Shortest Effective 7.62x39 Barrel

[Nolo]

What is the shortest barrel that you can use with a 7.62x39mm and still get relatively full performance (less than 100 f/s loss)? The AK has a 16-inch barrel and (I believe) it gets 2330 f/s out of it. Would a 12-inch barrel give similar performance?

 

[Cosmoline]

You'll loose a 100 fps at least, but the biggest problem by far will be increased flash and blast. 12" might be doable for a T/C, but once you get much below that it's going to be a very unpleasant experience unless you radically alter the load and start using cast bullets over a light charge of Unique or something.

 

[Nolo]

I heard that you only lose 200 f/s with an 8" Krinkov...

 

[Sonic]

According to the specifications listed for their 12.6 inch barreled 7.62x39 AK variant (the 7,62mm AR - M2F) on the Arsenal Bulgaria website.....

http://www.arsenal-bg.com/defense_police/7,62x39_arsenal_assault_rifle_ar-m2f.htm

, the muzzle velocity is 650 m/s, which is about 2132 ft/s (this is I assume with the standard 123 gr FMJ military load). A 16 inch barrel gives a velocity of 2330 ft/s, so if you don't want to lose any more than 100 ft/s off this, then the barrel probably couldn't be any shorter than about 14 inches.

So in other words, if you have a standard pattern AK with a 16.3 inch barrel, and you want to shorten the barrel but not have a velocity loss of any more than 100 ft/s, you might as well just leave it the way it is, since you would only be able to shorten the barrel by about a couple inches (plus leaving it the way it is avoids having to go through the NFA process for a short barreled rifle).

 

[dstorm1911]

what sonic said.....

in order to maintain your velocity 1.5" - 2" is all ya will be able to remove and BEFORE ya can do that ya will need to file for a $200 SBR stamp,

AND in your state ya might discover they aren't real big on approving NFA weapons as ya will have to get cleared by your states PD etc...