The video opens at Take Aim Training and Range with a comparison between the AK-47 and AK-74 platforms. The rifles shown are not original early Kalashnikov or full-auto models but mostly AKM-style modernized variants. One example is an older Zastava N-PAP, a Yugoslav-style AK with a distinctive handguard. It has been owned for many years and remains reliable and enjoyable to shoot. The rifle is equipped with a Midwest Industries M-LOK rail that fits the Yugo pattern, holds zero well, and provides a solid mounting platform. The discussion frames the AK-47 as Kalashnikov’s famous late-1940s design, widely regarded as the most produced rifle in history, and introduces the later AK-74, also attributed to Kalashnikov but reportedly adopted against his personal preference.
Attention shifts to the calibers that define the AK-47 and AK-74. The AK-47 and AKM typically fire 7.62x39, while the AK-74 is chambered in 5.45x39. The two cartridges are contrasted visually and by basic ballistics. The 7.62x39 example uses a 124-grain projectile, described as heavier, wider, and slower, with muzzle velocity around just under or just over 2,300 feet per second. The 5.45x39 load uses a 60-grain projectile, significantly lighter and moving at roughly 2,900 feet per second. The higher velocity of 5.45x39 is associated with improved potential for body armor penetration, though barrel length, bullet weight, and other factors are noted as important variables influencing velocity and trajectory.
The reasoning behind Russia’s move from 7.62x39 to 5.45x39 is compared to the U.S. transition from 7.62 NATO to 5.56. The U.S. experience in Vietnam highlighted the importance of shot placement, accuracy, and ammunition capacity, including how many rounds a soldier could realistically carry. The M14, chambered in 7.62 NATO, fired a larger, heavier bullet but limited carried ammunition. The shift to the M16 and 5.56 allowed more rounds to be carried due to lighter ammunition, which suited highly mobile operations. The move from 7.62x39 to 5.45x39 is presented as a similar logic: lighter, faster cartridges enabling higher carried round counts and emphasizing controllability and accuracy over raw bullet size.
The 7.62x39 Zastava N-PAP AK is loaded and fired at steel targets downrange. The target fails quickly under fire, illustrating the cartridge’s impact. Observations focus on recoil and handling. The 7.62x39 AK has a noticeable but manageable “thump,” with recoil that most shooters can control without difficulty. The rifle’s simplicity and robust design are emphasized as reasons for the AK platform’s widespread popularity. While building an AK from parts is acknowledged as complex, the basic operating system and components are described as straightforward, contributing to the rifle’s reputation for reliability and ease of use in the field.
The AK-74 in 5.45x39 is then loaded and fired to compare its behavior to the 7.62x39 rifle. Several visual cues that distinguish the AK-74 are highlighted. The 5.45x39 magazine is less curved than the classic “banana” shape of the 7.62x39 magazine, though it still has a slight curve. The AK-74’s characteristic muzzle device is also noted as a common identifying feature. When fired, the AK-74 shows reduced recoil and less noticeable muzzle rise compared to the 7.62x39 AK. The lighter 60-grain 5.45 projectile requires less effort from the powder charge to accelerate, resulting in softer recoil than the heavier 124-grain 7.62x39 bullet, which produces a stronger, more pronounced impulse.
The discussion turns to how each caliber fits different roles. Many former Soviet and allied nations adopted the AK-74 and 5.45x39, and Russia continues to field the platform. The 5.45x39 is described as a fast-moving cartridge with a flatter trajectory and lighter ammunition weight, allowing a shooter to carry more loaded magazines for the same burden compared to 7.62x39. Both rifles typically use 30-round magazines, but the total carried load can differ due to weight. For close-quarters or more confined environments, 7.62x39 is suggested as effective, with recoil still manageable for rapid follow-up shots. For more open terrain and longer distances, 5.45x39 is presented as better suited due to its flatter shooting characteristics and higher velocity.
Broader variations within the Kalashnikov family are briefly covered. The RPK, described as the light machine gun version of the AK, has been produced in both 7.62x39 and 5.45x39, extending each cartridge’s role into a squad automatic weapon format. The PKM is mentioned as a medium machine gun chambered in 7.62x54R, a more powerful cartridge that occupies a different role than the intermediate AK calibers. These examples illustrate how the Kalashnikov design and related cartridges have been adapted into multiple configurations, from standard rifles to light and medium machine guns, each tailored to specific tactical needs and engagement distances.
The video concludes by framing the AK-47 versus AK-74 discussion as less of a direct contest and more about matching caliber to mission. For close-range or general-purpose use, 7.62x39 is considered entirely adequate, while 5.45x39 may offer advantages at extended ranges in open areas. Personal preference is tied to ammunition availability: 7.62x39 is favored simply because there is more of it on hand, and 5.45x39 would be shot more often if supplies were greater. Viewers are invited to consider which caliber better fits their environment and needs. The segment closes by noting that 5.45x39 is associated with Kalashnikov’s development, though he reportedly disagreed with aspects of its adoption, and by briefly raising the question of whether 6.5 Creedmoor might eventually replace 7.62 NATO in U.S. military service.
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