Talk me into/out of the AK74 platform and adding a new caliber

[Leshaire]

Ok I have become pretty partial to the AKM platform. I love my "47"s so very much, and I enjoy shooting the 762x39 round. I have tons of 762 mags and ammo and a couple "47"s.

However, I am looking to expand a little for versatility, price of ammo and shooting a bit further. I am starting to like the looks of the 5.45x39 round, especially its trajectory, weight and size. It is very similar to 5.56 I have learned, mostly in trajectory, velocity and terminal ballistics (assuming both are steel core or not). I now realize that 5.56 holds its flight a little straight a little longer, but after starting to drop, its trajectory is nearly identical. I have slight concern over only three things with this possible decision, and those are; availability of ammo, corrosiveness of ammo, and key-holing/tumbling in flight and upon impact of a target. Does anyone here have a semi auto in 5.45x39 that has shot it out to 300-400 yards? How did it perform?

The gun I am looking at as of now is an Arsenal SLR105A1R. I have had two SLRs before and loved them both.

PS: AR guys stay out. I have one of those already. It is just meh to me. Not much fun to shoot and I would surely not pick it up in any event that called for the actual use of a rifle...

Interesting trajectory graph for proof of statements above. Assuming this is true lol...
Yellow: 5.56 Blue: 5.45 Red: 7.62


(BC SEO LOL: AK74 AK47 AK-74 AK-47 AKM AK ARSENAL GUNS STUFF PEW YAY)

 

[Laufen]

Calling Art74Vandelay.

Adding additional calibers is so damned expensive. First you have the rifle cost plus a dozen or more mags, then you'd better be ordering 3-5k rounds for the new platform.

Each additional caliber I add basically adds up to a $2000 tab....or more.

 

[Leshaire]

Calling Art74Vandelay.

Adding additional calibers is so damned expensive. First you have the rifle cost plus a dozen or more mags, then you'd better be ordering 3-5k rounds for the new platform.

Each additional caliber I add basically adds up to a $2000 tab....or more.

Yeah that makes sense. I considered offing the AR and 20ish mags/2K rounds of 5.56 and replacing it with a 74 or two, since after all, they are direct substitutes.

 

[Laufen]

Yeah that makes sense. I considered offing the AR and 20ish mags/2K rounds of 5.56 and replacing it with a 74 or two, since after all, they are direct substitutes.

One thing to consider, although it may be of minor consequence, is the deteriorating relationship with Russia..ie, the place you'll get the majority of your cheap commie ammo.

I'm avoiding all Russian fed firearms for now.

 

[Leshaire]

One thing to consider, although it may be of minor consequence, is the deteriorating relationship with Russia..ie, the place you'll get the majority of your cheap commie ammo.

I'm avoiding all Russian fed firearms for now.

Not sure I am sold on that though, as money talks after all. History has told that many times.

 

[Laufen]

Not sure I am sold on that though, as money talks after all. History has told that many times.

If there's an import ban it won't matter. Yeah money talks, and those bans hurt Russia a lot more than the US.

We already suffer under import bans, adding another to the list probably wouldn't even generate a headline.

 

[Leshaire]

If there's an import ban it won't matter. Yeah money talks, and those bans hurt Russia a lot more than the US.

We already suffer under import bans, adding another to the list probably wouldn't even generate a headline.

Yeah a ban would do it, and depending who get in office here I might actually be concerned.

 

[dial1911]

Yeah a ban would do it, and depending who get in office here I might actually be concerned.

Oh, don't worry- she's not after 5.45, she's after everything.

 

[Leshaire]

Oh, don't worry- she's not after 5.45, she's after everything.

Lol, whelp shit. Might have to buy a couple spam cans before she gets in then...

 

[Leshaire]

Calling Art74Vandelay.

Adding additional calibers is so damned expensive. First you have the rifle cost plus a dozen or more mags, then you'd better be ordering 3-5k rounds for the new platform.

Each additional caliber I add basically adds up to a $2000 tab....or more.

Speaking of Art, is he alive??

@ArtVandelay you dead down there in atlanta? Oh wait im down here too...

 

[Laufen]

Speaking of Art, is he alive??

@ArtVandelay you dead down there in atlanta? Oh wait im down here too...

Prob busy with the new job.

 

[Leshaire]

Prob busy with the new job.

Found this of him at his new job

 

[dial1911]

Lol, whelp shit. Might have to buy a couple spam cans before she gets in then...

I sold a bunch of stuff toward the end of last year/beginning of this year. Most of it turned into ammo and components.

 

[Leshaire]

I sold a bunch of stuff toward the end of last year/beginning of this year. Most of it turned into ammo and components.

Nice, I wouldnt mind a 74 and a spam can or two here soon. Shit I really need a rifle can first though, which is gonna run me 1200+...

 

[dial1911]

Nice, I wouldnt mind a 74 and a spam can or two here soon. Shit I really need a rifle can first though, which is gonna run me 1200+...

Ouch... I had an AR in 5.45 for awhile. Functioned fine, accuracy wasn't nearly as good as my other carbines with "good" ammo.

The ammo was the real draw back to my AR (in my opinion). Shitty Wolf ammo isn't going to group well no matter what you shoot it out of... and I never really found a reasonably priced option for "good" off the shelf 5.45. Then entire appeal of the round was ammo cost to me- I sold the rifle after I realized I was getting about what I paid for as far as that ammo went.

 

[Red Dawn]

I'm with you on the rifle can I like that Rugged can. I've thought about the 5.45 but I think I'm going the 300blk route AR platform. I think for the rifle and cost of ammo I'd stick with 7.62 and use 5.56 as my other. Now I want to go find an SKS cheap and pick up some 7.62 for it. Dang it @Leshaire

 

[Home Run]

What about a AK .308 (vepr & saiga) or a rifle that takes H&K G3 mags?

 

[EugenFJR]

tag 4 later...

 

[boss_hawg]

Nothing wrong with the rifle or the round really but I've avoided both since the spam cans were banned from import. If you can't shoot it for .14/round, it doesn't make as much sense. I can see some scenarios (already alluded to) where 545x39 may disappear or begin to exceed 556 in cost. I don't want to be holding onto one of these rifles in that case.

But...the flip side is/was that 545 didn't disappear from shelves quite as fast as 556 after sandy hook. So there is that.

I have an AK in 762x39 but I don't enjoy shooting it as nearly as much as my ARs and other modern 556 rifles. To each his own, but the lack of bolt hold open and the mag changes of the platform make it cumbersome to me. The fact that I'm a 6'1" 200 lbs American male and not a malnourished peasant means that the standard AK fits me like shit, too.

 

[EugenFJR]

I have a Arsenal 5.45x39 AK that you are more than welcome to shoot. I had a century rifle in 5.45, liked it so much, I up graded to the Arsenal. As far as the ammo is concerned, I did not much of a difference in accuracy between the Mil surp ammo and wolf, or silver bear, and my rifle liked them best in that order. I have not tried the Red Army Standard ammo yet or the Monarch ammo but it seems pretty available. If you do get into the 5.45 platform, I suggest that you get mags 1st and worry about ammo later, the mags dried up after Sandy Hook for a long time, but they are pretty cheap at the moment. I never tried the Tapco mags, I just perfer the mil surp stuff when I can get it.