5.45×39mm cartridge

The 5.45×39mm cartridge is a Soviet intermediate rifle round developed for the AK-74 family and still in service. This relationship-only page records the cartridge's origin, basic specifications, and the cataloged rifles that fire it without inheriting conflict-use claims from the parent weapon page.

5.45×39mm cartridge, Soviet intermediate rifle cartridge, Munitions

Image source: 5.45x39mm.jpg

Profile

Origin: Soviet Union
Built by: Soviet Union
Type: Soviet intermediate rifle cartridge
Service note: Adopted in 1974 and still in service
Produced: 1974-present

cartridge portable rifle

Specifications

Caliber: 5.45 mm / 5.45x39 mm
Case type: Bottlenecked, tapered, rimless
Case length: 39.5 mm
Representative service load weight: About 3.43 g for the 7N6 cartridge
Representative muzzle velocity: About 870-900 m/s at 25 m for the 7N6 cartridge

Service And Conflict Use

Service History

In service: Standard Soviet and post-Soviet rifle cartridge for AK-74-family weapons.

Firearms Using It

Kalashnikov's AK-74M specifications list 5.45x39 mm as the used cartridge, and Weaponsystems.net describes the round as the cartridge developed for the AK-74.

Firing weapon

Weapon type

Firing evidence

Soviet assault rifle family

Kalashnikov Group and Weaponsystems.net both identify the AK-74 family as a 5.45 mm rifle line, which places it in the direct firing relationship for the 5.45x39 mm cartridge.

Sources: AK-74M Specifications, AK-74 / AK-74M Rifle

5.45 mm assault rifle

Kalashnikov's official AK-12 page lists 5.45x39 mm as the cartridge used by the rifle, placing the AK-12 in the direct firing relationship for this cartridge.

Sources: AK-12 - Kalashnikov Group

5.45×39mm cartridge Images

5.45×39mm cartridge, Soviet intermediate rifle cartridge, Munitions - view 1 — Source: 5.45x39mm.jpg

5.45×39mm cartridge, Soviet intermediate rifle cartridge, Munitions - view 2 — Source: 5.45 x 39 mm.svg

5.45×39mm cartridge, Soviet intermediate rifle cartridge, Munitions - view 3 — Source: 5.45x39mm.jpg

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Sources

AK-74M SpecificationsPublisher: Kalashnikov Concern | Note: Supports the AK-74 family's 5.45 mm chambering and baseline cartridge relationship context. | Accessed: 2026-06-23 AK-74 / AK-74M RiflePublisher: Modern Firearms | Note: Supports the AK-74 family's 5.45x39 mm chambering and general background context. | Accessed: 2026-06-23 5.45x39mm Soviet | Weaponsystems.netPublisher: Weaponsystems.net | Note: Supports origin, service status, cartridge type, and baseline cartridge specifications. | Accessed: 2026-06-23 5.45x39mm cartridge backgroundPublisher: Wikipedia | Note: Supports general cartridge background and historical development context. | Accessed: 2026-06-23 5.45x39mm.jpgPublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Image provenance for the primary 5.45x39mm cartridge diagram. | Accessed: 2026-06-23 5.45 x 39 mm.svgPublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Image provenance for the C.I.P. dimension diagram of the cartridge. | Accessed: 2026-06-23 7.62x39mm and 5.45x39mm.jpgPublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Image provenance for the comparison image showing 5.45x39mm beside 7.62x39mm. | Accessed: 2026-06-23 AK-12 - Kalashnikov GroupPublisher: Kalashnikov Group | Note: Supports the AK-12 page listing 5.45x39 mm as the cartridge used by the rifle. | Accessed: 2026-06-23