Is there any AR chambered in 5.45x39?

[ShootAndHunt]

I start to look at a Carbine for general use (plinking, target shooting and home-defense). I have a AK and AR rifle, and I really prefer the AR platform. The problem is: the .223 seems not performing well in a carbine from what I heard, short barrel length in a Carbine greatly reduced the fragmentation of the .223.

I heard that the 5.45x39 performs pretty well in a carbine length barrel because of its unique killing mechanism different than fragmentation, but I really want a M4 instead of a AK-74, so my question is: Is there any M4 AR rifle chambered in 5.45x39? (I know that some ARs come chambered in 7.62x39 and some AKs chambered .223).

Thanks,

 

[Correia]

I believe Alexander Arms does. I do not have contact information.

Now the 5.45 ammo with the air pocket that you are thinking of is not really that available here. Most of the 5.45 ammo you can get here just uses standard bullets.

 

[natedog]

Check AR15.com. I believe some one did something like that as a custom job. I still wonder though, why bother? They're both small caliber, high velocity bullets, that depend on velocity or expansion/fragmentation to get the job done. You're free to use soft point, JHPs, etc as a civilian, greatly extending the fragmentation range of the 5.56mm. Check out Hornadys 75gr. TAP load- it'll fragment and or expand out to about 200 yards from an M-4 (14.5" barrel) IIRC.

 

[Hellion Productions]

Alexander Arms rechristened the 5.45x39mm the ".21 Genghis."

Dunno why. Marketing ploy?

http://www.alexanderarms.com

Best,
John Bear Ross

 

[DMK]

Natedog's right. Use the right ammo and .223 will do just fine in a carbine.

You're best bet is to get a 1/7 or 1/8 twist barrel and shoot a Black Hills or Hornady 75gr open tip match round(a 1/9 twist may stabilize these heavier rounds, but its the luck of the draw). A 75gr OTM out of a 16" carbine has an effective range farther than a 55gr out of a 20" barrel. If you have a 1/9 twist, even the 68gr. or 69gr OTM has a slightly better effective range out of a 16" barrel than 55gr. out of a 20".

Take a look at the charts on the top of this thread:

http://www.ar15.com/forums/topic.html?b=3&f=16&t=189353

 

[Dave Markowitz]

Another thing to keep in mind is that the military issue ammo with which the 5.45mm developed its reputation as a killer is not what you can buy here in the US.