...as if an AK has even HALF the range of the AR 223...
Ummm... yeah.
68-grain .223 starting @ 3100fps (which is 200 fps above hornady book maximum, but we'll allow for longer barrel this way), and 130-grain 7.62x39 starting @ 2,600fps. (2,600 is the slowest load listed for this weight bullet in the Hornady book.)
Both with 200-yard zero. Now the comparisons:
(400 yards for .223; 200 for AK)
Energy (ft/lbs) AR-625 AK-1197 (AK wins by 91%; almost double.)
Bullet Drop AR-20.5 AK-0.0
For the AR to win at this distance, it would have to start at a good ways over 5,000 fps, likely closer to 6,000; not going to happen.
(600 yards for .223; 300 for AK)
Energy (ft/lbs) AR-387 AK-919 (AK wins by 137%; almost 2 1/2 times.)
Bullet Drop AR-75.3 AK-11.0
Again, not even close. The AK round wins this comparison hands-down.
My point is that while I prefer the AR myself; to say the AK has "less than half the range" is demonstrably incorrect.
For a more apples-to-apples comparison... All the same as above, but testing both at the SAME distance; say 300 yards.
Energy (ft/lbs) AR-783 AK-1186 (Even here, the AK wins out.)
Bullet Drop AR-11.3 AK-8.5
How about 500 yards...?
Energy (ft/lbs) AR-494 AK-532 (Here, the AK fared better than I expected)
Bullet Drop AR-42.5 AK-69.3
Frankly, this surprised me when I looked them up; could be I'm reading something wrong in the book.
For reference, I'm using Hornady Fourth Edition, Vols 1 and 2; from 1997.