Future for 5.45x39

[HorseSoldier]

Go get you an 8X12 steel plate and hang it at 200 yds. Then take your open sights 74 clone and start banging away. If you can make better than 50% hits with it you are a hell of a shot, and might possess extra sensory powers.

During Larry Vicker's AK class back in 2008 on the walk backs I think the winner was making hits on a steel plate the size of an IPSC C zone at something like 200. The pack stayed pretty strong, mostly shooting standing and on a clock, back to 150 or so. A couple guys were shooting Aimpoints or Kobra red dots, but the majority were just shooting iron sights. I didn't notice any real differential between guys shooting 7.62x39, 5.45 or 5.56mm AKs, or the one guy running a vz.58s.

I took his advanced carbine class at the same range, shooting the same drill, where that class was dominated by M4-type guns, plus a Sig 556, a SCAR-L an FN factory rep brought, and maybe some other reputable 5.56 design somewhere in the mix. To be honest, I didn't see the guys in that walk back performing much better on hits, though I think shot times were better, especially as the range stretched out.

One thing that was notable during the AK class is the fact that we zeroed weapons before we started shooting. It doesn't seem like many people bother with this, I guess because AKs are inaccurate junk so why bother? At the end of the day the usual observation seems to hold true -- everything is exaggerated on the internet. AKs are much more accurate than duh intranet would lead one to believe, ARs are much more reliable, 5.56mm is much more lethal, and 45 ACP is a lackluster man stopper.

 

[RatDrall]

The Russians using it means nothing, in relation to us being able to get ahold of it.

All that has to happen is more restriction on the import of ammunition and either...

1. No more ammo is available.

or

2. Expensive, domestically produced ammo is all that is available.

If I had one, I would be stocking up on those cheap cases of ammo now.

 

[Sam1911]

The Russians using it means nothing, in relation to us being able to get ahold of it.

All that has to happen is more restriction on the import of ammunition and either...

1. No more ammo is available.
or
2. Expensive, domestically produced ammo is all that is available.

If I had one, I would be stocking up on those cheap cases of ammo now.

Or the need is identified quickly by US manufacturers and...

3. It becomes roughly as available/costly as US made 5.56x45 (which would suck, but not be the end of the word); and,

4. Dies, brass, and bullets are finally profitable and (again) it costs almost exactly the same to reload as 5.56x45.

I'm certainly not worried, but I sure do enjoy $0.12 a round for the time being!

 

[Sam1911]

During Larry Vicker's AK class back in 2008 ...

Had an almost identical experience at the end of '09 in a class of his at my club.

Except that the scoped ARs didn't do nearly quite as well. 'Course, a lot of that was shooter issues, not gun issues.