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Comparison of two notorious assault rifles

The two most common assault rifles in the world are the Soviet AK 47 and the American M16. These Cold War era rifles have been used in conflicts both large and small since the 1960s. They are used by military, police, security forces, revolutionaries, terrorists, criminals, and civilians alike and will most likely continue to be used for decades to come. As a result, they have been the subject of countless comparisons and endless debate. The AK 47 was finalized, adopted, and entered widespread service in the Soviet Army in the early 1950s. In 1974, the Soviets began replacing their AK 47 and AKM rifles with a newer design, the AK 74, which uses 5.45×39mm ammunition. The M16 entered U. S. service in the mid 1960s. Despite its early failures, the M16 proved to be a revolutionary design and stands as the longest continuously serving rifle in American military history.

The Germans were the first to pioneer the assault rifle concept during World War II, based upon research that showed that most firefights happen within 400 meters and that contemporary rifles were overpowered for most small arms combat. They would soon develop a select fire, intermediate powered rifle, combining the firepower of a submachine gun with the range and accuracy of a rifle. This new cartridge was developed by shortening the standard 7.92×57mm Mauser round and giving it a lighter 125 grain bullet that limited range but allowed for more controllable automatic fire. "This weapon was the prototype of all successful automatic rifles. Characteristically (and unlike previous rifles and the M 14) it had a straight stock with the barrel under the gas cylinder to reduce the turning moment of recoil of the rifle in the shoulder and thus help reduce the tendency of shots to climb in automatic fire. The barrel and overall length were shorter than a traditional rifle and it had a pistol grip to hold the weapon more securely in automatic fire. The principle of this weapon — the reduction of muzzle impulse to get usable automatic fire within the actual ranges of combat — was probably the most important advance in small arms since the invention of smokeless powder." The Soviets were so impressed with the Sturmgewehr, that they immediately set about developing an intermediate caliber automatic rifle of their own, to replace the PPSh 41 submachine guns and badly outdated Mosin–Nagant bolt action rifles that armed most of the Soviet Army. Shortly after World War II, the Soviets developed the AK 47 assault rifle, which would quickly replace the SKS in Soviet service. The AK 47 was finalized, adopted, and entered widespread service in the Soviet army in the early 1950s. Although U. S. Army studies of World War II combat accounts had very similar results to those of the Germans and Soviets, the U. S. Army failed to recognize the importance of the assault rifle concept, However, early experiments with select fire versions of the M1 Garand proved disappointing. During the Korean War, the select fire M2 Carbine largely replaced the submachine gun in US service and became the most widely used Carbine variant. However, combat experience suggested that the .30 Carbine round was underpowered. American weapons designers reached the same conclusion as the Germans and Soviets: an intermediate round was necessary, and recommended a small caliber, high velocity cartridge. However, senior American commanders–having experienced major logistical problems during WWII and the Korean War–insisted that a single, powerful .30 caliber cartridge be developed, capable of being used by both the new automatic rifle and the new general purpose machine gun (GPMG) in concurrent development. This culminated in the development of the 7.62×51mm NATO cartridge. The AR 10 featured an innovative straight line barrel/stock design, forged aluminum alloy receivers, and phenolic composite stocks. It had rugged elevated sights, an oversized aluminum flash suppressor and recoil compensator, and an adjustable gas system. The final prototype featured an upper and lower receiver with the now familiar hinge and takedown pins, and the charging handle was on top of the receiver placed inside of the carry handle. In the end, the United States Army chose the T44, now called the M14 rifle The U. S. also adopted the M60 general purpose machine gun (GPMG). And, while the M2 Carbine offered a high rate of fire, it was underpowered and ultimately outclassed by the AK 47. A replacement was needed: A medium between the traditional preference for high powered rifles such as the M14, and the lightweight firepower of the M2 Carbine. As a result, the Army was forced to reconsider a 1957 request by General Willard G. Wyman, commander of the U. S. Continental Army Command (CONARC) to develop a .223 caliber (5.56 mm) select fire rifle weighing 6 lbs (2.7 kg) when loaded with a 20 round magazine. This request ultimately resulted in the development of a scaled down version of the Armalite AR 10, called the ArmaLite AR 15 rifle. However, despite overwhelming evidence that the AR 15 could bring more firepower to bear than the M14, the Army opposed the adoption of the new rifle. It also led to the development of small caliber high velocity service rifles by every major army in the world, including the USSR and the People's Republic of China.

Although the M16 is more accurate than the AK 47 and has a higher rate of fire, it is not more reliable. It has been said that there were numerous reports of soldiers found dead next to disassembled M16. This was largely due to the firing pin being locked forward. The M16 is a select fire, 5.56×45mm, air cooled, internal piston gas operated, magazine fed rifle, with a rotating bolt and straight line recoil design. Above all else, the M16 was designed to be a lightweight assault rifle and to fire a new lightweight, high velocity small caliber cartridge to allow the soldier to carry more ammunition. It is easy to assemble, modify, and repair using a few simple hand tools, and a flat surface to work on. At peak production, Colt's manufacturing capacity was approximately 333,000 units per year. The M16 continues to benefit from every advance in the CNC field, which allows more and more small manufacturers to mass produce M16s and semi automatic AR 15 type rifles. The M16's aluminum lower receivers may be forged or cast. Their receivers may also be made from titanium and a variety of other metallic alloys, composites or polymers. If necessary, the M16 can be machined from a billet of steel and fitted with wooden furniture. The M16's internal components such as the bolt carrier group and charging handle may also be made of titanium. The M16's aluminum receiver and other parts may even be 3D printed, allowing "people with no gunsmith training to assemble a working assault rifle at home". This makes the M16 ideal for market economy production, spread among many small manufacturers around the country, using a variety of materials and manufacturing methods; this ensures it would be nearly impossible to disrupt U. S. M16 rifle production in the case of a major conflict. As of 2015, the United States military buys M4 Carbines for $647 (USD) per unit. Instead of halting production, a heavy forged steel machined receiver was substituted for the sheet metal receiver. This was a more costly and time consuming process, but advanced the program's development and accelerated production. Most of the AK type rifles in use today are of this lighter stamped steel AKM variety. Over time, AK production has been simplified through the use of rivets, spot welding, and by further reducing the number of machined parts. Current model AKs are made using modern manufacturing processes and have many parts produced by investment casting. with cold hammer forged barrels. Because of its stamped steel design, it is not possible to manufacture the AK 47 series efficiently in small plants, due to the large amount of metal stamping equipment needed for mass production. However, the milled steel AK 47 has spawned a cottage industry of sorts and has been copied and manufactured (one gun at a time) in small shops around the world. As of 2014, Kalashnikov Concern There are places around the world where an AK 47 type rifle can be purchased on the Black Market "for as little as $6, or traded for a chicken or a sack of grain." Approximately 100 million AK 47 type rifles have been made worldwide.

Today, bayonets are rarely used in combat. However, both the AK 47 and M16 retain bayonet lugs and bayonets are still issued. Also, bayonets are still used for controlling prisoners and as a weapon of "last resort". The M16 is 44.25 inches (1124mm) long with an M7 bayonet attached. It has a Bowie style (clip point) blade with sawteeth along the spine and can be used as a multi purpose knife and wire cutter when combined with its steel scabbard. The AK 74 bayonet (introduced in 1983) represents a further refinement of the AKM bayonet. "It introduced a radical blade cross section, that has a flat milled on one side near the edge and a corresponding flat milled on the opposite side near the false edge.

The AK 47 has always enjoyed a reputation for rugged reliability and has a malfunction rate of one per 1000 rounds fired. It uses a long stroke gas system, where the gas is sent from the barrel to push a piston attached to the bolt carrier, thus operating the action. The gas tube is fairly large and is visible above the barrel with ports or vents to allow the excess "dirty" gas to escape without affecting the action. The AK 47 is often built with generous clearances, allowing it to function easily in a dirty environment with little or no maintenance. This makes it reliable but less accurate. The M16 has always had a reputation for poor reliability and has a malfunction rate of two per 1000 rounds fired. This design is much lighter and more compact than a traditional gas piston design. However, this design requires that combustion byproducts from the discharged cartridge be blown into the receiver. This accumulating carbon and vaporized metal build up within the receiver and bolt carrier negatively affects reliability and necessitates more intensive maintenance on the part of the individual soldier. The internal piston operation increases the amount of heat that is deposited in the receiver while firing the M16 and causes the essential lubricant to be "burned off". This requires frequent and generous applications of appropriate lubricant. The investigation found that: According to a 1968 Department of Army report, the M16A1 rifle achieved widespread acceptance by U. S. troops in Vietnam. "Most men armed with the M16 in Vietnam rated this rifle's performance high, however, many men entertained some misgivings about the M16's reliability. When asked what weapon they preferred to carry in combat, 85 percent indicated that they wanted either the M16 or its submachine gun version, the XM177E2. (The M14 was preferred by 15 percent, while less than one percent wished to carry either the Stoner rifle, the AK 47, the carbine or a pistol.)" This affects the M4's timing and increases the amount of stress and heat on the critical components, thereby reducing reliability. Thereafter, the Army and Colt worked to make modifications to the M4s and M16A4s to address the problems found. In 2010, U. S. Marines operating in Afghanistan reported no reliability problems with their M16 rifles and M4 carbines. "This is more so given the account of Chief Warrant Officer Joshua S. Smith, the Marine responsible for weapons training and performance in the Third Battalion, Sixth Marines, which is engaged in daily fighting in Marja. 'We've had nil in the way of problems; we've had no issues,' he said of the M 4s and M 16s. The battalion has about 350 M 16s and 700 M 4s, he said." which uses a proprietary gas system derived from the HK G36, replacing the internal piston] gas system used by the standard M16/M4. The HK system uses a short stroke gas piston driving an operating rod to force the bolt carrier to the rear. This design prevents combustion gases from entering the weapon's interior, a shortcoming with internal piston and direct impingement systems. The reduction in heat and fouling of the bolt carrier group increases the reliability of the weapon and extends the interval between stoppages. The short stroke gas piston requires less maintenance and cleaning.

"Magazines are one of the most important elements of any firearm design. They are responsible for the feeding portion of the cycle of operation. Even in the most proven arm that reliably extracts and ejects, the magazine has to be 100 percent reliable for it to consistently feed properly." The AK 47's 30 round magazines have a pronounced curve that allows them to smoothly feed ammunition into the chamber. Their heavy steel construction combined with "feed lips" (the surfaces at the top of the magazine that control the angle at which the cartridge enters the chamber) machined from a single steel billet makes them highly resistant to damage. These magazines are so strong that "Soldiers have been known to use their mags as hammers, and even bottle openers." This makes the AK 47 magazine more reliable, although heavier than U. S. and NATO magazines. The early slab sided steel AK 47 magazines weigh empty. The M16's magazine was meant to be a lightweight, disposable item. The newer plastic magazines are about a half inch longer. The newer steel magazines are about a halfinch longer and 4 ounces heavier. The M16's magazine has become the unofficial NATO STANAG magazine and is currently used by many Western Nations, in numerous weapon systems. In 2009, the U. S. Military began fielding an "improved magazine" identified by a tan colored follower. "The new follower incorporates an extended rear leg and modified bullet protrusion for improved round stacking and orientation. The self leveling/anti tilt follower minimizes jamming while a wider spring coil profile creates even force distribution. The performance gains have not added weight or cost to the magazines." These new magazines have tan bodies and blue followers. As a result, the AK 47 has a service/system life of approximately 6,000, to 10,000, to 15,000 rounds. As units are often deployed without adequate logistical support and dependent on "battlefield cannibalization" for resupply, it is more cost effective to replace rather than repair weapons. The M16's barrel life is approximately 15,000 rounds for standard issue M16A4s and M4s. A badly worn M16 barrel will cause the bullets to tumble in flight. However, the M16's upper receiver/barrel may be swapped out in a matter of seconds, without the use of tools, simply by pushing out two pins. The M16 was designed to be a serviceable assault rifle, perfectly matching American military doctrine where units are resupplied continuously and are expected to perform most of their maintenance and repairs in the field. The M16 rifle may be recycled almost infinitely, as any individual part can be easily replaced until none of the original parts remain.