Anyone interested in 5.45x39 barrel/bolt combos for AR builds? Mags available as well

GlassLightning

GlassLightning

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I've off and on thought this would be a cool caliber to own and certainly so in the AR platform. It is of course popular in the states where they commonly use it in the gun it was originally designed for, the AK-74. Long story short, I asked an AR parts company, True North Arms, if they'd be able to get them in and the answer is yes with enough interest. The barrels would be from Canadian National Arms, they would run around $299 for the barrel/bolt combo. Mags would be around $30 a piece. If you know the caliber or have done any research then you probably know it is kind of scarce to find ammo around here. Currently Bulls Eye London can order in Hornady V Max for $34.99/50, WOLF 60gr FMJ Military Classic is available for $15.99/30 from CanadaAmmo, and SFRC have stocked the Hornady stuff in the past but are currently out. I'm looking into other sources for bringing this ammo in, but for now that's it. If enough people were to start buying these kits, who knows, more could always come in. What I'd like to see is cheap surplus eventually come to Canada but that would be a ways off if at all, regardless it's a cool caliber and the scarcity kinda makes me want it more.

Link to the wiki for 5.45x39: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/5.45×39mm

And here is the WOLF ammo from CanadaAmmo: https://www.canadaammo.com/product/detail/wolf-5-45x39-60gr-fmj-30-round-box/
 
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First, welcome to CGN. Your intentions could be good but having joined today and your first post is to get a group buy for TNA... If CGN history repeats itself, well, let's just say that this thread is going to get some ribbing in a hurry. Hope you got your flak jacket on and your shields set on maximum.

:popCorn:

That said, if that ammo was more readily available, I'd probably think about it as a future build but as it is right now, it's pretty low on my list.
 
Ah I can see how this might look, didn't think of that lol. Truthfully, I just want an AR in 5.45x39. Was looking at multiple older threads on here where people were asking about the caliber. I figured just starting a new thread directly would be the best way to ask about interest. Unfortunately I wasn't a member before this post though. Thanks for the heads up.
 
0 interest. 5.56x45 wins every time. Ballistics are superior, cheaper, more available. Why exactly would that be a good caliber to have an AR in, except novelty?
 
For me it's pretty much just to have something different and cool to have some fun with, ballistics don't concern me as I'll just be experimenting at the range with it. Plus I like all those old Russian calibers. 7.62x39, 7.62x54r, 7.62x25... Fun stuff.
 
Lack of factory, let alone bulk/surplus, ammo will kill 99.9% of the shooting community's interest in the calibre. Importers aren't going to be interested in the massive upfront costs involved in getting a new military surplus ammo tested and approved for import/sale under our Explosives Act. There's also the pesky question of sourcing such ammo, even if approved, especially given the current political situation in Russia and the Ukraine and the import/export sanctions in place due to Putin's recent bad behaviour. The final nail in the coffin is what are you going to shoot such ammo in other than a handful of niche AR-15s? All AK-74 and variants are named prohibs. There's no warehouses of surplus SKS extant, nor VZ-58/CZ-858 to feed the 5.45mm to. You might drum up some interest in a Tavor so chambered, given the Ukraine's adoption of the combo, but again it's a niche firearm that loops back around to that Catch-22 problem and economies of scale. I don’t mean to be a Debbie Downer. I like niche and exotic firearms and am willing to pay a premium where necessary, but I think we're the exception, not the rule. Nevertheless, good luck and prove me wrong! :)
 
Hornady steel cased appears to be available for $35/50, not too bad, cheaper than shooting some 308 of similar quality. Still waiting to hear back from the store.
 
GlassLightning said:
Hornady steel cased appears to be available for $35/50, not too bad, cheaper than shooting some 308 of similar quality. Still waiting to hear back from the store.
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rommelrommel said:
Unless it comes with 7.62x39 priced surplus this won't have a chance.
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What rommelrommel said.

There's no way I'd pay $700/1000 to shoot commercial 5.45 when I can shoot .223 for $200/1000 less.
 
Update on 5.45x39 ammo for anyone interested. IRG now has a few different options available for import into Canada from their website:

http://www.irunguns.com/department.a...er_caliber=462

Tulammo 5.45x39 60gr FMJ 20/box @ $6.22 USD

Wolf Military Classic 5.45x39 55gr BTHP 750/case @ $202.84 USD

Wolf Performance 5.45x39 60gr HP 750/case @ $202.84 USD

Wolf Performance 5.45x39 60gr FMJ 750/case @ $202.84 USD

Hornady V-Max 5.45x39 60gr 50/box @ $19.99 USD

Wolf Military Classic 5.45x39 60gr FMJ 750/case @ $202.84 USD

I'm excited to see more options becoming more easily available in Canada. The 750 round cases seem to be not too bad deal.
 
Thats still double of what regular 762x39 surplus. Good idea but it aint gonna fly. 762x39 is so cheap becuz it fits alot of firearms in canada. But for your 545 , it only fits that
AR so far and its not a bush gun, most ranges here in canada probably wont allow steel core as well too. If AK ever becomes available, then the market may change and things could be different. There is a reason why west rifle, canada ammo and the usual suspects that bring in all these surpluses never even set eyes on the 545 ammo.

I myself has a 762x39 Ar because i have 2 other VZ/Cz, so it makes sense. Plus NEA/BCL has a life time warranty on the bolt should it ever breaks. Now i have 0 experience with 5.45. Do they break bolt like the 7.62x39?
 
fenceline said:
Any movement on other options for barrels? I wonder if the m10x is 5.45x39 friendly. Would be a good platform for it.

There is a kit for the xcr.
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Hmm, I took at a look at the M10X and that's a sweet looking rifle, are they easily available here?

No other barrel options as far as I know. You'd have to find a company with the tools to make one, then getting a bolt to work shouldn't be too hard. What we really need as well is a company like PPU to make reloadable brass cased ammo and LEE/Hornady/RCBS/etc to follow with die sets so we can make our own ammo. Would be fun to make up loads for a little bolt action.

Edit: On a side note I do have a 5.45 AR barrel on the way so I'll see how that goes.
 
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