Something has been bugging me for years and I wonder if anyone here has the answer. Around 1984-1990 or so I kept hearing rumors from people in the military that our ammo (5.56mm and 7.62 NATO) could be fired in Soviet rifles. Supposedly they designed their rifles to use both their ammo and ours…

I know that’s not just bullshit, it’s frickin impossible bullshit. I knew it back then, and would argue the point with anyone who brought the subject up. Not that it ever did any good to argue. A kid babbling on about chamber dimensions, bore diameter, gas pressures, rim size, and other nonsense like that wasn’t considered much of an authority next to an actual Army instructor.

People have told me that they were being taught this in the Army. And I have no reason to doubt that when several people have told me the same story over the years. So the Army was teaching their people something that was complete BS. (Like electricity flows from positive to negative.)

Way I figure it, the Army probably didn’t want the Soviets to capture our ammo for a lot of reasons and cooked up that BS story to convince our guys to thermite their small arms ammunition rather than let it be captured.

Does anyone have any better information on how (or why) this story got started?

gunshownavysealgreenberets

Actually, you can do that with any AK47 variant.
The ammo and even the mags from our M16 sniper rifles that delta force uses will fit in any AK47.
Keep in mind this is only the M16's issued to delta force...its a special model that no one outside delta force can use. The government perpetuates the idea that its a dumb rumor because its actually a highly classified fact.

I learned that at a gun show from some guy in a ranger shirt standing next to the beef jerky table.

Probably form the same people that saw Mattel M16's - while smoking pot or dropping acid.  

Where do any rumors get started? Who knows.

I have heard that that rumour was started during the Vietnam war to try to stop the US soldiers selling off their ammo.

Don't know if it is true or not though.

Quoted: Actually, you can do that with any AK47 variant. The ammo and even the mags from our M16 sniper rifles that delta force uses will fit in any AK47. Keep in mind this is only the M16's issued to delta force...its a special model that no one outside delta force can use. The government perpetuates the idea that its a dumb rumor because its actually a highly classified fact. I learned that at a gun show from some guy in a ranger shirt standing next to the beef jerky table.

hold on there,,,,,
everyone knows those guns are used exclusively by space shuttle door gunners,,,,,,,

Quoted: You certainly can fire .223 out of a 7.62x39 AK: photos.ar15.com/ImageGallery/Attachments/DownloadAttach.asp?iImageUnq=20422 Of course, I wouldn't do it OFTEN...   -Troy

I was waiting for someone to bring that up.

Just as I can mount a 16" tire on a 16.5" rim at work, you can shoot 5.56 in a 7.62x39 gun. Living to tell the tale can be a roll of the dice though.

Quoted: hold on there,,,,, everyone knows those guns are used exclusively by space shuttle door gunners,,,,,,,

Nope those are different....the guy with the table selling all the used scopes said so.
They need to shoot subsonic rounds....something to do with the solid rocket booster.

Where's twonami? he's a space shuttle door gunner

Quoted: You certainly can fire .223 out of a 7.62x39 AK: photos.ar15.com/ImageGallery/Attachments/DownloadAttach.asp?iImageUnq=20422 Of course, I wouldn't do it OFTEN...   -Troy

+1, atleast I didn't have to write up my experience...  Thanks Troy!

Actually, I've heard that rumor from several bonefide viet nam vets. I think they were told that or heard it in Viet Nam.

My personal thoughts on this is that GIx got the 30 caliber russian rounds confused with our 30 caliber rounds. For example, the 7.62x51 may fit in a Mosin Nagant or  Drangonov while the russian 7.62x54 round won't fit into a M14 or M60 mg.  I think a rumors caused, speculation which became urban legand.