Best Caliber?

Which is the best all-around caliber to take into combat?

7.62X39

5.45X39

5.56X45

7.62X51

Hey !!! I thought this was the AK files !! Which AK shots that one ? :huh_small :sidegrin_

7.62mm has decent API´s! (very good...)




tim

IN FA mode, the 5.45x39 is so much more controllable than the 7.62x39mm.

The recoil impulse and followup shot ..... hands down on the AK74.

Not saying the AKM and AK47 is not controllable !but if shooting them side by side
!

7,62x39 M43. If only by virtue of all those nice 75-round RPK drums out there.

I tend to prefer 5,45mm versions with folding stocks, and in 5,56mm, I figure a Galil or R4 is a pretty good way to go.

-archy-/-

You forgot 7.62X51. MORE POWER! Or 30-06 - EVEN MORE POWER!

x51 (or .30-06, or 8mm Mauser, or 7.62x54R) have a serious negative feature--recoil which makes the rifle difficult to manage. This is the reason that assault rifles have seldom been made in these calibres. The shoulder-fired full-sutomatics in these calibres have been required by senior military men who have forgotten what battlefields are like, if they ever knew.

The AK-47 was introduced along with a new concept in tactics which is seldom mentioned. The Soviets decided to equip most of their infantry with a weapon sufficient for 95% of battlefield use, and equip 10%-20% of the infantry with a weapon for the other 5% of battlefield use. This was a semi-automatic (though it was also made full-automatic, for some reason) rifle with sufficient accuracy to dependably hit a man at 500+ yds and firing a full-power cartridge, the 7.62x54R. Without an understanding of this tactical concept, the idea of an "assault rifle" makes no sense. The 7.62x39 round has sufficient power and accuracy for shots up to 200 yds. There's no point in carrying a heavier rifle and heavier ammunition which is no more effective. Even in areas like Afghanistan and Iraq, where there are opportunities for long shots, few ever occur. Remember that the AK was conceived for fighting in NE Europe, where there is an abundance of flat terrain.

I prefer the larger, heavier bullet of the 7.62. The 5.56 or 5.45 may be as good as their proponents say they are. However, MTK has always been against the 5.45, and sections of the Russian Army which have some say in their weapons have returned to the 7.62, just as some parts of the US Army have discarded the 9mm and returned to the .45 ACP.

I agree with some of the others- of the choices given the 7.62x39 is the
best. Overall, I would take the 7.62x51.

I'd also ahve to go 7.62x39, for teh extra knockdown under 300 yards. Full power shells in battle rifle are hard to control, and often over penetrate, and the smaller/faster 5.45/5.56 shells seems to be seriously lacking in teh knockdown department... hense so many changes in the bullet wieght in the last few years... sooner or later the need to realize that the rifle was designed by stoner to use a set wieght/configuration, and that they shouldn;t be second guessing the designer. Other factors for my choice also include cost, availability and reliability in adverse/wet/dirty conditions.

My opinion only of course~

7.62x39 the # andd the reliablity of the round ya the 5.56 is an ok round but as stated no knockdown. You can carry more x39 than x51 and it don't hurt to have more ammo than the other guy do it

shot placement plays a greater role in lethality than calibur, penetration and knockdown dont mean squat if shooter just sprays and prays. anyway i like the 5.45 or 5.56 they hit reasonably hard and its easy to get followup shots. and they have greater range, but i think the rpk in 7.62 is an awesome combo

There's probably some bias here, after all it is an AK forum, but I truly believe the best overall combat cartridge is the 7.62x39.

The reports and Mr. Kalashnikovs statement about US troops using captured AK's during Vietnam and now Iraq, in preference to their issued weapon is another tip in the 7.62x39's favor.

When you consider all battlefield factors such as weight, effective accuracy/range, penetration, and tissue damage (killing power). I think there's little argument. Though I'm sure some people would love to, argue that is... :)

perfect caliber???


i didnt know that is possible


i like the 7.62,but the thing never tumbles.its take 10 inches for the 7.62x39,5 to 6 for the 223,and 2.5 inches for the 5.45x39.so,i think ill stick with the one that has the cool name"poison bullet"

i prefer bullets that disperse there energy well,not just go straight threw.

new to posting and site, looks great though but on to the subject, I was a U.S. Army soldier and have fired almost everything from 9mm on up (including missiles) (GO AIR DEFENSE!!) just as a reminder the 5.56 round of the vietnam era was 1) heavier bullet 2) the barrel had a 1:16 twist compared to 1:9 now 3) the barrel in the a1 series rifle was longer 18"-20" compared to 11" as standard now (yes some have true "long" barrels) Now to compare that with the ak round on a basis that nothing has changed is not true, the rounds (5.56) fired in vietnam were more effective because they would yaw when they hit a real soldiers equipment and body, the rounds that the GOVERMENT uses today propel those very small 55g bullets at such a high velocity with such a tight spin that it is like shooting ice picks at our current opponents, they wear nothing more than a bathrobe an ak-47 and ammo, Now the ak rounds (7.62x39) are still designed to yaw in a relatively short distance in flesh, but with all the gear that most soldiers are wearing the yaw effect is actually increased, ie. a U.S. soldier is kneeling in the sand dusting off some camel chaser and his buddy gets off a few lucky rounds and one hits the U.S. soldier in the chest plate from 320m not enough to penetrate but if that round is deflected into his legs or head the spray and prey worked. Both rounds are effective killers but only one has stopping power in my opinion, as far as the round for round I say 7.62x39 everytime. Oh yeah and yes alot of us were allowed to use "pickups" (captured weapons) after we demonstrated a valid need and mastered the skills to go along with said weapon. Damn this is long sorry......

what about the new 6.8 rem spc?

.50BMG :)

Which Caliber to take into combat? All of them aforementioned serve a specific purpose. Depends on what your assignment may entail. I myself would take the 7.62x39 overall, if I had a choice between the three given. Sinlord says it all in two words; shot placement. Without proper shot placement, everything else falls short. Just my .02. Ken from Pa.

.50BMG :) Have you ever tried to carry an mh2b with the barrel attached and box of ammo hanging on the side? You won't get very far I think. What about extra ammo? Where are you going to carry it? I am not THAT strong.

yeah, 150lbs isnt something to be thought of as light. especially when the only thing to grab for proper support is a 900 degree barrel..

Have you ever tried to carry an mh2b with the barrel attached and box of ammo hanging on the side? You won't get very far I think. What about extra ammo? Where are you going to carry it? I am not THAT strong.
http://www.anzioironworks.com/light_50.htm 13.5lb .50bmg rifle!! And my vote goes to 22lr. :small_gri

Hey !!! I thought this was the AK files !! Which AK shots that one ? :huh_small :sidegrin_


My Saiga does.... :tongue_sm

A bubba. Look at all the builds for 9mm and 7.62x25. Who makes those commercially?

Whatever I have ammo for. They all do the job.

yeah, 150lbs isnt something to be thought of as light. especially when the only thing to grab for proper support is a 900 degree barrel..

I'v had close to 250 pounds of moose meat on my back and hauled it up a steep hill in alaska back when i was a moose meat packer (Someone shoots them an my job was to get the meat where it could be picked up and flown out by a Piper PA18 aka super cub) I had spaghetti legs for like a week. Not to mention the weight of my 300 winchester mag with scope and bipod.

7.62x51 also

http://www.anzioironworks.com/light_50.htm 13.5lb .50bmg rifle!! And my vote goes to 22lr. :small_gri
OUCH!!:cry_small That has GOT to hurt the shooter. I mean the .50 cal machine gun not the civilian ones. Those are for weenies.:tongue_sm

Lets see, good penatration,good stopping power,not as good accuracy but fine for battle most of which is 300 yrds. or less, does not deflect as the lighter rounds. For me I would have to go with the
AK 7.62/39. I know we all want to be snipers but that ain't how it is.

140mm