Bulgarian AK-74, keep 5.45 or convert it?

[jason41987]

i just bought a bulgarian AK-74 parts kit, ill probably get it sometime next week (ordered it)... anyway, im not sure if im going to keep 5.45... im open minded enough to be convinced if someone could make a strong arguement for the cartridge but long-term security is what concerns me most, as most countries who use this round seem to be adopting the 5.56, the 5.45 is at a serious risk of drying up.... and with few if any reloadable brass and no bullets for it i cant imagine it being possible to make my own supply?..

if i could find reloadable brass, i could consider a .224" barrel (5.45 is .221")... a bit larger than stock... but .224 bullets would be much easier to find.. i wonder how accurate the 5.45 with .221" bullets would be out of a .224" barrel?...

but... anyway, im open towards being convinced to keep the 5.45, perhaps theres something i dont know that a 5.45 community could enlighten me on... otherwise, ill just turn down a 5.56mm barrel, a new bolt body, and just build this kit as a 5.56mm rifle

 

[nathan]

I got mine and love it. In fact its my shtf with my AK 47s. I dont have an AR unfortunately. I got my 74 for $600 all in all so no complaints. The ammo s i got were still priced low back then. I did shot a lot and had so much fun with it . The 5.45 is no slouch as what others believed. Mine is 3 inch group agt 100 yds on rest. Mine has the original Bulgarian chromelined.

With the growing concern of ammo supply i might shoot .22 lr for now until things settle down. But as to supply i bet the 5.56 will be as hard to get as supplies run out due to everyone buying them . In fact the price of 1000 rds is hovering right at $400 .

 

[dfariswheel]

The smarter move would be to start buying cans of surplus 5.45x39 ammo.
As example, Sportsman's Guide is advertising 1080 round cans for $160.00.
Aim may still have it cheaper.
Depending on how much you intend to shoot, 5 to 10 cans would last a LONG time.

If you convert, you'll have the problem of getting modified magazines for the 5.56.
Even if you can convert them yourself, you'll still have the problem of FINDING magazines to convert.

 

[RPRNY]

This may be of some use:

"A Brief Look at the 5.45x39mm Cartridge"

http://www.cruffler.com/trivia-October01.html

 

[Jenrick]

5.45 is fairly similar to the 5.56 in terms of external ballistics. 5.56 has an advantage in terms of loading, bullet selection etc. The biggest reason I would suggest staying with 5.45 is that putting and round through and oversized bore will destroy any hope of accuracy. 5.45 is still readily available, and if you are willing to drop $1k or so you can probably shoot the rifle for the rest of your life on the ammo you could buy.

-Jenrick

 

[jason41987]

5.45 is about 1000ft/lbs of energy and the 5.56 is 1400+.. it does hit harder and seems to bleed off less energy downrange with higher quality bullets... and is reloadable... surplus ammo on the 5.45 is cheap now, but as surplus dries up the prices will go up and after that theyll never be as low as 5.56 again, so long-term availability theres more of a future with 5.56 than the 5.45.... im cautious about a cartridge i cant actually reload

 

[Pilot]

Keep it 5.45 or sell it and get an AR. I don't think 5.45 is going anywhere, but with the huge numbers of rifles chambered for it in the U.S. if the foreign supply dries up I believe U.S. manufacturers will fill the void. Nature hates a vacuum.

I have two AK-74's, and they are both great shooters, and I believe the round is a good one.

 

[Gunnerboy]

5.45 is far from "drying" up ive been seeing more and more of it every gun show i got too and at 180$ for 1080rnds im not gonna complain, besides with it being the main battle caliber of several major countries i see plenty of surplus coming in later in our lives.

 

[Kymasabe]

Keep it and stock up on as much surplus ammo as you can afford. As another member posted, if you can stock 5-10 cans of the stuff, you'll have ammo for years and years and years. Personally, I like the round. I'd do an even-up trade right now for my 7.62x39 AK and my ammo for an AK74 and ammo.

 

[Ed]

Ammo is even harder to find today than when you posted this. But in the past week J&G and Aim have had 5.45. Havent seen any 5.56 or 7.62. So I'd stick with it.

 

[nathan]

5.56 right now is priced like $1 a round. It is not cheap and i just wonder how people can find 5.56 to shoot and have the dough to spend .If you go to Texas Gun trader, a lot of private sellers of 5.56 but no ones buying. The sellers are asking too much . And its gonna get worse. The only cheap ammo to get now would be .22 LR and its even doubled in price. Good luck.

 

[Davek1977]

Ed, 7.62x39 is available, but you have to do some looking. Thanks to the kind folks at ar15.com, I got in on a Cabela's sale last week, a=in the heat of the panic. Not only did they have ammo in stock, but it was ON SALE.....I picked up 500 rounds for $4.99/20, with $5 shipping. Not ALL ammo has doubled in price, and even on the popular calibers, theres the occasional deal to be had. Even federal 193 was available I believe it was yesterday from PSA for 14.99/30 rounds....not a great price, but certainly far south of a buck a round too. It went fast, granted, but I was able to put 900 rounds in my cart when I tried just to see check if I could.....I didnt buy the ammo, but it was nice to know that I could have should I have needed to!

 

[FIVETWOSEVEN]

but as surplus dries up

It won't dry up for a long time considering that Russia and Bulgaria still make and issue the round. Sure it will go the way of 7.62x25 regarding surplus but that'll be after Russia and Bulgaria stop making it.

 

[Mobuck]

Even with the current buying mania, 5.45 is still the cheapest ammo available. I do wish I'd have bought more a couple of years ago but if I can't get more, it's a simple matter of changing a barrel.

 

[dcarch]

Keep it. 5.45 is still widely available, and isn't being inflated in price like many of the other popular defense cartridges out there.