Today imported steel case 5.45x39mm and 7.62x39mm costs basically the same. In the good ol’ days surplus 5.45x39mm 7N6 ball was cheap. More-so for AK owners who want to practice and have fun on the range, without deflating their wallet. Let’s face it, the cost of ammunition is a huge deal to recreational shooters. When loaded with modern expanding bullets the 7.62x39mm exhibits very good terminal performance with impressive expansion and good penetration. When it comes to terminal performance with readily available loads the 7.62x39mm comes out on top. To be blunt, the 7.62x39mm has both size and weight on its side while the 5.45x39mm has velocity. Terminal performance for personal protection is excellent and these loads are suitable for hunting medium size game at reasonable distances with good shot placement.
Winchester, Federal, Hornady and even Wolf Performance Ammunition all offer 7.62x39mm loads which expand reliably and penetrate well. Moving from FMJ though to modern expanding projectiles drastically improves the terminal performance of the 7.62x39mm. It had a late yaw cycle, and did not expand or fragment. The 7.62x39mm M43 ball load earned a bad rap regarding terminal performance during our war in Vietnam. For its intended purpose it is a very good design. The Hornady 60-grain VMAX load on the other hand is a varmint bullet which expands violently on impact, but does not penetrate very deeply. If the projectile does not yaw, you end up with a small. This, combined with their velocity, is their primary mechanism for tissue destruction. They do not expand or fragment, they yaw and turn side-ways going through a soft target. The long for caliber 5.45x39mm ball projectiles were designed with an early yaw cycle. While the 5.45x39mm’s 7N6 “Poison Bullet” earned an enviable reputation during the Soviet’s war in Afghanistan, it’s utterly outclassed by modern expanding 7.62x39mm loads. There is a wide variety of commercial 7.62x39mm loads available. When it comes to having different flavors to choose from, the 7.62x39mm puts the knuckles to the 5.45x39mm. 7.62x39mm loads are available in both Berdan primed steel cases and reloadable Boxer primed brass cases. They have developed modern expanding projectiles specifically for this caliber which offer an excellent blend of expansion and penetration for hunting medium size game or personal protection. American companies like Hornady, Federal and Winchester have all done a great deal of design work and experimentation with the 7.62x39mm. Not only do you have a variety of imported FMJ, HP and SP loads to choose from, but there is a host of modern domestic expanding loads as well. When it comes to having different flavors to choose from, again the 7.62x39mm puts the knuckles to the 5.45x39mm. The 7.62x39mm is hugely popular around the world and it is widely available here in the US from a variety of foreign and domestic manufacturers.
So, during ammo shortages it will be easier to find 7.62x39mm than 5.45x39mm. Plus, since 7.62x39mm is so much more popular, during times of panic buying the importers ignore the slower selling cartridges, cough 5.45x39mm, and concentrate on bringing in as many containers of the big sellers, cough 7.62x39mm, as possible. 7.62x39mm is also imported into the US in drastically larger quantities than 5.45x39mm. Domestic 5.45x39mm? You have one load from Hornady to choose from. More than likely they will have multiple offerings.ĥ.45x39mm? Typically it is much harder to find, and you may have to order it online. Any well-stocked gun store will have 7.62x39mm on the shelf. It is not only widely imported from European manufacturers but it is also produced by the major players domestically. Since the Chinese first dumped inexpensive 7.62x39mm on American shores this caliber has taken off in popularity. AvailabilityĪmmunition availability is a big deal for your average shooter, and here the 7.62x39mm easily trounces the 5.45x39mm. Here’s a comparison between the two cartridges, the more modern 5.45x39mm on the left and the older World War II vintage 7.62x39mm on the right. Here are five reasons why I suggest buying a 7.62x39mm over a 5.45x39mm. However, that being said, for your average American rifleman the 7.62x39mm makes much more sense. What might be right for one may not be right for another. A question I am frequently asked by fans of the Kalashnikov rifle is, “Which caliber is better, 7.62x39mm or 5.45x39mm?” This is actually a hard question to answer as it comes down to an individual’s personal needs and desires.