M&P 15R

[Wolfy 51]

Looks interesting chambered for the cheaper 5.45X39.

 

Ballistics similar to 5.56.

[Maksim 1,504]

Question is.... how much ammo will you be able to find, and is it really going to be cheaper to a. find ammo that is non mil surplus. (because borders can be closed at any time)

b. reload, if it came to it.

 

But it does look very interesting.

[rscalzo 3]

cheaper 5.45X39.

 

5.56 is readily available. 5.34 x 39 not really. I'd stay away from it. Resale is not going to be nearly as good as the 5.56. Unless you reload for it, I don't see a savings.

 

But it's your dime so do whatever pleases you.

[Guest]

the only foreign caliber i own is 7.62x39.. and i am keeping it that way.. seems to me if the current administration wants to screw us in a discrete way they will find a way to indirectly hurt ammo importation... to me.. that seems like a really simple way to hurt gun enthusiasts without causing a ton of alarm.. no ammo equals a useless gun..

 

im trying to keep my firearms collection down to domestic calibers..

[Caine 147]

5.45 is currently readily available online. Regarding price, the surplus (corrosive) stuff can be had for about $150/1080. Commercial runs about $170/750. The savings are there if you buy in bulk... but not nearly as big a savings as it was during the peak of "the panic". However, as you guys have mentioned, availability is somewhat of a concern. Milsurp will eventually dry up. I read something recently that the current inventory of milsurp that's already in the country may be one of the last shipments coming in... no idea how accurate that statement is. I've also read that Hornady will start making 5.45. If that's the case, supply may not be that much of an issue - the real question there is how much will factory US made 5.45 cost cost compared to 5.56. Time will tell I guess

[Wolfy 51]

Caine good point about domestic production versus foreign. Just look at domestically produced 7.62X39.

 

Wolf does make current 5.45 so it is readily available.

 

Don't know what I want just bouncing ideas around.

[Maksim 1,504]

Caine good point about domestic production versus foreign. Just look at domestically produced 7.62X39.

 

Wolf does make current 5.45 so it is readily available.

 

Don't know what I want just bouncing ideas around.

 

Wolfy, wolf still is russian import. At any point in time there is a riff between bam bam and putin, closed doors.

 

Unless you just buy up a ton of hte mil surplus stuff.... er...

 

this is pointless....

 

Wolfy, if you buy into this ammo as you do into everything else, you will not have ammo access issues in the future. :mrgreen:

 

Worst case, start reloading for it.

 

I would really love to see another firearm start adapting this cal.

[Wolfy 51]

I like the fact ammo is cheaper and yeah I knew Wolf is imported.

[Maksim 1,504]

I like the fact ammo is cheaper and yeah I knew Wolf is imported.

 

 

get it by all means.

 

then get an ak74 to match. =)

 

but it is a good sign that smith wesson is following up and adopting it as well.

 

its weird as hell.

 

here we are talking about smith wesson in a russian caliber... and I was just looking at Veprs in 308's, 223's, =)

[Wolfy 51]

Just shows how foward thinking the geniuses at S&W are. Ammo gets expensive so provide an AR in an inexpensive caliber with similar ballistics as the 5.56.

[Maksim 1,504]

Just shows how foward thinking the geniuses at S&W are. Ammo gets expensive so provide an AR in an inexpensive caliber with similar ballistics as the 5.56.

 

 

That or Mr Putin just became majority shareholder of SWHC stock. =)

[Caine 147]

Just shows how foward thinking the geniuses at S&W are. Ammo gets expensive so provide an AR in an inexpensive caliber with similar ballistics as the 5.56.

 

That's exactly it, in my opinion. S&W is trying to become a big player in the AR market, and they are doing one hell of a job. They've got the "regular" AR market covered with quite a few different configurations in a few different price points. And they've done really well in that market. Now they're going "outside the box" with the 5.45 offerings AND the complete .22 AR. Given the cost of ammo, it's a REALLY smart business decision. The .22 is a no brainer. The 5.45 is a little riskier given some of the questions regarding the availability of 5.45, but none the less, I think it'll work out for them. Like you said, 5.45 is a good round with ballistics & recoil that's similar to 5.56, but at a more consumer friendly price.

[Maksim 1,504]

worst case... we will have plenty of m&p 15r's at a discount.

[Guest]

maybe a conversion would be cool like the other caliber conversions.. so if i wanted to just throw it on my existing lower.. that would be kind of cool..

[Wolfy 51]

Smith does offer a complete upper.

[Ray Ray 3,566]

Little fyi

you can use 5.56 mags for the 5.45 round and you can shoot 5.45 rounds in a 5.56 rifle (Not as accurate, but would function in a pinch).

But not the other way around.

If more American ammo makers started making ammo in 5.45, it might take off, but you can't depend on foreign ammo much longer. Not with the current administration anyway.

[DaveWaters 0]

Little fyi

you can use 5.56 mags for the 5.45 round and you can shoot 5.45 rounds in a 5.56 rifle (Not as accurate, but would function in a pinch).

But not the other way around.

If more American ammo makers started making ammo in 5.45, it might take off, but you can't depend on foreign ammo much longer. Not with the current administration anyway.

 

I don't think that its safe to use 5.45 in a 5.56 rifle or that it would even chamber. Correct me if I'm wrong but a 5.45x39 is 6mm shorter than a 5.56x45.

[Ray Ray 3,566]

I had read an article on the 15R in a gun magazine (can't remember which) and it said that you can use 5.45 ammo in 5.56 mags and 5.56 rifles. I'd love to find the article but I bet if you call S&W they'd tell you the same thing.

[DaveWaters 0]

I could see it working with .223/5.56 AR magazines because it would mean no change to the lower and no special mags but I cant imagine a shorter round working in a gun chambered for a longer round. Kinda like a 7.62x39 working in a 7.62x51 or x54 chambered gun. Please understand that I'm not trying to start an argument here. I just wouldnt want someone to try something that is potentially unsafe because they read it here.

 

-Dave

[DaveWaters 0]

I couldnt seem to find the answer online with a quick search but after seeing this pic I realized the 6mm difference is in case length not overall length so i could see the round chambering in a 5.56 but since the neck wont be fully seated i would think that the case would pretty much blow apart and may not cycle

 

Actually after taking a closer look... the 5.45 case looks larger in diameter to the 5.56

[Ray Ray 3,566]

I bet if you call S&W that they would tell you the same thing. Those Russians are pretty smart. There rounds work in our guns but our rounds don't work in their guns.

[coldsolderjoint 84]

The 5.45 will get stuck half way in the chamber of a .223. I have had to pry about half a dozen of these from AR-15 rifles and carbines that people will 'mistakenly' load the magazine with the 5.45s instead of the 5.56s. Its funny to me how the story is always how "a buddy of mine got this cartridge stuck in my rifle..." On the other hand, the 5.56/.223 will not chamber in the 5.45X39. They are too long and will not let the bolt cam into the locking position. They wont get stuck but could be very dangerous if your rifle is capable of firing out of battery....

 

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