Gluten for punishment...a 5.45x39 AR

[AbitNutz]

I finally tripped across a 5.43x39 AR barrel and bolt just when that ammo has become hard to get and insanely expensive. Lucky me. The problem is, I really like that cartridge. I've got decent loading dies for the 5.45x39 and .220 bullets but no brass! LOL! Hornady brass ammo is crazy priced if you can find it at all. I saw some on Ammoseek and it was $3.50 a round. I can't remember the last time I saw anything that cost $3.50 a round. I did pick up a few hundred rounds of Golden Tiger at less than eye watering prices. Perhaps the Ukrainians will stomp the crap out of the Russians this summer and free up some ammo. That makes me feel like a turd. Hoping the Ukrainians wipe out the Russians so I can buy 5.45x39 ammo cheap...

I've got the barrel on a spare Aero Precision upper receiver and I'm going to use a Superlative adjustable gas block. I'm using a Midwest Industries two chamber muzzle brake for two reasons. One, it is cheap. Two, if you squint it kinda looks like an Ak74 brake. I've also got a hard chrome enhanced firing pin. I'm staying with surprisingly nice Timney Impact for now that's in the lower I'm using, unless I start getting light strikes.

I have a single ACR 5.45x39 30-round magazine. I hear they're marginal. I loaded it with 30 rounds and hand cycled it through the rifle (without the firing pin) without a hitch. I then loaded 30 rounds in a 5.56x39 Lancer Magazine and did the same thing. I then repeated the it all again but this time using a Duramag 6.8 SPC. Does anyone have any insight on magazines for a 5.45x39 AR? Testing will begin as soon as the carbine length gas tube shows up this afternoon. I'm always missing something.

 

[JS8588]

Wife has celiac, but sometimes she just needs a bagel.

What were we talking about? I couldn't get past the title.

 

[AbitNutz]

I like bagels...

 

[PinesAndProjectiles]

It’s glutton. As in, you’re a glutton for punishment.

 

[MadDuner]

I finally tripped across a 5.43x39 AR barrel and bolt just when that ammo has become hard to get and insanely expensive. Lucky me. The problem is, I really like that cartridge. I've got decent loading dies for the 5.45x39 and .220 bullets but no brass! LOL! Hornady brass ammo is crazy priced if you can find it at all. I saw some on Ammoseek and it was $3.50 a round. I can't remember the last time I saw anything that cost $3.50 a round. I did pick up a few hundred rounds of Golden Tiger at less than eye watering prices. Perhaps the Ukrainians will stomp the crap out of the Russians this summer and free up some ammo. That makes me feel like a turd. Hoping the Ukrainians wipe out the Russians so I can buy 5.45x39 ammo cheap...

I've got the barrel on a spare Aero Precision upper receiver and I'm going to use a Superlative adjustable gas block. I'm using a Midwest Industries two chamber muzzle brake for two reasons. One, it is cheap. Two, if you squint it kinda looks like an Ak74 brake. I've also got a hard chrome enhanced firing pin. I'm staying with surprisingly nice Timney Impact for now that's in the lower I'm using, unless I start getting light strikes.

I have a single ACR 5.45x39 30-round magazine. I hear they're marginal. I loaded it with 30 rounds and hand cycled it through the rifle (without the firing pin) without a hitch. I then loaded 30 rounds in a 5.56x39 Lancer Magazine and did the same thing. I then repeated the it all again but this time using a Duramag 6.8 SPC. Does anyone have any insight on magazines for a 5.45x39 AR? Testing will begin as soon as the carbine length gas tube shows up this afternoon. I'm always missing something.

C-Products is my go-to for 5.45 AR mags.
Been happy with the 5.45 for a long long time. All of mine are Olympic Arms uppers.
I was a little disappointed in the Hornady ammo not being any better accuracy than the Silver Bear for the price difference.
But if I decided to reload 5.45 - the brass is the reason for the price anyway.

 

[buffalowinter]

I use the ACR, works fine. My niece likes it.

 

[Basher]

 

[AbitNutz]

C-Products is my go-to for 5.45 AR mags.
Been happy with the 5.45 for a long long time. All of mine are Olympic Arms uppers.
I was a little disappointed in the Hornady ammo not being any better accuracy than the Silver Bear for the price difference.
But if I decided to reload 5.45 - the brass is the reason for the price anyway.

I have looked high and low for C-Products 5.45 mags but there are none to be had. I believe Duramag and C-Products are now the same. The original mag says ASC on the bottom of it. I must have misread it. I haven't tried it yet. It is identical to the 6.8 SPC mag. The feed lips are slightly different but a bit of Dremel surgery could make them twins.
I really do like the 5.45x39. I wish it was more available. I think if people had a chance to try it in a well-done AR it would develop a real following.

 

[MadDuner]

I have looked high and low for C-Products 5.45 mags but there are none to be had. I believe Duramag and C-Products are now the same. The original mag says ASC on the bottom of it. I must have misread it. I haven't tried it yet. It is identical to the 6.8 SPC mag. The feed lips are slightly different but a bit of Dremel surgery could make them twins.
I really do like the 5.45x39. I wish it was more available. I think if people had a chance to try it in a well-done AR it would develop a real following.

The only actual downside to the 5.45x39 is if you are using the Soviet spam can corrosive stuff ammo - the rifle internals require a good cleaning after every use. I'm glad I bought mags when I did.

 

[AbitNutz]

The only actual downside to the 5.45x39 is if you are using the Soviet spam can corrosive stuff ammo - the rifle internals require a good cleaning after every use. I'm glad I bought mags when I did.

That old Soviet crap will eat barrels alive or dead for that matter. I bought a brand new PTR32 from Midway. It had only been test fired. However, they must have test-fired it with that corrosive crap and they didn't boil the gun. I get it and take a look through my Teslong borescope...the barrel is corroded from one end to the other. It now sits at PTR awaiting fixing. They haven't exactly said what they're going to do yet but they have acknowledged that it is corrosion. Replacing a barrel on a roller-delayed rifle is no joy.

 

[MadDuner]

That old Soviet crap will eat barrels alive or dead for that matter. I bought a brand new PTR32 from Midway. It had only been test fired. However, they must have test-fired it with that corrosive crap and they didn't boil the gun. I get it and take a look through my Teslong borescope...the barrel is corroded from one end to the other. It now sits at PTR awaiting fixing. They haven't exactly said what they're going to do yet but they have acknowledged that it is corrosion. Replacing a barrel on a roller-delayed rifle is no joy.

I went through 20k rounds of spam can ammo when it was dirt cheap.
I just knew to immediately clean the rifles as soon as I was done shooting them.
The only signs of corrosion I have found after 20+ years of shooting that ammo has been at the BCG itself, and the ejection port doors have a slight tint of green to them. LOL

 

[wvfarrier]

I am a gluten for my wife's goodies

 

[TonyTheTiger]

I like 5.45. It figures that I went and spent a bunch of money on my AK74 making it a modern usable gun right before ammo became ridiculous. I've still got a bit of a spam can left but now I'm hesitant to shoot it.

 

[MadDuner]

I like 5.45. It figures that I went and spent a bunch of money on my AK74 making it a modern usable gun right before ammo became ridiculous. I've still got a bit of a spam can left but now I'm hesitant to shoot it.

I keep hoping the ammo will make a comeback....
But I'm not holding my breath.

We can't buy it from Russia anymore, but maybe some enterprising capitalist will start selling it from some other former Eastern Bloc country.

 

[TonyTheTiger]

I know PSA has plans to make steel case AK food stateside, I don't know how far out that might be though. I don't imagine it will ever be as cheap as the good old days but I'd settle for $0.35 a round or less. Can't stomach much higher than that for blaster ammo.

 

[Bantam1]

I like 5.45 too. Sadly I missed the boat when the cheap surplus was around.

I'm sitting on several thousand pieces of 5.45 brass but haven't loaded any just yet. It's good to have friends where it's made...

I'm curious what I can get it to do with better powders and some QC compared to the Russian stuff. I had two lots of Tula that were about 200fps difference. My contact at Hornady told me CEF223 and Win 748 were the best two powders to use. I have a giant bulk box of 60 grain VMAX to play with. Once I get testing I'll post the results in the reloading forum since there seems to be zero real world data out there.

 

[AbitNutz]

I like 5.45 too. Sadly I missed the boat when the cheap surplus was around.

I'm sitting on several thousand pieces of 5.45 brass but haven't loaded any just yet. It's good to have friends where it's made...

I'm curious what I can get it to do with better powders and some QC compared to the Russian stuff. I had two lots of Tula that were about 200fps difference. My contact at Hornady told me CEF223 and Win 748 were the best two powders to use. I have a giant bulk box of 60 grain VMAX to play with. Once I get testing I'll post the results in the reloading forum since there seems to be zero real world data out there.

Good god, please let me know if you ever decide to part with any of the brass. I would pay whatever...for it. I've actually never seen brass 5.45. I bought the dies and bullets when I had a line on some and then the hook was jerked out.

 

[Bantam1]

Hornady makes the brass, bullets and dies for it.

 

[AbitNutz]

Hornady makes the brass, bullets and dies for it.

Not anymore they don't. I wrote them. They quit making the brass and bullets and have no plans to make more, including the ammo. Although I was able to pick up a set of dies and some bullets. The ammo and brass are gone. Bullets I figure I can make by getting .224 diameter and running them through a .220 bullet-swaging die I have. but if I can't get any brass to put them in...It's such a great cartridge too.

 

[towerofpower93]

There have been a few threads over the years on some other forums prior to the Hornady brass being made where folks were using .222 Rem and .223 brass to make 5.45x39. Here are some of the threads I've saved to a note on my phone for when I eventually try my hand at reloading 5.45.

http://www.ar15.com/forums/t_6_42/417407_Best_way_to_trim__222_Rem_down_to_5_45x39.html

https://www.akfiles.com/forums/threads/reloading-for-5-45x39.44231/

https://www.akfiles.com/forums/threads/reloading-5-45x39.144529/

http://forum.saiga-12.com/index.php?/topic/81058-545x39mm-reloading-for-the-deer-hunter/

 

[RTH1800]

Not seeing the win here. Gluten or no.

 

[MarshallDodge]

Interesting thread.

I had two 5.45x39 AKs when the pandemic started, and dumped one of them and some ammo for stupid money. If I run out of ammo for the other one, I'm going to convert it to 223.

Besides some kind of wheat reference, What is the reason behind converting an AR to 5.45 and not staying with 5.56?

 

[Mike_in_FL]

Interesting thread.

Besides some kind of wheat reference, What is the reason behind converting an AR to 5.45 and not staying with 5.56?

There was a reason when you could get the Russian spam cans. Naturally I got in at the tail end and paid .16/round rather than less than .10. A wooden crate, two cans for 2,160 rounds for $350 still wasn't bad.

 

[AbitNutz]

Interesting thread.

I had two 5.45x39 AKs when the pandemic started, and dumped one of them and some ammo for stupid money. If I run out of ammo for the other one, I'm going to convert it to 223.

Besides some kind of wheat reference, What is the reason behind converting an AR to 5.45 and not staying with 5.56?

It's less about converting an AR15 from 5.56x45 to 5.45x39 and more about converting the 5.45x39 from an AK74 to an AR15. Getting away from the AK74 gives the 5.45x39 a much better platform...in my opinion.