Several years ago I bought an Olympia upper in 7.62x39. I put it on a Colt Sporter II Lower. It required that little bushing on the hinge pin to hold it tight. I love it. I don't reload generally for 7.62x39. I have dies and could if need be but as kyratshooter pointed out, commercial ammo is very much cheaper than I can reload that particular round. I have used every kind of ammo that I can get hold of and it has worked flawlessly.
I have used 223 mags and they will work to an extent but they are not reliable. I just bought a bunch of the right mags. That rifle is my truck gun when I go to the ranch. I bought one of those hard cases that has the little foam blocks you take out to fit the rifle in and I carry the rifle, 4 - 30 round mags of cheap Russian steel cased ammo, 1 - 10 round mag in the rifle with soft points and a few boxes of the Russian and a box of Winchester soft points.
If I were attacked by a deer (during deer season of course) and had no means of escape I would not hesitate to use it in self defense. The ballistics are 30-30 ish and would do just fine for deer and hogs and any other varmintry that shows theysef.
I don't reload for anything I shoot in an AR. I reload 223 because I have bolt action rifles that shoot that round. I mostly shoot the Russian steel case stuff. I know a lot of guys don't and are fanatics about not doing it. I'm not sure why, but I don't just burn up ammo to hear the noise and to put holes in paper. I'll burn a mag of 223 or 7.62x39 about once a month just to keep things loosened up but that's about it.
If you decide to get a 7.62x39 upper, I doubt you will be disappointed. I'm not. I think it is a very underrated round. Much of the bad press the round has gotten is due to the rifles it is used in and not the round itself.
Alan
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