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Is 5.45 enough? Is 7.62 still king?


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Hello everyone. I am trying to purchase my first AK and I am torn between these two calibers. I am more familiar with 7.62 but the 5.45 really interests me. Any input would be great. My main concern is stopping power and availability of ammo. As far as I can tell there is still no U.S. companies making 5.45. I can only purchase one rifle for now so which would ya'll pick. Just trying to wiegh advantages vs. Disadvantages. Any personal experiences with the round in combat or hunting would really help also.

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Hello everyone. I am trying to purchase my first AK and I am torn between these two calibers. I am more familiar with 7.62 but the 5.45 really interests me. Any input would be great. My main concern is stopping power and availability of ammo. As far as I can tell there is still no U.S. companies making 5.45. I can only purchase one rifle for now so which would ya'll pick. Just trying to wiegh advantages vs. Disadvantages. Any personal experiences with the round in combat or hunting would really help also.

 

just save up about $700-$800 and get one of each. I have one of each and i love them both equally! I use my 5.45 for everything upto Coyotes and various other predators. Dont get me wrong, its no Deer Rifle, but its one hell of a predator/varmint rifle! I also think its a LOT more accurate than the 7.62x39.

 

think of it like this: What do you want more? Speed & Accuracy or Damage & Penetration? there is a use for both...

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Right now, 5.45x39 is dirt cheap, I picked up a 1,080 round ammo tin for $130 + $20 S&H, so if you want dirt-cheap shooting, go with a 5.45x39. I have a 7.62x39 and 5.45x39 Saiga and it's hard to say which one I like more! They're both damned fun to shoot.

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I would go with 5.45x39mm for a first centerfire rifle, it will probably spoil you with its cheap ammo- low recoil and decent accuracy. Stopping power is a moot point if you never use your rifle to stop anything, like most people. If you plan to hunt deer sized game with the rifle then use 7.62x39mm, though 5.45 would be a fine varminter to 100/150 yards. Big advantage of 7.62x39mm is it's easy to get mags and they are cheap good quality surplus, and ammo is more common, reloading is a lot more plausible. 7.62x39 also busts through cover better, though like most people you probably wont be shooting at targets through doors, walls etc...

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well look at it this way i own ak47 7.62x39 1 rpk 1 romanian 3 sks all 7.62x39 .also bought 5.45x39 mm atlantic had ak74 i think for 479.00 with hi cap mags and 1000 rounds for 169.00 delivered 7.62x39 selling for around 300.00 per thousand rounds the saiga needs about 100.00 for modifications to shoot mil surplus magazines which are 13 to 15.00 each saiga mags sure fire mags around 50.00 each look at it this way the next war will be on american soil with enemy carrying russian rifles so the ammo will be avaliable after you shoot them use there own ammo against them as far as power 5.45 is close to ar 5.56 damage with same kick just if nothing else remember 2 things 1 saiga are cheaper there are nice bulgarian on market but what ever you decied to chose you want crome lined barel bulk ammo is generally corosive if you chose saiga keith at tac 47 is dam good guy to deal with

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Nothing what you haven't seen above... 5.45 is a bit cheaper than 7.62 but not by a whole lot. Sure the mags for 7.62 is cheaper, but how many mags are you really going to need? The cheaper ammo will offset it quickly. The 5.45 has less stopping power but makes up for it in muzzle velocity. What really wins me over for the 5.45 is that you can get crazy fuckin high cap mags that aren't all that long. Those 45 rounders are sweet. Got's to save up and get me a '74 soon.

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Thanks for all of the replies. So it looks like most of yall would choose the 5.45 if you could only have one, is that right. I just dont want to make a rash decision. I want both and may get both some day. I just need a good rifle to get me through the next couple of years of so.

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Sure the mags for 7.62 is cheaper, but how many mags are you really going to need?

10 or more... :angel:

 

I wish I could get my wife to understand this. She accuses me of wanting to be Rambo.

 

You can get Polish steel AK 74 mags for $18. So, 18*10 = $180. Steel combloc mags for 7.62x39 can be had for $8 apiece. 8*10 = $80. So the difference in mag purchases would be about $100. You can make that up in ammo savings very quickly, at a roughly 10 cents difference in cost per round.

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Personally I went with 5.45 over 7.62. I only own one 7.62 rifle now, everything else is 5.45.

 

My preference is based on the practical aspect of 5.45...it's very accurate, has extremely low recoil and followup shots are very quick. In general everything is just faster with 5.45...more rounds reliably on target, quicker to engage multiple targets, quicker to setup and shoot at longer ranges etc.

 

Longer distances are easy for 5.45 too, most of my 7.62 armed friends begun to run into consistently issues at 300 yards where the 5.45 rifles are able to easily and consistently score hits (even the 5.45 Krinks).

 

The downside of 5.45 is barrier penetration, but that is offset in my mind by the accuracy to some extent. I'd rather be able to get real hits under a wider range of conditions than have the peace of mind that I can shred a house or car if I need to, but maybe I'm biased because I'm ex Army trained on an M16 where we were trained to get hits, not disintigrate houses. I just like the higher fudge factor in accuracy of the 5.45, so even though it's not as lethal as 7.62 it may have more practicality to it...any hit is better than no hit at all, plus the ability to rapidly followup is a huge plus in my book.

 

 

If you go 5.45 just stock up ammo while you can. It's unlikely to lose it's value but if it dries up you'll have a stash that can hold you through til it comes back or starts getting domestically produced.

 

 

 

 

Z

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The Bulgarian 5.45x39 AK74 mil mags are less than $10 each, $39 for four WITH a new mag pouch! That's not a bad deal! I got 8 and 2 pouches! Used two the last time I was out and they work great!!!!!

 

I've noticed the price of the 5.45x39 creeping up! With all the new rifles out now (including AR uppers) there is more demand. Now that might create a domestic source. I spent some time in the Barnaul web site and see they offer empty, primed steel cases for the 5.45x39! This might be what Hornady will use for the load they advertise. Now if there were bullets we could load the empty cases.

Edited by Fluid Power
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Personally I went with 5.45 over 7.62. I only own one 7.62 rifle now, everything else is 5.45.

 

My preference is based on the practical aspect of 5.45...it's very accurate, has extremely low recoil and followup shots are very quick. In general everything is just faster with 5.45...more rounds reliably on target, quicker to engage multiple targets, quicker to setup and shoot at longer ranges etc.

 

Have you ever sought to quantify this? For instance, timing how quickly you can put ten rounds on target with both calibers? I have Saigas in both calibers, and have been thinking about trying this. If the result is heavily favorable to the 5.45, I might make it my go-to rifle instead of the other.

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The Bulgarian 5.45x39 AK74 mil mags are less than $10 each, $39 for four WITH a new mag pouch! That's not a bad deal! I got 8 and 2 pouches! Used two the last time I was out and they work great!!!!!

 

Can you send me a PM about where you are seeing this deal?

 

Thanks.

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Personally I went with 5.45 over 7.62. I only own one 7.62 rifle now, everything else is 5.45.

 

My preference is based on the practical aspect of 5.45...it's very accurate, has extremely low recoil and followup shots are very quick. In general everything is just faster with 5.45...more rounds reliably on target, quicker to engage multiple targets, quicker to setup and shoot at longer ranges etc.

 

Have you ever sought to quantify this? For instance, timing how quickly you can put ten rounds on target with both calibers? I have Saigas in both calibers, and have been thinking about trying this. If the result is heavily favorable to the 5.45, I might make it my go-to rifle instead of the other.

 

 

I haven't compared the two side by side other than to note that when double tapping at 100 yards my 5.45 Krink hits twice most of the time and my 7.62 Krink doesn't. Unfortunately none of my friends have the same optic set up I do so a side by side is going to be difficult, because my only 7.62 is a Krink. They are becoming more interested in red dot setup's though so I think it may be more likely to side by side in the future.

 

What I have definately been able to do with a 5.45 is hit about 80%+ at 300 yards firing a 30 round mag in about 20 seconds or so, with about 25-28 hits when shooting from a backpack in a supported position. I'm able to do that with regularity on both my SLR105 and 5.45 Krink, though the Krink hits a little less often than the 105. It's actually very easy to put a high volume of accurate fire at those ranges, so much so that lately for me anything less than 300 yards is getting boring. I've had a lot of trigger time with 5.45 and it has always been a consistent long range performer and thats why I am so gung ho about it, it just hits and hits and hits.

 

 

IMO irons to irons the 5.45 definately has the high speed shooting advantage at longer ranges, but I think a good red dot config would help equalize them. I'm actually very interested to do a more concrete test myself because recently I've slapped a red dot on my 7.62 Krink and was hitting steel all day at 200 yards on our last trip. Previously with irons my 107UR had been a dismal performer at 200+ but since the red dot has been mounted it's like a whole new gun. It kind of makes me reconsider the possibilities for 7.62 at longer ranges...my money is still on 5.45 because it's been such a reliable caliber for me, but I'm open to seeing what 7.62 can do again.

 

 

 

Z

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Well, I went for the 5.54x39. It was difficult because of the ammo situation but I cant resist a fast accurate rifle. Thank you all for your help. I probably would have wussed out and got the 7.62. This is the first time I chose a weapon that wasn't the most common caliber in that weapon system.

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Well, I went for the 5.54x39. It was difficult because of the ammo situation but I cant resist a fast accurate rifle. Thank you all for your help. I probably would have wussed out and got the 7.62. This is the first time I chose a weapon that wasn't the most common caliber in that weapon system.

 

Congratulations. My 5.45 is a very accurate and fun rifle; I'm sure yours will be as well. But do pick up a 7.62 when you are able! They are great guns too.

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Ok for shooting a lot the the 5.45 is a great deal right now. Its an effective round pretty much the same as the 223 for all practical purposes.

 

For target shooting it is outstanding and passable for defense. Of course the 308 will punch holes through a truck block so in combat it would be my pick.

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I have both.. Wish I had gotten the 5.45 FIRST since it would have over time saved me enough money on ammo to buy the 7.62 anyway.. As it is, my 7.62 is my baby, but my 5.45 gets the most range time because of cost. Having only 1 AK, and it was the 7.62 initially cost me a lot in ammo as I fell in love with the platform and shot it addictively.. again I wish I'd got the 5.45 first.. it hurts your wallet less to shoot, but if I could only have one I'd still go 7.62 since I prefer it. Right now my 5.45 is my range gun.. and my 7.62 is for when I feel like treating myself at the range and is also my SHTF gun.

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The russians went to the 5.45 for multiple reasons, it's light so you can carry more ammunition and is fairly accurate. But the MAIN reason the Russians went to the 5.45 is because they wanted something that would incapacitate enemy soldiers, not punch holes in them like the good ol' FMJ 7.62. The Russians developed the round by observing the American 5.56 round, they basically took it's principle of high speed and tumble upon impact and made it better. Look up ballistics, they don't call it the "poison bullet" for nothing.

 

So anyways, If you plan on shooting things behind a brick wall or to fend off terminators from the future, then go 7.62x39. But if you want something that's good for stopping human beings, zombies, aliens, anything flesh - Go 5.45x39.

 

:lolol:

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So anyways, If you plan on shooting things behind a brick wall or to fend off terminators from the future, then go 7.62x39. But if you want something that's good for stopping human beings, zombies, aliens, anything flesh - Go 5.45x39.

 

:lolol:

I like the way you conveyed that!

 

:up:

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The russians went to the 5.45 for multiple reasons, it's light so you can carry more ammunition and is fairly accurate. But the MAIN reason the Russians went to the 5.45 is because they wanted something that would incapacitate enemy soldiers, not punch holes in them like the good ol' FMJ 7.62. The Russians developed the round by observing the American 5.56 round, they basically took it's principle of high speed and tumble upon impact and made it better. Look up ballistics, they don't call it the "poison bullet" for nothing.

 

So anyways, If you plan on shooting things behind a brick wall or to fend off terminators from the future, then go 7.62x39. But if you want something that's good for stopping human beings, zombies, aliens, anything flesh - Go 5.45x39.

 

It's too bad the data is so conflicting on this. I've read of studies that say that 5.45 is a big disappointment based on a misconception, and others that say it is very potent indeed, what 5.56 should have been. I've read that the Spetsnaz prefer 5.45, and also that they much prefer 7.62x39 over it. Who knows what the truth is.

 

Jim

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