5.56 nato vs 7.62x39

[TheDigitalPicasso]

Why does our Military use the 5.56 Nato over the 7.62x39? I had a friendly argument with a co-worker (Ak-47 guy) and his argument was that the 7.62x39 can be shoot passed 1000 meters with accuracy and the 5.56 Nato 62gr green tip is only good for 600 meters. I told him that the Ar-15 is a close range combat rifle and that there is no need to use a combat rifle for fighting passed 600 meter that should be done with precision rifles. Then he went about telling me how Direct Impingement is not reliable and you can not trust your life with it. I told him that sure if you have some crapy Ar that is built with cheap parts its not going to last long and that goes the same with an Ak-47. What is your guys take on this, if the US was a battle ground would you want an Ar-15 or a Ak-47?

[Kyle1886]

Weight, logistics, and as you state, different rounds/rifles for different environs and missions.

Just an opinion, and as far as what I would want---depends on the situation.

Respectfully,
Kyle

[john67elco]

open field I want m-16 in an urban environment I want the AK. Thats just me I like each and own each for different battles. Thats why most just don't own only a shotgun. Unless your name is Joe

Edit: Ill add something though. In an urban environment with shtf id take a FA SBR 7.5" barrel M-4 over the AK.

[kygen]

"I'll fight till the end with my SKS" (7.62x39)

fixed it

[mikenewgun87]

AR in 5.56 because i dont have an AK yet...

[strongpoint]

apples and oranges -- different rounds created to solve different problems.

if 7.62x39mm is truly a round for all seasons, ask your co-worker why the soviets felt the need to develop the 5.45x39mm round (which is much closer in spirit to 5.56 NATO) for the AK-74 in the early '70s.

read "the gun" sometime. the author touches on the issues involved in the ammunition design for both the AR and the AK.

[Lone_Gunman]

5.45x39 and 7.62x63 for me.

[ghost]

ak47 7.62x39

[serjm1a1]

I will take my AR-15 over AK47 any day but if I really had to chose I will go with my PTR-91

[TheDigitalPicasso]

I will take my AR-15 over AK47 any day but if I really had to chose I will go with my PTR-91

Can you please explain why you would chose your Ar over the AK?

I know a lot of this falls into personal preference and the there is no such thing as a gun/rifle that will never fail you. These guns at one point will fail you and that is inevitable. People say your bolt has to be wet and clean for it to function well that is just BS! I recently saw PSA Ar-15 durability test and they rapped that AR and it still worked fine. They ran that dry right from the beginning.

[penguin0123]

his argument was that the 7.62x39 can be shoot passed 1000 meters with accuracy and the 5.56 Nato 62gr green tip is only good for 600 meters.

O rly... Your cowoker needs to meet the Mk.12 SPR. A well designed cartridge and a matching platform will give you good accuracy. Ppl who complain about 7.62x39 inaccuracies needs to try a mini mauser.

Also, the big complaint about the 7.62x39 is the bullet drop. Whereas the 5.56 can be shot with a 300m zero and a ~7" spread from 25 to 300m, 7.62x39 has dope like you wouldn't believe (100yrd zero has 7" drop at 200yrd). This means the 5.56 is much more forgiving about ranging errors.

Then he went about telling me how Direct Impingement is not reliable and you can not trust your life with it.

O rly. Tell him to write his senator about starting a congressional investigation into why our military is arming our troops with rifles that "you cannot trust your life with". It is a myth carried over from the Vietnam days, just like the myth about not being able to shoot the AR prone with the weight on the magazine being carried over from the M14.

What is your guys take on this, if the US was a battle ground would you want an Ar-15 or a Ak-47?

There is a thread over in the preppers subforum on this topic. Put on your flame suit.

[TheDigitalPicasso]

O rly... Your cowoker needs to meet the Mk.12 SPR. A well designed cartridge and a matching platform will give you good accuracy. Ppl who complain about 7.62x39 inaccuracies needs to try a mini mauser.

Also, the big complaint about the 7.62x39 is the bullet drop. Whereas the 5.56 can be shot with a 300m zero and a ~7" spread from 25 to 300m, 7.62x39 has dope like you wouldn't believe (100yrd zero has 7" drop at 200yrd). This means the 5.56 is much more forgiving about ranging errors.


O rly. Tell him to write his senator about starting a congressional investigation into why our military is arming our troops with rifles that "you cannot trust your life with". It is a myth carried over from the Vietnam days, just like the myth about not being able to shoot the AR prone with the weight on the magazine being carried over from the M14.


There is a thread over in the preppers subforum on this topic. Put on your flame suit.

Great information, thank you.

[serjm1a1]

Can you please explain why you would chose your Ar over the AK?

because for me personally, I have more range time with the rifle, I mesh really well with it...especially with my acog...I can hit targets out to 600 yards all day, 20" barrel with a 1/7 twist gives me the ability to shoot a heavier grain cartridge...so for me, its a nice balance......now I really want to head to the range...

[the86d]

To 800 yd with M855 on an A2 upper with a 20" Barrel (M16A2), (3/8 on the wheel).

3/6 markings on the wheel are only on the Picatinny-top models, right?

I think the shorter barrels of the 14", 16", and 18" also have a lower velocity, and as therefore have a shorter range (and cannot attach a standard M7 Bayonet without an adapter too).

[howbobert]

I had a neighbor kid ask me a question along those lines once. He knows that I like my AR, but I told him I would choose the AK. He was somewhat shocked at my response and asked me why. I told him I could go to any back water country and they will most likely have ammo for it. Because, without ammo both the AR and AK are just expensive sticks.