which has better penetration power? AR15(M16) or AK47(MAK90)?

Question

if there is another .223cal or 7.62mm that you know of feel free to present it.... assault rifles w/ over 30rd capacity plz.(sorry .308s won't be considered)

7.62 x 39, not 7.62x54 plz.

first three answers seem to ask at what range.... 30 to 50 yds.

the underlying question isn't about human penetration. a .22 will do that, but thx anyways. I was looking more at metal.

Answer 1

The 7.62x39 will penetrate deeper than the 5.56NATO. The heavier bullet will carry more ftlbs for penetration. With the 7.62 the hit will be a pass through shot with little trauma, unless bone it hit. The 5.56NATO will tumble and fragment and won't penetrate as deep but will cause alot of tissue trauma.

Answer 2

7.62x39 has stable terminal ballistics, 5.56x45 military rounds are designed to tumble and fragment. So the 223 has less penetration because it is designed to stop. At short and long ranges the 223 is either too stable or no longer has the energy to tumble, so out to about 20 yards a 223 will just punch straight through a normal target.

Now what do you mean about other calibers?

The US military are so unimpressed with the 223 in Iraq and Afghanistan that they have been queitly considering the 6.8SPC and the 6.5 Grendel which both have better stopping power and long range ballistics, but you lose two rounds from a 30 round mag when you convert it to 6.8SPC... but then you could always convert a 40.

There's the FN 5.7mm rounds too, I think the P90 carries quite a few, but those are designed not to penetrate a 'soft target' (human) too.

Penetration isn't the whole issue, you need trauma too.

Why don't you ask your underlying question?

Answer 3

depends on the target and the ammunition used. A SS209 5.56 will out penetrate a 7.62 x 39 softpoint or HP ammo. Both are inferior other .30 cal. rounds like the russian 7.62x54 our 7.62x51, etc. The new 6.8 round holds promise to be the best of both worlds. In tissue the 7.62 x 39 tends to penetrate deeper, as well as on object like walls and such. The 5.56 penetrates helmets, body armour, etc. better with its steel core ammo.

Answer 4

Hmmm, Im no official source on this, but based on my experiance with the two arms I would say that the AK has better penetration power within short to medium range... but this is REALLY splitting hairs as they are both very very close in firepower. I will say that the AR15 is more accurate over long distance, BUT the AK is tremendously reliable and damn near indestructable. Guess it all depends on what your needs are.

Answer 5

OK i would have to define penetration, like going into something, next , i would have to set the distance, known clothing and object behind then, next, type of round, fmj length of barrel etc, i don,t know much about physics, but at short distance, i would believe the AK round would penetrate more, if all the variables were the same.except for bullet weight

Answer 6

the ak=47 is better penetration at moderate ranges. but the m=16 is better at longer ranges

Answer 7

7.62 is better I own 3 AK's and 2 AR's

Answer 8

they both penetrate almost the same