Would you use the 5.45x39 for hunting?

Dust

New member
Been thinking I should finally own a 5.56 upper, but would need to move another due to space for ammo and rifle. The upper to move is a Model 1 Sales 5.45x39, was bought new, and has a less than 100 rds through it. Functions 99% of the time with a lightened Mil-spec trigger. Light fire on one round. I have another newer lower with Hiperfire 24C, so light fires shouldn’t matter, as it eats everything 7.62x39 except sunken primers. I have, and will order more of Wolf’s 55gr Soft point if I decide to keep it,


as it feeds well, which is rare for ARs, and some AKs, and as seen above, has good expansion for $.27/rd currently.

Hornady has a V-max load


and I have “almost enough” 7n6.


I haven’t shot for groups, but where I will be hunting, 200 yards or less, accuracy should be enough.

Use will be predators down.
 
There's nothing wrong with using a 5.45 for predators, that 60 gr hornady load is pretty cool.
I haven't used one, but my brother has one I believe. I do know that a 60 gr at that velocity works.

I would, however, try to make it function that last 1% of the time.
 
CZ, like I said in the OP, original lower had a Bill Springfield massaged trigger group. I now have a Hiperfire 24C that has the highest hammer energy currently available, so if it won't set it off, then I don't think anything will. Anything I take hunting has and will be tested for at least 1 box of ammo.

My concern is the V-max and bigger animals. The 55gr. SP would be more forgiving for canines would it not?
 
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I have a 16 inch 5.45 x 39 that I built several years ago. I thought I was just going to use it to burn up several tins of that cheap military ammo until I tried some of Hornady's 60 grain steel cased ammo. The Hornady shot great (less than an inch at 100 yards). I have shot several coyotes with the 60 grainers out to about 350 yards. A coyote cannot tell the difference between it and a 5.56
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Wyoman, did you have any splash wounds? And what upper was it? I don't even hope to be sub moa. Less than 3 would be great. It's not so much a caliber "pissing contest", just wanted to make sure that it will be "enough" gun for the intended target, which, at least in your case, it is.
 
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I really think that the 60 gr is the best choice. I have not yet seen one fail in action. I've used a lot of it myself, and one of my calling partners orders it by the case loaded by Black Hills. It's a good bullet anywhere around 3000 fps, with a lot of give and take.
 
CZ527, only issue I see is that the 5.45 is a .221, so they either swage their .224, or it's a different bullet.
 
I never experienced any splash wounds and have no complaints with those 60 grain bullets. I put this rifle together a long time ago. The only barrel I could get then was an olympic arms. I knew a guy who had an "in" with them and he got me a barrel. I picked up a bolt and six mags off of gunbroker. Like I said before, my intent was to build a truck rifle to shoot cheap military stuff. It turned out much nicer than expected.
 
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