Why Did the Soviets Abandon the 7.62mm Ammo? #shorts

[Jimmy-yewg]

Improved accuracy
Improved carry volume
Cheaper production costs,
Improved lethality
While keeping the legendary AKM platform reliability.

[gooner]

Its very true about the weight difference between the 2 I joined the British Army at 16 years old and we trained on and used the L1-A1 SLR which used the NATO 7.62mm round, we generally carried 4-6 20 round magazines plus a bandolier.
When they introduced the SA-80, which used the 5.56mm round, we carried at least twice that amount so that's a lot more firepower!!

[misterc]

actually, it was that the soviet got their hands on 5.56 from their allies in vietnam and quickly realized what the american were up to.
back in ye old day it was seen as better to kill a soldier with one bullet, but the Americans realized it was way better to wound a soldier, since it would then take at least 2 people out of combat(wounded and medic) and cost around 10k$ and months before he was back in action. 7.62 was a heavy as round that either kills or goes thru you, its also easier to patch up... now if you ever seen some of the better loads of 5.56, yes they may not penetrate much but the damage caused to tissue is nuts. 5.45 is also know for this, since that after the bullet penetrates it either shatters or goes a complete different direction and it usually ends up hitting vital organs

[jehoiakimelidoronila]

The sole reason why Russians made 5.45s is because they got mad jealous of the performance of 5.56

Also, the tumbling of the round is what gave it the nickname "poison bullet", as the locals in Afghanistan does not have basic medical expertise, leading to fatalities just from the wound infections the bullets caused

[sharedpollard]

i like my 762x39 but i also have 6.5 grendel

[ericlarson]

0.21 cal. Their greatest threat, America, proved the 0.22 cal, 5.56mm gave the infantry the ability to carry more pew pew into battle. Requiring less battle field resupply missions. It also caused less death but more survivability, requiring more buddies to help them back to a safe evacuation site, resulting in fewer people shooting at you for a short time.

[thomasodetinape]

Its a hidden hollow point.
Genius round.

[tthscrolls]

Why do you have the flag of the Communist Party or CHINA instead pf the actual soviet flag in the first frame?

[ericmatteson]

So basically the 5.56 worked for US so they copied it.

[PSDuck]

The 5.45x39 mm round is (or at date of introduction) made to sloppy standards. Its bullet diameter varied from .220 to .221. Such a variance is unacceptable in western arms.
The bullet does tumble like mad after striking a target. They were copying the effect of the original 5.56 bullet we used in Vietnam.
The joke for the communists was as they were adopting this mangler of a bullet, The Lancet featured a hit piece on tumbling bullets. They were blamed as cruel and unusual (wait! This is war we’re talking about!). So a bunch of politicians in Britain, Europe and America who’d never fought a war before decided to go to a kinder, gentler bullet that just pokes a small hole in one side and a small exit wound, thus giving the “victim” a greater survival rate.
I saw a jihadi take over a dozen hits by the new 5.56 bullet, and still sit up from prone and try to fire his RPG. Until an M249 (probably) killed him. No wonder our troops have no faith in the 5.56 bullet.
That bullet has less stopping power than an FMJ 9x19 pistol bullet. Two thirds the stopping power, matter of fact. And the FMJ 9x19 is considered pretty anemic. (That’s why you go to expanding bullets and other legal custom loads to beef it up. But I digress.)
FYI, the 7.62x39 bullet was not “introduced” in 1943. It was copied from the German Machine Pistol 42 round. (Later used by the Sturmgewehr 44 of fame.) On paper. With modifications. There was no want to experiment with a new cartridge in 1943, as the Soviet Union was still bleeding from the gills trying to turn the tide of the war against Germany. Only after 1947 were they in limited use by the SKS.
Cheers!

[earthscrust]

Because this round was too safe... people recovered from gunshot wounds relatively fast and completely. Unlike other rounds at the time that did more damage became of high velocity or elongated bullet that tumbles in the wound, causing large wound channels.
But it was and still is best battle round... in my opinion.

[oofoof]

Also the reason why they implemented the 5.45 was because its more likely to wound a soldier therefore the enemy has to waste resource on taking care of the wounded soldier

[allenmilani]

They had to copy and counter the American 5.56 which was lighter but the 7.62 x 39 is better in the bush as its ability to go thru brush and light armor is better . The m-16 has really come into its superiority with its use with optical sights - not found on the Ak-47 and SKS .

[numberloser]

Plus the enemy can capture more to use against you

[CrossOfBayonne]

The AK-74 was devoloped in response to the M16's use during Vietnam

[dimansyaappa]

Although they adopted 5.45 mm in response of their rival's 5.56 mm, it's iconic 7.62 mm wasn't abandoned at all (they had the same case length, 39 mm BTW). In fact, AK-12 had the AK-15 variant in 7.62, and even had to made their rival counterpart, AK-19 in 5.56, son of AK-101. If 7.62x39 mm wasn't abandoned, the older 7.62x54mm surely would kept by the Russian right?

[vidard]

It's fairly simple. The 7.62x39 is a warriors round, and the 5.45 and 5.56 are soldiers rounds.

WWII through to about Vietnam were not generally assuming that soldiers would have the benefits of combined arms, and needs of global logistics. For the Russian conscripts the 7.62 was often the largest guns available so the round had to perform all combat roles adequately. The 5.45 however needs to focus on suppressive fire to allow the real guns of combined warfare, artillery, aircraft, and other munitions to engage the targets. This means that you want a lighter round so you can carry more ammunition, and range is more important than barrier penetration.

[hekpacobctac]

7.62 is field ammo
545 is city use
Simples

[LordBubbleWrap]

No, it was made to close copy America’s 5.56x45mm. Once they knew it was good at what it did and knew it was controllable. 5.45x39mm was adopted for the new AK-74 line.

[chief]

There’s a Russian tale about a scorpion and a frog also from the movie drive. You should look it up.