7.62x39 ar

[jakec]

im collecting parts for my second ar. i want a 7.62x39 upper. i dont know shit about ars. is everything the same i just get a complete upper and pin it on a good lower? im building a seperate lower for it so i was just wondering if i need to order anything specific for that caliber on that platform. ive got an aluminum psa stripped lower to work with. thanks-jake

 

[SAWMAN]

Nothing different al all re. the lower. If this is gonna be a hunting gun,would suggest that you install a good trigger. A 7.62X39 complete upper can be pinned to a 223/5.56 sized lower. No further mods needed. Mags are different than for the 223/5.56 though. Same as if you choose to go with the 6.8SPC

Now.....not trying to get into your buisness.....but.....have you looked into a 6.8SPC upper ?? If you want this gun for hunting,personally,I woulld go that route. However....if you want the gun for the cheap target ammo,you should probably stick with the X39. Good quality hunting ammo for the X39 is generally MORE expensive than ammo for the 6.8SPC. --- SAWMAN

 

[ilintner]

Check out the 2nd Gen Sig 556R, takes AK mags, mine runs great. When you look it up you will find lots of negatives about the first generation rifles, they fixed everything as far as I can tell though. TedHurst on here has a 7.62 AR that he loves, I just don't like having to get yet another type of mag.
















To actually answer your question, Sawman is spot on, the upper will work on a standard lower, with 7.62x39 specific AR mags.

 

[SAWMAN]

Actually........I do believe that Academy had a Sig chambered in 7.62X39. I remember it about a month ago. Far right rack,very back gun. Seems it was $1299'ish. Unknown as to the Gen ..... however,it had been in there since the new store opened.

Mags are super easy to find for a X39 AR also. --- SAWMAN

 

[ilintner]

Actually........I do believe that Academy had a Sig chambered in 7.62X39. I remember it about a month ago. Far right rack,very back gun. Seems it was $1299'ish. Unknown as to the Gen ..... however,it had been in there since the new store opened.

Mags are super easy to find for a X39 AR also. --- SAWMAN

Thats where mine came from, it was around 12XX and if they have the same style fixed stock as mine then it is a gen 2. I love the sig 55X series, but I am starting to get a bit off topic .

 

[FrankT]

The AR lower is the same, the upper is the same except for the barrel, bolt and mags just like with a 6.8. The 7.62 bolts are suspect, get the best you can afford or 2, and it will be much cheaper than the Sig. Good luck! If you are building a complete upper it will fit on any AR lower.

 

[Mr. Katanga]

When switching your going to want to make sure you get a 5.45 hammer spring, a stock 5.56 lower will usually do ok but the stock hammer spring isn't always strong enough to light off com block primers. Besides the bolt and barrel mags are very hit and miss. You can use standard 5.56 mags but they will only work when loaded to 5 or 6 rounds. If you want to get 30rd mags C products seem to be the best but they are still hit and miss. The 7.62x39 has a heavy taper which is why AK47 mags have such a pronounced curve to them. The AR mag well is straight so the mags are very funny looking (straight on top, curved as hell on the bottom, and its hard to find mag pouches that will work if you plan on carrying extra mags. There are a few company's that have made a hybrid lower like RRA that have an open front mag well that will take AK mags but the uppers still have to be modified.

 

[SAWMAN]

To buy a complete 7.62X39 upper will be kind difficult nowadays. They are out there however I do believe that you will have to go to Gunbroker or the like. Most all suppliers of ANYTHING AR is waaaaay behind right now. The larger parts that most have are being saved to build complete guns.

Olympic Arms had an interesting X39 upper in their catalog awhile back. I darn near got one. It was cataloged as K-16R or something like that. It was all black with a 16" heavy bbl and no muzzle device. --- SAWMAN

 

[Mr. Katanga]

Like someone said earlier if you want an AR in something other than 5.56 and want power similar to 7.62x39 6.8 is a better choice. If you want to shoot 7.62 reliably get an AK, if you want to just shoot something cheap a 5.45x39 is a good alternative but by the time you spend the money to switch to a different caliber you would have to be doing a lot of shooting to ever make up the cost savings on ammo. I've always wanted an AR that shot 7.62x39 but every time I've seen a gun chambered for it, it was a big disappointing compromise.

 

[FrankT]

complete uppers..good luck

http://sotaarms.com/component/jshopping/product/view/2/5?Itemid=0
Rguns might be a source, JSE surplus,
http://www.model1sales.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=category.display&category_id=308
http://blackthorneproducts.com/cart/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=287

 

[dead-bird]

Not to scare you off but.

The much larger case head of the 7.62x39 relative to the .223 which the AR platform was designed around sets the 7.62x39 up for premature bolt locking lug failure.

Not saying it will happen to you but it is common.

The 300 Blk gets you a .30 caliber bullet and .223 case head. Unfortunately, with all the ammo shortages, the cartridge is more of a roll your own proposition at the moment.

 

[SAWMAN]

Your right,didn't think about the case head thrust thing. Plus..... same OD of the bolt,however a much wider bolt face equals less support for the lugs.

I will definately be reloading for my BO. Only way to go IMO. I'd personally reccomend reloading for the X39 also unless you planned to use the cheaper mil stuff exclusively. Tons of the steel ammo being used in a AR platform is a discussion for another thread I suppose. --- SAWMAN

 

[jakec]

thanks for all the responses. i will be hunting with this gun and with everything considered i think i will go 6.8. i want a 300 bo also, especially after daezee showed me that sweet suppressed rig he has, but im worried about ammo. i see 6.8 a little but i never see 300 bo anywhere. i just ordered a complete reloading setup so once i learn that i could load for whatever but i dont want to have to wait that long for some ammo.

 

[SAWMAN]

I just ran into 5 boxes of BO for sale yesterday. Just buy it, then you gotta get the gun.

IMO, owning a BO is another "reloading is mandatory" thing. --- SAWMAN

 

[Drauka99]

Nice thing with a 300BO in AR platform is the only thing that changes is the barrel (same 223/556 mag and bolt) also you can build a jig pretty easy to trim and resize 223/556 brass to 300BO for reloading.

Still can't beat the cost of 7.62x39 ammo though

(I owned a 300BO, sold it, have a 6.8, and want another 300BO, one day)

 

[JohnAL]

especially after daezee showed me that sweet suppressed rig he has

Yeah, that thing has some unfair influence.

 

[FrankT]

thanks for all the responses. i will be hunting with this gun and with everything considered i think i will go 6.8. i want a 300 bo also, especially after daezee showed me that sweet suppressed rig he has, but im worried about ammo. i see 6.8 a little but i never see 300 bo anywhere. i just ordered a complete reloading setup so once i learn that i could load for whatever but i dont want to have to wait that long for some ammo.

Excellent choice, also if you are subsonic and suppressed the 300 is a good choice, has to be both or there is no since in having one. Over 30,000 rds of Federal 6.8 available at PSA right now...

 

[FNHman]

Some uppers iv been looking at. Although im holding out for a .458 socom.

7.63x39

http://cbarms.com/uppers/7-62x39.html


6.8

http://cbarms.com/uppers/6-8spcii.html

 

[FrankT]

For 6.8
http://shop.ironworkstactical.com/

http://bisonarmory.com/

 

[Daezee]

FWIW

I have an 11.5" Model 1 AR upper in 7.62x39. I've fired it 535 flawless rounds so far. No failures to fire, chamber, or eject the empties. I've used a variety of 7.62x39 ammo in it.