7.62x39, 5.45x39, & 5.56/.223 AK Discussion Thread

[HarryBear]

So, in the end, or beginning what caliber is the AK going to survive at? Seems the ban on import ammo is here to stay (unless you hoard pallets of it in the basement) and the American cartridges are here to stay granted the US ammo makers keep up production. 7.62x39 is produced by all Warsaw Pact nations. However, 5.45x39 is mostly combloc nations. Lastly is our American caliber. Does one get out of one caliber and go with a caliber easily obtained, not banned, or easily produced since we live in the US? Does one completely sell all of their mags, etc to bring in the new caliber with mags, etc?
What are some of your thoughts? I believe Kalashnikov designed the AK in 7.62x39 for his country only... Now, as American folks should we go with a non designer AK in 5.56? *Not original concept*. Also, why can't US ammo makers produce foreign calibers? I assume the demand is there, just not our military caliber for use.

 

[golddigger14s]

https://www.pewpewtactical.com/best-ak-47-ammo/

 

[okierider]

You can buy brass and projos for AK74 as well as 47. Both are here to stay and read a little while back one of the ammo company's are setting up to run both. Wanna say it was palmetto state but......

 

[GnometownHero]

I really like my 16” barrel 7.62x39 AR. With Tula 154gr softpoint ammo it shoots good.
I use the lower from that rifle to run my 6.5 Grendel too.
I was going to deer hunt with the 7.62x39 but the Grendel does longer shots better.

I have 300 Blackout and 5.56 uppers I shoot off another lower

 

[GlockPride]

I’ve got plenty of AR’s 5.56 and other calibers. I wanted an AK the way it was designed in 7.62x39. Is it the best caliber? No. Does it hit hard close in? Yes it does. Did I buy it for any reason other than to test on it, play around and be familiar? No.

But I sure enjoy it and get a kick out of it. Now, if the import ammo would just come on back down in price again, that’d be great.

 

[HarryBear]

I agree with the original design concept. However, ammo grabbers/freedom haters are taking this stuff away from us. Leaving no importation of the ammo, but only political US/NATO cartridges... I sure know 5.45x39 is dying slowly, just wondering about other non US calibers.
I'd love a US manufacturer to produce steel cased 5.45x39 and 7.62x39, I think they'd do very well.

 

[Jon3830]

just get one in 9mm
https://www.centuryarms.com/wasr-m-series

 

[okierider]

https://gundigest.com/article/psa-tooling-up-for-domestic-steel-cased-ammo-production

 

[HarryBear]

Well I'll be a monkey's uncle...

 

[Chief Sapulpa]

With Ruag Norma routinely selling brass cased 7.62x39 FMJ ammo for $0.50 a round I’ve completely forgotten about the Russian steel cased stuff.