Though more commonly seen in the public eye as a weapon of insurgents, terrorists and “freedom fighters” the world over, AK (an abbreviation for avtomat Kalashnikova, the Russian name for the gun) rifles have found their way into many Americans’ gun cabinets, safes, closets, trunks and survival stashes. The AK design has earned its reputation in conflicts throughout the past half century as a reliable, simple and near-indestructible tool and it is this reputation that attracts many gun enthusiasts and casual shooters. For the prospective AK buyer, there’s several things that will need to be taken under consideration.
Choosing a caliber for your AK is one of the most important decisions you’ll need to make. To make an educated decision, you’ll need to ask yourself what exactly you plan on using your AK for – is it going to be a hunting gun, target shooter or just a plinker? To satisfy any of these aims, AK type rifles are available in 7.62x39mm, 5.45x39mm, 7.62x54mmR, 5.56x45mm (.223 Remington) and 7.62x51mm (.308 Winchester). There are also AK pattern weapons in 12-gauge, 20-gauge and .410, though those will not be covered in this article.
7.62x39mm
The 7.62x39mm round is what the AK was originally chambered in when it first debuted in the late 1940s and is a derivation of the 7.92x33mm Kurz cartridge developed for the German assault rifle program in World War II. It is a powerful and reliable cartridge and the vast majority of AKs throughout the world are chambered in 7.62x39mm. The round is very capable of taking down deer, though it will likely run into problems with larger game. Cheap, “sporting” AK rifles known as Saigas are widely available in this caliber and are great guns for someone looking for an introduction to the AK action in an inexpensive package. At the time of this writing, Saiga sporters in 7.62x39mm could still be found for roughly $300.
New production 7.62x39mm is widely available, from your local gun store to big outdoors outlets. AKs chambered in this cartridge were very popular in the past couple of years particularly because of the huge influx of surplus ammunition from the former Eastern Bloc. That supply has dried up, consequently the interest in rifles in this caliber has waned slightly, though it remains the “classic” AK cartridge. In sum, an AK in 7.62x39mm is adequate for the hunter, recreational shooter and historian alike, though it may be a little more expensive to feed than one chambered for 5.45x39mm.
5.45x39mm
The 5.45x39mm round is the Soviet’s successor to the 7.62x39mm round. It has a similar ballistic profile to 5.56x45mm cartridge used in many Western armies. The 5.45 round is more accurate than its predecessor and much lighter, allowing you to carry more ammunition on your person. This cartridge was developed for the AK-74 rifle that began being supplied to the Soviet military in the 1970s. Aside from the change in caliber, there are few major differences between the AK and AK-74 design.
Though the 5.45 is more accurate and has better performance at longer range than the 7.62x39mm round, its performance as a hunting caliber may be lacking. Regulations permitting, using soft, hollow point or ballistic tip bullets can increase the damage potential of the round on a hunting target, though the increased tissue damage that accompanies these types of bullets may ruin the meat of a kill. Some expanding bullets may have issues penetrating the hides of animals with thick layers of muscle as well, so be aware of your potential target when choosing a bullet. These concerns also apply for using specially pointed 5.45 rounds for self defense.
AKs chambered in 5.45 are probably the most popular variant of the AK available in the US. It has supplanted 7.62x39mm in that large amounts of surplus ammunition are being imported, making AKs in 5.45 cheap to plink and practice with (it must be remembered that the surplus ammo is corrosive, however, and thorough cleaning of the weapon is required after shooting). New production ammo is, of course, available as well. My personal preference with 5.45 is Silver Bear FMJ for plinking, as I don’t like to shoot corrosive ammo in the humid conditions at the ranges I frequent. Wolf also makes a good product, though some of my shooting friends have complained of it being overly dirty.
For the shooter concerned about recoil, the 5.45 cartridge also kicks less than 7.62x39mm and larger calibers.
In the end, 5.45x39mm is an effective, cheap and fun caliber to choose for your AK. It may not produce as big an entry wound as the 7.62x39mm round, but it can still suffice as a hunting round for the AK shooter. Furthermore, the cartridge’s greater accuracy potential make it a better choice for the target shooter. I would advise anyone interested in getting an AK in 5.45 to buy up surplus ammo now, as the supply is finite and can always go the same path as was followed by 7.62x39mm.
Note added 1/5/2012: For my hands-on review of one of the high-end AK-74M clones chambered in 5.45x39mm available in the United States, click here.
7.62x54mmR
This century-old rimmed cartridge is comparable in power and kick to .308 Winchester and 30.06. Shooters are likely most familiar with this round through Mosin-Nagant rifles, commonly available in the collecting market today. It was developed for those weapons at the end of the 19th century and has undergone several revisions and improvements since then.
The 7.62x54mmR round is an accurate and powerful cartridge that is excellent for hunting, though actual AK rifle selections in this caliber may be lacking. It is important to note that though it may bear external similarities to the AK platform, the SVD or Dragunov rifle is at its base not an AK action. The commercially produced Dragunov, called the Tigr, hasn’t been imported into the US in several years and legitimate SVD rifles ask a very high price. The Dragunov-style rifles available on the market today (often called a Romak-3 or PSL, costing about $700-800 and made in Romania) are not Dragunov actions, but in fact enlarged AK actions made for 7.62x54mmR. I’ve heard various things about these rifles, but the comments were mostly negative with regards to accuracy and overall quality. Your mileage may vary, however.
Note added 11/22/2011: Another “Dragunov-look-alike” that has just recently become available in the United States is an American-remanufactured variant of the Yugoslavian (now Serbian) made Zastava M76 sniper rifle. Similar to the PSL, this is simply a beefed-up Kalashnikov action with a long barrel. Instead of being chambered in 7.62x54mmR, however, it is chambered in 7.92x57mm Mauser (commonly called 8mm Mauser). Currently available examples are very expensive.
Large stocks of surplus 7.62x54mmR are still being imported, keeping the price of this cartridge low. If you’re planning on going hunting with it, however, I would recommend some of the quality new production non-corrosive ammo put out by Prvi Partizan and Winchester. The brass cases are also great for reloading.
Out of all the “Eastern Bloc” calibers available, 7.62x54mmR is probably the best choice for someone who is looking to take down larger game. However, any AK available to American shooters in 7.62x54mmR will likely not be of the highest quality and a shooter may be disappointed when he fails to take down big game at long ranges.
5.56x45mm (.223 Remington)
Most American shooters are more familiar with this cartridge and .308 Win than their Russian counterparts. Unfortunately, AK pickings in this caliber are rather slim; however, AKs chambered in 5.56 are often of very high quality and consist of new production parts. The downside to this is that they are expensive. The only exception would be Saiga sporters, like those discussed above, which are of very high quality and can be acquired through many dealers in the $300-400 range. Arsenal, Inc., the American subsidiary of the Bulgarian corporation that assembles AKs, also produces AK rifles in 5.56 and are also excellent weapons but command a price near the $1,000 mark.
The 5.56 round is very similar to the 5.45x39mm round in terms of performance and use as a hunting round. Again, specially tipped bullets may be more effective at felling game up to the size of a deer, but 5.56 will likely encounter issues when going up against anything larger than that.
The cost of 5.56 ammo is going up, and, barring any revolutionary change in Western nations’ cartridge choice for their standard assault rifles that floods the market with surplus ammo, it is likely to only increase in the next several years. Commercially available 5.56 is often more easy to reload, as most manufacturers use brass cases for their cartridges (in contrast with Eastern Bloc surplus and new production ammo, which is usually steel cased and much more difficult/unsafe to reload). Ultimately, the 5.56x45mm round is a good choice for someone familiar with the cartridge and especially those who like to stick with more “domestic” calibers.
7.62x51mm (.308 Winchester)
The .308 cartridge is a typical round of choice for American hunters for good reason. It combines lethality and range into an effective package. With regards to ballistics, it is similar to the Russian 7.62x54mmR round and possesses the same qualities as a hunting and target round. The high cost of .308 makes it less attractive as a plinking round.
The only new production AK rifles in .308 available in the US are Saiga sporters. I have heard only good things about these guns, especially the models with longer barrels, which are ideal for hunting. Surplus ammo crates of 7.62x51mm from across the world still pop up here and there but are becoming rarer. Just like 5.56, however, most cartridges have the benefit of being easily reloaded.
Conclusion
You will need to choose an AK in a caliber that’s right for how you plan to use the gun. I’ve provided a breakdown of the most common rifle cartridges and their advantages and disadvantages, but the best way is to judge for yourself which caliber you want by getting out on the range and getting some trigger time.
