ORIGINAL: younggun308
The reason I meantioned the .223 and the 7.62x39 is because I want a gun that can shoot a cheap cartridge, and 7.62x39 is probably the cheapest there is, second to rimfire. From what I hear, .223 stocks are going down, and it's harder to find now, but I think a .223 wouldn't be bad either, but the 7.62x39 has more "ooomph", you know, and I personally have experiance shooting the cartridge with an SKS. Is the ammo accurate, or is the cartridge itself crappy for accurate, plinking, and cheap? Or should I concentrate my interests on .223?
This is probably just personal prejudice, but... I think everyone's FIRST AR-15 ought to be a .223.
And, for what it's worth... I don't think the added "oomph" of the 7.62 is all that significant. The .223 is MUCH flatter shooting. It slings a 55gr bullet about 1000 feet per second faster than the 7.62's 125 gr, and the 7.62 only manages about 200 more ft lbs at the muzzle. For my money, I'd rather have the .223 than a 7.62.