I am new to reloading I have gotten a lot of info and useful tips from you guys thanks a lot. I am looking at picking up a 5.45x39mm rifle for its fun and versatility. Does anyone reload this round and have you had any issues getting brass and bullets. I am still learning where to get brass online.

This guy is selling Lee dies for the 5.45x39. He uses 222 brass to make the cases. You might want to ask him about reloading.

http://www.calguns.net/calgunf...wthread.php?t=322659

somebody like mid-south was running a special on hornady bullets for this caliber -- like under $5 per hundred. think i picked up 1k. dunno about any available brass

222 brass is a totally different diameter than is 5.45x39. no can make one from the other

Apparently some guys are using 222 brass.

http://www.akfiles.com/forums/showthread.php?t=12357

http://www.calguns.net/calgunf...wthread.php?t=343100

http://www.calguns.net/calgunf...wthread.php?t=343100

Thanks for the info

some folks might try this.. but the case diameter is WRONG - about .016 wrong .. i've seen 223 fired in 7.62x39 chambers .. ugly mess

you can buy winchester or rem 7.62x39 brass and resize...

or lapua xPPC basic and form your own.

Jeff, I'm glad you chime in on this as I was planning to buy some dies and form the cases out of 222 brass.

Hope it helps ..
take a caliper to a 7.62x39 brass and a 222 or 223 ..

its startling, to think that someone might say they can be fired in the same gun SAFELY

5.45x39 base diameter is .392" on the cases I have here in the shop.

7.62x39 by comparison is .445".

You aren't going to make 5.45x39 brass out of 7.62x39 brass.

ammoguide says .443 for the 5.6x39
http://ammoguide.com/cgi-bin/a...LMxIadIYLW&catid=395

its necked down 7.63x39...

The 220 Russian isn't the 5.45x39.

I would think that your bolt face will tell you a lot. If it is a .223 bolt face then it is probably chambered to form brass from .222. If it has a PPC bolt face then you could use 7.62x39 or 220 russian brass.

Matt

Case dimensions are on the right side of these pages for the unbelievers, or those that have never held a 5.45x39 case.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/5.45x39mm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/.220_Russian

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/7.62x39mm

Interestingly enough - my PTG 5.45x39 reamer print #5227 lists the 223 case as the parent case.

The chamber base dimension is listed as .3976.

If you're looking for a Savage barrel and bolt combination, I make a run of them a couple times a year using either Douglas or Pac-Nor blanks.