AK74 vs AR15

[irishfan]

I am seriously kicking around the idea of getting an AK74 and want some opinions on how they stack up to the AR15? I have a couple of the AR's and they are plentiful with parts and especially magazines where the AK74 doesn't have a great supply of affordable magazines. The AK however has great ammo prices compared to the AR which is a major factor for me. For anyone who has shot the AK74 how do you think it shoots compared to the AR? Also, what about ease of use compared tot he AR? Do you think its as easy or harder to operate as the AR platform? Any flaws in the AK74? All info is appreciated

Thanks!

 

[Cerberus]

The AK-74 will give up just a touch to the AR in the accuray department, but not a lot. The AR like you mentioned is a good deal more friendly for parts resupply. The ammo issue is negated by reloading. Once you learn the AR platform it is very ergonomic and holds a edge in "gunfighting" capability. As of now the only domestic 5.45x39 ammo is expensive Hornady steel case. Every US based ammo manufacturer makes .223. AR mags are currently cheaper than AK-74 mags. And so long as the US Military uses the M16 platform there will always be a source for brass, components and parts.

The 3 things that push me towards the AR are;
1. reloading
2. domestic ammo availabilty
3. readily available magazines and parts.

 

[downzero]

The AK-74 will give up just a touch to the AR in the accuray department, but not a lot.

You absolutely must be kidding.

I agree with the rest of what you're saying, but there is just no way that the AK, in any form or cartridge, can compete with the AR in the accuracy department, especially not with the ammunition that is available in 5.45 and 7.62.

 

[Tombs]

I think the AR15 is a much better platform if you want versatility and adaptability. Parts are all easy to come by, and it can be made to do anything you can imagine.

The AK74 is best off as basic as you can get it. I'm a big fan of combloc optics, and with a 1P78 you have the rifle set up in the best possible configuration.

People will argue with me to death that these things are impractical and not as good as US optics. That may be the case on an american gun, but not with an AK. Once you get used to the side mounted optic system I think you'll like it better than even a flat top AR for swapping optics regularly and not having to rezero them, regardless how much stuff is advertised to maintain zero.

Most optics from the NPZ plant, on a russian built gun, typically are even sighted in dead on out of the box unless someone has screwed with them. That's been my experiences anyway.

 

[Cerberus]

You absolutely must be kidding.

I agree with the rest of what you're saying, but there is just no way that the AK, in any form or cartridge, can compete with the AR in the accuracy department, especially not with the ammunition that is available in 5.45 and 7.62.

Uhhhhhhhh! The AK-74 is only available in 5.45x39. And give one to a true marksman and at practical shooting ranges both will perform very similarily. The AR will beat it, but not by a large margin. You do realize that about 90% of all shooters will have problems shooting anything iron sighted consistently beyond 200 yds do you not?

 

[shooter521]

I agree with the rest of what you're saying, but there is just no way that the AK, in any form or cartridge, can compete with the AR in the accuracy department, especially not with the ammunition that is available in 5.45 and 7.62.

If you're talking mechanical accuracy, probably not, but in practical accuracy, absolutely. I can shoot my AK-74s just as accurately as I can my AR carbines out to 100 yards, I just have to work harder to do it with the AKs due to the more primitive sights and longer/rougher trigger pull. And you conveniently ignored the 5.56 AKs, which take ammo difference/quality completely out of the equation.

 

[AD Marc]

If you're talking mechanical accuracy, probably not, but in practical accuracy, absolutely. I can shoot my AK-74s just as accurately as I can my AR carbines out to 100 yards, I just have to work harder to do it with the AKs due to the more primitive sights and longer/rougher trigger pull. And you conveniently ignored the 5.56 AKs, which take ammo difference/quality completely out of the equation.

This is pretty much it. Ak's get a bad rep for accuracy due to the poor build quality of many of the guns available in the US. Can it compete with an accurized AR? No, but properly built it will give any mil-spec AR a run for its money, especially once you take the sights out of the equation. A friends rifle dynamics built Romanian G shot a 1 5/8" group at 200 yards with magnified optics, and the 74 fires a round that tends to be more accurate. If you slapped an aimpoint on a well built 74, I wouldn't be surprised to find you have a gun that can shoot as tight a group as any non-purpose built AR.

 

[03A3]

I think the AR15 is a much better platform if you want versatility and adaptability. Parts are all easy to come by, and it can be made to do anything you can imagine.

The AK74 is best off as basic as you can get it. I'm a big fan of combloc optics, and with a 1P78 you have the rifle set up in the best possible configuration.

People will argue with me to death that these things are impractical and not as good as US optics. That may be the case on an american gun, but not with an AK. Once you get used to the side mounted optic system I think you'll like it better than even a flat top AR for swapping optics regularly and not having to rezero them, regardless how much stuff is advertised to maintain zero.

Most optics from the NPZ plant, on a russian built gun, typically are even sighted in dead on out of the box unless someone has screwed with them. That's been my experiences anyway.

I really like the AK and especially the 74 and the 5.45
It doesn't have the ergonomics of the AR but if you work with it your gun handling will improve noticeably.
Not being able to gagdet-overload the AK is a good thing in my opinion.
The Combloc optics work well and keep your gun looking clean.
Moving away from traditional an Ultimak is a good mount for a small Aimpoint and a light but but isn't overkill like railed handguards are (my opinion only).
A good sling like BFG doesn't look too out of place either.
That boat load of imported ammo and magazines hasn't arrived as has been talked about for several months. That may or may not have something to do with the weak dollar.
Ammo is still reasonably priced but it's not stacked to the ceiling at every vendor anymore. In fact the last several times I checked Aim they didn't have any 7N6.
The same with magazines, and the price of those are up. If you don't need 200 mags like the AR and M1A guys you could outfit yourself pretty well.

 

[92LX]

I am a big fan of good AK-74s. We have a CUR-II in 5.45 that 88GT was consistently able to hit the 300 yard gong at Rio Salado (I miss that range) when we lived in pheonix.

But I tried a crappy SAR-2 that threw lead all over the paper at 100 yards.

Bradis has a couple of nice 5.45 rifles in their back room that I was very tempted with, and probably will replace the SAR-2 with a nice well build AK-74.


The AR will have better ergonomics, slightly better adaptability, and perhaps slightly better accuracy. The AK will have dead reliability, cheap ammo (for the time being) and dead simplicity.

The real answer is both. But I don't think you will be disappointed unless you get a cheap Romanian clunker.

 

[irishfan]

Appreciate the responses guys...I am really going from tempted to what the heck

 

[Shoots4Fun]

This has become another AK versus AR thread but let's face it, AR's are boringly accurate although the Americans created a beast of working parts compared to the simplicity and reliability of the AK platform.

The AK's are pure commie-bad-assness, to me are their own works of art, and run like tanks in any and all weather and scenarios of sand, filth, and muck.

 

[Cerberus]

The AK's are pure commie-bad-assness, to me are their own works of art, and run like tanks in any and all weather and scenarios of sand, filth, and muck.

Dang I must be one serious bada$$. All those years of every kind of weather, sand, filth and muck and no problems from any of my issued M16A2-M4s. Yup, y'all can now call me Cerberus-American Bada$$.

 

[downzero]

Uhhhhhhhh! The AK-74 is only available in 5.45x39. And give one to a true marksman and at practical shooting ranges both will perform very similarily. The AR will beat it, but not by a large margin. You do realize that about 90% of all shooters will have problems shooting anything iron sighted consistently beyond 200 yds do you not?

I am familiar with the caliber of the AK-74.

And I agree with you that for practical/fighting accuracy, it makes no difference.

But there's no doubt in my mind that there would be a substantial difference in measured, mechanical accuracy at all ranges between the two.

In fact I'm surprised so many people think that "minute of a man inside of 200 yards" is "accuracy" as I've never seen someone use that word to describe what you guys are calling "accuracy."

Either way, we're saying the same thing.

 

[irishfan]

Guys please don't make this a bash thread...I am looking for positive and negative experience not an ARF.com war

 

[Que]

If you have owned and enjoyed the AR, try the AK and if you don't like it, I'm sure you'll be able to sell it. I very much enjoy the AK 47 that I own and recently had the opportunity to shoot the AK 74, which I plan to purchase at some point.

You can leave your rifle totally stock or install some add-ons to make it yours. There are plenty of stocks, sights, hand guards, etc., and the prices are not overly expensive.

 

[irishfan]

If you have owned and enjoyed the AR, try the AK and if you don't like it, I'm sure you'll be able to sell it. I very much enjoy the AK 47 that I own and recently had the opportunity to shoot the AK 74, which I plan to purchase at some point.

Well if I could only get Santa Que to drop one under the tree for me I really liked the 74 I handled and have shot several AK variants from a WASR to a decked out Krebs. They are nice rifles but I have never really messed with the AK74. You make a very good point on the try it and if you don't like it you can sell it.

 

[Cerberus]

But there's no doubt in my mind that there would be a substantial difference in measured, mechanical accuracy at all ranges between the two.
.

This has been tested quite a few times and at practical ranges both rounds perform very similar. So at this point the question should be, "Do I want something that is capable of reaching out the 400+." At that point the answer leads in really only one direction.

I'm surpised FullAuto hasn't linked his test video yet.

 

[downzero]

This has been tested quite a few times and at practical ranges both rounds perform very similar. So at this point the question should be, "Do I want something that is capable of reaching out the 400+." At that point the answer leads in really only one direction.

I'm surpised FullAuto hasn't linked his test video yet.

I'm really not trying to disagree with you. Most people do not desire the kind of accuracy we're talking about nor do they load or buy ammo that is capable of it. I was merely pointing out that the AR is, by design, inherently more accurate. The AK has its advantages, but mechanical accuracy isn't among them. You're absolutely right that it will do the job to beyond that range to which most people could effectively employ it.

 

[IndyDave1776]

I see a critical flaw in the entire discussion aside from Que's excellent advice. Aside from alluding to comparison of two particular platforms, the OP didn't really address any particular issues other than cost of operation and critical flaws. I would consider it absolutely essential for a good answer to know what he intends to do with either or both and what standards he wishes to employ. Does he want a cost-effective platform that will shoot minute of bad guy from wherever he is standing to the exterior wall of his house? Does he want something that goes 'boom' nicely as he turns powder into smoke for the sheer hell of it without worrying about accuracy aside from hitting the general area of the target? Does he want to do competitive shooting? Does he want to nail groundhogs at 600 yards? This question really does hinge on the intended purpose which as of yet has not been addressed.

 

[Czarcasm]

If you're looking for a range gun, then yes performance wise, the 74 will produce similar results as the AR on a 100 yard range. I have a converted saiga and love it. Except I got it earlier this year and ammo was plentiful and you could buy just over 2,000rds for $280. Right now ammo has gone up (still cheaper than .223) and questionable us supply. Its fun, and pretty accurate, but I would hold off until they bring in More 5.45 and maybe mag prices come down. 2cents