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AR upper question.

skychaser53skychaser53 Member Posts: 344 ✭✭✭
edited October 2009 in Ask the Experts
Since I have both types of ammo,Can I take the upper off my 5.56 and put on a 7.62 upper? Is there any difference in the magazines?
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Comments

  • Mr. FriendlyMr. Friendly Member Posts: 7,981
    edited November -1
    as long as it comes with the bolt yes. Magazines are different although some use the 5.56 mags loaded with 5 rounds maximum

    *this is if you are talking about a 7.62x39 upper, if you are talking about a7.62x51 no
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  • NwcidNwcid Member Posts: 10,674 ✭
    edited November -1
    All 7.62 means is .30 caliber. We need to know what .30 caliber round you want to shoot out of it to answer the question. For example .300 Whisper, 7.62x39 will work. Things like 7.62x51, 7.62x54r, ect will not work.

    Some calibers do need different mags or at least followers to work.

    If the round you want to shoot in the gun is shorter then the mag well then it will work. If the round is longer you will need a bigger receiver.

    Top AR-15 receiver
    Middle AR-10 (normally used in .308/7.62x51 guns)
    Bottom AR-15 receiver

    DSC06749.jpg
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  • beantownshootahbeantownshootah Member Posts: 12,776 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by skychaser53
    Since I have both types of ammo,Can I take the upper off my 5.56 and put on a 7.62 upper? Is there any difference in the magazines?


    If you mean .308 Winchester type 7.62 (eg 7.62x51 Nato), you can NOT run that round through an ordinary AR-15.

    To do that, you'll need a different gun built on the larger AR-10 receiver. You'll also need different magazines.

    If you mean 7.62x39 type ammo (AK-47 Russian "short") then THAT can be run through an AR-15 with the appropriate upper.

    You also need special 7.62x39 magazines. Ordinary .223/5.56x45 mm magazines won't run the fatter 7.62x39 cartridges.

    Also, if you want to run AK-style ammo through your AR-15 gun, you may have better functioning with a special firing pin.

    This is because most military-type steel case 7.62x39 ammo is deliberately loaded with hard primers to help prevent "slam" fires in floating firing pin guns like the SKS.
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  • skychaser53skychaser53 Member Posts: 344 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    OOPS, I should have said... I meant the 7.62x39 ammo.. I had seen some 7.62x39 uppers for sale and I needed a good excuse to spend some money [;)]
    My wife will probably say" Don't you have ar15's and AK's already !"

    thanks for the help !
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  • dfletcherdfletcher Member Posts: 8,168 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by skychaser53
    Since I have both types of ammo,Can I take the upper off my 5.56 and put on a 7.62 upper? Is there any difference in the magazines?



    I have a 7.62X39 upper, don't recall which brand, but it's great fun to shoot and I kind of prefer it over the 223 for casual shooting. Magazines are greatly different than the 223, buy the CProducts brand and you'll be fine. Don't buy any of the "these work in 6.8 and X39" - because they don't. [:(!]

    I put a DNTC AK pistol brake on mine, neat little addition.
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  • MobuckMobuck Member Posts: 13,991 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    C-products is making 7.62x39 AR magazines but be advised they are a lot more expensive than standard 5.56 mags. I bought several a while back but have not tried them yet. I do have some 10 round synthetic mags that seem to work for shooting from the bench. I had not been satisfied with the performance of my upper until I spent some time reloading ammo for it. Using steel case Russian ammo it shoots groups about like an SKS as in 3-4". I loaded some Remington .308 (which measure .309+" with my primitive measuring device) and got groups around 1 1/2" with a low power scope mounted on the carry handle. Good enough for the range of the round. I also found bullet performance in wet newpaper media to be sufficient to ethically shoot deer under 150 yards.
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  • skychaser53skychaser53 Member Posts: 344 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by dfletcher
    quote:Originally posted by skychaser53
    Since I have both types of ammo,Can I take the upper off my 5.56 and put on a 7.62 upper? Is there any difference in the magazines?



    I have a 7.62X39 upper, don't recall which brand, but it's great fun to shoot and I kind of prefer it over the 223 for casual shooting. Magazines are greatly different than the 223, buy the CProducts brand and you'll be fine. Don't buy any of the "these work in 6.8 and X39" - because they don't. [:(!]

    I put a DNTC AK pistol brake on mine, neat little addition.

    DSF
    thanks ! It's good to hear from someone that used the upper. I googled the DNTC brake. That looks great !

    Mobuck.
    Here in Ohio, they won't let us hunt deer with rifles [:(]
    thank you for the mag and bullet info..

    I love this site ! !
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