7.62x39 ar for a friend

[semper_fidelis]

My friend wants a 7.62x39 AR 15 in the M4 platform. He wants a collapsible stock and detachable handrail. He loves the 7.62 caliber and the Ar15 feel but not the AK47 and the 223. I have built .223 ar15's but not a 7.62 what need to be done different? Are the same lower receiver used? Is the same bolt and spring used? is everything different? And who makes a complete rifle? Thanks everyone?

 

[sig228]

DPMS makes a few nice ones:

http://www.dpmsinc.com/store/?cat=1923

 

[W.E.G.]

This thread:
http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=535835

 

[GunTech]

IIRC MGI makes an AR-15 lower that can take AK mags, if you don't want to use frankenmags.

There were also a couple of other companies building AK mag compatible lowers for 7.62x39 ARs. AR47?

 

[CleverNickname]

Everything's the same except for the bolt, barrel and magazines. I've got a self-built 7.62x39 AR with a 16" midlength barrel & bolt combo from AR15performance.com that I'm pretty happy with. The 7.62x39 C Products I have work fine too. There's really not any reason to avoid getting a 7.62x39 AR.

 

[GIJOEL]

+1 on C-Products mags, I have 30 and 10 rounders they have been flawless. The AR platform is well suited to the 7.62x39 round.

 

[Carter]

An XCR in 7.62 is the best way to go IMHO..but that would probably be a bit more expensive than what he is looking for.

Make sure the C-products mags are new. Heard of some problems with the older ones.

 

[Tirod]

The two areas of concern in using 7.62x39 in an AR are the bolt face, and magazines.

The appropriate AR bolt to fit the diameter of the AK base is pushing the long term durability limit of the material. Things are a lot thinner than the .223. Most makers who offer Russian case calibers also offer superbolts to run in them. Maybe there is some marketing, but the physical dimensions of the bolt face seem to indicate it.

The AR is a straight mag well feeder, the AK round is much more tapered and really needs a curved mag. All the available AR mags in 7.62x39 have a radical transition from curved to straight. It's almost a miracle they feed at all. Most of the internet posts on this combo show a lot of owners who can only find a few reliable mags on the market, and still have problems with them. It really needs a cutaway mag well to use standard AK mags, that's what made the AK what it is.

Not saying it can't be done, it is and is out there. It's just not the best combination of optimum features, and the designs don't cooperate at all.

 

[semper_fidelis]

Clever have you had any issues with it feeding steel ammo? and any advice for a prospective builder?

 

[Zen811]

PWS Diablo MK107

Has anyone had any experience with this 7.62x39 AR platform?

 

[Lloyd Smale]

Ive got a year and half old bushmaster. When i first got it i had some trouble. Especially with the mags supplied. I sent it back to bushmaster along with the factory mags and the c products mags i had bought. They did some polishing on the feed ramp and sent be back all new mags and even replaced the 8 cproduct mags that i sent with it. The first run of cproducts mags didnt work well either. The mags they replaced them with were the newer cproducts mags. The gun worked much better and rarely had feed problems but i still occasionaly had a burp with wolf ammo. It ran a 100 percent with brass cased ammo though. On the suggestion from a guy on the ar fourm i replaced all my mag springs with wolf extra power ak47 springs. That took care of it totaly. Since then ive yet to have a problem with this gun. Its very accurate, it shoots handloads that it likes under an inch at a 100 yards and will shoot wolf black box into a 1 3/4 at a 100 yards and never misses a beat. Ive probably got 3k of handloads and 5k of wolf through it now and the only malfuntions are after shooting about 500 rounds of wolf it gets so dirty that it starts getting sluggish. A quick cleaning and oiling cures it every time. I havent had the bolt breakage problem happen to me. As a matter of fact i called bushmaster and asked them about this and if i should upgrade to a better bolt. they told me that this had allready been addressed in there guns. I love this gun. It gives near the power and trajectory of a 6.8 and allows me to pack up 500 rounds of wolf and go to camp and blast away cheaply and not even have to pick up my brass.

 

[rbernie]

Some prior threads on the topic:

http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=553046
http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=535566
http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=535835
http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=538943
http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=285667

 

[DoctorOfLight]

A few companies I know of that make them are:

Olympic Arms
Armalite
DMPS
Bushmaster

Each of those guys have examples on their respective websites.

That modular MGI lower that takes AK mags was $500 last I checked. That's a lot of $$$ for a STRIPPED lower. Would love to see a review of it.

 

[frankge]

So I have step 1 done for my 7.62x39 ar build. Ordered a Spikes Tactical lower with the enhanced lower parts kit assembles with the stock and colored markings for $340.00 out the door. Buy local! For the price of the ergo grip and ambi safety I just went and upgraded with the enhanced kit for about the same price.

http://www.spikestactical.com/z/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=104_97&products_id=422

http://www.spikestactical.com/z/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=104_114&products_id=86

 

[DoctorOfLight]

originally posted by semper_fidelis

I have built .223 ar15's but not a 7.62 what need to be done different?

Different bolt (same firing pin n'stuff), different barrel, different mag. And some 7.62 ammo.