Yes, we live in much the same world my friend and same mindset. I too live back in the woods. I could live anywhere in the world, but this is where I prefer to be. But with that, comes it's own rules and ways.
I live where there are a lot of hills and hollers (valleys). Constant up and down terrain that is rough with briar thickets, laurel thickets. Twigs, trees and bushes and fallen trees after the wooly aldegids killed most of our pines about 15 years ago. It would almost make you cry to see the mountain where I grew up. It almost looks like a bomb blew up with all the decomposing trees on it now. You're lucky to even get 100 yard shot on anything unless you're hunting over a farm someone cleared off or a strip mine that has been reclaimed or shooting ridgetop to ridgetop.
That's also why my opinion of the AK is so high. (aside from reliability).
I just like the way 7.62x39 shoots.
I can shoot into the hill with an AR and it makes a little hole and dent about the size of a teacup saucer.
I shoot into the ground with an AK and it digs a small trench.
Huge difference on how the bullets perform after they leave the barrel. And why I like the x39. Always have.
I don't get too hung up on numbers because like you said, they each have their own attributes, but a 55 gr bullet @ 3000 fps is around 1050 ft lbs of energy. A 124 gr bullet @ 2400 fps is 1450 ft lbs.
The russian cartridge just does a lot more damage, and laughs at small cover where the 556 will deflect and fragment much more quickly as you said. That is absolutely true and I've noticed the same thing myself.
I live where there are a lot of hills and hollers (valleys). Constant up and down terrain that is rough with briar thickets, laurel thickets. Twigs, trees and bushes and fallen trees after the wooly aldegids killed most of our pines about 15 years ago. It would almost make you cry to see the mountain where I grew up. It almost looks like a bomb blew up with all the decomposing trees on it now. You're lucky to even get 100 yard shot on anything unless you're hunting over a farm someone cleared off or a strip mine that has been reclaimed or shooting ridgetop to ridgetop.
That's also why my opinion of the AK is so high. (aside from reliability).
I just like the way 7.62x39 shoots.
I can shoot into the hill with an AR and it makes a little hole and dent about the size of a teacup saucer.
I shoot into the ground with an AK and it digs a small trench.
Huge difference on how the bullets perform after they leave the barrel. And why I like the x39. Always have.
I don't get too hung up on numbers because like you said, they each have their own attributes, but a 55 gr bullet @ 3000 fps is around 1050 ft lbs of energy. A 124 gr bullet @ 2400 fps is 1450 ft lbs.
The russian cartridge just does a lot more damage, and laughs at small cover where the 556 will deflect and fragment much more quickly as you said. That is absolutely true and I've noticed the same thing myself.