7.62x39 AR build

[walking arsenal]

I want to build an 7.62x39 AR for a short range deer gun. No particular reason as to why, mostly just because i can.

But before i go and run of to buy a bunch of parts, i need to ask some questions.

First is mags.

I've read that it is difficult to find 7.62x39 mags for ARs. However since this is a hunting rifle i dont need the higher cap mags. Will a 20 round standard AR mag work with 4 or 5 rounds of 7.62x39? Or do i have to buy mags made for the AR and that round.

Second, i see 7.62x39 bolts for sale on a few websites. Will the bolt fit a .223carrier or is there a 7.62 bolt carrier i need for it as well.

What about buffers and buffer springs?


The plan here is that i've recently finished building an AR from parts. I already have one so i figure this one i can play with. What i want to do is rebarrel it in 7.62x39, add the new bolt to the carrier i have and run my 20 round mags in it.

Inexpensive way to do it i suppose.

What do you think?

 

[jobu07]

Sounds like a good avenue to persue. But you are correct about the mags being an issue. High cap has been hard to find. But you should be able to load a few in a standard 20 rounder or 30 until you get to the curvature without problems.

 

[Rexrider]

walking arsenal,

My very first AR was a Colt Sporter in 7.62x39 I purchased back in '92 ( and to think it only cost $600).

I can tell you magazines are the bane of a 7.62 AR. USA used to make mags for the 7.62 AR but of course, were hit or miss. I did manage to get 3 that worked. Then there is what is called Franken mags. These are mags fabricated from AK mags to fit the AR. These actually worked and worked well. I had five of them. Good luck finding any these days and if you do, I imagine they will be painfully expensive. I saw one (as in 1) at a guns show last year. Price tag was $50.

You can use standard 20 rd AR .223 mags but you are limited to how many rounds you can load. Ten rounds will fit, but don't feed very well due to tappered rounds in a straight body mag. 5 to 7 rds is all the would feed reliably. Another problem I found was the spot weld at the top of the mag would fail from the stress on the mag when loaded with 10 rds. I broke many a 20 rd mag trying to find a way to make them work ( good thing they only cost $4 back then).

As far as the buffer and spring. I am pretty sure there is a 7.62 buffer and spring. This is based on when I added a collapsible stock to my AR using the buffer and spring that came with the collapsible stock. It did not cycle very well. My shoulder knew something was very wrong as well. I went back to the A2 stock with original spring and buffer.

I don't know if the bolt carrier is different. I did not know enough about ARs back to tell the difference.

That AR has long been sold and I never really missed it. It was not a bad rifle, I just wish I had bought it in .223. I would probably still have it if it was in .223.

The 7.62x39 has its place. Just not in the AR platform (just my opinion). I am not saying you should not build one for yourself but there are so many other choices for dear hunting that would serve you better.

 

[mchgnmike]

I have been toying with building a 7.62x39 AR myself for some time now. I don't have enough money to spend playing with the idea. However I did find someone that is making a lower for an AR-15 that accepts AK-47 magazines. How cool is that?? Now if it works it would even be cooler.
Here is the link:
http://www.ar47.com/index.html

 

[rbernie]

I have several 7.62x39 AR-15's that I built for hunting deer and hogs - this is my 16" shorty:

Magazines *are* an issue - you can get MGW 10rd units that work, or stuff 4-5 rounds in standard AR15 magazines, but that's about it unless you get lucky enough to find an old FrankenMag (AR straight mag welded to curved AK mag lower). MGW also makes 5rd mags if your state requires that limit.

All you should need to make a 7.62x39 AR is the barrel and bolt - everything else is standard AR-15 stuff.

 

[Crosshair]

The problem with mags in the AR is that the AR magwell is straight and 7.62x39 needs a curved mag. Has anyone ever made a 5.45x39 AR. No point to doing it except to have something different though.

 

[KC&97TA]

I'd say to by pass the 7.62x39, I've heard about the mag problems again and again.

the 6.8mm is starting to grow in 'popularity' amongst military units that can get thier hands on them, but it's said to be a round relitive to the .270, but with a shorter case, the recoil is said to be just a tad more than 5.56, pretty quick and flat, ammo production is a problem, I'm told there's only about 8 companys makeing the ammo, the mags are expensive too from what I've seen.

There is also the AR-10 out there, the reciever's and uppers aren't compatable with an AR-15, but you're chambered in .308 for deer hunting.

 

[beerslurpy]

You would think that 6.5 grendel would make a lot more sense in an AK.

 

[walking arsenal]

Five round mags i can deal with, this is going to be a gun for game. I dont need a 30 round mag to hunt deer. Unless they're venimous deer, then its different story.

The problems with 6.8 SPC and 6.5 Grendel is that they are fabulous cartridges if you can find them, which you cant. Maybe at gunshows and of course if you want to order them off the net, wait two weeks for delivery and pay an arm and a leg for shipping.

Not my cup of tea.

Ammo availability is a huge deal to me.

All the other wonder cartridges for the AR would be great if i could pick up a box or two at the local gander mountain.

But i cant.

That takes them totally off the list as far as an option for this project.

 

[M110]

C-product is comming out with stainless steel 7.62x39 mags at the end of the month.

http://cproductsllc.com/cgi-bin/htmlos.cgi/0076.5.724447462300007322


I have a 1 SS 6.8 mag on order to make sure it functions correctly. Hope it does! I dont EVER want to have to pay for PRI over priced mags again.

 

[rbernie]

The problem with mags in the AR is that the AR magwell is straight and 7.62x39 needs a curved mag.

True enough if you want a high-cap magazine, but pretty much a non-issue for five or ten rounders. Look at the MGW - it manages to reliably feed 10 rounds thru a stright magwell just fine. It's not like feeding tapered cases thru a straight magwell has not been done before - I have four Enfields that manage to do it just fine. You just have to have a mag follower that can tilt appropriately, and you have to accept that there are limits to how much you can let it tilt (like @ ten rounds). The Frankenmag pretty much solves this problem, but it's not cost-effective to make given the low demand for them at this time.

The problems with 6.8 SPC and 6.5 Grendel is that they are fabulous cartridges if you can find them, which you can't. Maybe at gunshows and of course if you want to order them off the net, wait two weeks for delivery and pay an arm and a leg for shipping.

Well, I kinda disagree with this. Any shop in which I can find hunting-quality 7.62x39 ammo also stocks 6.8SPC ammo. And neither of my 7.62x39 ARs will reliably work with steel-cased ammo. Now, there *are* more choices in 7.62x39 hunting ammo than there are in 6.8SPC or 6.5 Grendel if you don't handload, but access to 6.8SPC seems to be pretty good overall.

 

[walking arsenal]

Maybe in good ol' texas. But it's still pretty scarce up here in Northern Minnesota.

The way i hear it your deer arent much bigger than our rabbits anyhow.

 

[rbernie]

The way i hear it your deer arent much bigger than our rabbits anyhow.

But they're still yummy.

My experience has been that a 7.62x39 125gr Sierra ProHunter works just fine as a hunting round on just about any critter under 200lbs and inside of 200 yards. That's why I have two 7.62x39 rifles - they work for what I need 'em to do.

But were I in the panhandle or further out south/west where the shots can exceed 200 yards, I'd probably be willing to mail-order 6.8SPC as the price of having the legs needed to step out that far.

 

[mordechaianiliewicz]

Tell me again why you want an AR in 7.62 Combloc?

 

[Lone_Gunman]

He has already said for hunting deer.

It doesn't really matter why he wants it though, does it?

 

[walking arsenal]

Tell me again why you want an AR in 7.62 Combloc?

In case you missed it.

I want to build an 7.62x39 AR for a short range deer gun. No particular reason as to why, mostly just because I can.

 

[Number 6]

Has anyone ever made a 5.45x39 AR. No point to doing it except to have something different though.

Yes, Alexander Arms made the .21 Genghis upper receiver, which is what they are calling 5.45x39. It's not up on their website anymore, so I do not know if they are making it anymore, but Impactguns is still listing them.

http://www.impactguns.com/store/AL-R-GENOM.html

 

[Tokugawa]

Try this- www.ar47.com Ar lowers that use ak mags. Don't know a thing about them but sounds interesting.