What do you think about building a 5.45x39?

[ryanek9freak]

I've seen tons of this ammo around for half the price of 5.56, and I'm thinking of purchasing an upper chambered in that caliber. Anyone have any experience shooting that upper?

[Pancho Villa]

In my humble opinion, you are better off kitting out a reloading setup than buying an upper in 5.45. Again, in my opinion and from what I have read about the ballistic effects and potential of the 5.45 vs the 5.56, 5.56 comes out the clear winner. If you have a reloading setup you can enjoy the fruits of cheap plinking ammo while still being perfectly able to practice with and load more deadly rounds (75gr hornady TAP etc) for uses other than plinking.

A reloading setup will probably run you around $300-400, so it will be cheaper than the dedicated upper while allowing you to load cheap ammo for *all* your guns.

My $0.02

[HunterCO]

I have thought about getting an upper myself it is still cheap as not many people know or have that cal. I have shot plenty of it and nothing wrong with it at all for plinking.

[Tristan]

I like the ak-74. As far as the arguments about 5.56 vs. 5.45, it goes on and on. Having both, the 74 is more accurate and lethal past 500m, but I really can't hit shit at that distance anyways. I only get the target probably 3 out of ten times.
But the ammo is way cheaper, but6 starting to climb.

[ryanek9freak]

In my humble opinion, you are better off kitting out a reloading setup than buying an upper in 5.45. Again, in my opinion and from what I have read about the ballistic effects and potential of the 5.45 vs the 5.56, 5.56 comes out the clear winner. If you have a reloading setup you can enjoy the fruits of cheap plinking ammo while still being perfectly able to practice with and load more deadly rounds (75gr hornady TAP etc) for uses other than plinking.

A reloading setup will probably run you around $300-400, so it will be cheaper than the dedicated upper while allowing you to load cheap ammo for *all* your guns.

My $0.02

umm yeah, I have quite the reloading setup already. I'm just thinking cost effectiveness at this point. YOu can't even reload 5.56 for the price of 5.45. See below:

[refryguy]

I have the M&P15R which is 5.45, its a great gun. Problem is that a lot of the rounds, especially the cheap ones are highly corrosive. I don't know anything about reloads so you would know if you'd have that problem with reloads more than me.

[5.45x39]

I like it. I've only shot corrosive ammo in it so far, and cleaning really isn't that tough. It will pay for itself pretty quickly when you consider the price difference between 5.56 and 5.45.