Anyone 'smith an AK-74 in .220 Parker (5.45.39 brass/.224 projectile)?

[BOVindy]

Howdy guys. I was wondering if you guys had any experience with AK-74s chambered in .220 Parker. I've been more and more interested in the round as I have a decent amount of match grade .224 bullets and would still be able to use baddass looking ak-74 magazines. Let me know what your thoughts are, likes/dislikes, am I crazy, etc. Thank you for your time. -Ben

 

[YoungMilsurpGuy]

Howdy guys. I was wondering if you guys had any experience with AK-74s chambered in .220 Parker. I've been more and more interested in the round as I have a decent amount of match grade .224 bullets and would still be able to use baddass looking ak-74 magazines. Let me know what your thoughts are, likes/dislikes, am I crazy, etc. Thank you for your time. -Ben

So is .220 parker basically 5.45 but with a .223 caliber bullet? Why not just build a 5.56 AK, which you can do exactly the same as as building a 5.45 AK but with a 5.56 barrel and using bulgarian waffle pattern 5.56 magazines.

Also do they even make brass 5.45 cases that you can reform and load? Yeah match bullets are cool, but given the quality of most AK-74s barrels and the steel cases and the AK action you are not going to get much past 2.5-2 MOA

 

[BOVindy]

I think that the advantage of leaving an AK-74 in 5.45 would be the massive availability of interchangeable parts. If you just changed you the bullet, then all of the mags you own for other 74s would work, all of the internals would work, and you'd get the advantage of using all of that but with match grade or specialty bullets. True, most AK barrels aren't held to the same standard as precision rifles, but seeing as the one part that you would change would be the barrel (as .224 projectiles might be a squeeze in barrels designed for .220) I'd assume that the accuracy would increase dramatically. You'd have the parts and reliability of the AK, but with most of the accuracy and reload tunability of a .223/5.56 rifle. That's how I look at it anyways. I was just curious to see if anybody has actually seen it done. Thank you for your time. -Ben

 

[duffman0286]

I think that the advantage of leaving an AK-74 in 5.45 would be the massive availability of interchangeable parts. If you just changed you the bullet, then all of the mags you own for other 74s would work, all of the internals would work, and you'd get the advantage of using all of that but with match grade or specialty bullets. True, most AK barrels aren't held to the same standard as precision rifles, but seeing as the one part that you would change would be the barrel (as .224 projectiles might be a squeeze in barrels designed for .220) I'd assume that the accuracy would increase dramatically. You'd have the parts and reliability of the AK, but with most of the accuracy and reload tunability of a .223/5.56 rifle. That's how I look at it anyways. I was just curious to see if anybody has actually seen it done. Thank you for your time. -Ben

I see no reason your concept wouldn't work id recommend using a 5.56 bolt to avoid slam-fire (which also requires the use of a ak47 trunnion) However that's merely just a safety improvement nothing more... id be interested in seeing how similar the chamber pressures are to the 5.56 and the 5.45x39 that would give you a starting point on what size gas port it might need to be to function reliability .... and i doubt you would need to fine tune or modify the stock bullet guide and or the ak74 magazine it would be a interesting project.. Im sure alot of ak guys like myself would love to see you move forward with this