5.56 vs 7.62x39 my experience

[3MTA3]

Both the 5.56 and 7.62x39 are really outstanding rounds. I went 556 mostly for the lighter weight and I like the ergonomics of the AR platform. Much is made of the relative weight of the two rounds, then some will throw in that 7.62x39 weighs as much as 7.62x51 with half the pop.

I did a bit of searching to find the relative weights of each round, and it boils down to 6 rounds of 5.56 weighs about the same as 4 rounds of 7.62x39 or 3 rounds of 7.62x51. There really is not as much difference between them as I had thought. Facts are pretty stubborn and often rude critters as well.

If I was planning on FMJ for defense there is no way I would pick 5.56 for my own uses. Fortunately I hand load. If not I'd clearly be in one of the 7.62 camps, and likely pick 3 rounds of the NATO cartridge over 4 of the Kalashnikov.

 

[The Heretic]

It isn't just about the weight of the ammo, it is also about the weight of the firearms that shoot them - if you are comparing weight. Basically compare the "combat load" you carry with 200 rounds in mags and the firearm and any necessary accoutrements.

Beyond that, there are not many factory bullpups in 7.62x51 and even less in 7.62x39 (I can only think of one off the top of my head), but there are a number in 5.56x45 (AUG, Tavor, Valmet, FAMAS, Enfield and maybe a few others I can't think of right now).

BTW - I don't rely on hand-loaded ammo for self-defense, but I do agree on FMJ. I have FMJ in bulk, but it is practice ammo, maybe used for barter, and a backup if I run out of expanding ammo.

 

[Tracer]

[QUOTE="
Then there are the ergos - the AR has much better ergos than the AK.

QUOTE]

Did you mean ergos or ego's??

 

[Steve Baze]

We were right at about 100 yards from shot to gong.

I'm turning fast into a .308 fan, I just can't afford to plink with it much. I bought a bunch of the x39 rounds for my sks to make it affordable to make a big boom more often - it breaks up the .22lr quiet.

thats why I like 7.62X54

The AR X39 thing is also a similar thing forme . when you consider almost all encounters are far less than 200 yards it makes sense to consider X39 for cost effectiveness and knock down as well as reliability. All the major point sIMO . I have had several AR s and ran thousands of rounds in the military and that was all part of my decision to lean toward X39 Just my take with many years experience.

 

[1990Turbo]

I dunno,

I've owned a yugo and have a 1964 Chinese /26\ paratrooper. I have always wanted an AK since getting to shoot one as a kid but once I had an sks, it has kind of turned into a future wish. With a few simple mods, it seems to be a stout, reliable, accurate rifle.

I don't shoot it much past 150 yards (mostly due to space issues) and it performs great.
I am now adamit about finding an AK with a milled receiver vs the stamped stuff. More weight but higher quality IMO. And spendy lol. At least for my meager budget.

I guess to sum it up, I'd rather have a high quality SKS then a low quality AK for the long term.

I have a Golani its a milled reciever AK that fires .223 best of both worlds.

 

[Steve Baze]

Yes I have watched as the AR s are chambered in X39 and have not seen one yet that held up ? I think that would be a good one as well ? The exact reverse of your s ?

So far all I have seen do not hold together and crack? so either exotic metals or some kind of heavier mechanism. I would buy one in a heartbeat if thy were dialed in. The AR in X39 would be the ultimate IMO ?

 

[Steve Baze]

I forgot to mention I have a website and I write about such things on the firearms and ammo page . Also Pat Cascio has a full page of his @ www.downtoearththinking.com . I imagine many here might appreciate both. Pat has been writing of such for many years. long before there was an internet ? Everybody is welcome !

I would love to see and fire your rifle ? I also have several X39 rigs in AK , SKS and VZ models. That little VZ 2008 is a really nice piece.I sold two near new ARs and went entirely the other way .

 

[Steve Baze]

[QUOTE="
Then there are the ergos - the AR has much better ergos than the AK.

QUOTE]

Did you mean ergos or ego's??

it does .

 

[clearconscience]

There's not much of a comparison, However, if you had to bug out we'll see how much you love humping that .308 out.
Same reason the military dumped it.
If your in a fight for your life it won't matter.
Same reason people bad talk 9mm or even .22lr. People still defend themselves with it and still inflict fatalities while small rounds.

 

[clearconscience]

A freaking 9mm handgun is "good" out to 150 yards. come on

For Jerry Miculek it's good out to 1000yds

 

[206thsense]

Carnik Con solved this question with this enlightened video:

 

[The Heretic]

There is no best - only Zuul

 

[CarlMc]

AR's Suck! j/k

... we had chain but no cutters so we did it as best we could...

Whaddya mean no cutter!!!?? You have an SKS, don't you?
Man!

 

[Gaucho Gringo]

Being new to the 7.62 - I probably would have done something very similar (minus the using it for defense - I'm in the burbs and don't want to kill a neighbor).

I had the good fortune to connect with a member here; compared to me, he is a guru on the stuff.

I bought some bulk ammo from him and he educated me on the different brands/styles. I have it separated into plinking, hunting and SHTF now (I don't plan on hunting with it unless I go down south for a pig hunt and I may plink the rest away before the SHTF)

And a big Thanks to that member!!! I'd give a shout out but I'm not sure about name dropping so I'll leave it out.

There are pigs in Oregon Now
http://www.dfw.state.or.us/conservationstrategy/invasive_species/feral_swine.asp

 

[oli700]

little late in the conversation but wanted to mention this about FMJ's.

In the AR's original design of 1:12 twist, the 55 gr cannelured projo is quite damaging and does weird things once it enters flesh.
5.56 NATO got a bad rap in FMJ when M855 was developed.
The quite longer, slightly heavier steel core projectile needed a faster twist rate to stabilize it well so the rifle went to a 1:7 twist and that's ok for the m855 as a light penetrator its not really meant strictly for damaging flesh but reaching flesh through barrier
When 55 gr FMJ bullet is spooled up from a 1:7 it is stable and accurate but lost its magic giving the in and out puncture wound associated with 556 FMJ..... spins the shorter 55 gr bullet faster than it was ever meant not giving it a chance to take a turn or two and breaking apart at the cannelure .
Like mentioned there are better choices for skin, but if you have to shoot through a bunch of stuff those rounds lose weight quick.
If a guy shoots mostly 55gr he is better off with a slowest twist that he can find. I shoot a lot of 69gr + and still only run 1:8.

I know this isn't the real thing but it does illustrate what the bullet was designed to do.
20"barrel, 1:12" twist rate M193 55gr FMJ