Smith & Wesson M&P15R 5.45x39 Rifle??

[DaveTN]

Anyone have one?

I’m curious to see the results (Range and Accuracy) of this round vs. .223 when both are tested from S&W M&P’s.

What is the cost and availability of 5.45x39?

With the ever increasing cost of 5.56mm and .223 ammo, Smith & Wesson presents the M&P15R Rifle. This new rifle is chambered for the inexpensive and abundant 5.45 x 39mm cartridge. The rifles come with a flat-top receiver and the M4-style post front sight ready to accept the optics of your choice or a back-up iron sight. Also included is one 30 round magazine built specifically to accommodate the 5.45 x 39mm round.

Smith & Wesson M&P15R 5.45x39 Rifle

[mk19]

I had read and article a while ago that tested both and the accuracy was very close to 5.56. 5.45x39 is a great round in my opinion and very accurate as well even shot out of an AK. plus ammo is cheap but corrosive.

[JeffL]

Russian 5.45x39 53grn FMJ 1080rd Can

[Guest rystine]

There's surplus ammo available on the interweb for incredibly cheap. Tough to find in a gun store though (at least I've never noticed any), so buying online or at a gunshow is probably the best way to go. Accuracy wise, I would expect it to be on par with any other bulk 5.56 ammo out of a standard M4 profile barrel. Like mk19 said, the cheap stuff is corrosive, which is it's only problem IMHO. Probably a good buy if you don't mind lots of cleaning after shooting to keep the rust away.

[mk19]

The way to combat corrosive ammo is take a small bottle of Windex with you to the range, once done shooting spray the rifle inside and out with the Windex, and then clean at later time. Apparently the amonia or what not in the Windex nuetralizes the corrosive compounds in the ammo. I've also used SW Premium Protectant Lubrecant in that manner and it has worked fine, Spray some inside the barrel and chamber and what not.One thing to be wiery about is cleaning the gas tube, once i forgot to spray my AK's and it rusted like it was cool.

[Guest 10mm4me]

since there is no ballistic advantage, and this stuff is corrosive and hard to find, I personally would stick with 5.56

[mk19]

since there is no ballistic advantage, and this stuff is corrosive and hard to find, I personally would stick with 5.56

Muzzle velocity from and M16 is better, but i doubt it is much better from a M4. either way it is minimal. 5.45x39 has some crazy ballistics though, i am not sure of the yaw rate of 5.56 but 5.45 is less than 3 inches, 7.62x39's yaw is 9 inches. that mean it would go though 9inches of flesh before it alters its course. Meaning it could go straight through someone withough bouncing around. Also 5.45 is super cheap and plenty available. You can get over 1000 rounds for around 120.

don't know much Japanese but the video is pretty self explanatory.

YouTube - M16 A1 (5.56mm) vs. AK-74 (5.45mm) [ Test Fire ]

[R1100R]

I have one and shoot the crap out of it . All surplus, likes the Polish best. I have two others SGT's at the Fort that own them. It shoots as well as any mil spec 5.56 AR I have seen. And we get to shoot them alot.

Joe @ Hear Gear SBR'd one of his and told me it ran great. Don't let the corrosive ammo bother you. Just clean with hot water or windex first step. Cheapest place

to buy is online. Locally Academy and many of the Gun Shops carry 5.45. Most of

the eastern block reserves have not been relased yet. I have heard the former East German stuff is great ammo and should be on the market soon.

BTW I got my upper from Joe. I have sold all my AR 5.56 rifles. I like this rifle this much. Got a new STG556 in 5.56.

[Guest rystine]

The way to combat corrosive ammo is take a small bottle of Windex with you to the range, once done shooting spray the rifle inside and out with the Windex, and then clean at later time. Apparently the amonia or what not in the Windex nuetralizes the corrosive compounds in the ammo. I've also used SW Premium Protectant Lubrecant in that manner and it has worked fine, Spray some inside the barrel and chamber and what not.One thing to be wiery about is cleaning the gas tube, once i forgot to spray my AK's and it rusted like it was cool.

Thats interesting. I didn't know that dealing with corrosive ammo was that easy. Never had a surplus rifle or shot surplus ammo, I guess that word "corrosive" made me avoid it without ever really looking into it.

I may seriously look into a S&W M&P15r now. The idea of shooting a centerfire AR for 1/4 the cost of 5.56 is VERY tempting. . .

[robin48]

I love mine, and ammo is cheap and plentiful.

[mk19]

I've been at 5.54x39's nuts for ages. most people did not even know the round existed.

Edited March 21, 2010 by mk19

[DMark]

Yup, at .11 a round you can't beat it.

I had 4 of the spam cans delivered last week from AIM to feed my AK-74s.

[DaveTN]

What kind of range can you guys shoot this caliber at? I’m talking about target shooting, not knock down power or effective range. Can it punch paper accurately at 300 meters? I wonder because I don’t see any bolt gun offerings in this caliber.

[mk19]

where can i find a 300 yrad range? I'll go and test. have only shot 100 yards with a 2 to 2.5 inch grouop out of an AK74

[DaveTN]

where can i find a 300 yrad range? I'll go and test. have only shot 100 yards with a 2 to 2.5 inch grouop out of an AK74

Terry Waldens place at Manchester. 300 meter rifle range.

[mk19]

anything closer than 50 some odd miles???

[DaveTN]

anything closer than 50 some odd miles???

Not that I know of.

[BimmerFreak]

I have an 11" full auto AR chambered in 5.45 and it runs like a champ.

Ammo is dirt cheap, and 0-125 meters I could tell no difference in accuracy.

* 25m zero targets were 5 rounds inside of a quarter.

[DMark]

Joe,

Are you shooting the corrosive Soviet stuff in your AR?

I've always wondered about the affect on the gas tube.

Thanks,

[BimmerFreak]

Joe,

Are you shooting the corrosive Soviet stuff in your AR?

I've always wondered about the affect on the gas tube.

Thanks,

Yeah, I bought 10k rounds of that Wolf stuff and so far, so good.

[DMark]

Yeah, I bought 10k rounds of that Wolf stuff and so far, so good.

Isn't Wolf non-corrosive?

I was referring to the Soviet stuff in the spam can.

[BimmerFreak]

I guess im such an ammo snob that I assumed you were referring to new-man "surplus" type ammo.

I have no idea how spam can stuff will run, as I see no need to dip THAT low in the ammo bucket.

Junk corrosive ammo is .17 per round

Wolf non-corrosive ammo is .22 per round

I will pay the extra nickel.....

[DMark]

.... I have no idea how spam can stuff will run, as I see no need to dip THAT low in the ammo bucket....

Agree. Didn't figure you would do that to an AR.

I have no problem at all in running corrosive ammo in my AKs since they were designed for it. It just seems natural to pour water down the barrel and gas tube of a Kalashnikov to start the cleaning.

Yet..., I watch some folks with these 5.45 uppers on their AR run the corrosive spam can stuff and I just shutter to think what they are doing to their gas tubes.

Later,

[R1100R]

I have ran wolf and surplus. The wolf is nasty as hell. As far as the gas tube I have a large syringe that I squirt water down the tube, then follow with a blast of gun scrubber. Then I blow the upper dry with air. The newer ammo seems to me to be

slightly corrosive compared to surplus that I have shot made in 50's to the 70's.

I am paying .10 a round for surplus and .24 for silver bear (good ammo). We have shot thousands of rounds of surplus.

Mine shoots better with the surplus. Maybe the lighter bullet. The rifle was designed to shoot the surplus.

Hell it's a S&W and their warranty is great. A gas tube is 11 bucks.

Edited March 23, 2010 by R1100R

[DMark]

.... I have a large syringe that I squirt water down the tube..... Hell it's a S&W and their warranty is great. A gas tube is 11 bucks.

That syringe idea is S--T Hot!

And great point about the affects on a $11.00 part.