I am taking the 5.45x39mm plunge! updated 09-23-09

[Iraqgunz]

Actually I am testing another technique that involves me urinating on some of the key components in the hopes that the urine will counteract the residue. We'll see how that works out.

Everything that you've stated is true, however everyone seems to have their own magical secret recipe about how to take care of these corrosive salt deposits left by the primers... this mostly comes from AK enthusiasts who seem to have a penchant for the exotic... I got sucked into it as well for a while - ultimately if you just go through normal cleaning procedures that should take care of mechanically removing all of the stuff that people are trying to dissolve away.

[rob_s]

Interest in these seems to have flamed out. Is it an upper production issue, ammo availability issue, or something else?

[bsf]

Last year I started a post on ARFCOM asking why people were shying away from 5.45 in the AR platform. There was a ton of hate directed at that caliber. Some people had legitimate reasons for not switching over. Other responses were just plain silly. The following is a summary of all.

Corrosive ammo
Uncertain future supply of ammo
Dissatisfaction with available projectiles/ballistics
Cannot shoot steel plates
Difficulty in reloading
Unwillingness to adopt another caliber w/o any intelligible explanation
Unwillingness to adopt another caliber due to cost of mags, upper, etc
Dissatisfaction w/ mag situation
Would rather get a .22lr conversion
Would rather go 5.45 in an AK
Have enough 5.55/.223 so that no need is seen for 5.45
Limited manufacturing support for complete rifles/uppers/parts

I jumped on the ammo big when it was at its lowest price. My 5.45 gun is serving my training needs admirably. .223 ammo costs are going to have to drop into the mid $1xx/k range for me to regret my decision. I still want to purchase an extra chrome-lined 5.45 barrel and extractors to solidify my position. I already have extra stripped 5.45 bolts.

[Jay Cunningham]

Interest in these seems to have flamed out. Is it an upper production issue, ammo availability issue, or something else?

Wish I knew; I'm pretty damn happy with mine as a training/practice weapon.

[Jay Cunningham]

Corrosive ammo - silly concern
Uncertain future supply of ammo - buy now
Dissatisfaction with available projectiles/ballistics - mine's for training, not for defense
Cannot shoot steel plates - hmmm....
Difficulty in reloading - no shit
Unwillingness to adopt another caliber w/o any intelligible explanation - personal preference
Unwillingness to adopt another caliber due to cost of mags, upper, etc - this is legit
Dissatisfaction w/ mag situation - I've upgraded my springs... they seem to work ok
Would rather get a .22lr conversion - unsat for my purposes... the 5.45 round closesly replicates the characteristics of the 5.56
Would rather go 5.45 in an AK - legit
Have enough 5.55/.223 so that no need is seen for 5.45 - some guys were smart enough to stockpile
Limited manufacturing support for complete rifles/uppers/parts - meh; I think S&W will support their product

.....

[rob_s]

bsf that seems to be a pretty good list actually. Other than the reloading issue, it pretty well parallels what made me reluctant at first. I think I did some initial cost estimates on what I knew I'd sink in the project (which may be different than what I'd *have* to spend, or what others might spend) and what I wound up with was a whole new gun to include optic that was going to cost me $1500 give or take the magazines, and figuring out where I'd need to be in terms of ammo savings at the time just didn't make it viable for me.

Thanks for reminding me!

I will say this though, clearly it could be done for a lot cheaper. You could use one lower from a 5.56 gun, swap the optic back and forth between uppers taking note of the clicks, and limit yourself to one "load out" of magazines. I just know myself, and I know I'd wind up with a complete gun and at least 10 magazines.

Something else that I think may be missing from that list, at least from my perspective, is a need to tinker with the thing. I have zero interest in spending time trying to fidget with the gun/mags to get it to run.

Of course, if I was starting fresh from scratch today I might be inclined to own a 5.45 AR and 20k rounds of ammo and a 6.8 AR and 2k rounds of ammo and potentially not have a 5.56 at all!

[bsf]

bsf that seems to be a pretty good list actually. Other than the reloading issue, it pretty well parallels what made me reluctant at first. I think I did some initial cost estimates on what I knew I'd sink in the project (which may be different than what I'd *have* to spend, or what others might spend) and what I wound up with was a whole new gun to include optic that was going to cost me $1500 give or take the magazines, and figuring out where I'd need to be in terms of ammo savings at the time just didn't make it viable for me.

Thanks for reminding me!

I will say this though, clearly it could be done for a lot cheaper. You could use one lower from a 5.56 gun, swap the optic back and forth between uppers taking note of the clicks, and limit yourself to one "load out" of magazines. I just know myself, and I know I'd wind up with a complete gun and at least 10 magazines.

Something else that I think may be missing from that list, at least from my perspective, is a need to tinker with the thing. I have zero interest in spending time trying to fidget with the gun/mags to get it to run.

Of course, if I was starting fresh from scratch today I might be inclined to own a 5.45 AR and 20k rounds of ammo and a 6.8 AR and 2k rounds of ammo and potentially not have a 5.56 at all!

As far as non-ammo expenses are concerned, I only looked at 5.45 specific components: barrel, bolt, extractor, and mag. I have not had to tinker w/ mine. I am not a huge gear/gun guy and needed a backup for my 5.56 M4gery when I built this. Going 5.45 worked well for my situation.

[Iraqgunz]

I know that I am still debating getting one or maybe just getting a 5.45 AK. I can buy almost 3K of 5.45 for the cost of one decent case of M193 ammo. I bet none of the whiners that bsf mentioned would stand down range if someone was launching 5.45 ammo at them so I have no idea what that whole steel plate thing is about.

I am leaning more towards the upper just because I can work on the AR platform like nothing and allows pimpage. If the right deal comes along I'll probably spring it.

[jjw]

i am with Katar on all of the list, but some of it is people who dont have an overall knowledge of whats so in the market place now.

1. ammo supply a.i.m. has it at 150.00 al u can pay for
2. want ak i cant ,injury in viet nam ,my face swells up (no cracks) from the recoil.
3. its not a .22. its a real world cartridge with high lethality.
4. i have a stadard full size s&w runs perfectly
5. i have a 10-1/2" smith upper that runs perfectely
6. 223 cans work, h&k mags work, c-products mags work, some std ar mags work(try them 1st)

whats not to like

most of the reasons are valid on a case by case basis. but overall. in todays tight ammo market its a 101% home run

and yes i have stored enuff .223 toi shoot the rest of my llife. i just like the cartridge.

hope this helps

[Littlelebowski]

Corrosive ammo is a non issue if you do a modicum of PM however in a humid environment, I have seen significant corrosion literally overnight.

Great weapon, great value. I'm glad people aren't interested in them anymore.

Nice shooting TK!