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5.56 VERSUS 5.45

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6 comments

  • mark christian
    My information on the Soviet round comes from business associates and friends in the Bulgarian military. They use this round and the AK-74 rifle and most feel that the 5.56mm is a better shooting round
    (more accurate) but that the 5.45 is a better killing round. I sell guns, but I've never shot anyone- and never want to, so I cannot comment on whether or not this is true from personal observation.

    Most of the fighting in the Balkans took place with the 7.62X39 chambered Kalashnikovs, but the smaller round did see use and Bulgarian military authorities did study the data. They felt that the 5.45 projectile was much more destructive than either the 7.62X39 round or the newer 62gr. M855 NATO ball. As it was explained to me the 5.45 bullet is longer and thinner than our own 5.56 and has better ballistic efficency: it reatins its velocity at longer ranges. The design of their bullet is supposed to be much more leathal than our own...I don't know about that as I denied myself the pleasure of looking at any gunshot photos!

    Without having actually shot anyone with an AK-74, I can't tell you much more than this. I would not like to be shot with either...but then I'm an admitted coward!




    Mark T. Christian
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  • bama55
    Seems I remember SOF mag. doing a few articles on the 5.45. The Russians used it in Afghan., and from what I remember it is a very
    destructive round.

    Don't send flowers when I die. Send money now, I can buy more ammo.
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  • IAMACLONE_2
    Got both AR-15 & ak-74, the 5.54 has a hollow bubble in the point of the round, when the bullet hits it fractures, bending the nose of the bullet down, which causes the round to tumble.
    Shooting a cantilope the 5.56 (ar-15) goes clean through, the 5.54, makes a small entry hole, but takes the whole back end off the cantilope.
    Range wise the 5.54 seems to be a good 300meter round, compared to the 5.56 being a 150-200m round. Seems the 5.56 @ 300m drops 10 inches while the 5.54 is dead on.
    Walte
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  • mark christian
    Walte, thanks for that cantalope test. Now I'm really glad I passed on looking at those gunshot photos! There are limits to what can be done with a FMJ projectille, but it appears my Bulgarian friends are right: the Russian round is a better killer than the NATO round. I know that the "new" heavier M855 round was designed with the idea of getting improved penetration. In one side and out the other sounds like what we ended up with. Thanks for the information.

    Mark T. Christian
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  • leeblackman
    quote:
    Got both AR-15 & ak-74, the 5.54 has a hollow bubble in the point of the round, when the bullet hits it fractures, bending the nose of the bullet down, which causes the round to tumble.
    Shooting a cantilope the 5.56 (ar-15) goes clean through, the 5.54, makes a small entry hole, but takes the whole back end off the cantilope.
    Range wise the 5.54 seems to be a good 300meter round, compared to the 5.56 being a 150-200m round. Seems the 5.56 @ 300m drops 10 inches while the 5.54 is dead on.
    Walte





    Its 5.45x39.5mm, 5.45 that is.

    If I'm wrong please correct me, I won't be offended.

    The sound of a 12 gauge pump clears a house fatser than Rosie O eats a Big Mac !
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  • REBJr
    All the 5.45 I've seen says ' made to hunting specs' does that mean no bubble/tumble? -Ralph

    Nothing very, very good or very, very bad lasts for very, very long.
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