.jpg)
The5.45×39mm cartridge is the mainbullet made for short- and medium-range guns for the laterSoviet andRussianmilitaries. It is used for guns like theAK-74, the RPK-74, theAN-94, theAK-100 series of rifles, and theAK-12. It is aSmall Caliber High Velocity (SCHV) bullet, which means it is very small, but it has a highmuzzle velocity andeffective range.
After hearing about the success ofNATO's new SCHV bullet, the5.56×45mm NATO, in theVietnam War, the Soviet Union believed they needed to make their own to be able to fight off NATO. They hiredMikhail Kalashnikov, the creator of theAK-47, to make an SCHVassault rifle. Kalashnikov disliked the idea because he felt the Soviet Union needed to outdo NATOweapons, not copy their ideas. Nonetheless, he made theAK-74, the first gun to fire the 5.45×39mm.
| . |  | |
|---|---|---|
| . | ||
| Premodern |
| |
| Commercial |
| |
| Prototype |
| |
