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In 1974, the Soviet Union released its 5.45x39mm cartridge for use in their AK-74 rifle, which was modified from their AK-47. Following the example of the American 5.56mm cartridge, the Soviet 5.45x39mm was intended to be a replacement for the 7.62x39mm. A key difference between the cartridge of the Soviets and the cartridge of the U.S. is that Soviet designers needed only to modify a proven design (their AK-47) to have an established rifle that could fire the cartridge. However, in adopting the 5.56x45mm cartridge, the U.S. was switching to an entirely new rifle platform that had never been tested in battle.
The primary advantages to the conversion were a reduction in weight of the ammunition, as well as a noticeable decrease in recoil impact compared to the 7.62x39mm.
Though manufactured primarily in Russia to combat specifications, Hornady also produces the 5.45x39mm in the United States. They cap their cartridges with the polymer-tipped V-MAX bullets, with a load that boasts high levels of accuracy – making it successful for hunting small game. Wolf Ammunition Company sells ammo capped with hollow point bullets, soft point bullets and full metal jacket bullets. Bernaul ammunition fires boat tail bullets, claiming their cartridges are accurate and consistent enough to form a group of 100 shots in less than one inch at 100 meters.
The 5.45x39 is not wildly popular in the U.S., but it has been chambered for rifles using the AR-15 platform as well as in a rifle produced by Saiga. While it will not likely trump the popularity of the 5.56 NATO cartridge, the low recoil and great accuracy have earned this Warsaw Pact veteran a deserved place in the American ammo market for many years to come.
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Relevant Links:
5.45x39 Ammo: https://ammo.com/rifle/5.45x39-ammo
V-MAX Bullets: https://ammo.com/bullet-type/v-max
Hollow Point Bullets: https://ammo.com/bullet-type/hollow-point-hp
Soft Point Bullets: https://ammo.com/bullet-type/soft-point-sp
Full Metal Jacket Bullets: https://ammo.com/bullet-type/full-metal-jacket-fmj
5.56 NATO ammo: https://ammo.com/rifle/5.56x45-ammo