AR-15 in 7.62x39

[MMH]

Thinking about building an AR-15 in a 7.62x39 caliber. Would the 7.62x39 be a good cartridge in the AR15? I know there would be alot more bullet drop, but how far out would it be accurate?

I was flipping thru Shotgun News and you can get 1000 rounds of it for $150. The stuff is Bulgarian surplus ammo. Does the eastern block ammo function OK in AR-15 rifles.

[TonyF]

The problem is nobody has figured out how to make a reliable magazine.

[MTechnik]

If you want cheap shooting, Aim surplus has an AR upper in 5.45x39 which can also be gotten relatively inexpensively (the ammo).

[Hozen]

I believe its C-Products that has their new 30 rounders out that have been reported to work and be reliable... hard to get though. You can get 5 and 10 rounders that work pretty good. I looked at going this route (7.62x39 upper) at one time too, but found there are better alternatives. Lets face it, the reason you go with something like a 7.62x39 AR-15 is because you want to shoot an AR on the cheap. It might be more accurate than the AK, but if accuracy is what you're after, there are much better options than 7.62x39.

I assume it's shooting on the cheap that you're after. Why not look at 5.45x39 instead? S&W makes an upper in that cal and mags aren't a problem. Plus, its cheaper than 7.62x39. It's something to look into. The main alure here is that the ammo is similar to .223 in bullet dia and velocity, though, it will be slightly lower than .223. The recoil should be about the same too so its a great way to shoot an AR on the cheap and have nearly the same experience as shooting .223 or 5.56x45. I might be getting this upper in the future.

Another option would be .22LR upper. Now, this option wouldn't be for me since I feel shooting .22LR isn't really all that fun. While I know it's not the case, it makes me feel like i'm shooting a BB gun. No thanks. It has its uses and I have a semi-auto .22, but I rarely shoot the thing. That aside, its hard to argue with how cheap 500 rounds of .22LR ammo is these days.

Yet another option I see for shooting an AR on the cheap is the pistol cal conversions. 9mm is the most popular, but you can get about anything these days. The problem I have with these is that they are sometimes hard to keep running and the franken mags you have to get along with the fact pistol rounds are not really a good choice for a rifle.

Last, but not least, is the AR lovers standby... reloading. Reloading .223/5.56 brass is pretty cost effective when you do it in bulk. Now, there is an up front cost of the press and other tools, but if you already have an AR, this is a great option. I, currently, do not reload but have been looking into it for about the last year off and on... just can't pull the trigger on what I want.

Overall, I would not recommend an AR in 7.62x39 due to the better options out there. When it comes to 7.62x39, stick to an AK or SKS.

[Hozen]

Haha, MTechnik, you beat me to the post...

[1832]

I gotta fess up, my 7.62x39 AR upper was determined by the "I want it" factor. You can make some arguments in favor of it by the cost of ammo. It is much cheaper than the 5.56.

The SW 5.45x39 is having some "teething" problems, like any new model will. For me, the cheaper 5.45x39 is offset by the corrosive ammo factor. I hate taking a bottle of Windex to the range and then taking my rifle into the shower with me when I get home. If you buy non-corrosive ammo, then the cost is pretty much the same as the 7.62x39 Combloc stuff.

When it comes to the performance of the 7.62x39 out of an AR upper, as compared to an AK or SKS, there is no contest. Most folks I shoot with are impressed with what the cartridge can do, out to 200 yds, even with the steel-cased ammo. Easy to hit 2 to 3" at 100, and 4 to 6" at 200 is pretty easy out of my Shaw 20" free-float barrel. When a friend and I pumped some expensive Lapua Match 7.62x39 through our guns, the groups were much better. But paying more for ammo is not why I got the thing. Considering that the 7.62x39 is roughly similar to the 30-30 Win. in ballistics, I would say that 150 yds. is pretty much the effective hunting range. Your results ( and marksmanship) may vary. :-)

Lastly, with many uppers, you may need to tweak the firing pin to allow more protrusion and/or add a heavier hammer spring to use the Combloc stuff, since they tend to have much harder primers. Or, you can get the MGI Enhanced 7.62x39 Bolt & Pin, but it is a pricey alternative (125.00).

[RONNIE77]

Just out of curiosity, why do you want an AR in 7.62x39?

Like said previously, you are better off getting AK or an SKS to shoot that round.

My 2 cents.....finish building your AR in 5.56.
And if you want a cheap shoot, then get a .22lr conversion for it.

[wjkuleck]

I wish I shot enough that cheap eastbloc ammo would be an incentive for a particular caliber .

That having been said, I do have a Colt 7.62x39mm upper with Colt magazines. I acquired the kit back in '98 when I was writing my first book (The AR-15 Complete Owner's Guide, for research, not for shooting.

For me, I want to understand why each shot ended up where it did; this goal is incompatible with "cheap eastbloc ammo," which makes it difficult to determine if the error is yours or the round's.

Regards,

Walt

[-JD-]

I'm working on one so FWIW here is some info I've collected.


Arfcom 7.62x39 thread: http://www.ar15.com/forums/topic.htm...=373257&page=1

Arfcom 7.62x39 C-Products mag thread: http://www.ar15.com/forums/topic.htm...359161&page=17

C-Products 7.62x39 Mags: http://www.cproductsllc.com/shop/index.php?cPath=22_36

Olympic offers Black Oxided Stainless barrels in 7.62x39. When I ordered mine last week they had 16" Pre & Post ban, 20" Pre-ban, and a 16" Bull. Specs for the 20" Pre-ban:

ARB20-310PRE - 277.20
7.62x39
20"
button rifled
416 stainless steel
1 in 10" twist
threaded 1/2x28tpi
M4 Extension cuts
Black Oxide w/ Sight base pinned on.

Olympic arms 800-228-3471 http://www.olyarms.com
Their complete rifle: http://www.olyarms.com/index.php?pag...hk=1&Itemid=37

Delton Stuff: http://www.del-ton.com/AR_15_Convers...2X39_s/104.htm

MGI bolt: http://www.mgimilitary.com/store/ind...8ac2c3f975dbf1

DPMS Barrels: http://www.dpmsinc.com/store/?cat=1623

DPMS @ Midway: http://www.midwayusa.com/eproductpag...eitemid=764881

More Barrels:
http://akpartskits.com/cart/index.ph...7c39c13b650c83
http://model1sales.com/item-detail.c...TOKEN=82205914

[MMH]

I believe its C-Products that has their new 30 rounders out that have been reported to work and be reliable... hard to get though. You can get 5 and 10 rounders that work pretty good.

So are the mags available & w/ them is the AR-15 reliable?