Why aren't 5.56 AKs popular?

**GNXII** · 02-09-17, 18:34

I had several different caliber AKs from all over the place literally. The Chinese 5.56 ones had proprietary mags but they ran no matter what. I had an a Bulgy & Romy one but for the same reasons of spare parts, mags and political climate. I decided to stick with the classic 7.62x39 ones. Ironically I got a NIB Romy from in a trade for my Chinese M85(?) from a guy who wanted to standardize calibers to .308 & .223.

**SteyrAUG** · 02-09-17, 18:51

They are, just get a SIG or Valmet.

But commie guns should shoot commie bullets. 5.56 AKs are as ideologically wrong as a 7.62x39 AR.

**tom12.7** · 02-09-17, 18:54

The feeding to battery can be a bumpy ride for some 5.56 AK variants. It's easier to use the common 5.45 and 7.62 com bloc for many. Works better for some with their design intent.

**RetroRevolver77** · 02-09-17, 20:47

Originally Posted by SteyrAUG

But commie guns should shoot commie bullets. 5.56 AKs are as ideologically wrong as a 7.62x39 AR.

Until Commie ammo is banned from import.

7n6

**Ryno12** · 02-09-17, 21:07

Originally Posted by SteyrAUG

But commie guns should shoot commie bullets. 5.56 AKs are as ideologically wrong as a 7.62x39 AR.

Yep

.

**SteyrAUG** · 02-10-17, 14:48

Originally Posted by 7n6

Until Commie ammo is banned from import.

7n6

We've got domestic 7.62 and 5.45.

**w3453l** · 02-10-17, 16:14

When the Sandy Hook shooting happened I bought a couple of 5.56 AK's, because my thinking was "it's a domestic caliber". And at the time, no one really knew what to expect as far as foreign ammo imports.

I quickly got turned off by them, and sold them. The number one reason was the magazines. The Circle 10 5.56 mags were not very common, and I came to the realization that I had an AR already. So another AK in .223 just didn't really do anything for me.

**Austin1776** · 02-10-17, 18:28

Honestly...I love my two AKs (Arsenals) and they are both 7.62 x 39. I love the round. I know all the history on why the CommBloc moved over to the equivalent of the 5.56 but I think there was, and still is, great wisdom in the 7.62 x 39 round. It performs wonderfully for precisely what it was designed for CQB and ranges to 200 yards. God divinely inspired St. Kalishnikov and that's good enough for me.

**RetroRevolver77** · 02-10-17, 22:20

Originally Posted by SteyrAUG

We've got domestic 7.62 and 5.45.

And what is the point of that? Does domestic overpriced 5.45 perform better than standard 5.56? Or domestic 7.62x39? My point being, both 7.62x39 and 5.45x39 are only popular because the ammo was so cheap a few years back. However now, it's all priced the same so all things being equal- I'd rather have a rifle chambered in the same caliber as most of my other rifles, 5.56NATO. I'd trade my entire collection of 5.45 and 7.62 AK's along with all the ammo I have with them, just for a few extra 5.56 AK rifles and a bunch of ammo that all my AUG's, AR's, and 5.56 AK's can eat from the same stash.

7n6