Piston AR-15 vs AK: Which Is Best for Trench Warfare?

AK vs AR
It's all so tiresome...

A while back I saw an article stating Ukrainian troops we’re preferring Russian AK-74s over their supplied M16A4s , with the article stating “Extremely delicate Western equipment cannot tolerate the climate, grime, or debris. Russian weapons continue to function despite using fuels and lubricants of dubious quality.”.

I thought that this was interesting, mainly with the statement about “grime or debris” as it is opposite of many findings of the AR-15's strength in being able to perform in such conditions, with the AR often beating the AK. This mostly has to do to the AR's ability to keep that stuff out, as it is a more closed off system compared to the AK.

What I would agree with, is an AKs ability to perform with neglect, as an AR does require more cleaning and maintenance due to carbon fouling. This if the problem I think the Ukrainians are running into the most, and is why many conscript/irregular forces choose the AK over the AR, as its looser tolerances provide more forgiveness in this regard.

That being said, if a conscript force were to choose an AR pattern rifle over an AK, would a piston driven gun be the right answer?

Piston driven ARs do not have the same amount of carbon fouling as a "DI" gun (I know they are technically piston driven), as the piston keeps all the gas up front to actuate the piston, versus venting it down the gas tube to the bolt carrier.

This would require less tentative maintenance on the weapon system, and bringing the AR into the realm of the AK when it comes to reliability through neglect.

While this type of reliability is hard to show in video, what is easy to show is the different types of conditions that might be present in trench warfare, and how rifles perform in such conditions, largely focusing on the "grime or debris" statement in the article.

So today I’ll be conducting a variety of torture tests to simulate trench conditions, comparing the performance difference between a piston driven AR-15 (Adams Arms P3) and a AK-74 (PSA AK-74), to see which is better suited for warfare in less than ideal conditions, and if "extremely delicate western equipment" would survive the tests..Enjoy!

Enjoy!

Big thanks to Adams Arms for providing the rifle.

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