Differences Between AK-47, AK-74, AKM, AK-101, and AK-12

36 Comments

1. Sick article man.

   So which AK version do you like best?

   • Thanks.

     I like the original AK47 advanced Type for collectors purposes. As far as shooting, I have a WASR 10 Romanian (Which is a version of the AKM) that I absolutely love (it was cheap, wouldn’t be my first choice otherwise).

     I would do some crazy stuff to get my hands on an AK-15 though. From my research, that thing seems unbelievable.

     • Haha that’s crazy I actually have a WASR 10 myself. Had one from before they fixed the TAPCO trigger so I had to go thru and install if myself

       • Yeah I got the more recent one that already had the TAPCO installed. Don’t blame you for switching it out, heard that trigger could be an absolute pain.

2. I never knew one of AK’s had a grenade launcher holy crap that would be awesome

3. What will you advise for the loads of AKM donated by Russia to the Philippine Government?

   • I would advise they use them to dismantle the ISIS-linked groups trying to take control of half of the country

4. Very good article to disambiguate the various AK variants. I get seriously irritated when the media refer to AKMs and AK-74s as ‘AK-47s’.
   What do you think is the best quality non-Russian AK variant? Do they come from the former East Germany, Romania or Bulgaria? Do you think the Iraqi copy, the Tabuk, is a good build?

   • Appreciate it. I also get annoyed when the media calls everything that looks scary an “AK47”. That’s what initially drove me to write this.

     It’s interesting you ask that question about which I think is the best quality. Everyone tends to have a really hard-line opinion on that question. In reality, it can be pretty subjective. Best as in longevity? Best as in build quality? But in my opinion, I think it’s the same for any answer. I may be a bit biased in that regard, but I’ll explain.

     I think the Bulgarians make the best, hands down. Pretty much all AK variants made post-Kalashnikov’s manufacturing spree were made in the bloc countries. Bulgaria and Romania were two of the biggest. But the ones made by the Bulgarians were the one’s the Soviet military personally used, usually leaving the Romanian style for export or other purposes. It’s also pretty well-known that the Bulgarians tend to use much better input parts into the rifle. Whether this makes a sizable impact or not on the end product, I’m not sure. But they have better access to the original manufacturing components. There was also a study done by a Russian firearm manufacturer that pitted the two against each other long-term, and I remember reading the Bulgarian version did outlast the Romanian build. I’ll try to dig it up and see if I can link it to you. East Germany would be a close runner-up. Romania third (which is still miles and miles ahead of other manufacturing countries such as Poland/Albania: Look up the massive failure that is the Kbk wz. 1988 Tantal if you’re ever curious how bad an AK can be).

     Regardless of which bloc country you’d consider, I think they are all better than domestic. Any AK built and assembled in a post-communist countries factory is going to be of a much better variety than domestic. Since you seem to know a deal about the AKs, I’m sure you already knew that though.

     As for the Tabuk, it’s not a bad rifle. It’s built more in-line with the RPK/M70, however. So it is incredibly similar to the AKM, but I think it shares more traits with the M70. Most barrels weren’t chrome-lined, and it had a different style 1.5mm receiver. From most people I’ve talked to about it, the Tabuk doesn’t seem to be much more than a fixed-stock M70. Because of the Iraqi war, most modern Tabuks have scopes on them (and are only semi-auto) but I mean other than that, there isn’t a whole lot of differences. The sniper version does not have a gas regulator valve though, which I always thought was weird. Would be cool for collectors purposes, but if I was going to spend money on the “best” AK variant for whatever purpose, I would personally go elsewhere.

     • WOW you for sure know nothing of AKs if you think that Bulgarian ones were used by Russian military or Tantal was a failure. Bulgarian/Romanian are considered worst, period. Same for east Germany. Best ones would be probably from Russia made by Izmash, second from Poland. You are for sure from USA and know next to nothing about AKs besides one imported to USA.

       • And you know nothing about reading comprehension. I was replying to a comment discussing the “best quality non-Russian AK variant” – so obviously Russian made arms are not included. He asked specifically about East Germany, Romania or Bulgaria. On top of that, the original Tantal I was discussing isn’t even sold anymore. As for your comment about Bulgaria, the Soviets used theirs often so that’s just as wrong as everything else you wrote. Try again next time.

5. A friend has a Chinese AK47??? for sale. I’m not up on this rifle at all but always thought that the 47 was in a different caliber than 5.56mmx45 and this is what is on the side of the piece. Here is what I could find printed on the side of the rifle: in a triangle were the number 66, the number 845-1 and what looks like a S/N 324***, NORINCO, Made in China, 5.56mmx45, CSI LA CA. He also says it is a preban rifle. Me? With it being a 5.56, I’m thinking, unless the Chinese modified it to the 5.56, it is a AK74. HELP!!!! Maynard

   • That’s some limited info, but I can try to help.

     More than likely, it is not an AK47 or a AK74 but a Chinese AKM variant.

     Almost all Chinese imports have the triangle 66 (meaning they were made in State Factory 66, which is/was their main factory) along with the Norinco (China North Industries Group Corporation – the ones that make the guns).

     CSI LA CA is China Sports International, out of Los Angeles, California. AKA: The importer.

     It sounds a lot like a Type 84S from what you have said here (however, I could be wrong). And a 84S was the Chinese 5.56 version of the Russian AKM (later gen). They made these in .223 and 5.56, the most common imported in the US being the 5.56.

     I think the “845” you are seeing is actually a 84S, it just may be worn. I’ve never heard of 845. (again, could be wrong here). The 84S-1 is just a version.

     For additional info: Typically postban rifles would have thumbhole stocks. If it says “84S” on the trunion next to the 66 it is a preban rifle.

     Hope this helps. If this doesn’t help, send me an email and I’ll get in touch with you (and ask for a pic) then I can figure it out for sure. Good luck.

     • Thanks for the info and the help. . This rifle does have a fold under stock not a thumbhole and the 84S is right next to the 66. I have a couple shots of the piece and would like to send them to you. Maynard

       • Send me an email through my contact form by clicking here. Then I’ll ask for the shots.

         • For anyone who may stumble upon this later on, I managed to help figure out what the AK was so I figured I’d post my response here for any inquisitive minds:

           “Yep that is the fold under stock and exactly what I was picturing, and the .223 ammo definitely confirms that.

           For comparison, you can find a version of it on gunbrokers by following this link. A non-polytech version is also here.

           It is a 84S-1, specifically.

           The 84S-1 line are called “Type 56 Assault Rifles”. Particularly, you are looking at a Type 84S-1 – A civilian version of the Type 56 rifle chambered for the 5.56/.223 round.

           The 84S was originally an AK-47 copy. HOWEVER: our pic is a 84S-1, which means it is a version of the AKMS – so AKM (S just stands for folding). The first gen of the 84S-1’s were based off of the AKS, but if you had one of those it would show a NASD in the picture you sent, which it doesn’t.

           So, to summarize: That is a 84S-1, Chinese clone of AKM.

           Looks to be in pretty good condition, collector edition – bet you could easily get $1000 off of it. Prob normal sale range is in the $1150-1500 range. Put a cheap bayonet on the rifle and up-charge it”

           There we go. Hope it may help someone else out.

         • Stampedes do not carry bolt-actions.

6. Didn’t Obama ban 5,45×39? Or is it back?

   • It was banned from import. Companies are only banned from importing 7N6. A lot of foreign commercial ammo is not steel-cored, so it’s fine. Tula sells it all over online, you can find it on many websites. Handloads (using reformed .222 or .223 brass) are are also legal, depending on state.

7. Sick article! Enjoyed every bit of it.

   • Thank you, glad it was an interesting read.

8. You forgot to even mention the maadi AK and the pre and post ban changes in them like the thumphole stock and two diffrent barrel lenghts

   • The title of this article is “Differences Between AK-47, AK-74, AKM, AK-101, and AK-12” – not “Discussion on every one of the 5000 duplicates of the Russian AKM”. I put in a few notable ones, but I don’t feel the Maadi is special because it’s practically a copy of the Russian AKM… it’s just made in Egypt. The people that made them were literally trained in the Soviet Union on exactly how to make them. The factory in Egypt was even run by Russians in the beginning.

     Same logic applies to pre and post ban. It does not change the actual differences between the AK’s – because every AK has to comply with the pre/post ban requirements. On top of this, most of the pre-ban ones are grandfathered in anyway. It mostly only deals with imports or with lame states. I live in a free state, so it’s not super relevant on my end.

     I may make a followup article to include these issues, but they definitely don’t belong in this one.

     • How do you feel about where Maadi lands quality-wise compared to others? Managed to come up on a matching numbers kit with folding stock. Looks like it was never used, just cut and then sold as a kit.

       • This guy goes into much more detail than I would ever be able to cover: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ruPE4oFSXbI

9. Going real niche mentioning the akmsu haha. Love the article, would love to see one on how to differentiate romanian, bulgarian, serbian, chinese etc. versions

10. Excellent article!
    I learned a lot!
    Thank you!

    • Glad you enjoyed it. Have a good one.

11. Спасибо, давно искал

12. Any update to cover the SLR variants?

13. Hi, man. Just so you know, It’s Avtomat Kalashnikova, not Av. Kalashnikov. You can’t simply drop a letter from the gun’s official name. Kalashnikova means “Kalashnikov’s” in russian. By the way, you might want to update the picture of the AK-12. The original prototype wasn’t accepted into service – the one they accepted looks exactly like the AK-15 (minus the mag, becouse it is chambered in 5.45×39).

    • Shephard, thanks for the two catches. I have updated them.

14. Hi
    I was searching google to find a good article to how visually distinguish between AK-47 & AK-74 and maybe other variations too.
    The pictures u put here are nice and easy to distinguish but in Syrian conflict as these weapons are manipulated a lot in stocks, forgrips and etc, it’s hard to distinguish sometimes.

15. AK-19 (5.56×45 NATO)

16. Excellent article, the link to which I shall re-post among those who will be interested.

    One tiny grammar-Nazi point: it’s “muzzle brake” not “muzzle break”.

    And a major point: we need to organize. We need to have, literally, hundreds of thousands of people organized into thousands of local groups.

    Now … it would be desirable if as many of those people had the same weapon, for obvious reasons. And that weapon should be, in my opinon, the AR15, “America’s Rifle”.

    Yes, yes, yes, yes … I know that 25 people here will be able to write convincing essays about the superiority of the rugged AK47, and its heavier round, over the AR15.

    But we must not let the best be the enemy of the good.

    I don’t know the statistics on ownership of the two, but I bet the AR is far more widespread than the AK, about ten million being owned in the US now.

    And it has one advantage over the AK: it’s lighter. And we want to be able to recruit, arm, and train people who are NOT gun-enthusiasts and who are afraid of recoil, which the AR has less of.

    Both are adequate … and if I could magically make everyone have the same weapon, and then make them have new recruits buy that specific type, I would choose the AK, ,mainly because it’s cheaper, and this might be a major consideration for many people, especially those who are not going to be active members of a neighborhood defense group, but sympathyzers of such a group– its reserves, so to speak.

    But we are where we are, so we should recommend that everyone who does not yet have a serious weapon for SHTF situations should standardize on the AR.

    Note: obviously, this doesn’t mean you should throw away your own AK. And for that matter, in a really professional organization, each squad or equivalent would have a sniper, probably using a bolt-action rifle, who would put in a lot of time learning how to use it effectively.

    But for your grandmother … it should be the AR.

    Postscript: on another site I look at, similar to this, people got into an argument about what sort of small ‘walkie-talkie’ type radio a neighborhood defense group should supply all its members with. One very knowledgeable fellow recommended a rather expensive, but very good one — I don’t recall the cost, but it was significant … maybe $250? … But others argued for the very cheap BaoFeng model … on some sites you can get them for $8 each if you order 20 or more … and it seemed to me that they had the better of the argument.

    Yes, perhaps the main leadership of a group — the commander and sub-commanders — should haver the really reliable, longer-distance expensive ones. But if you want something that everyone can afford, go for the cheapo BaoFeng. Buy a few extra so if one of them goes US during an action, you can toss it away and be issued with another.

    • Agreed on many points. Thanks for the writing catch. It has been corrected.

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