School me on A K 74s please

[leroy]

Have been introduced to the AK 47 platform by my son... Please school me on the 74.

leroy.  

[Garufa]

It is an AK-47 in 5.45x39mm caliber.  That's all I got.

[gregintenn]

That's it.^^^^ AK varmint rifle.

[DO-TN]

5.45x39 is more expensive and tougher to find than 7.62x39. It has better terminal ballistics than 5.56 and higher BC so it shoots further. Very mild recoil in AK74s. I have both and really enjoy shooting the 74 but I cannot say I prefere one over the other. Most 47 accesroies will fit a standard 74 with a few exceptions. Surplus magazines are more expensive but Magpull makes decent ones for a good price. Every gun shop looks at you funny when you ask about 5.45x39. "don't you mean 7.62x39?" is very common, as is front counter guy shouting to somone in the back "we have any 5.45x39?" with the answer most always being "you mean 7.62x39?" so get used to that. Once in a while you meet the "other guy who has a AK74" who smiles and knows right what you are talking about. That all said, I do ok at gunshows recently on 5.45 except for some fools who have it jacked way up in price. Best deals are online, about 40 cents per even today if you look. They operate just like a 47. different size parts is all. Some early Century guns used 5.56 barrels and tend to keyhole so watch for that. I can tell by some subtle changes it is a modernized AK when compared to my 47's. On reloading, Hornady makes dies. Brass is unobtainium though. So are bullets. Nobody has load data so I have dies I have never used. I did clear out the last place I knew with bullets (surplus pulls) and have a bunch of 222 rem brass to convert and do plan to work up a load. With ammo being the way it is I am hopefull the reload market will start supporting it soon. I hope that gives you some decent info.

Edited April 23, 2021 by DO-TN

[leroy]

Thanks DO-TN...

I wuz hopin for this kind of info n experience.  I like the " light recoil " thing with these guys.  The older i get, the more i like " less recoil ".   I really like the overall AK design idea...

Thanks again Brother...

Ivan leroy AKovitch...

[Quavodus]

The 5.45x39 cartridge is in my opinion, better thought out than the 5.56 cartridge. It's a .204" diameter and does shoot flatter and retain velocity better. 

[Twin]

Contrary to what was stated previously, 5.45x39 is almost always cheaper than 7.62x39 on account of it's lesser popularity. My personal opinion is that it is a superior round to 5.56, in that it has a lighter recoil impulse and therefore better facilitates follow up shots, isn't as gassy, and is therefore more suppressor friendly, and isn't as dependent on velocity for it's terminal effect. The russians designed it with a hollow air cavity in the nose of the projectile, so not only does it aid in deformation upon impact, but also creates a displaced center of gravity that guarantees tumbling upon impact. Russian surplus ammo (7N6) also has a fast powder burn than 5.56, so it attains greater velocities out of shorter barrels.

Edited April 26, 2021 by Twin

[1gewehr]

It also has a louder, sharper, higher-pitched muzzle blast.  Using the issue muzzle brake is guaranteed to P-O the shooters on either side at the range. I find that the original 53gr 7N6 surplus ammunition shoots much more accurately than the 60gr Wolf, or Barnaul ammo.  My barrel is an original Romanian one.  YMMV with a different barrel.

[Luvall]

Fun gun 

great for young shooter

great round for small varmints

AK platform is no longer “cheap”

Russian made ammo is subject to import bans 

some ammo is corrosive 

accuracy is hit and miss

 

[molov]

Love my 74. Recoil is much lighter than a 47. I haven't had too much trouble keeping ammo but I buy mostly off here and other local buy/sell/trade groups. Honestly, it is one of my favorite firearms and calibers. Biggest downside is finding 74s for a reasonable price. I would almost suggest a Galil Ace in 545 with prices hovering around $2k for a used ak74. Palmetto State Armory had Galil Ace BLEMs going for $1500 and I have been struggling to not make that purchase, haha.

 

If you are ever in Nashville then you are welcome to try mine out. I take it to the range pretty often!

[THA KERNALLL]

Huge fan of the AK platform. Hoping to eventually get one in every available caliber. I did have someone tell me I don't own an AK47, but an AKM. That started an hour long discussion on the differences between the two, lol. 

[faraim45]

The gas cylinder contour is different on the 74's. The gas is comes out at 90 degrees rather than the angled set up on a 47. Not a big deal, both work as long as you aren't expecting 100 percent parts interchangeability.

[50 cal]

I have 2 ak74's from when I worked at TGI. They are far more accurate than the 7.62x39 round out of the 47.

I buy up non corrosive ammo when I can find it for around 25 cents per round or less. Usually find it at that price on online auction houses.

I built up a few thousand 74's when I worked at TGI. 

[RED333]

I will call myself lucky when I was able to pick up a new Saiga in 7.62 NATO/308, yes it is made to shoot both. As well as a Saiga 12 gauge. These are built in the same plant in Mother Russia as the AK. Thanks to obummer the imports were stopped and the price has gone up.

The 7.62/308 worked flawless out of the box. The 12ga needed work, after new adjustable gas puck system and firing a few 100 rounds it now works flawless, even with low brass weak loads.  Both are accurate, I have shoot the 7.62/308 out to 300 yards hitting a paper plate, 12ga to100 yards in a paper plate with slug, my hand loaded rounds.

All in all it is a good platform, easy to operate, and clean. Finding ammo at a good price is another matter, as we all know.

[mobhs]

Back in the day of 100 dollar cases of ammo it was a much more fun gun to shoot. I don't get mine out very often anymore as I am hoarding my ammo lol.