Does anyone own an AR in 7.62X39


I have been using this all Colt 7.62x39 for many trouble-free years. The Colt marked 7.62x39 mags seem to be ordinary 20 round .223 mags with a different follower. Because of the size and shape of the 7.62 round, these mags only hold 7 rounds. The mag in the picture is a AK mag welded to a standard 20 (.223) round mag. I don't know who made these mags but they work great. These mags hold 23 rounds of 7.62x39.
The 7.62x39 AR combines AR accuracy with AK power.

Mark
 
image_zpse5d50668.jpg

Here is mine. I've got about $1200 in it and 3 other ars in 223 556 that collect dust. I swear once you shoot a 7.62x39 ar you won't shoot a 223.
 
WHAT IS THE BIG ADVANTAGE OF SHOOTING AK AMMO OUT OF AN AR INSTEAD OF THE RIFLE IT WAS DESIGNED FOR ? ? ? I SHOT CAPTURED AKs IN VIETNAM. THEY WOULD RUN WHEN FILTHY DIRTY---THE ONLY ADVANTAGE OF THE AK DESIGN THAT I COULD IDENTIFY. THE HI-CAP MAGAZINES WERE USELESS FROM THE PRONE POSITION. SO AMMO FOR THE AK IS A BIT CHEAPER---BIG DEAL. RELOAD .223, IF THAT'S YOUR ISSUE. IMHO, BUILD YOURSELF A .308 ON THE AR PLATFORM, IF YOU WISH TO ACCOMPLISH SOMETHING WORTHWHILE……...
 
mc5aw said:
If you want an AK, buy an AK. If you want an AR, buy an AR. If you must have an AK that looks like an AR, buy a Krebs tuned Arsenal for $2,100. As much as the world wants these two platforms to morph into one, the reality is that they both have their respective nuances and function well independent of each other.
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This + 100000
 
one eye joe said:
WHAT IS THE BIG ADVANTAGE OF SHOOTING AK AMMO OUT OF AN AR INSTEAD OF THE RIFLE IT WAS DESIGNED FOR ? ? ? ..
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The obvious answer is some of us prefer shooting AR's over AK's and the 7.62 is a nice little cartridge. The real question is why does it offend some people enough they have to yell about it or make unsupported dismissive remarks about it?
 
One could just as easily ask why anyone, particularly an American, would want to shoot a crudely-made, foreign-designed rifle traditionally used by our enemies (like the AK) - in any caliber? But that's not the point. As Aphelion said, if you like the AR and you'd like a compact .30-caliber cartridge such as the 7.62x39, why not? Pretty simple. That's all there is to it. :)
 
Had A Colt Sporter in x39 and it ran well, zero issues. Not very accurate thgough. I used FankenMags.... 30 Rd Steel AK mags, cut and welded to a steel AR upper. NO idea if anyone builds them anymore.

Back when I could buy x39 ammo for ten cents a rd it was fun. But frankly right now with x39 and 5.56 ammo fairly close in price...I can't see the attraction.

FN in MT
 
THE AKs THAT I SHOT IN 'NAM WEREN'T VERY ACCURATE. THEY HAD "BATTLEFIELD ACCURACY" THAT ALLOWED THEM TO MAKE HITS ON TORSO SIZED TARGETS BUT THEY WERE MORE A "SPRAY AND PRAY" WEAPON. THERE WAS NO DENYING THE SUPERIOR LEVEL OF RELIABILITY IN THE BATTLE ENVIRONMENT, OF THE CRUDE APPEARING AKs. THEY WOULD RUN, PULLED OUT OF THE MUCK OF A RICE PADDY. I THINK THAT I DEVELOPED A SUB CONSCIOUS RESENTMENT TOWARD THE AK, BECAUSE I HAD TO CLEAN MY COLT MANUFACTURED M16A1, AS OFTEN AS I COULD, TO KEEP IT RUNNING WELL. THESE "PIECES OF ****" WENT BANG EVERY TIME……

I WOULD BE INTERESTED IN KNOWING TO WHAT PURPOSE THESE HYBRIDS THAT ARE SO SKILLFULLY CONSTRUCTED BY OUR MEMBERS ARE PUT ? ? ? THE MORE I READ OF THIS THREAD, THE MORE I REALIZE THAT MY NEGATIVE ATTITUDE MAY BE IN GOOD PART DUE TO THE DISDAIN IN WHICH THE SOLDIER REGARDS THE WEAPONS OF HIS ENEMY, ALTHOUGH I HAVE TRIED TO GIVE HONEST CREDIT WHERE IT WAS EARNED. THE AKs THAT I HAD EXPERIENCE WITH WERE ALL CHICOM MADE. I HAVE NEVER HANDLED A RUSSIAN BUILT AK, A HIGH QUALITY AK FROM ANOTHER COUNTRY OF ORIGIN, NOR AN AK IN MY CIVILIAN LIFE SINCE 1969. AND TO BE HONEST, I HAVE NO EXPERIENCE WITH--OR KNOWLEDGE OF-- WHAT THE CARTRIDGE MAY BE USEFUL FOR OFF THE BATTLEFIELD. I WAS JUST NEVER INTERESTED IN IT. SO I THINK THAT I NEED TO KEEP AN OPEN MIND HERE………..
 
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aphelion said:
The obvious answer is some of us prefer shooting AR's over AK's and the 7.62 is a nice little cartridge. The real question is why does it offend some people enough they have to yell about it or make unsupported dismissive remarks about it?
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EXPLAINING MY USE OF CAPS IS REALLY GETTING OLD, BUT I WILL DO IT ONCE MORE. aphelion, THE ULTIMATE QUESTION WOULD BE WHY ANYONE WOULD CARE WHAT CASE I TYPE IN, OR ASSUME THAT I AM YELLING--AS IF YOU CAN HEAR VOLUME WITH YOUR EYES. DO YOU SEE WITH YOUR EARS ALSO ? ? ?

IN ANY EVENT, I AM A 100% SERVICE CONNECTED, DISABLED VIETNAM VETERAN. I AM BLIND IN ONE EYE AND HAVE AN INOPERABLE CATARACT, AND GLAUCOMA IN MY "GOOD" EYE. I TYPE IN CAPS, BECAUSE IT IS MUCH EASIER FOR ME TO SEE WHAT I AM TYPING. I INVARIABLY, IT SEEMS THAT I FIND MYSELF EXPLAINING THIS TO PEOPLE WHO HAVE HAD A FREE RIDE FOR THE FREEDOM THEY HAVE ENJOYED, WHILE VETERANS HAVE DONE THE HEAVY LIFTING. COINCIDENCE ? ? ? THE COST OF AMERICA'S FREEDOM CAN BE FOUND IN VA HOSPITALS AND MILITARY CEMETERIES HERE IN THE USA, AND AROUND THE WORLD….

FWIW, I AM NOT "OFFENDED" BY WHATEVER MIGHT INTEREST OTHER SHOOTERS. WHY WOULD I CARE--IT'S THEIR MONEY THEY ARE SPENDING, NOT MINE. MY REMARKS ARE SUPPORTED BY MY EXPERIENCE WITH BATTLEFIELD LIBERATED AK-47s THAT I HAVE HANDLED, AND ARE INQUIRIES INTO WHAT DRIVES PEOPLE TO BUILD THESE WEAPONS, WHILE VIABLE PLATFORMS FOR BOTH CARTRIDGES ALREADY EXIST--NOTHING MORE. THE SHOOTING SPORT HAS ROOM ENOUGH FOR WHATEVER FLOATS YOUR BOAT. THAT'S ONE OF THE BEAUTIES OF IT. IT WOULD BE QUITE BORING IF WE ALL SHOT OR LIKED THE SAME WEAPONS OR TYPES OF SHOOTING. "SMYTHONS" THE HYBRIDIZATION OF S&Ws AND COLT PYTHONS, ALSO PIQUE MY INTEREST. I HAVE OWNED BOTH FOR MANY YEARS, BUT NEVER HAD THE URGE TO SPLICE TWO OF THEM TOGETHER…..

IN CLOSING, LET ME SAY THAT IF MY POSTS IN CAPS OFFEND YOU IN ANY WAY, OR YOU FIND THAT THEY HURT YOUR EARS, OR ARE "HARD TO READ" (AS THE LAST "OFFENDED" FORUM MEMBER ILLOGICALLY COMPLAINED) PLEASE FEEL FREE TO SCROLL RIGHT ON BY MY POSTS. I WON'T MIND AT ALL, AS IT WILL MAKE NO DIFFERENCE TO ME…..
 
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one eye joe said:
EXPLAINING MY USE OF CAPS IS REALLY GETTING OLD, .
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Type in whatever case works for you, of course. I appreciate your service for our country.

It always strikes me as odd when people bring up performance on the battlefield in these threads. How many of our rifles are going to be used in battle rolled around in the muck? It is really irrelevant. An AR chambered in the 7.62 can function as well as one in 5.56. This makes it useful for a range toy, hunting, self defense, plinking out in desert, or whatever. To ask what use is one is akin to asking what use is any firearm.

One thing for sure is an AR in any caliber is likely to be far more accurate and easy to shoot than an AK. An AK just doesn't fit a lot of people very well. I shoot my son's and to me they feel like they were designed for something other than the human species. But people like them and that is great.
 
I got one a few years ago made by P.S.A. and been enjoying it ever since, cheaper to shoot and something different from what everyone else is using. gun has been totally reliable from day one and I only paid $700.00 for it....
 
As to *why ?* , there are a cpl answers :

1. Deer hunting with a serious dia bullet, not requiring the case forming and handloading of a Whisper aka Blackout, and more common on local shelves than 6.8 or 6.5.

2. Less dimutation of performance in a pistol/ SBR platform than .223/ 5.56 .
 
aphelion said:
Type in whatever case works for you, of course. I appreciate your service for our country.
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Ditto - thanks for your service to our country. I too did not understand your use of all caps. If it helps you, so be it!

Unlike a soldier who has to walk with his complete ammunition supply, I don't do that, so the added weight and bulk of the 7.62x39 ammo over 5.56 is not a factor for me. It is something different to shoot, and it "makes a bigger hole" (:D), so I enjoy the 7.62x39 and I shoot it in a couple different rifles, the AR being one, a Mini-30 being another, and the little CZ carbine being still another. From what I have seen of them, I've never wanted an AK or SKS but wouldn't quarrel with anyone who likes them.

Some years ago I shot a lot of cast bullets in a M70 Lightweight .308 set-up "Scout" rifle style. The point was to keep the expense and noise-level down a bit. After the usual case prep, I could crank the loads out pretty quickly on the Dillon 550. If I recall it was a 170-gr bullet at around 1600 f/s. The 7.62x39 should do the same thing more efficiently. I wish I could find a supply of cases with small-rifle primer pockets. I hear they are made, but I haven't had much luck with that. Ultimately, for me the 7.62x39 AR is just another gun to monkey around with. :)
 
THANKS FOR THE EXPLANATIONS. IT NEVER DAWNED ON ME THAT 7.62X39 MIGHT BE USEFUL AS A DEER HUNTING ROUND. I HAVE NEVER SEEN ANYTHING OTHER THAN FMJ ROUNDS--NOT THAT I EVER LOOKED ON THE LGS SHELVES. UP HERE IN THE NORTHEAST WE USE SHOTGUNS WITH SLUGS OR #00 BUCKSHOT, BLACK POWDER RIFLES, OR CENTERFIRES LIKE 30-30, .35 REMINGTON, OR EVEN .44 MAGNUM--USUALLY OUT OF A LEVER ACTION RIFLE. .223 IS COMMONLY USED OUT OF ARs FOR COYOTE. I AM CERTAINLY NOT IN THE WOODS EVERY DAY, BUT I HAVE NEVER COME ACROSS ANYONE CARRYING AN AR OF ANY CALIBER DURING DEER SEASON. SOOOO, I HAVE BEEN ENLIGHTENED. ALSO, THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT OF US VETERANS…….…...
 
I'm an AK fan. Nothing against the AR, have that as well. Nice rifles. The AK is definitely more than just a spray and pray. That's up to the user. If I forgo the sights I can just as easily lob bullets down range without much success. And I'm not going to sit here ant tell you how accurate it is benched because we all know it's not as accurate as an AR. Having said that, I don't shoot off of a bench. It's pointless to me. An avg AR with a avg ammo is no more accurate than the AK it's just that all anyone sees are 3rd world untrained people just spraying lead everywhere and assumes that's how it is. For example, a lot of the African fighting we see ......many of those guys assume the rear sight graduations are power levels. The higher the number the harder the hit. It's not the rifle, it's the user.

Lapua ammo at 80 yards

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Wolf ammo at 80 yards
19687170414e312c82997117ee2d6744.jpg


200 yards Wolf ammo.

4c6a7482a859f459f6a029c5dca32f9d.jpg


I had some pics of 400 yards but can't find them at the moment
 
What is the going cost of surplus 7.62x39 ammo these days? And how does it compare to the cost of bulk 5.56mm?

I have never owned a rifle chambered in the AK round, but I find it interesting.

I do have an AR chambered in .300 AAC Blackout. That is a great round and has many interesting configurations from heavy subsonic spitzers to the lightweight zingers. I found this round so interesting that I also bought a Remington 700 SPS Tactical chambered for the Blackout.

I wish bulk ammo would be available for the Blackout at the same cost as 7.62x39.

Curl
 
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