https://apps.dtic.mil/dtic/tr/fulltext/u2/a228398.pdf
The above is the link to the Aberdeen Proving Ground Testing of the AK74 and how it compared to US weapons. There are three variants of this subject all written by my friend Buck Weaver of the Army Material Systems Analysis Activity at Aberdeen which was located about a hundred yards from my office.
The original AK74 testing was conducted in 82 just as I finished up the M16A1E1 Test and I got a call from Buck that he needed me to conduct a project for him and this was conducted on the weekends as up to that time we did not have a AK74 to evaluate so I got picked to conduct it.
Buck gave me pictures of the test and told me to keep them close hold for a long time. In short we didn't want the opposition to know what we knew or that we had one of their toys to do such. The interestng thing was we had two 55 gal drums of 5.45 ammo for several years before the rifle became available. I knew Buck had horsepower when he showed up for the test carrying a 35 MM camera in the security area.
In 2015 I found my pics and I tried to call him and learned he had passed and I called AMSAA and got clearance to discuss it. They told me that Buck wrote three reports, the first one was not written until 1986 and then another and finally this one that is now posted on the internet dtd 1990 and the only one released for publication.
This is a gold mine of data and compares the AK74 to a variety of US weapons. This is probably the most intense comparison you will ever see because the data for these evaluations have all been conducted on the same ranges at Aberdeen Proving Ground so there are no comparisons about tests conducted by gun writers on different ranges, altitudes, humidity and by personnel that do not have the qualifications/experience to conduct such.
When I got to Buck's office he told me he wanted the testing conducted exactly like the M16A1E1 was conducted using the same everything to include the same crew changing the targets as we moved back.
As you will see he compares ACTUAL hit studies and all data is actual and not computer projections. As I shot each segment he took the targets, wrote on them and took with him thus no one but me, my crew and him saw them and I am sure they are still on file at the PG in the vaults.
Aberdeen testing is unique because when you see data of a test conducted in the 40s to 2019 it was all conducted on the same range by specially selected personnel to assure the highest degree of repeatability possible.
For instance testing is conducted in two ways. One the sights are never changed and you just keep moving back while shooting at a huge target frame with target placed higher and higher followed be having all groups measured from the bottom center of a round bull target in millimeters. Then you have fire control study which means how close are shots are placed to the point of aim when the sights are moved at each distance. Thus if you have a target at 700 meters and you put sight on 700 meters and thus you know how close the sights are to being correct.
Other tests will have data beyond hit probability such as mean rounds between failures and safety evaluations that are required by MIL STD 882 System Safety which is called for along with human engineering recommendations for weapons systems as outlined in MIL HDBK 759.
If you want to learn much more in-depth knowledge of what goes on the weapons development and testing I suggest you pull up copies of the above document (on line) and read them. I think you will be amazed as to what goes on in military weapons development.
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