What is 5.45×39mm?
[[Image:Comparison of cold war ammunition (5.45×39mm).jpg|thumb|80px|5.45×39mm cartridge]] The '''5.45×39mm cartridge''' is the main [[bullet]] made for short- and medium-range guns for the later [[Soviet Union|Soviet]] and [[Russia|Russian]] [[Military|militaries]]. It is used for guns like the [[AK-74]], the RPK-74, the [[AN-94 rifle|AN-94]], the [[AK-101|AK-100]] series of rifles, and the [[AK-12]]. It is a [[Small Caliber High Velocity]] (SCHV) bullet, which means it is very small, but it has a high [[muzzle velocity]] and [[effective range]]. After hearing about the success of [[NATO]]'s new SCHV bullet, the [[5.56×45mm NATO]], in the [[Vietnam War]], the Soviet Union believed they needed to make their own to be able to fight off NATO. They hired [[Mikhail Kalashnikov]], the creator of the [[AK-47]], to make an SCHV [[assault rifle]]. Kalashnikov disliked the idea because he felt the Soviet Union needed to outdo NATO [[Weapon|weapons]], not copy their ideas. Nonetheless, he made the [[AK-74]], the first gun to fire the 5.45×39mm. {{Intermediate cartridges}} {{DEFAULTSORT:5.45x39mm}} [[Category:Pistol and rifle cartridges]] [[Category:Military cartridges]] {{military-stub}}