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Posted: 7/14/2026 11:26:53 PM EDT
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Any of you guys still using one? I know mags were typically an issue, but since 65 Grendel and six art become so popular I was wondering if some of those magazines would work OK. I looked at Green Mountain for a possible barrel. Didn’t really see what I was looking for, but does anybody have any recommendations? |
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I have the Colt in 7.62 x 39 and it uses Duramags OEM. They were under $20 a piece and work flawless. Colt seems to manufacture these rifles once a quarter per year like their 9mm ARs. I also owned a PSA AR-47. It has the Magwell opened up to accept AK magazines. That rifle too also worked flawlessly. PSA has them in stock right now. If magazine function and availability is your main concern, buy the PSA. I would also suggest just buying the complete rifle from either manufacturer be done with it. |
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Below chart is from when I was searching for a 16" X39 barrel. There's probably new players in the market now. I wanted a .311 bore instead of a .308 and had to figure out what manufacturers were available. Hopefully this can help with your search. I ended up buying YHM and KAK barrels Attached File |
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I have an old Olympic arms that runs well. Many years ago I had some issues with stuck cases if I ran it fast with Chicom ammo. I’ve heard to lacquer coating on some ammo could cause problems. It has always run 100% on brass cased and I’ve never had a magazine issue. I have one of those hybrid ones that take AK mags and it’s never had a failure. Lastly, I have a couple I built in the back room somewhere. That was a few years ago but I don’t think I’ve run more than a few rounds through either so reliability is yet to be determined. |
“That’s not how it works. You buy more tools and power than you need and as you fuck everything up you gain the knowledge to become a better carpenter.”
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Tveddy
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Originally Posted By Curmudgeon762: Many years ago I had some issues with stuck cases if I ran it fast with Chicom ammo. I’ve heard to lacquer coating on some ammo could cause problems. It has always run 100% on brass cased and I’ve never had a magazine issue. Oh, Shit!! You mentioned "lacquer". The webz is about to lose its shit! It took me YEARS to go through all that shit, I built a fort before first were cool. I thought that once I had used it all, that it would be gone from my life, as the manufacturer had seemed to move on to other technologies... But, I was surfing Ammo Seek for some x39 and noticed that some current offerings mentioned "lacquer". Great. Now all that BULLSHIT is gonna start up again with all the people that didn't pop for the chrome lined barrels getting cases jammed up in their chambers. I can see it now... "I bought XYZ ammo, and in my first 3-5 shots the cases were getting stuck in the chamber to the point where the rim ripped off the shell when I mortered the rifle!". Shit, some folks reading this post will fly into a rage just because I mentioned lacquer on the cases jamming up the works in the first place. It should be illegal to sell non chrome lined barrels  (and, "yes", EVERY AR platform rifle I have has a chrome lined barrel and chamber) |
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I have one built on a PSA KS-47. Originally it had a standard upper and lower receiver. It was made for deer hunting. I just used low capacity magazines (ASC 15 rounders IIRC). When I found out about the KS-47, I decided to swap lowers so I could use my AK magazines. Then I found out that standard uppers won't fit AK magazine feed lips, so I bought a new upper receiver. Then I found out that the standard BCG won't work with AK magazines...... |
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I built 2 7.62x39 using Bear Creek barrels. I can tag the 12" gong at 100 yards with both, so that's good enough for me. One 11.5" and one is 7.5", one has a single huge feed ramp, the other is split. Both work great. I have a Grey Mkt SS in the 7.5 and an Arizona Regulator in the XM177 build. I run Unimags and Duramags.  
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Spikes upper and lower tool craft BCG GM 16" carbine barrel . accurate with regular wolf ammo. It was better when 1K case of 7.62x39 was $170.00 Attached File |
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I have a couple of them. The C-Products Duramags work great. The wisdom of the internet when I got my first was to only go with that brand, and I have found them to run awesome. One is a BCA cheapie that hasn't shot with any better accuracy than a sloppy AK. It has the standard .311 BORE. The other is a Faxon with a .308 bore. I like the idea of being able to reload with inexpensive .308 bullets. It shoots about as well as a basic AR. |
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I bought a BCA barrel locally about ten years ago for $60 and built it. It’s a 16” barrel with carbine gas. It’ll do about 2.5” at 100 with steel case. It’s not superb accuracy, but it’s good enough for the machine gun shoot. I use the 20-round mags. They’re reliable for me. I have Duramag and one other brand I can’t recall the name. |
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Originally Posted By DrywellDweller: Spikes upper and lower tool craft BCG GM 16" carbine barrel . accurate with regular wolf ammo. It was better when 1K case of 7.62x39 was $170.00 https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/445620/IMG_1937_png-3796414.JPG I too miss those epic days burning through cases of inexpensive 7.62x39 ...  Bigger_Hammer 
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LIFE'S JOURNEY IS NOT TO ARRIVE AT THE GRAVE SAFELY IN A WELL PRESERVED BODY,
BUT RATHER TO SKID IN SIDEWAYS, TOTALLY WORN OUT SHOUTING "HOLY $H!T...WHAT A RIDE"!!
BUT RATHER TO SKID IN SIDEWAYS, TOTALLY WORN OUT SHOUTING "HOLY $H!T...WHAT A RIDE"!!
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I have a 16" I built as a dedicated FRT gun. I've used Duramag only and it's been great. It has adjustable gas but I'm considering converting to piston for a longer cleaning interval. |
Know Guns, Know Peace, Know Safety...No Guns, No Peace, No Safety
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Originally Posted By TurtlesAlltheWayDown: Many moons ago 7.62x39 was cheap. Now similar price to objectively better calibers. To me it no longer makes sense. If you have other 7.62x39 rifles and don't want to add another cartridge, it makes perfect sense. I have four 7.62x39 AR15's. They're all 100% reliable. Now that the 7.62x39 magazine issues have been resolved and you can get good quality subsonic 7.62x39, I think there's no real reason for 300BO. |
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Anyone using a PWS piston upper on theirs? I find myself typically shooting suppressed so a piston sounds great considering I am shooting steel cased Wolf. I also saw Grand Power announced a piston AR47. I read it's coming to the USA. https://grandpower.eu/products/product-categories/araq/araq-s/ |
Know Guns, Know Peace, Know Safety...No Guns, No Peace, No Safety
I built drums for this back in the 90s when .223 was an outrageous twenty-three cents a round and 7.62x39 was eight. They said it couldn't be done. When I need to flip the switch to rock and roll I grab this gun and each pop is around eighteen cents, I think that's what I gave the last time I bought a bunch of ammo for it. It will go 81 per pull. This is a file photo, the upper is upgraded to a retired A2 match upper with pinned sight.
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| I built one. I had to experiment a bit to get the right 'recipe' without short stroking, FTF, etc. Shooting brass. Green mountain barrel. Full Auto BCG, Yellow (light) Springco. H2 Buffer. (spring/buffer were a surprise mix) Duramags. I tell anyone wanting to build one they should have a variance of springs and buffers. They can be picky rifles. |
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BCA upper 11.5" bbl PSA lower F1 can The best mags I have used are the AR Stoner x39 mags. This thing is pretty quiet for $150 of material to make the can. Poor man's 300 BO https://www.midwayusa.com/product/102849233 Attached File |
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Everything you need to know about the left was on display during covid . -RC03
Everything you need to know about the left was on display during covid . -RC03
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Have a 10.5 pistol that finally got turned into an SBR, once the stockpile of 7.62x39 I have is gone, I will just rebarrel it 5.56. Same with my S&W 15r in 5.45x39. |
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Make it "Idiot Proof", along comes a better idiot.
Official Site Nickname, given by NorCal - "Smack"
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After buying a AK from a coworker, I have found out I am a AR guy. I think I would rather have 762x39 in a AR than have a AK. That being said, I think I will just stick with my SKS for when I want to shoot 762x39. I did have a passing thought of building/buying a AR in it, but just do not really feel like spending the money right now. I will be selling the AK once it gets back from PSA being repaired (front sight is canted). |
| Coworker has one that takes AK mags. He installed a Super Safety and it runs great. |
I hated going to weddings. All the grandmas would poke me and say "You're next". They stopped that when I started doing it to them at funerals.
Sic semper evello mortem tyrannis
Sic semper evello mortem tyrannis
Yep, I have a 16" Radical Firearms in 7.62x39. Not chrome-lined but I haven't had any trouble with my Golden Tiger. I use Duramags and they all work. I also bought a Radical Firearms 10.5" 5.56 pistol and got a Bear Creek 10.5" conventional upper for it in 7.62x39. That upper broke the firing pin but it was a cheapie from the start. I put in an 'enhanced' firing pin and all's well. It shares the Duramags with the carbine. I put trigger sets in both of them and a few other mods (compensators, stocks, optics, sights, etc.) and they are both sighted for 25/200. 
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I have a Rock River, IE this : https://www.rockriverarms.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=category.display&category_ID=20 It's not SBR'ed but I did put a super safety in it and a giant 30 can and it runs. When I say runs, it's scary. I had my buddy shoot it (who's got lots of real MG's and versed in such things) and he handed it back to me with the biggest grin on his face. He said, "I can't believe that's 30 caliber." The can makes it run twice as fast and twice as smooth. Without a can it's a little "jumpy". Oh, best thing is it takes standard AK steel mags, the ones you have piles of. I'd highly recommend it. |
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I figure this is a good place to post this: https://alamobrass.com/product/300-blackout-barrel-16in-govt-profile/ I ordered a couple. The good: $25 16” chrome lined 7.62x39 barrels. Most likely sourced from Green Mountain at some point. The bad: he didn’t really disclose the condition these are in. Mine are unfinished, with moderate surface rust over about half the outside. (Not disclosed.) Gas port not drilled (this was disclosed). Locating pin not installed. (Not disclosed.) I can’t say I’m happy about the non-disclosure of the real condition of the barrels. That said, the surface rust should clean up fine. The bores are bright and shiny, and definitely chrome. My plan is to clean up the rust myself and have them cut down and rethreaded. IMO they are still easily worth $25, so long as you go in with open eyes. I don’t have any 7.62x39 gauges so I’m not in a position to verify they’re in spec. Shipping is high but it is what it is. |
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I built one with an upper from Black Rifle Arms Link It has run well but does not get out of the safe much. |
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