AK-47/AR-15 chambered in 7.62x39 Question

Everyone goes nuts when you shoot steel in a traditional 223 at platform?

I think it’ll be fine. I shoot steel in my AR10 sometimes with no issues. I think the issues with steel are overblown.

I've built 4 so far.

Get an enhanced firing pin. Black rifle arms has a package deal with the extra power hammer spring.

Extra power hammer spring is not needed although I went and installed them on the two i own.

Extractors can be an issue if over gassed. I've yet to have one fail but I have a couple spare.

Each rifle has a spare bolt and pin in the handle.

They are very accurate with the steel ammo at 100yrds.

Edit:c products magazines.

big fan of 762x39 but it is no tack driving match round as you likely already know. I’ve never understood the appeal of an AR in that round but my understanding is they’ve come a long way from the first few tries which were unreliable feeders

I have two SKS, an AK and a mini 30 so I shoot a lot of steel ammo with never an issue although I try to avoid it in the ruger. PPU makes a good brass cased round that’s still pretty cheap. Honestly of the four I like the cheap beat up viet-era norinco SKS the best

I'd be plenty happy with an SKS.

Where is classic firearms?

I'll keep an eye out for them.

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keep an eye out for Chinese or yugo surplus SKS’s they turn up in crates relatively often at places like classic firearms

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I have a couple of SKS's, one Yugo and one Chinese. They are fine guns for what they are, and I wouldn't sell mine.

But right now, I'm not seeing any under $500 minimum. And they ARE limited with mag capacity (10 rd, or ugly 30 rd duckbill). Also, stripper clips instead of mag swaps.

In contrast, a 7.62 upper will fit on a standard AR lower, and they don't necessarily cost a lot. I picked up a Bear Creek Arsenal upper with BCG, for $330.

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If you have a proper AR it should shoot steel just fine, the biggest reliability issue with X39 in an AR is the magazine/receiver interface, the platform was simply not designed for the cartridge.

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C Product mags, zero failure to feed thus far with mine. Online information pretty much states they are a) very reliable and b) the ONLY option to trust.
I have added a couple of the 28 rd mags, the 10 rd mags worked great.

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Get an enhanced firing pin. Black rifle arms has a package deal with the extra power hammer spring.

Extra power hammer spring is not needed although I went and installed them on the two i own.

Extractors can be an issue if over gassed. I've yet to have one fail but I have a couple spare.

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I have to agree with this. My extractor sheared on the 1st shot
It's worth noting this: the extractor that comes on a 7.62 bolt looks different, it's the same one intended for 6.5 Grendel I believe. Those are expensive. I went ahead and bought a couple cheap 5.56 extractors, at 1/3 to 1/4 the cost. Zero issue thus far- it grabs the case and throws it out, no malfunctions noted.

Firing pin and hammer spring- I slapped this upper on a stock Radical Firearms lower. Ran Barnaul fine, some trouble with Wolf.
$11 for enhanced firing pin from Red X (no tax and free s/h) solved this, without having to play with the spring. Now 100% reliable with Wolf and Tula.

I think I have my upper running fine, so I ordered a cheapo complete lower (assembled) for $180. Plan is to just slap it on to make a complete 7.62 AR.

If it works out, that's still under $550 (plus mags) for a complete AR, which I would prefer at that price over an SKS. And you can't touch an AK for that.

Was all of that with the Bear Creek upper? Wasn’t sure if they came with the proper firing pin.

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Was all of that with the Bear Creek upper? Wasn’t sure if they came with the proper firing pin.

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The BCA upper came with a standard firing pin. I got it for $328, I think the prices go up and down a hair. It's a bit higher now.
Nobody else had an upper WITH the BCG within $100, that I could find.

Red X Arms has the enhanced pin for $11, that's to the door. I ordered it "just in case" when I ordered the upper, based on online reviews and comments.

I bought the cheapest generic extractors I could find, I think they were $8 apiece. I got 4 total, since I have a pair of 5.56 rifles too, and figured it would be good insurance to have on hand. The lowest 7.62 extractor I could find mentioned was about $20 and out of stock, the lowest in stock was close to $40.
Bear Creek finally responded to me and is mailing a replacement extractor. I think it was just a fluke that it broke, but since the other ones are working, I will just hold it as insurance.

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The BCA upper came with a standard firing pin

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I have a BCA upper that I haven't finished building yet and wasn't sure if they had upgraded the firing pin. I ordered an enhanced firing pin and hammer spring through blackriflearms and I guess I will be switching them out.