The Future (or past) of 7n6 5.45x39.

[HoughMade]

Actually, it's about import: Someone, not naming the company, inquired about import of a 5.45mm pistol (AK variant)... Hacking down already imported items isn't the same.

Well, importation of a pistol and importation of ammo are 2 different things. While the request to import an ak74 pistol may have piqued the ATF's interest, by no means is that required for it to find that a certain cartridge "may be used in a handgun". I would hope the ATF would at least only look at commercially manufactured "pistols" rather than one-offs, but we have no assurance that it will and the statute does not seem to require that.

 

[SpaldingPM]

If some goon tries to inquire about importing a 7.62x54R pistol, count on it... This administration and the current leadership of the BATFE was probably just WAITING on something like this to come along, Allah has tossed a peach into their laps...

For all the howling, however, the Red Army, Hornady, Golden Tiger, etc.. should still be available (and most of it isn't corrosive either)...

Well... if anyone hasn't already notice, there isssss a shortage on 54r surplus. At any given time, you could find LOADS of it on ammoseek, now theres only a few... and price has gone up on those few distributors. I don't know whats going on but I'm not liking this. I'm guessing that the same people who freaked out about 5.45, did the same of 54r and bought it up also. Like stated before, I'm sure whats going on in western europe isn't helping importation... especially when it comes to arms and their counterparts.

Sucks because I had plans to buy a PSL this year, but I'm not going to buy one if this crap keeps up. I also turned down the purchase of a 5.45 AR upper that I've been dying to get! If this halt sticks, then its just as cheap to shoot tula 223 as steel 5.45

Another question I have is where the hell are people getting this money? They have to be maxing out every charge card they have! I'm sure the same people who went and bought all the 5.45 they could, were the same ones buying all the ammo during the panic. Its not that far past christmas either... which I hope people spent more on gifts for others than fulfilling their prepping tendency.

I make a little above average income and I didn't flip out during the panic with my buying, and I sure as hell couldn't justify buying such an astronomical amount of ammo. I feel bad for the wives haha!

 

[Beowulf]

Now here's a good question: if we are sitting on 7n6, should we shoot it or keep it?

Fortuitously, I seem to have picked up a couple crates right at the lowest point in the price valley of where it dropped back down to after the price hikes but before the invasion of Crimea and this stupid ban.

So, should I just leave it alone and start buying factory 5.45x39 (which I had been considering doing anyway, since it's not corrosive) or just shoot it up and switch to factory down the road?

 

[HoughMade]

Now here's a good question: if we are sitting on 7n6, should we shoot it or keep it?

Fortuitously, I seem to have picked up a couple crates right at the lowest point in the price valley of where it dropped back down to after the price hikes but before the invasion of Crimea and this stupid ban.

So, should I just leave it alone and start buying factory 5.45x39 (which I had been considering doing anyway, since it's not corrosive) or just shoot it up and switch to factory down the road?

Only idiots will pay more for that than for higher quality commercial ammo.....so it looks like you could make a bundle.

 

[STEEL CORE]

So some American ammo company starts production of 5.45x39 eh?

 

[wsenefeld]

Now here's a good question: if we are sitting on 7n6, should we shoot it or keep it?

Fortuitously, I seem to have picked up a couple crates right at the lowest point in the price valley of where it dropped back down to after the price hikes but before the invasion of Crimea and this stupid ban.

So, should I just leave it alone and start buying factory 5.45x39 (which I had been considering doing anyway, since it's not corrosive) or just shoot it up and switch to factory down the road?

I'm going to save my surplus and start shooting new production. No worry about corrosion (not that I was worried before) and if shtf, I'd rather have the 7n6.

 

[Disposable Heart]

So some American ammo company starts production of 5.45x39 eh?

Maybe...

Probably would go like:
Federal would need two years for R&D and tooling, ammo would be $30 a box of 20 for a few years until they amortize it all out.

Remington would make ammo, but would be costly for a while, settling back down to a mediocre cost and mediocre value.

Winchester would have S&B or Fiocchi make it, lol, or they would make a crazy bonded soft point for hogs that would work well on humans while everyone else would be making FMJ.

Hornady is making it now, but with domestic component bullets and foreign cases. Would be a while for any brass cased stuff.

Ultramax would blow up a few guns.

Reloading companies MAY make components but limited in scope (look at Sierra's offerings for 7.62x39 and 7.62x54R/.303 components, they are there, but limited)

For foriegn, but "acceptable" manufacturers...

Fiocchi, I would see them getting on this. They made 4.7mm HK almost as soon as the MP7 was made.

Suprised Prvi isn't already on it with brass cased stuff.

As a side note: The "import ban" looks to be limited to 7N ammo, not Wolf or others. Though, count on that drying up as the Fudds run amok thinking it's all 5.45, then here come the neckbeards trying to sell it off for beaucoup. I'm becoming really disenchanted with our industry and the people trying anything to make a buck...

 

[HoughMade]

I've seen at least 4 or 5 posts on INGO where people apparently think ALL 5.45x39 is illegal now. oof.

 

[Disposable Heart]

I've seen at least 4 or 5 posts on INGO where people apparently think ALL 5.45x39 is illegal now. oof.

Gun Wars, the Fudds Strike Back

 

[Beowulf]

Well, honestly if this had to happen, it's better that it happened now, now that Wolf, Bear, and Red Army (which is Century, I think) are importing new manufactured non-steel core 5.45x39 rounds.

If this had happened 3 or 4 years ago, it basically would have killed the AK-74 platform.

What I find a bit funny is that Arsenal literally just ended production on the SLR106 platform, the Bulgarian 5.56 AK-74, in favor of a proper 5.45x39 variant... just in time for the ammo market to skew. Good thing my two AK SBRs I am building are both based on the 5.56 platform (a PAP M85 Krink and a Bulgarian SLR106 faux-krink).

 

[sbz]

dansammo has 7n6 in stock if anyone is interested. 209 a tin or 410 a crate. When I called yesterday they said they have plenty left. Everywhere else seems to be sold out.

 

[JettaKnight]

Rumors spread......FAST! I let a friend of mine know of the up and coming sanctions on Russia, and he promptly went and bought a case of the stuff. I wouldn't be surprised if none of the ammo was being imported currently. Who knows though? Rumors spread like wildfire. Apparently we aren't importing x54r and Mosins anymore either

I suspect it all sanction related, not due to the ATF stuff the video talked about

FIFY.

Gun rumors move much, much faster than the ATF. We've all been down this road before...


Wait, we're still on the road. I just checked Nattchez for in stock .22LR:

I'm sorry, I was not able to find any records to match your request. Please try again.

 

[arthrimus]

The people on this thread that are saying it's no big deal because only the armor piercing stuff is being banned clearly don't know anything about 5.45X39. The "armor piercing" steel core stuff is the only surplus there is. The only other ammo available is new production at at least 50% higher prices. The whole point of owning a 5.45 is to shoot cheap 7n6 ammo. The 5.45 AR that I built a few months ago is literally useless now, because it will be easier and cheaper for me to shoot my 5.56 AR with Tulammo from walmart than it will be for me to track down new production 5.45.

 

[Beowulf]

The people on this thread that are saying it's no big deal because only the armor piercing stuff is being banned clearly don't know anything about 5.45X39. The "armor piercing" steel core stuff is the only surplus there is. The only other ammo available is new production at at least 50% higher prices. The whole point of owning a 5.45 is to shoot cheap 7n6 ammo. The 5.45 AR that I built a few months ago is literally useless now, because it will be easier and cheaper for me to shoot my 5.56 AR with Tulammo from walmart than it will be for me to track down new production 5.45.

I can say I'm not too pleased with this either, but the gravy train of cheap surplus was heading near the end anyway. Over the past few years, the price of a 1080 round tin has gone up from $90 to $130 to $250 (panic prices) and then settled back down around $190 before this announcement.

Meanwhile production ammo went from non-existant, to super expensive Hornady, to roughly $260 for the same amount (though weirdly, it seems to be only sold in lots of 750 or 1200) for Eastern European made new production. So, you are right, it is a 40 to 50% increase, but it's still in line with 5.56 and 7.62x39, both calibers which went through a similar phase much ealier (90's for 5.56 and 7.62x39, with some spill over into the 00's for 7.62).

So, for you shooting your AR, this does suck, but on the other hand, I've seen new production 5.45x39 pretty widely available online for the price I listed above and while you pay shipping, you don't pay sales tax.

 

[JettaKnight]

I've never tried the Hornady, but the Silver Bear is pretty good - and non-corrosive.