PE RFM 2

War Between the AK-47 and AR-15 USA and Russia are different in many ways. They may not be at war with each other physically but at war in terms of beliefs and ideologies. Each of these countries have produced and manufactured quite a number of different firearms ever since the world wars, although the most famous of them all are the AR-15 made by USA and AK-47 made by Russia. Even these two are always in constant battle with each other due to their differences. What makes these two always at a constant battle? What are their differences and similarities that people fuss about? History The AK-47 stands for Kalashnikov automatic rifle model. From the name itself, it was conceptualized by Mikhail Kalashnikov during the late 1940s in Russia. The AK was the first assault rifle produced at the end of World War II in Europe. Kalashnikov was drafted into the Red army as a tank driver in the year 1938. In 1941, the battle of Bryansk, Senior Sgt. Kalashnikov got injured and was brought to the hospital. There he was able to imagine and visualize the AK47. He then joined a gun competition to make a better rifle for the 7.62x41 rifle round. Even though his concept was rejected it still paved the way for him to gather a team of rifle designers in order to improve the AK. The AR-15 was created by Americans, Eugene Stoner, Robert Fremont and L. James Sullivan in 1958. Stoner at the time was the chief engineer of the Armalite division Fairchild Engine and Airplane Corporation. He tested firearm models that included the AR-3, AR-9, AR-11 and AR-12 however these designs were not seen any progress until the design of the AR-10 was created. The AR-10 was then submitted as a late entry for trials to the U.S. Army Aberdeen Proving Ground however, this was not enough to convince them to use this instead of the T44. The production of this weapon was still given a go signal by the Dutch manufacturers. The U.S. army asked Stoner to improve the AR-10 into a lighter weapon that gave birth to the AR-15. Compare and Contrast AR-15 vs. AK-47 The AR-15 and AK-47 are constantly battled against each other because they differ in many aspects. The AK-47 was created by Mikhail Kalashnikov for the USSR army while the AR-15 was created by Eugene Stoner for the US army. The AK-47 has a 7.62x39 mm cartridge while the AR-15 has a smaller cartridge with a 5.56x45 mm NATO. The AK-47 is heavier than the AR-15. It weighs 4.36 kg with an empty magazine while the AR-15 weighs only 2.27-3.9 kg. The AK-47 was designed earlier than the AR-15. The former was designed in the 1940s while the latter was designed in the 1950s. The AK is manufactured by only one company which is Izhmash while the AR is manufactured by several other companies including ArmaLite, Colt, Bushmaster, Rock River Arms, Stag Arms, DPMS Panther Arms and Olympic Arms. The AR-15 covers a longer range than the AK-47. The AR reaches until 400-600 meters while the AK only reaches until 300 meters if it is fully automatic and 400 meters if it is semi-automatic. The muzzle velocity of the AR-15 is much faster than that of the AK-47. The AR has a muzzle velocity of 975 m/s while the AK only has 715 m/s. The AK is compatible with a 20-30 round detachable magazine or a 40 round box or 75 round drum magazines while the AR can accommodate 20-30 round staggered-column magazine and drum magazines with 90-100 rounds. The AR can fire more rounds than the AK. The former can fire 800 rounds/min while the latter can fire only 600 rounds/min. The AK has a greater muzzle energy that reaches 1,500 feet while the AR only reaches 1,300 feet. The AR has a longer barrel that is 508 mm while the AKs barrel is 415 mm long. Also, the AR is longer overall with a standard length of 39.5 inches while the AK measures only 34.3 inches. The AR-15 rifle is made from aluminium alloy and synthetic materials while the AK is made of steel. The AK is also a selective fire meaning it can be semi-automatic and automatic at the same time while the AR-15 is not selective fire but instead is air-cooled and magazine fed. The AK-47 is cheaper than the AR-15. The AK ranges from 350700 dollars only while the AR ranges from 750-1500 dollars. The AK-47 works well under any conditions however the AR15 is more prone to failure upon exposing to dirt, dust and mud. However, despite AK-47 being more durable under certain conditions, assuming proper maintenance, the AR-15 still has a longer service life than the AK-47. The AR can exceed 40 years while the AK only reaches from 20-40 years. In terms of accuracy, the AR-15 is said to be 30% more accurate than the AK-47. The AR-15 has 6-8 Minute of Angle (MOA) while the AK-47 has 8-12 MOA. The greater the

MOA the less accurate it is. The AR-15 is used generally for longer range targets while the other can be used in various situations. The AK is also used more by other countries than that of the AR-15 which is most common in America. Even if the AR-15 and AK-47 have a lot of differences they still have a few similarities. Both the AR-15 and AK-47 are sport utility rifles that are gas operated and semi-automatic. They also work with a rotating bolt action. They both have the same magazine capacity which is 30 bullets. The iron sights of both these rifles can be adjusted. Also, both are still widely used till the present. There are aspects in which both prioritize certain things over the others which means that none of these two accommodate two conditions at the same time for example the other has a longer range than the other but the other has more muzzle power. In terms of availability, practicality and durability the AK-47 may have won but there are certain factors that this gun still lacks. Both these guns are not perfect and like both countries that they originated, they differ with each other but at the same time still have certain similarities with the same goal.

Sources: http://www.theblaze.com/stories/2013/06/25/the-ak-47-vs-ar-15-which-is-the-better-rifle/ http://gundata.org/blog/post/ak-47-vs-ar-15-history-and-facts/ http://www.diffen.com/difference/AK-47_vs_AR-15