Lifespan of a 5.45x39mm AK-74?

[Archetype]

How long is the average lifespan of a 5.45x39mm AK-74? Particularly a Bulgarian with an Elk River Tool & Die/Armory USA reciever? I shoot the corrosive Russian milsurp stuff, but clean it after each range session.

[DRich]

I've got over 35k rounds of corrosive Bulgarian 7N6 down the pipe of my first AK74 and I've run into no issues. It's a Bulgy kit built on an Armory USA receiver and everything is still in spec. No loose rivets, no issues with the pin holes. The piston has a few pits, throat looks pretty rough and the bore is far from pristine, but it's still a "minute of man" rifle at 200m and utterly reliable.

[Archetype]

Thanks for the peace of mind...I was stressing over having rolled over the 1k round mark the other day!! What parts, if any, have you had to replace? How often do you clean it?

[DRich]

Thanks for the peace of mind...I was stressing over having rolled over the 1k round mark the other day!! What parts, if any, have you had to replace? How often do you clean it?

Since I only shoot corrosive ammo through my 5.45x39 guns, I clean it after each range session. No replacement parts yet. Due to the worsening throat erosion, I imagine I'll need a new barrel before any of the small parts break. I keep thinking I should be replacing springs, but now I've decided to wait and see if I have any problems. This rifle is just a range toy and loaner that I let other people shoot since I bought a pallet of ammo back when it was dirt cheap.

I'm curious as to which will last longer...this rifle or my ammo pile! :)

[Ned Christiansen]

I think the Arsenal site says 10K.