Century WASR-2 5.45×39mm
It might not be pretty, but this Russian is 100% reliable and accurate!
Although it has been in service for almost four decades now, here in the United States the 5.45×39mm Russian cartridge is a newcomer. Developed as a closely guarded state secret during the peak of the Cold War, the 5.45×39mm was the Russian Military establishment’s answer to the 5.56mm NATO round. Many “old guard” types saw the 5.45 merely as a way of keeping up with the Jones. “If the West has a small, fast round, we should have one, too.”
While that thinking might have a bit of truth, the fact still remains the average Soviet soldier could carry more 5.45×39mm ammunition than they could the larger, heavier 7.62×39mm. The lighter weight projectiles of the 5.45mm also translated to a milder recoil, though the 7.62mm Russian will never be convicted of having “heavy” recoil. Like the 5.56mm M16A2, muzzle climb from the 5.45mm chambered AK-74 was slight, enabling rapid follow-up shots and a practical burst fire option.
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