Does anyone own an AR in 7.62X39

[Muddyboot]

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

7.62x39 can still be found cheap and in bulk compared to most ammo. I have plenty stocked up, so no problem on ammo. What will be interesting is how it handles steel cased ammo, I've both read and have been told sticking to brass cased it the way to go.....

 

[35Rem]

Just make sure it haS a long firing pin and steel cased ammo will be fine

 

[Big Cholla]

I AGREE, "BUT"

Just make sure it haS a long firing pin and steel cased ammo will be fine

Steel cased ammo will certainly work. The coating of the steel might prove to be a buildup and subsequent cleaning problem down the road. IMHO, steel will be less accurate than the brass cased because of the better 'obturation' obtained by using brass. The sealing of the chamber and keeping the cartridge in place by obturation is a little known physical phenomena, but has proved to be a significant factor in accuracy and reliability. Why limit yourself in any way while using the 7.62x39 when brass cased ammo is readily available? ...... Big Cholla

 

[Muddyboot]

Steel cased ammo will certainly work. The coating of the steel might prove to be a buildup and subsequent cleaning problem down the road. IMHO, steel will be less accurate than the brass cased because of the better 'obturation' obtained by using brass. The sealing of the chamber and keeping the cartridge in place by obturation is a little known physical phenomena, but has proved to be a significant factor in accuracy and reliability. Why limit yourself in any way while using the 7.62x39 when brass cased ammo is readily available? ...... Big Cholla

I plan to use both steel and brass cased, mostly brass, but I'm curious to see how it handles the steel case stuff............

 

[35Rem]

Mine are more accurate than you would believe with steel cased ammo.

 

[mr.hipp]

My old man loves the one i built for him... he calls It the "zombie killer". He can shoot nice little groups, an inch or two big, all day, from a hundred yards out. it shoots the brass cased Stuff 100% reliably but does not care for the steel cased stuff... we are working on that now...
I was not an AK fan until i bought a cheap WASR for $400 and have been a fan ever since. Now I'm under folding and rpk'n and unlike my ar builds the ak's haven't had any issues.

 

[Muddyboot]

Update
All my local gunshops had no luck finding a Bushmaster in 7.62x39 from the distributers they use, so I ended up getting a Bushmaster upper, new old stock on Gunbroker, and the Bushmaster lower from Wholesale Hunter. In doing so, I saved between $200.00 and $300.00. Both are on the way, and will be in next week. Also have a Trijicon ACOG 3x30 Scope to top it off, bought used from Amazon to complete the package.

Magazines are no problem as they are available from many sources.

 

[BigBill]

I never been interested in any AR style rifle.

To me the best rifle ever made in 7,62x39 Russian is the SKS. There accurate in the norinco brand. I never liked the AK47 because of some of the poor workmanship when it was converted from select fire FA to semi auto. The fit was terrible on the ones I seen. I probably waited too long to get a good one. Then the brand new Russian izmash saiga was imported. It's a brand new Russian made ak/akm. Not someone's butchers rework.
For just $289 when they were first offered in 308win it's an awesome rifle.
I still would prefer the sks in 7,62x39. But the saiga in 223 is nice too. These rifles never jam. There long battle field proven history says it's a rock solid dependable reliable design. I purchased the saiga sporting rifles for hunting. I'm not interested in hunting with a military rifle.

Are you guys ashamed to go to the range or your gun club with a sks, ak or saiga to shoot? Is it peer pressure that keeps you from owning one? I know the look when I rode into a Harley bike show with my Japanese bike.

When some AR guys at the range see the accuracy of a $59 Chinese sks they leave upset. It's sad I like all guns to a point. If there over priced and the reliability is finicky I pass.

For a rifle in 7,62x39 the Chinese norinco sks is tops. Using the correct diameter bullets is the key to accuracy. Using the original norinco ammo the sks shoots 1 1/2" groups at 100yards with its original sights, no scope.
We all had fun with the 22 semi auto rifles when we were kids. Now we're adults it time for some plinking fun with a bigger bang. The sks is a fun plinker.

 

[BigBill]

7.62x39 can still be found cheap and in bulk compared to most ammo. I have plenty stocked up, so no problem on ammo. What will be interesting is how it handles steel cased ammo, I've both read and have been told sticking to brass cased it the way to go.....

Time to stock up on the 7,62x39 imported ammo was after it became available again after the first shortage it was only $59/1,000rds. It was Russian made by barnaul ammo. It's one of the most accurate of the Russian ammo brands. When sportsmansguide ran out at the time they replaced it with wolf ammo. Talk about plinking cheap.

I only shoot the steel cased ammo out of the semi auto barrels with chrome lined bores and chambers.

 

[Arik]

I never been interested in any AR style rifle.

To me the best rifle ever made in 7,62x39 Russian is the SKS. There accurate in the norinco brand. I never liked the AK47 because of some of the poor workmanship when it was converted from select fire FA to semi auto. The fit was terrible on the ones I seen. I probably waited too long to get a good one. Then the brand new Russian izmash saiga was imported. It's a brand new Russian made ak/akm. Not someone's butchers rework.
For just $289 when they were first offered in 308win it's an awesome rifle.
I still would prefer the sks in 7,62x39. But the saiga in 223 is nice too. These rifles never jam. There long battle field proven history says it's a rock solid dependable reliable design. I purchased the saiga sporting rifles for hunting. I'm not interested in hunting with a military rifle.

Are you guys ashamed to go to the range or your gun club with a sks, ak or saiga to shoot? Is it peer pressure that keeps you from owning one? I know the look when I rode into a Harley bike show with my Japanese bike.

When some AR guys at the range see the accuracy of a $59 Chinese sks they leave upset. It's sad I like all guns to a point. If there over priced and the reliability is finicky I pass.

For a rifle in 7,62x39 the Chinese norinco sks is tops. Using the correct diameter bullets is the key to accuracy. Using the original norinco ammo the sks shoots 1 1/2" groups at 100yards with its original sights, no scope.
We all had fun with the 22 semi auto rifles when we were kids. Now we're adults it time for some plinking fun with a bigger bang. The sks is a fun plinker.

They were NEVER EVER converted from select fire FA to semi auto. Not unless you were in a different country or dealing in illigal activities. By ATF standards once the receiver is FA it is always a FA no matter what you do. No one can legally convert a FA anything into a semi auto. If you were to do so and make it permanent the ATF still considers it a FA and illegal.

And another thing. Workmanship has nothing to do with conversion. All it requires is the removal of the FA sear and a hammer swap. You're basically just changing out the hammer, sear and disconector. Kinda like swapping triggers on a AR

 

[M29since14]

Update
All my local gunshops had no luck finding a Bushmaster in 7.62x39 from the distributers they use, so I ended up getting a Bushmaster upper, new old stock on Gunbroker, and the Bushmaster lower from Wholesale Hunter. In doing so, I saved between $200.00 and $300.00...

Sounds good. You are on your way. A friendly piece of advice: don't go crazy ordering a bunch of magazines. Buy 2-3 and give them a try. If you like them, order more then. Magazines are a problem, IMO, but not an insurmountable one.

Now your only real problem is going to be finding some AA1680 powder. (I assume you are a handloader?) The 7.62x39 is a really interesting little cartridge with a lot of fun possibilities. Just shooting the junky steel-cased imported stuff only "scratches the surface" of the fun. Before it is over I'll bet you will want a little bolt-action carbine in that caliber too.

Keep us posted.

 

[35Rem]

The days of the cheap rifles and ammo are over. Long gone. The time to buy is always TODAY. Tomorrow it will cost more.

The AR's are very popular rifles now. They are fun to tinker with and easy to work on. Very easy to mount optics and very reliable. The accuracy potential is way more than anything that came out of China. Sorry. Detachable mags are extremely reliable and the 7.62x39 hits way harder than the 556, and for less $.
No shame in an SKS, but it's not a modern AR.

I'm amazed at the interest in the moderate velocity rifles that the AR platform has re-energized. Is magnum-itis over?

 

[Muddyboot]

I never been interested in any AR style rifle.

To me the best rifle ever made in 7,62x39 Russian is the SKS. There accurate in the norinco brand. I never liked the AK47 because of some of the poor workmanship when it was converted from select fire FA to semi auto. The fit was terrible on the ones I seen. I probably waited too long to get a good one. Then the brand new Russian izmash saiga was imported. It's a brand new Russian made ak/akm. Not someone's butchers rework.
For just $289 when they were first offered in 308win it's an awesome rifle.
I still would prefer the sks in 7,62x39. But the saiga in 223 is nice too. These rifles never jam. There long battle field proven history says it's a rock solid dependable reliable design. I purchased the saiga sporting rifles for hunting. I'm not interested in hunting with a military rifle.

Are you guys ashamed to go to the range or your gun club with a sks, ak or saiga to shoot? Is it peer pressure that keeps you from owning one? I know the look when I rode into a Harley bike show with my Japanese bike.

When some AR guys at the range see the accuracy of a $59 Chinese sks they leave upset. It's sad I like all guns to a point. If there over priced and the reliability is finicky I pass.

For a rifle in 7,62x39 the Chinese norinco sks is tops. Using the correct diameter bullets is the key to accuracy. Using the original norinco ammo the sks shoots 1 1/2" groups at 100yards with its original sights, no scope.
We all had fun with the 22 semi auto rifles when we were kids. Now we're adults it time for some plinking fun with a bigger bang. The sks is a fun plinker.

I have a Russian SKS, so no problem with that. I like the AR platform, so my interest is to try different calibers with that type of rifle.

 

[Muddyboot]

Sounds good. You are on your way. A friendly piece of advice: don't go crazy ordering a bunch of magazines. Buy 2-3 and give them a try. If you like them, order more then. Magazines are a problem, IMO, but not an insurmountable one.

Now your only real problem is going to be finding some AA1680 powder. (I assume you are a handloader?) The 7.62x39 is a really interesting little cartridge with a lot of fun possibilities. Just shooting the junky steel-cased imported stuff only "scratches the surface" of the fun. Before it is over I'll bet you will want a little bolt-action carbine in that caliber too.

Keep us posted.

I only have 1 mag at the moment, I'm waiting for the upper and lower to arrive before I get more. I do reload, but 7.62x39 is so cheap I've never loaded that round. Guessing I will in the future though.

 

[BigBill]

I'd rather beat the shots out of an sks or ak with the steel cased ammo than shoot the same ammo in an AR. Cheap rifle, cheap ammo. But it's your money.

I'm building my 4 yo grandsons first deer rifle. I took a FN bolt action in 308 and converted it to 7.62x39. The barnaul 122gr and wolf 154gr ammo is good for yotes and deer. A $75 barreled action, a $50 stock and a $100 worth of optics will put meat on the bbq.

 

[kenjen]

all I have ever shot out of my AR in 7.62x39 is steel cased ammo and my barrel and chamber are not chromed lined. put over 1000 rd's through it with out any problems so far.

 

[BigBill]

all I have ever shot out of my AR in 7.62x39 is steel cased ammo and my barrel and chamber are not chromed lined. put over 1000 rd's through it with out any problems so far.

I leave a slight film of oil in the chamber when I clean the gun. In the non chrome line bores.
I never have a problem with the cases sticking or chamber wear.

 

[CAJUNLAWYER]

One word

Mini 30. Why anyone would think the Ruger is any less accurate and reliable than an AK is beyond me

 

[boatboy]

I have an Olympic it works just fine I also have a Colt but it sits
ASC mags work very well
I think this is a great cartridge for an AR

My next 7.62x 39 will be a pistol upper
Hank

 

[Rutgers]

AR platform rifles in 7.62x39mm

First two responses.
If you don't have one, don't respond by repeating old Internet stories from when it was a new idea. They work. And work well

I wanted one for a long time before I bought one. I heard horor stories about mags. YES the feeding system is different. I bought Armalite and loved it immediately. Shot my first rounds at 50 yards into a big ol target, and clustered all of them nicely in a couple inches with no feeding or jamming of any kind.

It's not easy to "change" a 5.56 into a 7.62x39 format. But purchasing one made for the cartridge was the right way to go. I bought a few more and sold them to my friends. Ammo is cheap, and penetration is way better than 5.56. The range may be a little shorter, but in Viet Nam we know it was quite effective against our troops. Nothing to skoff at just because it was designed by a Russian. Some smart people, just have a bad government.