5.

45x39mm
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Soviet 5.45x39mm round was introduced 5.45x39mm M74

into service in 1974 for use with the new AK-74
assault rifle. It gradually supplemented and then
largely replaced the 7.62x39mm round in service.

Contents 5.45x39mm cartridge

■ 1 Design details Type Rifle

■ 2 Cartridge dimensions Place of origin Soviet Union
■ 3 Wounding effects Service history
■ 4 5.45x39mm cartridge variants In service 1974–present
■ 4.1 Enhanced penetration Used by Soviet Union/Russian
cartridges Federation, former Soviet
■ 4.2 Tracer cartridges republics
■ 4.3 Training and instruction Wars Afghan War, Georgian
cartridges Civil War, First Chechen
■ 4.4 Special purpose cartridges War, Second Chechen
War, Yugoslav Wars
■ 5 References
Production history
■ 6 External links
Designed 1972
Specifications
Case type Steel, rimless, bottleneck
Design details Bullet diameter 5.60 mm (0.220 in)
Neck diameter 6.29 mm (0.248 in)
The Russian original military issue 5N7-
specification 5.45mm bullets are a somewhat Shoulder diameter 9.25 mm (0.364 in)
complex full metal jacket design. The 56 gr (3.6 Base diameter 10.00 mm (0.394 in)
g) boattail projectile has a gilding-metal-clad Rim diameter 10.00 mm (0.394 in)
jacket. The unhardened steel core is covered by a Rim thickness 1.50 mm (0.059 in)
thin lead coating which does not fill the entire Case length 39.82 mm (1.568 in)
point end, leaving a hollow cavity inside the Overall length 57.00 mm (2.244 in)
nose. The bullet is cut to length during the Rifling twist 255 mm (1 in 10inch or 1
manufacturing process to give the correct weight. in 8inch)
The 5N7 uses a boattail design to reduce drag and Primer type Berdan, small rifle
there is a small lead plug crimped in place in the
Maximum pressure 380.00 MPa (55,114 psi)
base of the bullet. The lead plug, in combination
with the air space at the point of the bullet, has Ballistic performance
the effect of moving the bullet's center of gravity Bullet weight/type Velocity Energy
to the rear; the hollow air space also makes the 3.2 g (49 gr) 5N7 FMJ mild 915 m/s 1,340 J (990
steel core (3,000 ft/s) ft·lbf)
bullet's point prone to deformation when the
3.43 g (52.9 gr) 7N6 FMJ 880 m/s 1,328 J (979
bullet strikes anything solid, inducing yaw. The hardened steel core (2,900 ft/s) ft·lbf)
brown-lacquered steel case is Berdan-primed. Its
3.62 g (55.9 gr) 7N10 FMJ 880 m/s 1,402 J
39.37 mm (1.55 in) length makes it slightly enhanced penetration (2,900 ft/s) (1,034 ft·lbf)
longer than the 7.62x39mm case which measures 3.68 g (56.8 gr) 7N22 AP 890 m/s 1,457 J
exactly 38.60 mm (1.52 in). The primer has a hardened steel core (2,900 ft/s) (1,075 ft·lbf)
copper cup and is sealed with a heavy red
lacquer. The propellant charge is a ball powder 5.2 g (80 gr) 7U1 subsonic 303 m/s (990 239 J (176
with similar burning characteristics to the WC for silenced AKS-74UB ft/s) ft·lbf)
844 powder used in 5.56x45mm NATO Test barrel length: 415 mm (16.6 in) and 200 mm (7.9 in)
ammunition. for 7U1
Source: [1]

Cartridge dimensions
The 5.45x39mm has 1.75 ml (27 grains H2O) cartridge case capacity.

5.45x39mm maximum C.I.P. cartridge dimensions. All sizes in millimeters (mm).[2]

Americans would define the shoulder angle at alpha/2 ≈ 20.3 degrees. The common rifling twist rate
for this cartridge is 255 mm (1 in 10 in), 4 grooves, Ø lands = 5.60 mm, Ø grooves = 5.40 mm, land
width = 2.60 mm and the primer type is either berdan or small rifle.

According to the official C.I.P. (Commission Internationale Permanente Pour L'Epreuve Des Armes
A Feu Portative) guidelines the 5.45x39mm case can handle up to 380 MPa (55,114 psi) piezo
pressure. In C.I.P. regulated countries every rifle cartridge combo has to be proofed at 125% of this
maximum C.I.P. pressure to certify for sale to consumers.

Wounding effects
Wound Profiles of Russian small-
arms ammunition compiled by Dr.
Early ballistics tests done demonstrated a pronounced
tumbling effect with high speed cameras.[3] Some Western
authorities believed this bullet was designed to tumble in
flesh to increase wounding potential. At the time, it was
believed that yawing and cavitation of projectiles was
primarily responsible for tissue damage. Martin Fackler
conducted a study using live pigs and ballistic gelatin
demonstrating that the 5.45 mm round does not reliably
fragment or cause unusual amounts of tissue disruption.[4]
Most organs and tissue were too flexible to be severely
damaged by the temporary cavity effect caused by yaw and
cavitation of a projectile. With the 5.45 mm bullet, tumbling
produced a temporary cavity twice, at depths of 100 and 350
Martin Fackler on behalf of the U.S.
mm. This is comparable to
Military modern 7.62x39mm ammunition
and to (non-fragmenting) 5.56
mm ammunition. The average width of a human torso is 350 mm.

5.45x39mm cartridge variants

Enhanced penetration cartridges
As body armor saw increasing use in militaries, the original 5N7
cartridge bullet construction was changed several times to compensate.
This resulted in the 7N6, 7N10, 7N22 and 7N24 cartridge 5.45x39mm
variants. In 1987 a steel rod in the original 7N6 bullets was hardened to
60 HRC. These bullets have a red identification ring above the cartridge
neck. In 1992 the size of the steel penetrator was increased and the lead
plug in front of it discarded. This bullet was designated 7N10 "improved
penetration". These bullets have a purple identification ring above the
cartridge neck. In 1994 the 7N10 design was improved by filling the air 5.45x39mm 5N7
space with lead. Upon impacting a hard target, soft lead is pressed Cartridge Sectional
Drawing
sideways by the steel penetrator, tearing the jacket. The 7N22 armour-
A: projectile jacket
piercing bullet, introduced in 1998, has a sharp-pointed steel penetrator B: steel core
and retains the soft lead plug in the nose for jacket discarding. These C: hollow cavity
bullets can be identified by their red identification ring above the D: lead inlay
cartridge neck and a black tip.[5] The recent 7N24 "super-armor- E: propelling charge
piercing" bullet has a penetrator made of tungsten carbide.

Tracer cartridges
Besides that the tracer cartridges 7T3 and 7T3M were
developed. These bullets can be identified by their green
marked tips. The 3.2 g (50 gr) tracer projectile has a shorter
ogival profile and burn out to 800 m (875 yd).

Training and instruction cartridges

For training purposes the blank cartridges 7H3 and 7H3M
were developed. For instruction purposes the 7H4 training or
dummy cartridge (which has longitudinal grooves) was
developed.

Special purpose cartridges

For special purposes the 7U1 subsonic cartridge with a black
and green painted meplat and CAP cartridge for underwater
firing were developed.

References
5.45x39mm cartridge.
1. ^ Intermediate power ammunition for automatic assault rifles
(http://world.guns.ru/ammo/am_assault-e.htm)
2. ^ C.I.P. decisions, texts and tables free current C.I.P. CD-ROM version download (ZIP and RAR format)
(http://www.cip-bp.org/index.php?id=tdcc-telechargement)
 3. ^ Korac, Zelimir (2001). "Terminal ballistics of the Russian AK 74 assault rifle: Two wounded patients
and experimental findings" (http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa3912/is_200112/ai_n9010648/pg_3) .
Military Medicine. http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa3912/is_200112/ai_n9010648/pg_3. Retrieved
2007-09-25.
4. ^ "Wounding Potential of the AK-74 Assault
Rifle" (http://www.btammolabs.com/fackler/ak74_wounding_potential.pdf) .
http://www.btammolabs.com/fackler/ak74_wounding_potential.pdf. Retrieved 2007-09-25.
5. ^ "Evolution of the 5,45 mm bullet" (http://grigorew.narod.ru/raznoe/kal545.htm) .
http://grigorew.narod.ru/raznoe/kal545.htm.

External links
■ Fackler ballistics study
(http://ammo.ar15.com/project/Fackler_Articles/ak74_wounding_potential.pdf)
■ Terminal Ballistics Study - Bosnia - Military Medicine/December 2001
(http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa3912/is_200112/ai_n9010648)
■ Photos of various different types of 5.45x39mm ammunition
(http://www.conjay.com/Ammunition%20for%20Armor%20Testing%20East%205.45mm%
20x%2040.htm)
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/5.45x39mm"
Categories: Pistol and rifle cartridges | Military cartridges

■ This page was last modified on 24 October 2010 at 16:22.

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