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

[Hayata]

Love my little Tantal.

Ammo costs a schosch more than .223.

Very light recoil. Much more pleasant to shoot than 7.62x39.

If you shoot one you will buy one.

 

[Potenza]

I have. 74 bought my spam cans before they got banned, one of the reasons was the price of Ammo. $100 for a spam can only a few years ago. It's a kool AK , and not so pricey. Ammo is still available Romanian , never jams and does have a light recoil

 

[Leshaire]

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.

Yeah but the same goes for stocking up on any ammo. May as well buy the cheap stuff considering the intention is not to put 1 MOA groups into someones chest SHTF, its more to hit center mass if the need arises and gtfo of there. So I am not too concerned with shooting groups other than making sure my sights are on...
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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

Thats the one im trying to get. Its so sweet and worth the K in my opinion. It will be my only rifle can probably.

 

[Leshaire]

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

this doesnt match my goals at all though. I want to be able to stock up on cheap mags and cheap ammo and 308 is ungodly expensive compared to 5.45x39 and 7.62x39

dont get me wrong 308 is agreat round and I understand its benefits, but it doesnt match the goals I have for this particular rifle

 

[Leshaire]

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.

so im curious about this statement. I am 6'4" and 200lbs and love the AK platform. It is my go to for anything and I enjoy shooting it the most, in 7.62x39. I just feel like im missing something here lol.

Also, are they still banned or what? I see 5.45 for sale online. Whats up with the ban?

 

[Leshaire]

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.

I will probably have to take you up on that. I'd like to be able to shoot at some steel at 200 and 300 yards to really know if this caliber will do what Im hoping for.

 

[boss_hawg]

so im curious about this statement. I am 6'4" and 200lbs and love the AK platform. It is my go to for anything and I enjoy shooting it the most, in 7.62x39. I just feel like im missing something here lol.

Also, are they still banned or what? I see 5.45 for sale online. Whats up with the ban?

the pistol grip is way too short and thin.

the length of pull of the stock is too short.

the comb of the stock doesn't fit my face profile...I struggle being able to get my eyes level to the sights on the 100 meter setting.

the standard safety is awkward and requires that your remove your trigger hands from the ready position.

of course, most of these can be addressed with aftermarket parts but you'll draw the ire of the "nyet, rifle is fine" crowd.

 

[Home Run]

this doesnt match my goals at all though. I want to be able to stock up on cheap mags and cheap ammo and 308 is ungodly expensive compared to 5.45x39 and 7.62x39

dont get me wrong 308 is agreat round and I understand its benefits, but it doesnt match the goals I have for this particular rifle

I'd stay with the 7.62x39. What do you think about a AK 5.56 that accepts AR-15 mags?

 

[Shemp]

Speaking of Art, is he alive??

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

Ha yeah I'm alive....just been dealing with a lot of life problems lately....chief of which is the IRS trying to shake me down....again. For someone as poor as I am it's amazing how much they seem to devote resources to me.

 

[Shemp]

I'd stay with the 7.62x39. What do you think about a AK 5.56 that accepts AR-15 mags?

It is a bad idea as 5.56 is best served by the AR. 5.56 AKs are somewhat of a crapshoot on reliability. Part of the reliability of AK47/74 is the tapered case of the respective cartridges which isn't found on the 5.56.....Just my worthless opinion
[DOUBLEPOST=1461530077][/DOUBLEPOST]Also, 5.45 is tits

 

[boss_hawg]

My Arsenal 106 which now belongs to @EugenFJR was an amazing 5.56 AK. I never had one issue with it other than being flat broke after buying the magazines.

I remember it shooting wolf and Tula better than brass.

 

[Shemp]

My Arsenal 106 which now belongs to @EugenFJR was an amazing 5.56 AK. I never had one issue with it other than being flat broke after buying the magazines.

I remember it shooting wolf and Tula better than brass.

Cool. Most are fairly reliable guns under civilian shooting. The 5.56 AKs are patch jobs unless you get a RADOM BERYL

 

[NWS]

Cool. Most are fairly reliable guns under civilian shooting. The 5.56 AKs are patch jobs unless you get a RADOM BERYL

My Norinco 84s is a big pile of shit. A really expensive pile of shit and I would never get rid of it for sentimental reasons but a big pile of shit just the same.


It works fine, it's just an AK.

 

[EugenFJR]

My Arsenal 106 which now belongs to @EugenFJR was an amazing 5.56 AK. I never had one issue with it other than being flat broke after buying the magazines.

I remember it shooting wolf and Tula better than brass.

Dammit... I was going to sell it for the cash for a M-76 in 8mm... Now you tell me it shoots crappy ammo great, and I have 7 mags for the thing.... So as a toy, it should be pretty good on the range... I haven't even shot it yet...

But yeah, get a AK-74, It's a nice rifle for the collection, and I think you'll be a little more accurate w/ it on the range...

 

[boss_hawg]

Dammit... I was going to sell it for the cash for a M-76 in 8mm... Now you tell me it shoots crappy ammo great, and I have 7 mags for the thing.... So as a toy, it should be pretty good on the range... I haven't even shot it yet...

But yeah, get a AK-74, It's a nice rifle for the collection, and I think you'll be a little more accurate w/ it on the range...

If it weren't for the cost of the mags and the fact that mounting a decent optic on an AK in a quality manner is damn near impossible, that 106 would've been my go-to, everyday rifle...and I hate the ergonomics associated with AK mag changes.

 

[EugenFJR]

If it weren't for the cost of the mags and the fact that mounting a decent optic on an AK in a quality manner is damn near impossible, that 106 would've been my go-to, everyday rifle...and I hate the ergonomics associated with AK mag changes.

I'm glad you say that b/c my Norinco MAK-90 was the best shooting 7.62x39 rifle I have ever shot... And I need to get Dobb's to put a side rail on it.

 

[Shemp]

Dammit... I was going to sell it for the cash for a M-76 in 8mm... Now you tell me it shoots crappy ammo great, and I have 7 mags for the thing.... So as a toy, it should be pretty good on the range... I haven't even shot it yet...

But yeah, get a AK-74, It's a nice rifle for the collection, and I think you'll be a little more accurate w/ it on the range...

M-76....drooling

 

[Leshaire]

the pistol grip is way too short and thin.

the length of pull of the stock is too short.

the comb of the stock doesn't fit my face profile...I struggle being able to get my eyes level to the sights on the 100 meter setting.

the standard safety is awkward and requires that your remove your trigger hands from the ready position.

of course, most of these can be addressed with aftermarket parts but you'll draw the ire of the "nyet, rifle is fine" crowd.

-hell the pistol grip is cheap/easy to swap
-you might have a weird face?? although I do agree its not the easiest thing in the world to get your eye low enough on the akm platform
-what is meant by "ready position" though? Bc i typically move my four fingers up and leave my thumb around the pistol grip to engage/disengage the safety
-rifle is nearly fine imo lol
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I'd stay with the 7.62x39. What do you think about a AK 5.56 that accepts AR-15 mags?

something I hadnt considered. now im gonna go do some reading lol

 

[Leshaire]

Ha yeah I'm alive....just been dealing with a lot of life problems lately....chief of which is the IRS trying to shake me down....again. For someone as poor as I am it's amazing how much they seem to devote resources to me.

damnit man that blows. just be sure to include a picture of your balls with each correspondence.

is that allowed??
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It is a bad idea as 5.56 is best served by the AR. 5.56 AKs are somewhat of a crapshoot on reliability. Part of the reliability of AK47/74 is the tapered case of the respective cartridges which isn't found on the 5.56.....Just my worthless opinion
[DOUBLEPOST=1461530077][/DOUBLEPOST]Also, 5.45 is tits

are there any proven systems/brands/models out there in this configuration?

 

[Leshaire]

If it weren't for the cost of the mags and the fact that mounting a decent optic on an AK in a quality manner is damn near impossible, that 106 would've been my go-to, everyday rifle...and I hate the ergonomics associated with AK mag changes.

whats wrong with the side mount? its my go to. its out of the way, solid as a rock, low profile, and quick detach to use irons if needed.
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I'm glad you say that b/c my Norinco MAK-90 was the best shooting 7.62x39 rifle I have ever shot... And I need to get Dobb's to put a side rail on it.

ive been on the lookout for a mak90 for a while now. I need one in my life lol