A while ago, I was talking to a fellow gun enthusiasts and brought up the question: "Why isn't there a auto-loading handgun chambered in 7.62x39?" I was told that it wouldn't work and just left it at that based on my assumption that the person knew exactly what they were talking about (perhaps he does and my recent discovery changes nothing). Fast forward a month and a half, I stumble upon the FN Five-seveN. To me, this round looks like a scaled-down version of the 7.62x39. So, I am, once again, wondering why no one is making a handgun that is chambered in this caliber. Now, I know that a handgun in this caliber would require large grips, but in my opinion, it's definitely doable. To me, this would be a phenomenal round to have in the palm of your hands and I would have no problem with spending a nice chunk of change on such a firearm. I am also willing to be that others would as well. So, my question to you guys is: Why is there not a pistol chambered in this caliber? What is holding it back?
7.62x39 Handgun
- Thread starter Adam123
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The main problem is that you'd need hands like Andre the Giant to securely grip a pistol with a grip-mounted box mag that would accept that round; the 7.62x39 is about 30% longer than the 5.7, and almost as thick as a 44 Mag, and a lot of people simply don't have hands that big. Second, out of a handgun-length barrel, you'd simply be turning a lot of that powder into nothing more than flash. Third, what would you actually use it for, with a lack of most handgun-style loads available in that round? Hunting, self-defence , and plinking are all better served by other chamberings, so why would a manufacturer want to put a lot of money into making something that has a limited "wow" factor? It would be like one of those ADC derringers in 30-30; many people would like to SEE one being fired, but not too many people would want to buy on eand fire it themselves.
armoredman
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Well, we have the Judge in .410, rechamber it in 7.62x39mm...you would have some serious powder flash. That would be interesting to watch...someone else shoot it.
nalioth
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Ya know, that's something I'd not even joke about.armoredman said:
The power differences in .410 and 7.62x39 would blow the revolver up.
bigfatdave
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I thought that was what Tokarev was for?
Tokarev:
7.62x25mm handgun cartridge common in Soviet territory and used in the TT33, a service pistol from the 30's into the 60's. Tokarev is designed from the start to be a pistol/SMG round while 7.62x39 is designed for rifle barrels. As there is an inexpensive gun firing inexpensive ammo to do what the OP suggests, I rather doubt anyone will be making a handgun to share ammo with his AK/SKS, except for the abbreviated AK "pistols" and other "totally not a rifle *wink*" designs.
For that matter, I'm curious to know what kind of MV you get with 7.62x39mm out of a 116 mm (4.6 in) as compared to the performance of Tok out of the same barrel. I bet the MV increase would be minimal, and I'm almost sure it wouldn't be worth the trouble of building a gun to run rifle rounds like a normal semi-auto pistol.
Tokarev:
7.62x25mm handgun cartridge common in Soviet territory and used in the TT33, a service pistol from the 30's into the 60's. Tokarev is designed from the start to be a pistol/SMG round while 7.62x39 is designed for rifle barrels. As there is an inexpensive gun firing inexpensive ammo to do what the OP suggests, I rather doubt anyone will be making a handgun to share ammo with his AK/SKS, except for the abbreviated AK "pistols" and other "totally not a rifle *wink*" designs.
For that matter, I'm curious to know what kind of MV you get with 7.62x39mm out of a 116 mm (4.6 in) as compared to the performance of Tok out of the same barrel. I bet the MV increase would be minimal, and I'm almost sure it wouldn't be worth the trouble of building a gun to run rifle rounds like a normal semi-auto pistol.
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Carl N. Brown
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Tokarev pistol is 7.62x25mm and is a pistol round. The 7.62x39mm cartridge is used in the Kalashnikov rifle (AK) and is a rifle round.
For the idea of a pistol in 7.62x39, try holding a AK magazine and imagine the size of the grip on a pistol just to hold the magazine. There are not too many people with hands that big. Now to handle the pressure of the 7.62x39 rifle round, the chamber walls of the barrel have to be thick, plus the bolt or slide would also have to be massive.
Your would be better off with one of the short barrel, stockless AKs made and sold as a pistol, rather than try to adapt a conventional handgun design to handle the cartridge. Either way, a pistol in 7.62x39 will end up heavy and big.
I see more potential in a rifle designed to use 7.62x25mm than in a pistol designed to use 7.62x39mm.
For the idea of a pistol in 7.62x39, try holding a AK magazine and imagine the size of the grip on a pistol just to hold the magazine. There are not too many people with hands that big. Now to handle the pressure of the 7.62x39 rifle round, the chamber walls of the barrel have to be thick, plus the bolt or slide would also have to be massive.
Your would be better off with one of the short barrel, stockless AKs made and sold as a pistol, rather than try to adapt a conventional handgun design to handle the cartridge. Either way, a pistol in 7.62x39 will end up heavy and big.
I see more potential in a rifle designed to use 7.62x25mm than in a pistol designed to use 7.62x39mm.
bigfatdave
Member
You didn't think I was unaware of that, did you?
I suppose I could have linked to the Tokarev article or an example, I trusted the ability of readers not in the know to do a simple search for the unfamiliar term and find out that there is already a "commie caliber" handgun with high muzzle velocity and a approximate three-tenth-inch bore.
Snowdog
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I think it can be done with an existing revolver, such as S&W's X-frame (I believe the .460S&W magnum operates at comparable pressures).
However, I believe the result would be a revolver that occasionally binds up with the bottleneck cartridge.
Since the 7.62x39 is formulated to work best from a 16" barrel, expect excessive muzzle flash out of a handgun-length barrel... and much slower velocities.
The 7.62x39 simply will not work in a semi-auto in the traditional sense (magazine inside grip).
However, I believe the result would be a revolver that occasionally binds up with the bottleneck cartridge.
Since the 7.62x39 is formulated to work best from a 16" barrel, expect excessive muzzle flash out of a handgun-length barrel... and much slower velocities.
The 7.62x39 simply will not work in a semi-auto in the traditional sense (magazine inside grip).
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