Are AK-74 gas pistons shorter than AK-47s?

I just bought a tapco gas piston for my bulgy ak-74 side folder and it is about 1/4 longer than the original. Is this going to be a problem?

Yes the AK-74 gas piston is shorter because the AK-74 bolt carrier is longer. The overall length of the bolt carrier and gas piston together is the same. With US-made gas pistons you can sometimes shorten the front of a stainless steel gas piston if it's not chrome plated.

What Century did was shorten the front of the AK-74 bolt carriers and welded the AK-47 gas pistonns. You might be able to shorten the bolt carrier but it's super hard and you need enough material left in front of the rivet holes. I would shorten the gas piston or get a correct length gas piston which aren't as common in the US-made ones but they are out there.

The differences are not going to affect the operation of the weapon.

Nalioth is correct. AK-74's with regular length '47 gas pistons will function without problem. Marcolmar sells their AKS-74 with this configuration.

AKM on top.., AK74 below.

http://img258.imageshack.us/img258/3257/p4272019.jpg