AK Sponsor
Posted: 10/17/2007 11:36:25 AM EDT
| I have been looking at 47s and havent been happy about pricing and availability however a local dealer has gotten in a couple nice high end 74s for $500 that somebody is just trying to move on consignment. How much of a drop-off is the 74 in performance vs. the 47? |
|
The 5.45x39 of the AK74 is comparable to the 5.54x45 of the AR15. I would even argue that it is more devastating upon impact of meat, but riccochets are crazy scary with that round. The availability of ammo is the kicker. Ammo is relatively cheap as it is in low demand, but the only way to get it is through foreign channels as it is not produced in the US. If you get a 74, make sure to get a ton of ammo. It won't be long before there is an importation ban on ammo into the US. I say don't bother with the AK74. Unless you have a massive ammo stash for it, or you are a collector. |
Thanks. Seems like good advice. |
|
What is this drop off in performance of what you speak? 5.45x39 is a much flatter shooting cartridge than 7.62x39, increasing the effective range. 5.45x39 recoils less, allowing for faster shots. 5.45x39 weighs less, allowing for more ammo to be carried. 5.45x39 costs less, allowing for more ammo per $. And lastly, 5.45x39 is what the Afghans called the 'poison bullet'. It's hollow nose, steel/lead core make it yaw violently when hitting flesh, causing enhanced wounding and dumping energy inside the target. 7.62x39 tend to punch .30 cal holes in people. Not great, but the guys I've talked to that got shot in Vietnam survived their wounding by 7.62x39 bullets with minimal permanent damage, except for that whole paralysis thing from the spine hit. The above arguments also apply to 7.62x39 vs. 5.56 NATO. BSW Editied to add: I agree about the possible future problem with 5.45x39, which is why I got an Arsenal SLR106FR in 5.56 NATO. BSW 
|
|
Well, the 5.56 (223) is certainly more potent and lethal then the 5.45x39... it has to do with fragmentation and not tumbeling... We have pissing matches over this all the time! Just the same, if you can get a 5.45x39 RUN AND GRAB IT and get as much of the Russian or Bulgarian surpluss ammo as you can afford NOW! The ammo is slightly corrosive so clean your gun after shooting but this is the most cost effective ammo right now unless you only want to shoot 22s! 5.45x39 guns have beentougher to find now that 223 ammo has gone insane and the 5.45x39 is so dared cheap. I love my 7.62x39s as well but 7.62x39 ammo is not as cheap as 5.45 and the 5.45 is a real pussy cat to shoot at the range. EDIT TO ADD: See this: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/5.45_x_39_mm_M74 |
What kind of '74s is he selling for $500? Bulgarians builds? Tantals? SLR-105s? Any one of those would be a good deal at that price. As others have stated the 5.45x39 is a better performer in many fields than the 7.62x39. The Russians wouldn't have come up with it for no reason.  |
I believe he has SLR105s |
I think that's a really good deal at that price. I'd jump on it. |
Shhhh! Don't be a blabbermouth. 
|
|
When the Russians decided to make their own answer to the US .223/5.56mm, the expectation was that it had to be AT LEAST as effective as the 7.62x39. According to "real world" Russian experiences in Afghanistan and Chechnya, the 5.45x39 met the expectation. While there's a lot of argument over the infamous "Poison bullet", or "The Devil's Bullet" as the Afghan's nicknamed it, where there's a lot of smoke, there's usually fire, and there was a LOT of smoke coming out of Afghanistan. The Afghans are hard, tough men who don't impress easily, but they were certainly impressed about the 5.45x39. In any case, here's the 5.45x39 7N6-PS bullet. Note the steel outer jacket, the slightly harder steel core, the thin layer of lead between the jacket and the core, the lead plug on top, and the hollow air cavity in the tip.  Supposedly, when the bullet hits it decelerates and the inner lead plug and core slide forward. This destabilizes the bullet and causes it to tumble wildly. As an added effect, the unstable bullet not only tumbles, it describes an erratic almost corkscrew-like path, with a weird almost 90 degree "hook" near the end of it's travel. Due to the erratic path and the 90 degree deflection off path, what medical personnel the Afghans did have were unable to probe for bullets that remained in the victims body. This reportedly increased the death rate of wounded Afghans over and above that of the 7.62x39. Whatever, the 5.45x39 has a lot to offer, including better average accuracy then the 7.62x39 and lower recoil. All currently available military surplus 5.45x39 ammo is corrosive and does have the 7N6-PS bullet. |
AK Sponsor