Re: AKs in 5.56mm.... I heard it was not a good idea to have fast light bullets in short-barreled guns (carbines) because they loose too much velocity. How much velocity loss is there in a 5.56mm AK with its standard 16" barrel vs. an AR15 with 20" barrel?

I realize AK-74 has been around for 30 years with a round very similar to 5.56mm but does a 5.56mm AK even make sense?  Is the older 7.62x39 round more suitable for it due to the short barrel?

According to the Maryland AR15 Shooters Site, the velocity of 62gr. SS109 is about 3100 fps from a 20" barrel and 2989fps for a 16" barrel. Standard 55gr. FMJ is about 3259fps out of a 20" barrel and 3132fps for a 16" barrel. There isn't all that much of a differance in velocity between barrel lengths and I know for a fact that my SA M-5 is extremely accurate with SS109 ...

I know for a fact that my SA M-5 is extremely accurate with SS109 ...
you mean these little fellas?,..why yes it is



i like the ak in 5.56 alot better than i like the ar.,..in fact i sold my ar-15 to pay for
my SA M5s w/pre-ban features

and man am i glad i did,.. this gun is was smoother than a ar,.. you dont have that twang from the buffer spring in your ear after every shot,..the gun it self is balanced better,.makes it easier to shoot strait,. cleaning ,.. if you chose to do it is easier

i worked with the M16'M-4 family for 7years,.. the ak is alot better platform,.IMHO quote all the muzzel velocities you want,...and barrel length this,.. barrel lenght that,...when the chips are down,. im going to have a AK and i dont care what caliber it is

and yeah i own 5.45,..5.56,...7.62,...and a .308 comming soon

cruize, I hear ya.  I just got my first AK74 in 5.45 and shoot it more than any of the ARs I've owned.  If only ammo was as plentiful, I'd probably sell my AR and get another type of 74 or .223 AK.  

The well built .223 and 5.45 AKs are extremely accurate, and miles ahead in reliability.  Every AR I've ever owned has jammed or given me a problem at least once.  Not to say it's a bad rifle, I love it as well, but I can't deny that I'd grab the 74 in a life threating, or survival situation.

Only reason short barrels that are chambered for 5.56mm is a concern is only if you're worried about the fragmentation of the 5.56mm round.

Other issues with 5.56mm AK's is the lack of standardization between all the different makes.

Quoted: cruize, I hear ya.  I just got my first AK74 in 5.45 and shoot it more than any of the ARs I've owned.  If only ammo was as plentiful, I'd probably sell my AR and get another type of 74 or .223 AK.   The well built .223 and 5.45 AKs are extremely accurate, and miles ahead in reliability.  Every AR I've ever owned has jammed or given me a problem at least once.  Not to say it's a bad rifle, I love it as well, but I can't deny that I'd grab the 74 in a life threating, or survival situation.

My 5.56 AK jammed once.

A few of us Fathers took the neighborhood boys shooting (with their parents' permission).  The guns were one father's Bushmaster and my Saiga .223 AK.  Ammo was Wolf.  Emphasis was on proper safety and shooting technique.

Anyway, one of the boys didn't insert the AK mag correctly (wasn't quite all the way in).  When the first round was stripped out of the mag, it didn't properly make it into the chamber.  Solution:  Pull the mag out, pull open the bolt and let errant round fall out, reinsert mag, and good to go.

Five minutes later the AR15 jammed on a round.  It took almost ten minutes and the use of a leatherman to pry the jammed cartridge out.

Oh, by the way, at the end of the lesson we had a competion.  Five boys competed against eachother and three parents competed against eachother.  Iron sights only at a range of about 50 yards.  Each boy and each parent had three shots with each gun.

Results?  The highest score from both the boys and the parents came from the .223 AK.