I notice 30-round mags for feeding 5.56x39 cartridges through the AR-15 are currently available for well under $30. Is there any reason those would not also be a good option to feed the 7.62x39 uppers?

the way i understand it, is, the 7.62 x 39 has a bigger rim diameter then the 5.56.... and needs the curve of a magazine to make it feed properly.... if the case was the same diameter all the way up from the rim to shoulder, they stack easier....

the ridge on the inside that keeps the rounds from restacking under recoil will be too tight.

it should work - the base 5.4x39 is the same as the 7.62x39. 223 mags won't work after about 5 rounds, needs more curve in the mag.

Actually, the ONLY thing I have found different about the two rounds mentioned (7.62x39 and 5.56x39) is the bullet diameter. The 5.56x39 Russian is a necked down 7.62x39 Russian (com-block). Neither has anything to do with the standard 5.56 NATO round.

The 7/62 x39 feeds fine manually through the 5.56 x39 magazine, in the 7.62x39 upper receiver on my AR-15 (DPMS upper). But, I have not been able to try it in live-fire at the range yet due to ill health.

I asked because I wanted to know if anyone out there actually HAD tried it, or knew of a basic reason it would not work. If it is known to work, then I could use some of my recovery time loading up a bunch of ammo for it.

albert - before you start loading - the russian round is a 5.45x39 not a 5.56. it is a sub 22 caliber. the bullet weighs 63 grains to more or less copy the US 5.56, velocity as i clocked it was 2960FPS

quote:

Originally posted by butchloc:
albert - before you start loading - the russian round is a 5.45x39 not a 5.56. it is a sub 22 caliber. the bullet weighs 63 grains to more or less copy the US 5.56, velocity as i clocked it was 2960FPS

Actually I knew that Butch, but thanks for reminding me...it had slipped my mind entirely...I kept thinking .22....

But in this case it makes no difference. It is the 7.62x39 I will be loading, as that is what my upper is. It is only the 5.45 MAGAZINES I will be using (or trying to use), with 7.62x39 ammo in them.

The only .22 Russian ammo I have used/will be using in a rifle is the stuff for my .220 Russian varmint rifle...and that, of course, is yet another round on the same basic brass, with a slightly different shape and using full diameter .224" bullets. That rifle, BTW, is built on a Paramount "Quad-Lite" action.

try pri inc they make the correct magazine

quote:

Originally posted by Alberta Canuck:
But, I have not been able to try it in live-fire at the range yet due to ill health.
then I could use some of my recovery time loading up a bunch of ammo for it.

Since when do you need an excuse to reload? sounds like good thairapeee to me. Oh! should you be interested I still have quite a few .310 dia. bullets; SPs. and FMJsroger

7.62 x 39 mags over 10 rds just do not tend to feed flawlessly in an AR-15. C-Products makes good mags for them. If reliability is a major concern stick with 20 rd mags or less. It is that final straight 2" in an AR magwell which causes the trouble.

C-products took a longtime to bring out there current 7.62 mags, perhaps they have solved some of the troubles with high cap mags. My friend bought a few 10's and 20's C-Products mags (loooong wait, last year, way before the election shortage) but doesn't shoot enough for me to say they solved the problems.