🔫 Add a rare military round to your EDC setup with this 5.45×39mm Bullet Keyring, made from a once-fired AK-74 casing and completely inert.

Known as the Soviet response to NATO’s 5.56, this lightweight and high-velocity round is still used in modern Russian rifles — now reimagined as a safe, stylish keychain.

✅ Authentic 5.45×39mm steel or brass casing
✅ Fully inert – no powder, no live primer
✅ Legal and safe to carry in the UK
✅ Durable keyring loop and polished finish
✅ Great gift for AK collectors, Cold War buffs & EDC fans
✅ Fast UK shipping from Cool Gaming Stuff

Whether you're an Eastern Bloc gear lover or just want something unique, this inert AK-74 bullet keyring hits the mark.

Note: Each casing is once-fired and 100% safe.

📦 Order now and enjoy quick, secure UK delivery!

🔍 5.45×39mm: The Soviet Speed Demon
It’s small, fast, and deadly — meet the 5.45×39mm, the round that replaced the iconic 7.62×39mm in Soviet and Russian service and helped reshape the Eastern Bloc's battlefield doctrine. Nicknamed the "poison bullet" by Western soldiers who faced it, the 5.45×39mm is a fascinating case study in ballistics, geopolitics, and rifle evolution.

If the AK-47 was the hammer of Soviet infantry, the 5.45 was the scalpel of the modern Red Army.

🧬 Origins: Cold War Caliber War
The 5.45×39mm was developed in the early 1970s in response to NATO’s adoption of the 5.56×45mm cartridge. The Soviets realized that high-velocity, lightweight intermediate cartridges gave NATO troops an edge in controllability, range, and weight.

So, they developed a lighter, faster round for their next-generation rifle — the AK-74 — which replaced the 7.62×39mm AKM in frontline Soviet service.

Adopted officially in 1974, the 5.45x39mm paired with the AK-74 offered:

• Lower recoil

• Higher velocity

• Flatter trajectory

• Improved accuracy

It marked a new era in Soviet small arms design.

⚙️ Ballistics Overview
Spec – 5.45×39mm
Caliber: 5.6 mm (.221 inches)
Bullet Weight: 52–60 grains
Muzzle Velocity: ~2,900–3,000 fps
Muzzle Energy: ~1,200–1,400 ft-lbs
Effective Range: 500–600 meters
Recoil: Very light

The original 7N6 military load features a hollow cavity in the tip, creating instability and yaw (tumbling) upon impact — giving it a reputation for nasty wounding effects, especially during the Soviet–Afghan War.

🔫 Weapons Chambered in 5.45×39mm

• AK-74 / AK-74M – Standard Soviet/Russian infantry rifle

• AK-105 / AK-12 – Compact and modern variants

• RPK-74 – Squad automatic weapon

• Saiga / Vepr – Civilian semi-auto rifles

• AR-15 platform – With proper upper and mags

• AK-74U – Ultra-compact carbine (Spetsnaz and vehicle crews)

This cartridge performs best in 16” barrels, but remains effective even in shorter platforms.

🛡️ Military and Tactical Use
Still used today by:

✅ Russian Federation Armed Forces
✅ Former Soviet states (Belarus, Kazakhstan, etc.)
✅ Middle Eastern and African militaries
✅ Civilian shooters and collectors in the U.S. and Europe

Its controllability and surplus availability make it ideal for tactical shooting and AK builds.

🔥 5.45×39mm vs 5.56 NATO vs 7.62×39

The 5.45 balances speed and controllability, making it ideal for extended engagements and rapid fire.

🧨 Ammo Types

• 7N6 (Military Surplus) – Mild steel core, designed to yaw

• Commercial FMJ – Target and training

• Soft Point / Hollow Point – Hunting and self-defense

• Steel-case (WOLF, Tula, Barnaul) – Affordable, common

💡 Note: 7N6 surplus is banned from import in the U.S., but commercial loads are still available across Europe.

🎯 Why Civilians Like It

✅ Light recoil = fast follow-up shots
✅ Great accuracy, even in AKs
✅ Lower barrel wear than 5.56 NATO
✅ Surplus value and historical appeal
✅ Something different from the usual calibers

🧠 Final Verdict: Light, Lethal, and Legendary
The 5.45×39mm isn’t just a Soviet answer to Western firepower — it’s a fast, surgical, battle-proven cartridge that helped define post-Cold War small arms evolution.

And now, it’s reimagined as a unique, fully inert bullet keyring — perfect for collectors, AK builders, Cold War enthusiasts, and anyone who appreciates serious Eastern bloc engineering.

Order yours today and carry a conversation piece with Cold War history built in.