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The round fired in an AK 47 is a 7.62x39. This number denotes the bullet diameter, 7.62mm and the length of the cartridge (the brass) which is 39mm. Now, the 7.62 bullet diameter is a .30 caliber in western measurements. Specifically, nearly identical to a .308.

Here, we get into some common misconceptions. To begin, though the 7.62mm bullet is virtually identical to a .308 bullet, but the 39mm case/cartridge/brass is significantly shorter than a .308 winchester. The .308 Winchester is the caliber of the standard sniper rifle used by the US Military. This .308 is virtually identical to the NATO 7.62 x 51. Same bullet diameter but with a longer cartridge/brass. I say the .308 is 'virtually' identical because a NATO 7.62x51 can be fired by a rifle chambered for .308 Winchester but one should not fire a .308 win from a rifle chambered for the 7.62x51. This is because the chamber pressures are measured differently.

RELOADING NOTE-one can NOT reload a 7.62 x 51 NATO cartridge using the same reloading data as would be used for a .308 Winchester! The 7.62 x 51 NATO brass is thicker than the .308 Win so to load with the same number of grains/weight of powder would produce dangerously high chamber pressures which would result in, at best, innacurate rounds and, most probably, rounds that will cause the rifle to fail/blow up in your face. Chamber pressure in NATO rounds are measured in CUP (Copper Units of Pressure) and NOT psi. See: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Copper_units_of_pressure

TO SEE IF YOU ARE LOADING A NATO CARTRIDGE LOOK FOR THE "PLUS" SIGN HEADSTAMP: http://www.frfrogspad.com/natocase.jpg there is a 'plus' sign or cross in a circle. A cartridge with this stamp is NOT THE SAME as a .308 win cartridge.

Hope this helped!

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Wiki User

15y ago
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Wiki User

15y ago

The real caliber of the kalashinikov ak47 is 7.62X39mm.

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Wiki User

13y ago

The ak-47 is chambered for the 7.62x39 cartridge.

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Wiki User

14y ago

The AK-47 and AKM use the 7.62x39 M1943 cartridge. Other variants of the AK platform exist in 5.45x39 (AK-74), and 5.56x45 (AK-101, Chinese Type 84, Polish Beryl, Serbian M-21, etc).

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Wiki User

14y ago

7.62mm x 39mm. Uses a .312 bullet.

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Anonymous

Lvl 1
4y ago

The name is still Kalashnikov.

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Q: What caliber rifle is a AK-47?
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