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5.45×39mm
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5.45×39mm
The 5.45×39 mm cartridge is a rimless bottlenecked intermediate cartridge. It was introduced into service in 1974 by the Soviet Union for use with the new AK-74. The 5.45×39 mm gradually supplemented and then largely replaced the 7.62×39mm cartridge in Soviet and Warsaw Pact service as the primary military service rifle cartridge.
The 5.45×39 mm cartridge was developed in the early 1970s by a group of Soviet designers and engineers under the direction of M. Sabelnikov. Further group members were: L. I. Bulavsky, B. B. Semin, M. E. Fedorov, P. F. Sazonov, V. Volkov, V. A. Nikolaev, E. E. Zimin and P. S. Korolev. The 5.45×39 mm couples a sensible case volume (1.75 ml) to bore area (23.99 mm2/0.2399 cm2) ratio with ample space for loading relatively long slender projectiles that can provide good aerodynamic efficiency and external ballistic performance for the projectile diameter.
The 5.45×39 mm is an example of an international tendency towards relatively small-sized, lightweight, high-velocity military service cartridges. Cartridges like the 5.45×39 mm, 5.56×45mm NATO and Chinese 5.8×42mm allow a soldier to carry more ammunition for the same weight compared to their larger and heavier predecessor cartridges, have favourable maximum point-blank range or "battle zero" characteristics and produce relatively low bolt thrust and free recoil impulse, favouring lightweight arms design and automatic fire accuracy.
The Soviet original military issue 7N6 cartridge variant introduced in 1974 is loaded with full metal jacket bullets that have a somewhat complex construction. The 3.43 g (52.9 gr) 25.55 mm (1.01 in) long boat-tail projectile's jacket is clad in gilding metal. The unhardened 1.43 g (22.1 gr) steel (steel 10) rod penetrator core is covered by a thin lead inlay which does not fill the entire point end, leaving a hollow cavity inside the nose. The bullet is cut to length during the manufacturing process to give the correct weight. The 7N6 uses a boat-tail design to reduce drag and there is a small lead plug crimped in place in the base of the bullet. The lead plug, in combination with the air space at the point of the bullet, has the effect of moving the bullet's center of gravity to the rear; the hollow air space also makes the bullet's point prone to deformation when the bullet strikes anything solid, inducing yaw. The brown-lacquered steel case is Berdan primed. Its 39.37 mm (1.55 in) length makes it slightly longer than the 7.62×39 mm case which measures exactly 38.60 mm (1.52 in). The primer has a copper cup and is sealed with a heavy red lacquer. The propellant charge is a ball powder with similar burning characteristics to the WC844 powder used in 5.56×45mm NATO ammunition. The 7N6 cartridge weight is 10.75 g (165.9 gr).[citation needed]
Tests indicate the free recoil energy delivered by the 5.45×39 mm AK-74 assault rifle is 3.39 J (2.50 ft⋅lb), compared to 6.44 J (4.75 ft⋅lb) delivered by the 5.56×45 mm NATO in the M16 assault rifle and 7.19 J (5.30 ft⋅lb) delivered by the 7.62×39 mm in the AKM assault rifle.
Military 5.45×39 mm ammunition was produced in the former Soviet Union, and in the GDR, and is produced in Bulgaria, Poland and Romania. In the former Soviet Union this ammunition is produced in Russia, Armenia, and Azerbaijan. Ukraine used to produce Soviet small arms ammunition before the Russians took over the Luhansk Cartridge Plant in 2014, but managed to resume production of 5.45×39 mm in 2024 and start producing 5.56×45 mm NATO ammunition as well. Kazakhstan plans on producing several types of small arms ammunition including the 5.45×39 mm, with mass production expected to begin in 2024.
When the AK-74 saw service during the Soviet-Afghan War, the original 5.45×39 mm 7N6 ball round quickly became known amongst the Afghan mujahideen as the "poison bullet": it caused more damage to internal tissue and organs in comparison to the 7.62×39 mm round used by the AK-47 and AKM (thanks to tumbling caused by the air space in the tip). Wounded fighters, often left untreated for days coupled with a severe shortage of antibiotics, quickly developed infections including gangrene, leading the mujahideen to mistakenly believe that the Soviets made use of poisoned bullets.
During April 2024 of the Russo-Ukrainian War Ukrainian forces used predominately 5.45×39 mm ammunition according to an American national Jonathan Poquette, a member of the Chosen Company, attached to the Ukrainian 59th Motorized Brigade. He cited a number of reasons, firstly an unorganised donation of rifles that fired NATO standard 5.56×45mm NATO. Some unit received these weapons, others did not. Secondly the lack of donation of 5.56×45 mm NATO ammunition recently along with other shortages of aid from the West. The third reason is the fact that Ukraine was part of the Soviet Union. Meaning that weapons firing 5.45×39 mm ammunition are more widely available. Further Russian forces use it as their standard ammunition. Saying that "if you go and you attack a Russian position and you need to resupply, the Russians are usually going to have 5.45×39 mm."
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5.45×39mm
The 5.45×39 mm cartridge is a rimless bottlenecked intermediate cartridge. It was introduced into service in 1974 by the Soviet Union for use with the new AK-74. The 5.45×39 mm gradually supplemented and then largely replaced the 7.62×39mm cartridge in Soviet and Warsaw Pact service as the primary military service rifle cartridge.
The 5.45×39 mm cartridge was developed in the early 1970s by a group of Soviet designers and engineers under the direction of M. Sabelnikov. Further group members were: L. I. Bulavsky, B. B. Semin, M. E. Fedorov, P. F. Sazonov, V. Volkov, V. A. Nikolaev, E. E. Zimin and P. S. Korolev. The 5.45×39 mm couples a sensible case volume (1.75 ml) to bore area (23.99 mm2/0.2399 cm2) ratio with ample space for loading relatively long slender projectiles that can provide good aerodynamic efficiency and external ballistic performance for the projectile diameter.
The 5.45×39 mm is an example of an international tendency towards relatively small-sized, lightweight, high-velocity military service cartridges. Cartridges like the 5.45×39 mm, 5.56×45mm NATO and Chinese 5.8×42mm allow a soldier to carry more ammunition for the same weight compared to their larger and heavier predecessor cartridges, have favourable maximum point-blank range or "battle zero" characteristics and produce relatively low bolt thrust and free recoil impulse, favouring lightweight arms design and automatic fire accuracy.
The Soviet original military issue 7N6 cartridge variant introduced in 1974 is loaded with full metal jacket bullets that have a somewhat complex construction. The 3.43 g (52.9 gr) 25.55 mm (1.01 in) long boat-tail projectile's jacket is clad in gilding metal. The unhardened 1.43 g (22.1 gr) steel (steel 10) rod penetrator core is covered by a thin lead inlay which does not fill the entire point end, leaving a hollow cavity inside the nose. The bullet is cut to length during the manufacturing process to give the correct weight. The 7N6 uses a boat-tail design to reduce drag and there is a small lead plug crimped in place in the base of the bullet. The lead plug, in combination with the air space at the point of the bullet, has the effect of moving the bullet's center of gravity to the rear; the hollow air space also makes the bullet's point prone to deformation when the bullet strikes anything solid, inducing yaw. The brown-lacquered steel case is Berdan primed. Its 39.37 mm (1.55 in) length makes it slightly longer than the 7.62×39 mm case which measures exactly 38.60 mm (1.52 in). The primer has a copper cup and is sealed with a heavy red lacquer. The propellant charge is a ball powder with similar burning characteristics to the WC844 powder used in 5.56×45mm NATO ammunition. The 7N6 cartridge weight is 10.75 g (165.9 gr).[citation needed]
Tests indicate the free recoil energy delivered by the 5.45×39 mm AK-74 assault rifle is 3.39 J (2.50 ft⋅lb), compared to 6.44 J (4.75 ft⋅lb) delivered by the 5.56×45 mm NATO in the M16 assault rifle and 7.19 J (5.30 ft⋅lb) delivered by the 7.62×39 mm in the AKM assault rifle.
Military 5.45×39 mm ammunition was produced in the former Soviet Union, and in the GDR, and is produced in Bulgaria, Poland and Romania. In the former Soviet Union this ammunition is produced in Russia, Armenia, and Azerbaijan. Ukraine used to produce Soviet small arms ammunition before the Russians took over the Luhansk Cartridge Plant in 2014, but managed to resume production of 5.45×39 mm in 2024 and start producing 5.56×45 mm NATO ammunition as well. Kazakhstan plans on producing several types of small arms ammunition including the 5.45×39 mm, with mass production expected to begin in 2024.
When the AK-74 saw service during the Soviet-Afghan War, the original 5.45×39 mm 7N6 ball round quickly became known amongst the Afghan mujahideen as the "poison bullet": it caused more damage to internal tissue and organs in comparison to the 7.62×39 mm round used by the AK-47 and AKM (thanks to tumbling caused by the air space in the tip). Wounded fighters, often left untreated for days coupled with a severe shortage of antibiotics, quickly developed infections including gangrene, leading the mujahideen to mistakenly believe that the Soviets made use of poisoned bullets.
During April 2024 of the Russo-Ukrainian War Ukrainian forces used predominately 5.45×39 mm ammunition according to an American national Jonathan Poquette, a member of the Chosen Company, attached to the Ukrainian 59th Motorized Brigade. He cited a number of reasons, firstly an unorganised donation of rifles that fired NATO standard 5.56×45mm NATO. Some unit received these weapons, others did not. Secondly the lack of donation of 5.56×45 mm NATO ammunition recently along with other shortages of aid from the West. The third reason is the fact that Ukraine was part of the Soviet Union. Meaning that weapons firing 5.45×39 mm ammunition are more widely available. Further Russian forces use it as their standard ammunition. Saying that "if you go and you attack a Russian position and you need to resupply, the Russians are usually going to have 5.45×39 mm."