Which is better, AK47 or AK74

Question

7.62x39mm versus 5.45x39mm? which one is better? what are pros and cons?

Answer 1

Taking this another step, if you were shopping for a WASR or other AK variant or you were dong an AK build, and had a choice of 7.62x39 or 5.45x39, a consideration is that 5.45x39 is currently available surplus, where 7.62x39 is not and the price of commercial continues to go up considerably.  Gone are the days of $2 a box Wolf.  

Answer 2

Okay, are you wanting the difference between the rifles or the ammo?

The Ak 47 developed in 1944 versus the upgraded version Ak 74 in 1970.

Weight,  AK47 9.5 versus the lighter Ak 74 at 6.7

Rnds a minute, 600 vs 650 for the Ak 74.

Effective range.  100 to 1000 for the 5.45 ammo versus the 100 to 800 7.62 x39

muzzle velocity, 2340 for the 7.62 and 2950 for the 5.45

Both rounds are considered an intermediate rifle ammo.

Both rifles are dependable, both rounds are available in bulk quantities.

The biggest pros for the Ak 74 is that the recent Soviet version has a chromed lined barrel and weight.

The con for the AK 47 is weight.