There are other aspects besides performance. The AK-47 was subsidized to the tune of 25 million of them given away.
The AK-47 failed when it first came out. The stamped metal technology was ‘not ready for prime time’ in Soviet Union. The Soviet Union selected the SKS as superior.
They went back to milled receivers, but that made it expensive. Eventually they got the stamped receivers right. Schmeisser had a lot to do with that.
M-1 carbines had over 6 million made during WWII. They are still in production today. Copies (Mini-14) in other calibers are also made, and are sold for a lot more than AK-47 clones. If it costs twice as much, then that is an argument that it may just be better, unless you think a volkswagen is superior to a porche.
“If something costs twice as much...”
In the case of the AK vs. the Mini-14 it would be the labor costs.
And FWIW we own an example of each; th Mini-14, an M1A, a Romanian WASR AK clone, an M1 Carbine, and a couple of AR pattern rifles. It is our considered opinion that of all of them of that if the SHTF the AK patterns are wht is coming out of our safe first.
It is quite simply the best “out of the box” fighting rifle ever designed bar none.
As I said before, God speed Dr. Kalashnikov. And thank you.