Comparison of the AK-47 and M16

M16A2 (top) and AK-47 (bottom) assault rifles
Firearm	AK-47	M16A1
Manufacturer	Kalashnikov Concern (formerly Izhmash)	ArmaLite, Colt, GM, H&R, FN, Remington
Design year	1947	1957
Weight (with loaded 30-round magazine)	4.78 kg (10.5 lb)	3.6 kg (7.9 lb)
Overall length	87.0 cm (34.3 in)	99.0 cm (39.0 in)
Barrel length	40.6 cm (16.0 in)	50.8 cm (20.0 in)
Height (with magazine)	26.7 cm (10.5 in)	26.7 cm (10.5 in)
Sight radius	37.8 cm (14.9 in)	50.0 cm (19.7 in)
Cartridge	(M43) 7.62×39mm	(M193) 5.56×45mm
Bullet weight	122 gr (7.9 g)	55 gr (3.6 g)
Velocity	2,330 fps (710 m/s)	3,250 fps (990 m/s)
Energy	1,469 ft.lbs (1,991 J)	1,302 ft.lbs (1,764 J)
Effective range	380 yd (350 m)	500 yd (460 m)
Accuracy @ 100 meters	5.9 in (15 cm)	4.3 in (11 cm)
Penetration (ballistic Gelatin)	≈29 in (74 cm)	≈14 in (36 cm)
Rate of fire	600 rounds/min	700–950 rounds/min
Standard magazine capacity	30 rounds	30 rounds
Designer	Mikhail Kalashnikov	Eugene Stoner
Numbers made	~100 million AK-47 type rifles	~8 million M16 type 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, and non-state actors. 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. Its firepower, ease of use, low production costs, and reliability were perfectly suited for the Soviet Army's new mobile warfare doctrines. More AK-type weapons have been produced than all other assault rifles combined. 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. It is a benchmark against which other assault rifles are judged. The U.S. Army has largely replaced the M16 in combat units with the shorter and lighter M4 carbine, and the U.S. Marine Corps approved a similar change in October 2015.

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 over-powered 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.

The result was the Sturmgewehr 44, which the Germans produced in large numbers; approximately half a million were made. It fired a new and revolutionary intermediate powered cartridge, the 7.92×33mm Kurz. 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. A smaller lighter cartridge also allowed soldiers to carry more ammunition "to support the higher consumption rate of automatic fire."