There has been a lot of debate about which rifle is more effective; The AK-47 or the M4 Carbine. But what exactly that means depends entirely on who you’re asking. Is one rifle more accurate than the other? Does one have less recoil than the other? Which weapon is easier to handle when shooting from a standing position, crouching position, prone position, and kneeling position? What about the difference in barrel length between the two weapons and whether that makes a difference in accuracy and range? These are all questions that need to be answered in order to find out if there truly is a more effective firearm. So let’s take a look at some of these key factors.
Accuracy
The AK-47 is a popular and powerful assault rifle for good reason. It is a select-fire, AKA machine gun, which means that the AK-47 can switch between automatic and semi-automatic modes of firing. However, this also means that it can’t be purchased by just anybody, unlike an M4 Carbine that’s much easier to obtain.
The M4 Carbine is also an assault rifle, however, it’s not a machine gun. This means that it can only fire one round per trigger pull and cannot switch between automatic and semi-automatic modes of firing. As such, the M4 is inherently more accurate than an AK-47.
Range
The AK-47 has an effective range (the range at which the rifle is expected to be accurate) of around 300 meters. The M4 Carbine, on the other hand, has an effective range of around 450 meters.
Ammunition
The AK-47 uses 7.62×39mm rounds. You can unload 30 rounds of ammo in about 60 seconds. The AK-47’s cartridge has a steel core and is able to pierce through a light cover or sheild.
The M4 Carbine uses a variation of the 5.56×45mm NATO rounds. It fires 30 rounds per minute when fully automatic (600 rounds in 60 seconds) and can fire 200 to 350 meters away. These cartridges have an aluminum core, allowing them to bend and shift on impact, which causes the bullet to lose energy rapidly.
Caliber is used to refer to the internal diameter of the barrel (in inches). AK-47’s bullet has a caliber of 7.62mm while M4 Carbine’s bullet has a caliber of 5.54mm. The 7.62mm round in the AK-47 is heavier and larger than the 5.56mm caliber bullet in the M4, and can therefore fly further on average.
Recoil
An AK-47 has stronger recoil than an M4 due to the caliber of the bullet. Since it has a lower caliber the M4 will have less of a recoil, but that also means that your bullet will travel less of a distance.
Reliability
The standard M4 has a tested 1 in 5,000 rounds malfunction rate, while the AK-47 has a 1 in 1,200 rounds malfunction rate.
The AK-47 and M4 Carbine are both assault rifles, but they have a few differences. If you’re looking for a rifle that will be accurate at long distances, the M4 is your best bet. This gun is lighter than an AK-47 so it can provide more mobility during combat situations as well. But if you want something with a little bit more firepower during close encounters or in a situation where ammo needs to be conserved due to dwindling supplies, then the AK-47 would be the choice for you.
If you’re looking for a new rifle, compare the AK-47 and M4 Carbine to find out which one is best suited for your needs. With so many rifles on the market today, it can be hard to know what kind of weapon suits your specific purposes the best. There are different factors that determine which firearm will work best depending on whether you want a long-range or short-range weapon with more accuracy, reliability or ammunition capacity. Knowing these differences before making a purchase could prevent a lot of wasted time, money and research later down the line.
