5.45 x 39 comments plz

[PB234]

I am completely new to this cartridge and curious about being able to get reloadable brass and other necessities for reloading. Is this an inherently accurate round? My gut says it might be a pain to try to feed.

[Scorpion8]

I think all I've ever seen in my LGS is steel-cased military stuff for AK-74's. I'd gather if you're trying to make a viable varmint round or something like that, then there are better cartridge choices.

[RU shooter]

I don't believe brass is real common for it same with dies 7.62 is more main stream for reloading .

[PB234]

thank you. I found a SSG 82 for sale, but after reading up on it decided it is not viable for me.

[Greg S]

The only time i would consider hand loading this cartridge would be for the old Steyer East German Border rifles (HB wood stocked simular to the SSG) At one time Century Arms Inc used to have brass cases, unknown primer, can't remember. Your other problem is bulwets, 5.45 -vs- 5.56. Maybe you can lube and resize .224, sounds like alotta work for an AK or for the old Steyer rifles. Maybe PPU is manufacturing ammo now which would be better but at the time I ran across the two rifles about 6 and 10 years ago, the only option was some $$$ ammo through CAI.

[PB234]

Greg, the SSG 82 is ht eold wooden stocked East German rifle you describe. After looking into it I read they often break extractors and triggers in addition to the problems of securing ammo. I am not capable of fabricating parts and the reported accuracy is not what is wanted. The scope is interesting as a bit of history but not equal to current standards.

As I scratch my desire for a new rifle I am finding the CZ 557 Urban Counter Sniper interesting. With its short barrel and compact size I am thinking it could be used a number of ways from light cast loads to jacketed speedsters. CZ is a favorite brand of mine and these rifles are steeply discounted making it bankbook breaking but not bankrupting and I bet with careful loading I can get about half a minute of angle out of it. 308 is also about as common as one can get which is very attractive to me.

[Tackleberry41]

The 5.45 is not reloader friendly. Just not much demand out there for brass or bullets to load it. Those who own that caliber just stock up on cheap steel cased stuff.

[Texas by God]

My only experience with it was trying to get an AR so chambered to fire reliably- I gave up. Just different enough to suck IMO.
Best, Thomas.

[Ray1946]

I barreled an M70 Winchester to 5.45X39. I bought the barrel from Krieger with a 1/7" twist and a .214 bore and .222 groove. The rifle was a M70 Varmint in .223 with 1/9" twist. The barrel on this beast was so HEAVY. I ordered the reamer from Pacific tool along with the Head-space gauges. I think the barrel taper was Krieger No.5. The rifle shoots very well with Bulgarian ball; 1."- 1 1/2.". I have a plan to rework the ammo, but this is still in the R&D. Later,..............

[freddyp]

I barreled an M70 Winchester to 5.45X39. I bought the barrel from Krieger with a 1/7" twist and a .214 bore and .222 groove. The rifle was a M70 Varmint in .223 with 1/9" twist. The barrel on this beast was so HEAVY. I ordered the reamer from Pacific tool along with the Head-space gauges. I think the barrel taper was Krieger No.5. The rifle shoots very well with Bulgarian ball; 1."- 1 1/2.". I have a plan to rework the ammo, but this is still in the R&D. Later,..............

Ray,
Have you tried the Hornady load with the 60gr VMax bullet?

[Ray1946]

I haven't tried the Hornady load. My thoughts were along the lines of reworking the military rounds to enhance their accuracy. I was going to do this by pulling the bullets, expanding the necks to within about .002 of fired diameter, sizing about 2/3 of the neck and seating a tumbled and possibly moly-coated original bullet over varying amounts of the original powder. I have been very busy with needed to do projects in the house, so will get to it when possible,.................

[DerekP Houston]

only stuff I could find for my ak-74 was steel cased spam cans, I don't bother reloading for it. It's another gun I bought just because I could not for any real practical value.

[sawinredneck]

As I was curious, and have no life, I dug into this. It's UGLY! A couple of forums did group buys for dies from Lee, around $50 a set, at that time so you might luck into a used set? RCBS makes a set, $150! https://www.buffaloarms.com/5-45x39-die-set-rcbs-rcb56065
Here's brass, but be sitting down! https://www.buffaloarms.com/5-45x39-soviet-cases-boxer-primed-reformed-brass-cases-5-45x39soviet
I'm seeing you can make brass from .222 and now .223? I'll look more into it in a bit.

[sawinredneck]

Yup, seems you can turn .223/5.56 ammo into 5.45x39. CH4D has everything, https://www.ch4d.com/products/dies/caliber-list
There are several videos on YouTube, so it's doable.
I know the op said they weren't interested in it anymore, but I was curious and it might help someone else out.

[Ray1946]

I don't think I would use .223 brass. The head size on my 5.45 Bulgarian is .392, the head size on my .223 is .374. Eighteen thousandths is a hell of a jump. Like the article says:PROCEED AT YOUR OWN RISK!..................

[Dpmsman]

I've read the converted 222 Remington cases last 1-3 firings. I also looked into this and found it's a dead end. PPU lists or listed reloading brass on there main site but I haven't been able to find any stateside.

[fjruple]

For the time being the boxer primed brass for the 5.45x39mm is next to impossible to get. I have reloaded the 5.45x39mm Russian by using Lake City 5.56mm NATO cases that have the annealing further down the case. I size each case in individual steps to prevent the case from folding in the neck and shoulder. I have found that thin commercial brass or military brass that do not have the annealing further on the case folds in the neck or shoulder. My first load is to fireform for the case. I special ordered a .221 bullet sizer from Lee to resize the .224 bullets to be used in an AR platform in 5.45x39mm. On the second load I typically use a 77gr VLD bullet which is extremely accurate in the AR platform While in the .223Rem/5.56mm the AR's mag well limits the length of longer bullets. The 5.45x39mm does not have that problem. I personally believe the 5.45x39mm is under developed as a target round and has great potential in an AR platform. Using steel service ammunition is a waste when there is potential for target accuracy. Unfortunately most of the rifles in the US that use the 5.45x39mm are of the AK74 variety. I am an experience reloader and I would not advise a novice to try make and reload this round. Caution should be exercised.

--fjruple

[Ray1946]

Its truly a shame. The gun and ammo makers in this country come up with some of the most god-awful concoctions they call "modern high intensity cartridges" that are nothing more throat-scorching pieces of **** that modern shooters gave up on back in the 30's. I hope there is some good reloadable brass offered in the near future.

I was thoroughly surprised that the arms companies didn't jump on this with both feet when large numbers of the arms and ammo started rolling into this country, they really screwed-up!

[Outpost75]

The 5.45x39 is a different head size than US 5.56mm or 7.62x39

When we first tested ammunition returned from Afghanistan at BRL we were able to form useable cases from XM732 6mm SAW or .25 Remington brass, which we used simply for instrument checks and to test the function of the test barrel before measuring the actual captured data rounds, which at that time were in very short supply. When larger quantities of ammo and the actual weapons became available, a great deal of testing was done at 11th MI, MCDEDC, Quantico, VA and the US Army Letterman Institute. The goat roast was memorable.

Personally I see no reason to own one of these rifles, all you are doing is providing hard currency to a potential enemy.

[Wayne Smith]

If you must use .223 brass get a piece of brass tubing that equals the difference and place it around the base of the .223 cartridge. This will center the cartridge in the chamber when you fireform the brass to the larger chamber. It's a lot of work, and probably not worth it.