https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B6Ht1pGx2vE&list=UUJimfyIOFM3Yaot_V8bFLPQ

thebangswitch.com reports that the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (and Really Big Fires) is refusing to sign importation docs for 5.45X39 steel core ammunition. So far, it’s still possible for ammo companies to import 7.62X39 ammo. But the President’s recent executive order makes it possible for the CIC to turn-off the spigot at a moment’s notice. Should the Russians invade the Ukraine, it’s do svidaniya Ruskie ammo. Of course, there are other countries that make X39 ammo. But worried gun owners have scarfed – are scarfing – as much X39 ammo as possible, raising prices and reducing immediate availability. As for Yeager’s influence on all this, who cares? What’s more interesting is how much Yeager wants to be loved. And you know what, I’m beginning to take a shine to the guy. You? [h/t HB]

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96 COMMENTS

  2. This was a big reason why I went with the AR over the AK. No offense to the users of the latter, but foreign sourced guns are the first things to go when Big Government throws a snit. It’s less capital politically for a President to shut down importation of a gun then it is for him to shut down a domestic company.

    Which means, deductively, it’s only a matter of time before some leftist President pulls the plug. It may or may not be Obama.

    • I had both. The AKs were great with a cartridge that was less than some .22 lr.

      P.S.
      Never put anything on a boat that you are not willing to lose.

    • Except even right now I can still get a case of 7.62 soviet for half the price of a decent case of 5.56.

    • Me too. 7.62, and 5.45×39 are “military rounds” who’s availability is completely dependent on importation. .223 Rem is a mostly american made sporting/varmint round, and every popular bolt action hunting rifle has a model chambered in it. Unless they completely outlaw all firearms and ammunition, you will always be able to get .223. You can’t really say that about 7.62 and 5.45×39. That was my main reason for going with the AR when purchasing my first black rifle.

      • Nah; Jon R. There is a lot of AK’s in this country. The only reason there isn’t bulk American made 762 X 39 is that it is so much cheaper from the eastern block countries.

        If the government banned all AK ammo from overseas, then our own ammo co.’s would start producing that ammo like they produce .223/.556 now, it would just be the same price for what we’re paying now for American made ammo.

  8. Bought some 7.62 x 39 over the weekend for a firearm that I do not even own yet. As I was buying the ammo, I couldn’t quite decide if I was being smart or a paranoid, panic buying twit.

    • Think of ammunition as a hedge against inflation or even a complete collapse of our economy. You will always be able to sell it some day.

  9. Man has a track record of completely rational thought. I’ve no reason to not believe him.

    Oh wait. THAT James Yeager? No. No thanks.

  10. Even blind dogs find bones now and then. Mr. Y should crawl in a ditch and stay there. Nobody wants to hear what he thinks.

  11. Anyone who didn’t see this coming must not have been paying attention in 2013. This is only going to get worse the closer we get to 2016, God help us if we elect Hillary.

    • I don’t look forward to it either, but who can possibly beat her? The leading Republican candidates to date have no chance.

      • A sad commentary on the wisdom of the American electorate. A traffic jam in NJ is more of a disqualifying event than a suicidal foreign policy. I’d never vote for what is being called a Democrat for anything, and that includes el Gordo. I’ve become a non party voter since the revolting conduct of the Rs as of late.

        • A traffic jam on a bridge is more easily understand than foreign policy by typical voters.

        • I like Rand a heck of a lot more than Ron. I’d vote for him in a heartbeat if I thought he had a chance in hell of picking up the Republican party nod, which he doesn’t. But the repubs will do what they’ve done the last 2 elections. They’ll find some milquetoast candidate that they think appeals to the most people, and they’ll completely sell their souls trying to get back in the white house. They’ll field something full retard like Christie/Palin, and completely ignore the possibility of a truly charismatic match-up like Rand Paul/Rubio/Cruz. And we’ll watch Hilary Clinton ride into the oval office by a landslide. AWB v2…

  12. Yeager? He comes across as childish, immature and a blowhard.
    At least from stuff I’ve seen in the past, maybe he’s grown up since then.

  13. Wow, scaremonger much? All the “facts” in this article are pretty easily checked. Hmmm, ammoman, bulk ammo, SGammo etc all have 1K of 7.62×39 and 5.45×39 for around 24 cents a rd, which is the pre Sandy Hook price.

    Seems like plenty of this “raising prices reduced availabilty” ammo is, umm, the same price and readily available. Check for yourself, or believe Yeager and Farago and freak out. These guys must have stock in Wolf.

    http://www.gunbot.net/ammo/rifle/762×39/

    • I wonder how much ammo the folks raising these ‘alarms’ have horded away that they neglected to sell at the height of the last ammo scare… they’re gonna try again.

  14. “But worried gun owners have scarfed – are scarfing – as much X39 ammo as possible, raising prices and reducing immediate availability”….

    Hmmmm, Ammoseek still showing plenty of 7.62×39 between 23 and 26 cents/round.

    (As we know, blocking 5.45×39 steel core imports has nothing to do with Russia annexing Crimea, so why would that even be mentioned in this context?)

    Are we fomenting panic again???

  15. I watched the video before reading your post RF. Amazingly I had the exact same thought as your closing remark. I’m starting to like this guy. He has risen to the semi-interesting level with a small dose of humor. Who knows where this will go? Maybe at some point he replaces Jimmy Kimmel or
    whats-his-name over on The Tonight show?

    • With the kind of ratings the Tonight Show is pulling in, they’ll be begging Leno to come back soon.

  16. Why is TTAG actively trying to start a buying panic?

    Sure, keep predicting the worst case scenario, but things could have gone far worse than they have to date.. so yeah, just keep beating the drum until this becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy and then you guys can make the inevitable “We told you so” post and convert to a subscription blog and start selling seeds and iodine.

    • TTAG isn’t trying to start a panic, it’s trying to give you a heads-up. If you don’t want to know what’s going on, stick your fingers in your ears or something and remain as ignorant as you choose to be.

      • Unrest in Ukraine has been going on in earnest since the week following the Olympics (the timing was near perfect since Russia had its hands tied during the Winter Olympics) … and well before that for those paying attention.

        Availability and pricing of Russian 7.62×39 has remained consistent to date. Even after all this alleged “scarfing” and “price raising”, I can still have 1,000 rounds delivered to my door for $250. Heck, even my local Wal-mart still has Russian 7.62×39 on the shelf with no increase in price.

        If something (more) happens and there is a panic, then it is what it is, but intentionally ginning up a pre-panic based on things that could happen is just nuts.

        And to reiterate what others have said, the 5.45 steel cased ammo issue has absolutely nothing to do with US-Russia relations or the unrest in Ukraine.

        • Sure, it has nothing to do with US-Russia relations, but everything to do with the ATF (probably) shutting down imports of 5.45. You’ll always be able to get 7.62×39 from US manufacturers, maybe not at the price from overseas, but I’m having trouble thinking of anyone stateside making new 5.45.

  17. I’m from the old school (and anti-royalty). The messenger is not the message. I take Yeager as I find him–he’s either right or wrong. Or like most people’s messages, never entirely right or entirely wrong.

  18. A bit slow to game on this one, TTAG… it’s already been discussed The Bang Switch and the AK Operators Union 47-74 on FB.

    But hey… time for another AK buying panic! (Or AK-74 sell-off)

  19. Im sure some enterprising company will start makinf 5.45×39 in Amera!ka. Maybe it will even be brass cased lead core…. who knows…..

  20. I bought a few rounds (640) when the first sanctions were announced. Just in case. I figure if things don’t normalize in the next dozen years I’ll start worrying then.

  21. This guy is not only terrible for the guns-industry, guns-rights industry, guns consumerism, guns as a sport/hobby/recreational tool and defensive tool marketing … and every other good gun thing… he’s terrible for that stuff and seriously might be the absolutely silliest SOB east of the mississip.

    I LOL at him. I spent 5 mins watching assorted vids of his and simply LOL. having a lot of expensive guns and optics etc, slamming them to the ground, doing ninja flips and tactifool drills don’t make you cool.

    I LOL at him seriously. LOL in pity.

  23. Horrors! You mean we might not be able to buy incredibly dirty ammo that’s produced under the eagle eyes of Stolichnaya-soused quality control experts? How shall we survive the deprivation?!

    • Seeing as I shoot ALOT of Russian ammo, in my subjective opinion the Klimovsk x39 stuff is incredibly clean shooting. Theres alot less smut in the gas tube in the AK vs. the AR chamber after shooting Lake City stuff.

      Y’know, Lake City 5.56 green tip, the “high quality” loose can stuff that costs around 50 cents a rd, that the brass is all dinged up? Versus the Russian “poor quality dirty” ammo in nicely packed boxes in perfect condition for 25 cents a rd?

      • One small exception to a rule does not invalidate the rule and, as a rule, most Russian ammo is the dirtiest factory ammunition that is sold in the United States.

        • Do you even own a 7.62×39 chambered firearm? Just curious.

          PS: the 9MM Wolf is cleaner than the Winchester White box stuff that costs 25% more. Another exception to your “rule.”

  24. I don’t think JY represents gun owners well. He wants to. I just think guys like Costa or Vickers do it better. The guy just comes off badly. He’s entertaining at times, but he’s proven that he’s willing to stay stupid stuff on the internet and that can cost all of us. I just don’t like promoting that. At last FPS Russia is light hearted about being dumb.

  27. I recently heard about the importation ban but it was due to the surplus ammo being considered AP an there now being a 5.45×39 pistol on the market. not because it’s Russian.

  28. I think promoting Yeager in any way is a bad idea. All he has to do is try to offer duel contracts again and the anti’s will call TTAG nuts by association.

    • He did that to shut that ass clown up and it worked. If you are brave enough to challenge someones honor anonymously behind a computer, then let’s see how brave you are face to face. Yeager knew this punk would not accept the challenge.

  29. I love this site and come here to hear the truth about guns. However, it amazes me, every time I post a comment (after reading every previous pertinent comment), that I hate 99% of the previous comments.

    Like Yeager (?) was the question, right? Heck yea!!! That’s why I go to youtube everyday.

  30. If somehow Hilary is elected in 2016 I will be leaving the country. She’s just not good, not good at all

    • Yeah, I think so, pretty much. And *anyone* who can get Paul that worked up is fine with me.

  32. There is 7.62/39 coming into country from Ukraine , and Bulgaria , Red Army ammo , I see more of the old Eastern Bloc countries coming into exporting ammo to the US , due to the need for much needed capital in there countries,just a matter of time . Be prepared and ready . Keep your powder dry .

  33. Not a huge Yeager fan myself, but not a hater either. Just can’t take him seriously after seeing him take a 10/22 to a carbine class, looking mean, leaning forward shooting, pretending it was some kind of ‘assault rifle’.

    but whatever.

  34. Glad I bought a 47 Instead of the 74…
    That being said, how does shooting it out of a pistol, with shorter barrel and lower muzzle velocity, suddenly and divinely make it an AP round?
    The guys at Really Big Fires need to pull their heads out.

  38. Yeager:

    Fired, twice, from two tiny police departments. In one case the guy wanted the tiny department to go all SWAT-TACTICAL and they said,”Nope.” TTAG: Did you read that? Yeager wanted to militarize his tiny police department. Isn’t that a big no-no around here? Kitting up the local pohlice to look all tactical?

    Goes overseas and screws the pooch in his first firefight, fail.

    Comes back, sets up shop as a “trainer” whose credentials to train include taking a lot of training classes from trainers. Just look at the “credentials” of his tiny training cadre now: at least two trainers who have trained in his training class. Operators operating operationally based on training taken from trainers taking training from Yeager who has taken training from trainers who have trained with trainers.

    Makes YouTube videos threatening to shoot people.

    Puts cameramen down range during his training class, literally ten yards in front of students shooting handguns.

    How many times do we have to do this?

    Why is TTAG continually featuring this bozo?

    Honestly, I really think it makes TTAG look bad.

    • Jealous much? Why don’t you try making some new videos rather than reposting your two-year-old ones, instead of hating on JY.

    • P. T. M.
      I gave you props in another post as being one of the strongest defenders of 2A but I have to disagree with you on this point. That Tennessee town was nothing like Mayberry. They needed some strong enforcement. Yeager was not the type of cop that did it for the pension. I bet he disagrees with the SCOTUS ruling that police have no obligation to protect citizens from immediate harm. I will ask him.

    • “whose credentials to train include taking a lot of training classes from trainers.”

      Teachers, whose credentials to teach include taking a lot of teaching classes from teachers.
      Lawyers, whose credentials to be lawyers include taking a lot of law classes from lawyers.
      Doctors, whose credentials to practice medicine include taking a lot of medical classes from doctors.
      etc.

      So if prior work experience w/ firearms and “taking a lot of training classes from trainers” isn’t what qualifies someone to train others, what does?

  40. This guy is selling his 1080 round spam can for 10k….I bet someone buys it.

    http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=405810363

    Steel Core AP Armor Piercing 7N6 russian surplus
    545 5.45×39 5.45 spam can armor piercing no crate
    Listing # 405810363

    Add this item to your watch list

    Fixed Price

    Show description

    Fixed Price $10,000.00
    for $10,000.00
    Quantity 1
    Time left 29 Days, 21 Hours + Location Brentwood, TN 37027
    Start 3/31/2014 7:26:03 PM ET (This is a 30 day listing)
    Ends On 4/30/2014 7:26:03 PM ET (GunBroker.com Official Time)

  41. At least you can still get 7.62×39. We’ve had that calibre expressly banned from import for over 15 years. Kind of ironic because converting old Lee- Enfields to 7.62×39 was a popular modification. I’m glad I converted mine to .223 instead

  42. that’s odd. there’s mounds of it at any place that sells ammo. at normal prices. but TTAG says everyone is buying it up and prices are skyrocketing. “the truth” indeed..

  44. I started researching firearms on YouTube a year ago before buying my first gun. I took a liking to and subscribed to Hickok45’s channel. There were a few other gun channels I liked. I avoided Yeager’s videos because of his appearance and provocative titles such as “1911s Suck!”. But while reading comments to other videos I saw many references to James Yeager. They were not favorable of Mr. Yeager. So I decided to research this man. I started with the video affectionately called “James Yeager is a Coward”. That video showed me that he was anything but a coward. I started watching his videos and found myself agreeing with everything he said and appreciating the brutal frankness in his commentary. In this day of PC, it was refreshing and entertaining. You may not accept his style, but you can’t deny that he knows what he’s talking about.

  45. I heard about the 5.45 pistol some time ago… I think it was posted here a few months back, wasn’t it? I believe people were claiming it was a photoshop? It is all kind of fuzzy in my head. I definitely remember it though.

    So the ATF is just now responding? Also, bangswitch has an update saying the ATF is holding up all 5.45mm imports. I think this is political and they are just using the AK pistol thing as an excuse… maybe they are having trouble finding an actual 5.45 pistol, so that is why it isn’t official?

  46. At the risk of a bunch of people on the internet disagreeing with me (oh noes!), I’ll be honest and say that I love Yeager’s videos, even when I strongly disagree with him.

  49. I am glad to see all of those who were in the have to hate mode were proven to be wrong. Don’t know the reason for all the hate on James, don’t really care; just shows the gun community is its own worst enemy.

    I am glad to have what 10K + 726X39 and in excess of 6k 545X39; I figure at my age unless the zombie hoards attack, I have plenty bad ammo. I figure the market will pick up the slack once the “got to buy it now” craze is over and there will be more “non AP” rounds available.

    In this case not only do I blame the gun CONTROL jihadis…but the firearms manufactures for building “pistols” chambered in XYZ cartridge; knowing there are import issues. Just because you can build it and have the technology; doesn’t mean you should.

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