7.62x39 ar lower

[bryonbush]

got the green light to buy a new rifle and im thinking about ordering it in a 7.62. this may be dumb but ive never built a rifle before. can you use a normal ar lower or is there one specifically for the 7.62? if so, where is a good place to get one?

 

[bryonbush]

ive shot the 6.8 and its a pretty sweet round to fire. but from what ive seen (not too much in research depth) and heard is its easier and cheaper to get reloading equipment for the 7.62. maybe its just the need to shoot something bigger than i have, who knows. i always wanted to get an AK but if i can just switch out the uppers that puts a bigger smile on my face.

 

[WhoDat]

I've got about a dozen ARs... .308, .556, 6.8, and 7.62x39. My collection ranges from very high-end turnkey purchases, to cheapo builds, made from leftover components. My 7.62x39 is probably my "lowest-end" AR, built with a Blackthrorne upper... but I'll say that it may be my most fun to shoot. I've only shot about 250rds through it so far, and I've mostly shot garbage ammo. It's fed flawlessly (100% or the rounds have fed), and it seems to get me a bit over an inch. Fun to shoot, much more accurate than my AKs, and fairly lethal at 100yds. I'm actually thinking about putting a nicer rail system on it, and giving it one of my Eotechs. I think it'll be my go-to pig gun.

I've got two 6.8 ARs, and love that round. But I can probably afford to shoot 5 rounds of 7.62x39, for every one round of 6.8. I've have more FTF issues with my 6.8, than I have with my 7.62x39 ammo. And they'll both do a good job putting down 4-legged prey, within 100yds. So, the jury is still out. If I had it to do over again, and could only choose one, I may have actually lean towards a 7.62x39.

One caveat is that the 7.62x39 round just doesn't seem to shoot anywhere near as flat as my other AR rounds. The difference may not seem that big on paper, but it felt big to me. The groupings, even with dirt-cheap ammo, are surprisingly good (blows my AKs away, and approaches much more expensive AR setups), but there is a much more noticeable difference between 25-100yds, for example. This trajectory may not seem that big, looking at ballistics tables, but it felt big, at the range. Still, I'd feel comfortable hunting with my 7.62x39, out to 150yds. I'll also switch from the high-mount optics, on that rifle... that should help, with the delta between very close & mid-range shots. But I wouldn't be choosing it for varmint hunting. The grouping seems tight enough for that, but I'd have to put more thought into drop compensation, than my other rounds. Still, my 7.62x39 is an awesome plinking and brush gun setup.

 

[Flight954]

If you do a 7.62 x 39 AR build, make sure you get the Model 1 Sales enhanced firing pin and Wolff extra heavy hammer spring. This ensures proper function with the Russkies steel cased ammo.

 

[bryonbush]

maily the reason for the 7.62 is simply the availibility of cheap ammo. there are a few guys at work that have ak's and so doing a large group buy would be beneficial. im looking at driving up to the model one sales place and buying an upper. i figure for $400 it would be a fun new toy. anybody order from model1 before?

 

[Jason]

anybody order from model1 before?

Yes but the order was canceled when the 5 month wait had come and gone and they didn't respond to two emails just asking for an update after waiting the mentioned wait time... I figured if they had that customer service before they have my money then not sure how they would be if I had an issue after getting it... (assuming of course they ever actually shipped it to me)

 

[AresV]

I'm hoping BM/Magpul gets to it and starts cranking out 7.62x39 conversions for the ACR - INCLUDING the lower that takes AK mags...that's the only way to go. I don't want to have to buy a bunch of 7.62x39 AR mags to shoot it.

 

[bryonbush]

they don't have a showroom and you can't pick it up from them... just an FYI

well thanks for the heads up man! what a waist of time that would have been.

 

[TheDan]

My 7.62x39 is probably my "lowest-end" AR, built with a Blackthrorne upper... but I'll say that it may be my most fun to shoot.

It's good to hear a positive review about these guys for once. I wonder if someone else builds the 7.62x39 uppers for them, lol...

On their site it says the barrel has an M4 contour. That must make it pretty thin with the 7.62, no?

 

[Texas42]

Just throwing it out there. . . .

Does anyone make a 5.45x39 upper? The ammo is cheaper (at least right now) and has less recoil.

 

[TheDan]

Does anyone make a 5.45x39 upper?

S&W does

 

[D-Day]

Just throwing it out there. . . .

Does anyone make a 5.45x39 upper? The ammo is cheaper (at least right now) and has less recoil.

Most of the "Cheap" ammo is corrosive primed. That doesn't mix well with the AR gas System in my opinion. That is what has kept me away from the 5.45x39 uppers. Just my 2 cents.

 

[Jason]

Selph Arms is doing some custom 7.62 uppers... Texas grown.... I am thinking about a suppressed 16" bull barrell upper myself...

 

[M. Sage]

Most of the "Cheap" ammo is corrosive primed. That doesn't mix well with the AR gas System in my opinion. That is what has kept me away from the 5.45x39 uppers. Just my 2 cents.

Nah, it'll be fine. IIRC, the earlier ammo used in M16s was corrosive, too. Just make sure your bolt carrier is Mil Spec (chrome-lined where the gas rings ride), and after you shoot, dump hot soapy water down the gas tube and barrel (and clean the bolt and carrier with it) and you'll be fine.

 

[D-Day]

Oh, sounds good. I guess as long as you clean the barrel and bolt good, worse case scenario you may have to replace a gas tube one day. I am looking for a 7.62x39 upper, so I'll stay away from the 5.45x39 for right now.

 

[M. Sage]

Oh, sounds good. I guess as long as you clean the barrel and bolt good, worse case scenario you may have to replace a gas tube one day. I am looking for a 7.62x39 upper, so I'll stay away from the 5.45x39 for right now.

That's pretty much it, but if you pour hot water through it, it should last as long as the barrel.

There are tons of autoloaders before the AR series that were used with corrosive ammo, and IMO I'd rather do a corrosive cleanup on an AR than something like an M1 Garand or G41...

 

[40Arpent]

Either hot soapy water like Sage said, or Windex. Cleaning well with normal gun care products (oils, solvents, etc.) is not enough.

 

[M. Sage]

Windex is nice because it's convenient. Drop a bottle of it in your range bag and clean the rifle at the range while it's still warm if you like. Or you can take a spray bottle, put some water and dish soap in it and carry that in your range bag for the same effect.

Just so long as there's water involved (many new cleaners are water-based, too), you're in good shape.

For anybody who doesn't know - corrosive ammunition has primers that create salt. Water dissolves salt (potassium chloride in this case). Hot water does it better. Soap gets the water into all the tiny nooks and crannies by eliminating the surface tension of the water. Ammonia is good for removing copper, but nothing gets rid of salt like water.

 

[griff383]

Thats really good info on the corrosive primers. I suppose when you break it down like that, into its chemical form I mean, its much simpler to understand. This versus reading a label on a bottle of "gun cleaner" of what it will and will not work on.

I too have been eyeing a 7.62x39 upper for random uses and for the price of ammo you really cant go wrong