Shooting 5.56 through a 7.62x39

[NWS]

We have all heard the gun shop stories about them shooting 5.56 through 7.62x39 rifles in Vietnam. We have also all heard how it is BS and not possible. This weekend at our NFA shoot I was shooting a 7.62x39 AR-15 when one of the rounds sounded really funny and the gun locked up. The bullet hit the target, but it had a very strange sound when it went off. Thankfully we didn't have a can on the gun when it happened. Amazingly when this happened it was the only time all day the weapon was fired without a can attached.

Somehow a stray 223 case had found it's way into the 7.62x39 bucket. The gun loaded and fired the round. No damage was done to the gun other than having to knock the spent case out of the chamber and oddly enough the bullet struck the target I was shooting at.


Needless to say, I was shocked. I wouldn't advise trying it again, but it did work.

 

[Leshaire]

what the hell! glad no one got hurt

interesting nonetheless

 

[Cudruln]

It was crazy to see. It is another good reason to check all ammo before loading the magazines. It could have very well been any of us.

 

[dial1911]

Wow!

Could you do it again with a brass cased .223- I'm curious if it would work... you know, for science.


(don't do it- obviously no one should do this)

 

[TattooedGunner]

Wow!

Could you do it again with a brass cased .223- I'm curious if it would work... you know, for science.


(don't do it- obviously no one should do this)

Should contact one of those crazy youtube channels that does this kind of thing all the time and get them to test it in different scenarios...

 

[Cudruln]

Should contact one of those crazy youtube channels that does this kind of thing all the time and get them to test it in different scenarios...

I know a guy that has a youtube channel. You know for scientific purposes only of course.

 

[EugenFJR]

I accidently loaded a .223 round in my AK-74... It simply didn't chamber, no big deal, but I wounder if it had been the other way around, a 5.45x39 round in my AR-15 what would have happen.

 

[Strider12]

I accidently loaded a .223 round in my AK-74... It simply didn't chamber, no big deal, but I wounder if it had been the other way around, a 5.45x39 round in my AR-15 what would have happen.

 

[Red Dawn]

Glad all is well with you and the rifle.

 

[EugenFJR]

This is why I don't shoot Silver Bear .223 & 5.45x39 together any more...

 

[dial1911]

This is why I don't shoot Silver Bear .223 & 5.45x39 together any more...

And one of the reasons I sold the only AR I had chambered in .220 Russian (aka 5.45x39).

 

[Wallace]

Ouch. I guess its inevitable with a table full of guns and loose ammo probably laying around. Glad you and the rifle are ok. Did you look in the chamber to see if there was any pitting/scratches from the blown case?

 

[Willy Leadwell]

I did the same thing once. There's a thread about it around here somewhere. It locked up but did not fire. It got stucker than hell though. The bolt wouldnt go all the way forward So I had a hard time getting the upper off the lower, but once I did I was able to get a .223 bolt in there and yank the round out. I was super happy it didn't fire.