Does the Soviet 5.45 have any advantages over the US 5.56?

[was_peacemaker]

Not really talking AK-74 vs. AR-15 series here but what would be the advantages to having a 5.45 over a 5.56 weapon. Other than maybe price...is there really any advantage?

[Schuetzenman]

One word ... no.

5.45 is slower than 5.56 and in small calibers speed is what makes them lethal. The only thing going for 5.45x39 right now is the price of the ammo, it IS the cheapest centerfire round going and offers a shooter affordable shooting other than .22 LR.

[Helen Keller]

5.45 is perfect for squishy stuff.
BUT
is lacking in real barrier penetration.

[Alexei]

It's a fair round all in all, but a major advantage is weight, you can simply carry a lot more rounds than 7.62x39. Having said all that, as Scheutzenman says: the REAL plus is cost, it's really, really cheap.

[Bluntforce]

It's said that it does not suffer ballistic deterioration from shorter barrels as badly as 5.56. Even if true unless you're getting a Suchka or a 10" barreled AR it won't matter. S&W makes an M&P in 5.45 if you like that platform better.

[mrkalashnikov]

Here's an interesting essay on that very subject: http://cheaperthandirt.com/blog/?p=482

The Russians based the 5.45 bullet on the US 5.56 round, but added a twist. An air pocket behind the nose/tip of the bullet, which on impact with a soft target would deform & yaw through said target. During the Russian-Afghan war the muj referred to the AK-74 round as the "poison" bullet, for the terrific tissue damage it inflicted.

[Focused Gunfire]

How cheap is it when compared to 7.62x39?

[btcave]

Some stuff will keyhole your paper in some rifles according to several threads I read at ARFCOM a few years back. I don't know the outcome as to why, so you may want to research further with sources who have shot the shit. It's still cheap though.

[Helen Keller]

Some stuff will keyhole your paper in some rifles according to several threads I read at ARFCOM a few years back. I don't know the outcome as to why, so you may want to research further with sources who have shot the shit. It's still cheap though.



The issue was with the Tantals the retards at Century were selling that had .224 bores made up from when Poland switched everything.


the ammo was never the issue.



IF you could get 5.45 in a 75gr V-max package it would be interesting.

[O.S.O.K.]

How cheap is it when compared to 7.62x39?

One example: Aim Surplus =- 1080 round spam can of Russian 5.45 is $160 and a case of Wolf 7.62x39 is $210

Adjust the 5.45 to 1000 rounds and the cost is $148

That's pretty typical.

For commercial ammo - the 5.45 is a bit more than the 7.62 - it's just the milsurp stuff that's cheap

[Penguin]

It's said that it does not suffer ballistic deterioration from shorter barrels as badly as 5.56. Even if true unless you're getting a Suchka or a 10" barreled AR it won't matter. S&W makes an M&P in 5.45 if you like that platform better.


Here's an interesting essay on that very subject: http://cheaperthandirt.com/blog/?p=482

The Russians based the 5.45 bullet on the US 5.56 round, but added a twist. An air pocket behind the nose/tip of the bullet, which on impact with a soft target would deform & yaw through said target. During the Russian-Afghan war the muj referred to the AK-74 round as the "poison" bullet, for the terrific tissue damage it inflicted.


When I was looking onto comparasions between 7.62x39, 5.45 and 5.56 It seemed to me that that was what the 5.45 had going for it, an air pocket in the tip that would cause its damage at lower speeds while the 5.56 had to fragment to be really efective.

What I could never find out was if the 5.45 ammo comming in had the air pocket in the tip. I would guess that most the cheap stuff comming in is surplus therfore it would figure that it has the air pocket tip. I would also wager though that means it is corosive. I suppose I should buy a box one day and saw the bullet in half to find out.

It would seem to me that if it didn't have the air pocket though, the only real advantage it has is the price of it. Given the fact the cheap stuff is imported and how much ammo prices and avaliblity change I would not count on that forever. The other thing I suppose it has going for it when compared to 7.62 is it is lighter so in theory you can carry more ammo. It is also supposed to be more acurate than the 7.62x39. It would seem to me though that out of the 3 7.62x39 would be the best at penetrating barriers.

I would say the first question you should ask yourself is do you want an AR or an AK? Those calibers can be had in both platforms if that matters to you. Though I don't think I would want an AR is 7.62x39. I have heard bad things about reliblity due to the magazines.

[Bluntforce]

This thread has some sawed bullets.

http://www.gunsnet.net/showthread.php?2211-5-45x39mm-Question

Rock River LAR-47 is an AR in 7.62x39 that accepts AK-47 magazines. They have to be rocked in, they cannot be thrown out with a sweeping motion like the AK can using the next mag and they can't be dropped with the push of a button like an AR. Accuracy and "ergonomics" are the draw I suppose. It has a giant WTF factor to me.

5.45 IS much lighter than 7.62x39 the plastic mags are a large factor in this equation as well. 7.62 is a better barrier penetrater but underloaded Wolf and Tulammo level the playing field. They are good only for the range.

[Bluntforce]

I did find 5/10 round AK-74 & AK-47 mags from K-Var.

Video how to convert 10 round to 5 round if they aren't selling the plastic sleeve at the time.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y7Dp2fP3nDA

[Helen Keller]

would also wager though that means it is corosive.

beyond filthy, I have to clean my krink like a baby dropped in pig shit after each time out.









The Bulgy 5.45 will penetrate 1/4" R36 boiler plate steel pretty effectively launching it's steel core inside of the target bouncing around like a superball.
we tried it last month. like 18 out of 25 rounds whipped right through .

[Penguin]

Good to know thanks.