What are the Pro's and Con's of a 5.56 Nato AK?

[RockyMtnTactical]

I would like one from the standpoint of sharing ammo with all of my AR15's... However, the biggest drawback IMO is the lack of parts and mags for 5.56 AK's. All the more reason to get two of them...

 

[Evil Monkey]

Now there is a new company making an AR mag adapter much like the IMI Galil AR mag adapter.

I beleive the saiga 223 rifle must have a modification done to the mag-well before being able to take that new adapter that's coming out. This is because an ar15 mag cannot fit into the saiga mag well. Thus, if the mag will not fit, then the adapter will not fit. The ar15 mag wont fit because it's too wide at the front.

If anything, the adapters should be better suited for the Galil rifles, for that the magazine it uses has a similar body width as ar15 mags.

 

[OpFlash]

Again, I dont see the ammo cost differense.

Steel cased wolf .223 is $3.99 a box while 7.62x39 is $3.49. Brass 7.62x39 is more than brass cased 5.56/.223.

.50 cents a box isnt that bad. and I prefer shooting 5.56 to 7.62x39.

A little dealer searching found me 10 Circle 10 mags for $200 bucks if I buy them all or $25 each. AR mags that have the same reliability are Mag Pul P-mags(over $20 bucks now) or HK steel mags (about $40)

5.56x45 is inbetween the 7.62x39 and 5.45x39. Some say 5.56 has better real world effect.

You have a point. I wasn't considering steel cased 5.56 and since we are talking about AKs I should have.

However when you move down to steel cased 5.56 you've now got similar accuracy as x39 in a less powerful round. Where's the advantage other than lower ammo weight? I'll go with the heavier better penetrating bullet and much better availability of mags and parts.

 

[Click Click Boom]

The magazine point I get a little. But the wear Items on the mags are interchangeable. I have also found AK mags to be much more durable and longer lasting tham AR mags.

What do you think the service life of a Circle 10 mag is if you had replacement springs? More than a GI AR mag? As pointed out before all it takes to make 5.56 mags from different AKs fit is a little dremel /file time.

AS far as replacement parts go, I thought the AK was able to be made by pesants in a hut. Im sure most Americans could keep the thing running.

All you would have to do is stock up on a few 5.56 specific parts and the rifle would out last you.

 

[MD_Willington]

Yes you do need to shave a tad off the magwell, if you're using galil orlites you can shave the rib or shave the magwell...

point being, you get the adapter and you're sharing mags with your AR buddies in no time...

plus P-mags look pretty swank in the Saiga...

 

[Click Click Boom]

What mags do the Robinson Arms imported VEPRs use?

 

[wally]

I found the Circle 10 mags today for that price! ($25)

Where? In stock? I want to order some more!

--wally.

 

[Click Click Boom]

They were all given a good home wally.

Jim Pruetts had them for $29.99 each and offered to take $5 off each one if I bought three or more. They had six mags in a few days ago.

 

[wally]

One shot deals are not something to base recommendations on. I got five 20 round DMPS .308 mags for $100+tax at a gun show six months ago, never seen them as cheap since anywhere.

--wally.

 

[Prince Yamato]

You know, I've thought about a .223 AK now that they have the AR mag adapter, but then I rethought my decision. AR mags are thin and weak. At least with an AK mag, if you run out of ammo, you can beat your adversary to death with it. I also was dismissing my personal aversion to putting American calibers in a Russian gun. If you want light recoil, get an AK in 5.45x39.

 

[Click Click Boom]

There isnt any US made 5.45x39. SO it could dry up fast.

Isnt most, if not all 5.45x39 ammo corosive?

 

[HorseSoldier]

I don't know the 5.56 versions to be specifically un-reliable, but that round finds more potential in the AR platform, or others originally designed for its use. Just IMHO.

I haven't noticed there being any real reliability differential between AKs in Russian calibers and mil-spec Galil SARs or 5.56 Bulgarian ARM-1s in terms of mechanical function. (Galil magazines are much easier for guys to deadline through rough handling and improper loading, but that's the mag, not the gun.)

Mileage may vary on that extremely with civilian friendly versions of those rifles here in the US, though. I've heard that Arsenal messed up their US receivers for their first batch of 5.56mm rifles, etc.

Unlike the 7.62x39 and 5.45x39 standardization agreements with the satellite countries, all 5.56x45 AKs are commercial ventures of their individual manufacturers and no standardization agreement exists.

Several new NATO nations issue 5.56 AKs made at state or former state factories, though the Russians and Chinese make 5.56mm rifles strictly for export.

 

[nalioth]

Isnt most, if not all 5.45x39 ammo corosive?

Depends on what you consider "most". Wolf and Barnaul and the Tiger label have been exporting non corrosive 5.45x39 to us for years.

 

[Click Click Boom]

Several new NATO nations issue 5.56 AKs made at state or former state factories, though the Russians and Chinese make 5.56mm rifles strictly for export.

What nations are using 5.56mm Aks?

 

[nalioth]

What nations are using 5.56mm Aks?

Poland uses the wz 96 "Beryl".

Israel has the Galil in service (although not technically an "AK")

East Germany was designing the 5.56 Nato Weiger weapon system for export. This project stopped with the dissolution of East German (this is why we had umpteen million Weiger mags sent here)

Russia offers the AK-101 and AK-102 in 5.56 Nato for export, also.