I find it hard to imagine two firearms with more written about them than the M16 (and subsequent M4 /AR-15) and the AK-47. Countless articles and books have covered the history, design, military use, and ballistics of each platform. In addition, within civilian adaptation, there is a bounty of comparative articles looking at the pros and cons of each rifle and generally supporting one over the other.
This can be further illustrated by asking any group of gun enthusiasts their preference. Among my friends, there are AK-47 fans, AR-15 fans, and those who like them both (I would count myself in this last category). These two rifles have dominated the military contest between the East and the West that, although changed since the end of the Cold War (1947-1991), continues to this day. It’s that historical and ideological perspective that has drawn me into this topic area.
Design History and Use
The AK-47 (Avtomat Kalashnikova: Kalashnikov’s Automatic Rifle)
The AK-47 was designed by Mikhail Kalashnikov for the Soviet Union’s military. Initial design and T&E work began in 1945, and it was officially adopted by the Soviet Union for military service in 1948. The AK-47 was designed to be a highly rugged and reliable firearm that was relatively cheap to manufacture.
This design perfectly matched the Soviet Union’s overall doctrine of cheap, easily maintained, and replaceable weapons. Chambered in 7.62X39mm, the AK-47 continues production to this day in over 30 countries, and it is estimated that there have been over 75 million made including variants ranging from very high to very low quality. The AK-47 has been used in almost every major conflict since its creation and quickly became a source of pride for the former Soviet Union and a symbol of third-world communist revolutions during the Cold War.
Additionally, nearly 90 nations continue to use the AK-47 within their militaries including China, Hungary, India, Iran, Iraq, North Korea, and Vietnam, among others.
The M16 (Model 16 / AR-15 / M4)
The M16 was designed by Eugene Stoner and dates back to the mid-1950s, with AR-10 prototypes designed to fire the 7.62X51mm cartridge. The M16 entered U.S. military service in 1964, and the M16-A1 was adopted as the primary rifle of U.S. military forces in 1969. The rifle saw heavy use in the jungles of Vietnam and, in many ways, became synonymous with the U.S. Military’s involvement in the war.
Now a symbol of Western capitalism, the design was created to be cheaper and faster to manufacture than previous rifles and had plastic components to reduce overall weight. The M16 and the direct descendants (the M4 carbine) have likely topped 10 million units produced and are still in production today. Although primarily made in the United States, Canada, and China (for export), the M16 and its variants are used by more than 80 militaries, seeing service in most major conflicts since the Vietnam War.
Military and Ideological Differences
Soviet equipment was designed to be simple, hard to break, but effective. When given a choice, the Soviet doctrine seemed to believe that their soldiers would not be motivated enough or skillful enough to properly maintain their firearms in the field. By comparison, the United States accepted that better arms would also require more training and an expectation of regular maintenance. Thus, the platforms were drastically different with the AK-47 requiring less regular maintenance at the expense of accuracy. These differences are evident in comparing the overall heavier, shorter-ranged, and more rugged AK-47 compared to the lighter, slightly longer-range, and more dirt and grime-sensitive M16.
These differences were also evident until 2021 when visiting the Maritime Museum of San Diego. Until 2021, the museum had two submarines on display: the U.S.S. Dolphin and the Soviet B-39. Touring the U.S.S. Dolphin, the sense of precision in manufacturing and cutting-edge technology was palpable. The submarine was launched in 1968 (decommissioned in 2007) as the United States’ last conventionally powered submarine. Even to this day, it looks like a very well-made modern ship.
The Soviet B-39, launched in 1967, was a stark contrast to its American-made counterpart. Everything about the B-39 seemed haphazard and out of date. Many hull panels were unaligned, and there was evidence of poor welds. This shoddy construction likely added to her decline, and she was scrapped in 2021, as even sitting in a wet dock, she was considered unsafe for tourists. Comparing these two vessels launched within a year of each other further supports the differences in the overall ideology of military equipment between the U.S. and the former Soviet Union.
Personal History and Final Thoughts
I grew up during the Cold War and remember doing civil defense drills in grade school. I still have a child-like hope that a press wood and metal desk will protect me from fire, tornado, and nuclear attack due to those frequent drills. Although my family has a strong military history, including my father serving in the Army during the Korean War, my childhood home was firearms-free.
This was not an active ban, and I grew up with toy, BB, and pellet guns, but unlike many of my rural friends, we did not have rifles and pistols in the house. My first exposure to the M16, outside of movies, was when my dad bought me a Mattel M16 Marauder toy gun in the early 1970s from a discount store. This toy would not pass muster today as it did not have an orange muzzle, but it was also similar enough in size and shape to a real M16 that it was used for some scenes in John Wayne’s 1969 movie The Green Berets.
My exposure to the AK-47 likely came first from Soldier of Fortune Magazine. I have a distinct memory of the AK-47 featured in a Soldier of Fortune advertisement to help sponsor the ‘freedom fighters’ resisting the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in 1980. This exposure to the AK-47 was further supported by comics such as Our Fighting Forces and various movies.
As I grew up, the movie Red Dawn (1984) and the role-playing game Twilight 2000 (1984: set in post-World War III Europe) further cemented my knowledge of the AK-47. Growing up in the 1970s and 1980s, the M16 and the AK-47 came to represent the East versus West of my Cold War youth.
It wouldn’t be until the 2000s that I started buying civilian models of the AR-15 and AK-47. I have multiple examples of each, but I primarily train and use the AR-15 platform.
I will gladly agree with some of the advantages of the AK-47, including the energy and penetration of the rounds (7.62X39mm 1,540 ft/lb. versus 5.56X45mm 1,409 ft/lb.) and the overall ruggedness. Regarding ruggedness, well-made AK-47s are very forgiving of dirt and misuse. By comparison, my AR-15s work best when cleaned regularly.
I will also admit the AR-15 is more “American” of the two. Both weapon platforms present clear advantages and are fun to consider the history of the evolution of the designs, intended use, widespread utilization, and the undeniable ties to the “East vs. West” perspective. Having the opportunity to shoot both side-by-side is entertaining, but it also serves as an opportunity to consider the vast ideological differences of how these platforms emerged.
