Question by Stephone: Is a AK 47 bigger or smaller than a AR 15?
So my friend and I are in a fight over which is bigger an AK 47 or a AR15. If someone could tell us which is bigger that would be great thanks.
Answers and Views:
Answer by shh
Ak 47 fires a 7.62 x 39 mm (30 caliber)
The ar15 fires a 5.56 x 45 mm (a 223 round)
So the ak47 is a bigger round
Oh you were asking about the guns themselves…
Ak-47 Ar-15
Weight 3.8kg(8.4 lbs) from 2.27kg-3.9kg (5.5-8.5lbs) (but generally less)
Length 87cm (34 in) depends on barrel length and stock, about the same
So they are about the same length on average, but the ak-47 fires a bigger round and is generally a heavier weapon.
Read all the answers in the comments.
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Fatefinger says
The 7.62×39 has a larger bullet but an ar has more to it.
Colter B says
The AR comes with a lot of barrel lengths…. if you have a 16 inch AR, the same barrel length as an AK, the AR is shorter. Especially if you add a collapsing stock to the AR. This is because the stock of an AR15, doubles as part of the action. Effectively, the stock takes up about 3 inche sof space, on a rifle with a fixed stock. With a collapsing stock, the stock can be made to take up zero extra space, beyond the length required to contain the action.
An AK stock is a dedicated stock, it can hold a small cleaning kit, but that is all. It uses a lot of space. A folding stock is available for the AK…. but, then it wouldn't actually be an AK47…. since Soviet military spec did not include a folding stock in the spec for AK47s. That came with a later variant. Even so, length with it collapsed is hardly fair, since you would be silly to actually use it while folded. It folds for trasnportation… it is used extended. Without the stock extended, it would effectively be a VERY heavy pistol. You couldn't hit anything farther than a few yards away.
As for weight…. a true AK47 (not the more common AKM, which is often called an AK47) A true AK47 is a lot heavier than an AR15. An AK47 has a machined forged steel receiver. An AR has a machined forged aluminum alloy receiver. Obviously, the AR is lighter. In addition, the AR uses polymer furniture. It uses aluminum or polymer magazines. It uses lighter ammunition.
The AK47 and AKM are both heavier. Both have wooden furniture, which is heavier. Even the AKM is made of sheet steel, which is still heavy. They have magazines made of sheet steel, with feed lips machined out of steel billet. And their ammo is pretty heavy…. even the ammo casing is commonly made of heavier steel, while 5.56NATO is commonly made with brass. The bullet weight for the AK is over twice the weight of the AR's bullet. (bullet, not cartridge) And, the AR bullet is more deadly, due to velocity induced fragmentation.
So…. the AK is bigger all around, pretty much. But the AR is more deadly, and typically more accurate.
Of course, an AR15 can be chambered to many cartridges. An AK47 or AKM, though, by Soviet military Spec, must be 7.62x39mm. The AK74, in 5.45x39mm has a smaller bullet than the AR15, as far as diameter goes. Although, I think it maybe longer, I can't remember right now.
The AR15 is commonly chambered for .223remington, or the very similar 5.56NATO cartridge. Both are the same, just 5.56NATO is loaded to a higher pressure.
Of course, there is the original AR15…. which was fully automatic, and by military spec was .223Remington caliber.
Jagermann says
It depends on how they are customized. They are almost the exact same size though. With the stock extended out on an AR-15 it might be slightly longer than a wooden stock AK-47. No point in fighting over it really, since neither of you are right.
If you are talking about bullet caliber though the AK-47 generally shoots a larger bullet being 7.62mm while the AR-15 shoots a 5.56mm bullet. With loaded magazines the AK-47 will weigh noticeably more than the AR-15.
Pro Second says
AR-15 is lighter.
The AR-15 fires a thinner round 5.56 vs the AK-47's thicker round 7.62.
The AR-15 fires a longer round 45mm vs the AK-47's 39 mm.
The length depends on the options for each gun. These rifles can have folding/collapsible stocks and different barrel length (i.e. AR-15: M4/Carbine/Full). Therefore, the size in terms of legnth vary depending on the options selected.
Exitwound says
"TIM" is right
Sky guy says
logans right except 308 and bigger are ar10 not ar15, Original ak47 and ar15 the ak 47 is far bigger in both weight and caliber. p.s 50bmg is a ar57,hope it helped.
[email protected] says
Bigger.*
METROPOLIS1 says
AR15's come in every size from …. Some are as short as 35 1/2 inches and others are as long as 40 inches…. Click on the links at this Rock River Arms page….
http://www.rockriverarms.com/index.cfm?fuseaction…
AK47 rifles are generally 34 1/2 to 36 inches in length….
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AK47
The AK47 fires a fatter bullet — Roughly .30 caliber… 7.62X39MM… http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/7.62x39mm
The AR15 fires a .223 / 5.56X45MM cartridge… The bullet is lighter than what an AK fires…. http://www.6mmbr.com/223Rem.html
Jim says
They're both about the same size. The AK tends to be heavier and a little bit more powerful
logan_sell says
ALL PREVIOUS ANSWERS ARE WRONG!!!!!!!!!
Ar's and Ak's come in all sorts of calibers.
They are not just 7.62 and 5.56
They make Ar's in 7.62, and Ak's in 5.56
The only chamberings I know of in the AK platform are
7.62×39
5.56×45
and .22 in the RKKS(or AKT-47) Training rifle
The following is an incomplete list of AR chamberings:
Pistol caibers;
7.62x25mm
9mm luger
10mm
40 S&W
45 ACP
.50 AE
Rifle calibers;
.22 lr
.204 Ruger
5.45×39
.223 Remington
.223 WSSM
5.56x45mm
6mm PPC
6mm-.223 Rem
6.5 Grendel
6.8mm Remington SPC
.300 Whisper
7.62x39mm
.243 Winchester
.260 Remington
.308 Winchester
.300 Remington SAUM
.338 Federal
6.5 Creedmoor
.450 Bushmaster
.50 Beowulf
.50 BMG
The largest Ar chambering I know of is the .50 BMG
As for physical size an AR in the 20"&24" bull barrel is bigger than the AK
*Jager, I hate to inform you, but you are in fact, wrong.
And no body was fighting over anything.
geta2j says
AK-47 was designed and originally built in Russia.
AR-15 was originally designed and built here in America!
AK-47 is heavier than the AR-15.
They BOTH have 30 round magazines as standard (most popular) equipment. Although some radical leftist states restrict the magazine capacity to 10 rounds. 🙁
BOTH are available to the (law abiding) public in semi-auto operation only. Meaning there can ONLY be ONE projectile released with each pull of the trigger.
The AR-15 is modular in design and therefore more customizable. K.I.S.S. or trick it out!
I own both and they are BOTH equally a blast to shoot!!!!
Glacierwolf says
They make AR-15 pistols. Bigger or smaller is a mute point.
TIM says
If you mean the size of the round the AK shoots 7.62x 39 mm round and the AR shoots a 5.45x39mm round.
The 7.62 has a muzzle velocity of around 2,396 fps whereas the 5.45 muzzle velocity is 3,241 fps.
The AK fires the larger round but does not have the velocity nor the accuracy of the 5.45.
With the AR you get a more accuracy and distance. With the AK you get a larger round that IMO is more destructive.
If you just mean the rifles themselves, ARs come in many configurations and can be larger or smaller than the AK.
twentyfourhourforepl says
ak47 has a bigger round which is 7.62×39. I hope you are referring to the round bc all rifles can be modified to be shorter, longer, etc.
steven a says
The AK round is 7.62mm about .30cal). The AR round is 5.56mm about .22cal.
Parabola750 says
AK 47 shoots a bigger bullet. The 7.62X39 mm
AR 15 shoots a smaller but faster 5.56 mm
The AK makes a bigger impact but the AR is much more accurate, especially in the longer ranges.
AK will almost always shoot. The AR must be kept clean.
Kudo Shinichi says
AK 47 info:
Weight 4.3 kg (9.5 lb) with empty magazine
Length 870 mm (34.3 in) fixed wooden stock
875 mm (34.4 in) folding stock extended
645 mm (25.4 in) stock folded
Barrel length 415 mm (16.3 in)
AR15
Weight 2.27 kg–3.9 kg (5.5–8.5 lb)
Barrel length:
20 in (508 mm) standard
16 in (406 mm)
14.5 in (368 mm)
Therefore AK47 is bigger than AR15
Kapil P says
BOTH R SAME IN SIZE BUT 47 IS MORE POWER FULL I GUESS
Dan says
AK47 is much larger than the AR15. It also uses larger bullets than that of the AR15
goatchoker8 says
depends… it really depends on which stock… cuz you can have AR'swith folding stocks and you can gave 47's without a stock etirely