (stock extended): 943 mm (37.1 in), AK-74M (stoc
Manufacturer Manufacturer Kalashnikov Concern (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
Nearly AK-47 stands for Kalashnikov automatic rifle model of 1947. It is a selective fire, gas operated vii.62x39mm assault burglarize. Most 47'due south are actually the 1959 AKM. AK-74 is a 1974 update of the AKM.
Price $350-$700 $400-$800
Restrictions No federal restrictions on semi-auto variant buying in the US. Full-auto restricted in the US. No federal restrictions on semiautomatic variants. No transferable fully automatic examples exist.
Number built approximately 75 1000000 AK-47, 100 million AK-type rifles five million+
Accuracy (16" barrel) ii-6 MOA 1-4 MOA
History Adult in the USSR past Mikhail Kalashnikov in the tardily 1940s. Developed in the 1970's due to Soviet fears that the American 5.56 cartridge was a breakthrough that needed to be imitated.
Dependability Functions well under any conditions Aforementioned extreme reliability
Recoil Type Balmy, merely easily managed in semiautomatic Barely noticeable; lighter than 5.56 recoil.

An AK-74 assault rifle

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An AK-74 assault burglarize

An AK-47 assault rifle

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An AK-47 assault burglarize

Blueprint comparison

The AK-74 featured a new stock, handguard and gas cylinder. The stock has a different, 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 leap washer fastened to its rear terminate designed to retain the gas tube more securely. The lower handguard is fitted with a leaf spring that reduces play in the rifle's lateral axis by keeping the woods tensioned between the receiver and the handguard retainer. All external metal surfaces are coated with a glossy black enamel.

Cartridge

The five.45x39mm cartridge of the AK-74 makes it a more than accurate and reliable rifle compared to the AK-47, which uses a 7.62x39mm cartridge.

Barrel

The butt length of the AK-47 is 415 mm (xvi.three inches) and is similar for the AK-74 except for the AKS-74U model which is 210 mm (8.3 inches).

The AK-74 barrel has a chrome-lined bore and iv correct-hand grooves at a 200 mm (1:8 in) rifling twist rate. The front end sight base and gas block were redesigned. The gas block contains a gas channel that is installed at a ninety° bending in relation to the bore axis. The frontwards section of the forepart sight base features a threaded neckband that is used to spiral in a newly-designed multifunction muzzle device (performing the office of a muzzle brake, recoil compensator and flash suppressor) or a blank-firing adaptor. The distinctive muzzle brake features a large expansion chamber, two symmetrical vertical cuts at the forward end of the brake and 3 vent holes positioned to prevent muzzle climb and lateral shift to the correct (for right-handed shooters).

Magazines

Magazines for both rifles are similar except for the modest changes in dimensions to accommodate different size cartridges. AK-74 magazines are polymer, and take a raised horizontal rib on each side of the rear lug to prevent their employ in a 7.62x39mm AK.

Weight

At 3.03 kg (6.7 lb), the AK-74 is lighter than the AK-47 which weighed four.three kg. The lightest variant of the AK-74 was the AKS-74U that weighed simply 2.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

As both the AK-47 and the AK-74 were designed by the Soviet Marriage, they were never controlled past copyright police or patents. This enabled any country or manufacturer to produce versions of the assault rifles (some better than others). Betwixt this fact and the nature of the assault rifles' design—that they were easy to manufacture and use, reliable, and cheap to replace—the AK-47 and the AK-74 are ubiquitous in many nations around the globe. It'south even roughly estimated that about 100 million AK-47s are in circulation.

References

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