Any general thoughts/opinions about ARs chambered in 7.62x39?  Pick up an additional chambered upper or just go buy an SKS/AK?  Will standard AR15/M16 magazines work in this configuration?

Depends how much extra money you have laying around.  You can get a complete AK/SKS for less than I've ever seen a 7.62x39 upper and the mags to go with it.  If you want to shoot your AR for cheaper and be able to hit harder than the usual mouse gun ammo hits, get the upper.

You can't use 5.56 mags with the AK ammo.

Personally if I was going to go with a bigger caliber I would go for either the .458 or the .50 beowulf



...but that's just me

Get an AK or SKS, I hear that the AK uppers need to have the bolt face opened up for the cartridge and it weekends the bolt and Bolt failure is a common problem with these AR based AK rifles including the Daewoo series of rifles.

anyways, if you really must do it, I hear someone makes a strengthened bolt, but forgot who.

Also magazines are a problem, unless you get the AR-47 lower which takes AK mags but the lower is $350 STRIPPED!.

Use the search function, this has been answered in detail, almost every day.  They work great!!

I had one of these with 20 inch barrel ,mags are high priced but can be ordered I had to change the bolt at about 1800 rounds  the bolt for the 7.62x39 dosen't have as much meat as 5.56 bolts due to the bigger 7.62x39 rim they seem to break off just before or after each side of the extractor but all in all  its a fine weapon and fine caliber , just buy a extra bolt just in case you need it and shoot away and enjoy
                                                                              thanks copdills

I have a Colt brand rifle. It runs without a hitch. There hasnt been any mysterious bolt breaks.  You can use 20 rnd AR mags with 4 to 5 rounds. The USA AR,AK frankenmag work with minor tweaking. It makes one hell of a Recon Rifle.