# 223/5.56 ammo question



## budgetprepp-n (Apr 7, 2013)

Hey,
This may sound like a silly question but I don't know so I'm going to ask.
I want to buy some 223 55Gn ammo. When it says 

"223 Rem/5.56 NATO" is this 223?


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## Gunner's Mate (Aug 13, 2013)

They are both the same dimensionally except that 5.56 is a hotter load ( Higher Pressure) I believe but not 100% sure but 5.56mm chambers are a liitle larger for ( Machine Gun / Full auto fire) 223 can be fired in 5.56 marked barrel but 5.56mm should not be fired in 223 marked barrel although people do it all the time including me. But don't follow me over the cliff


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## GrumpyBiker (Nov 25, 2015)

Here's a link to a simple over view of the differences of the two.

Is There a Difference Between .223 and 5.56? | The Arms Guide


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## Operator6 (Oct 29, 2015)

budgetprepp-n said:


> Hey,
> This may sound like a silly question but I don't know so I'm going to ask.
> I want to buy some 223 55Gn ammo. When it says
> 
> "223 Rem/5.56 NATO" is this 223?


If the ammo box states 223/556 it is 223 ammo. All 223 ammo is acceptable for 556 barrels.


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## SOCOM42 (Nov 9, 2012)

Best to keep the 223 out of the 5.56 chamber, factory primers are softer in the 223 and could blow out. 

Other than a little larger chamber, much the same, obturation is not as good with the 223 in the 5.56 chamber..

You may never have a problem with the interchange, I have done it since I got my first AR in 1963.

The 5.56 brass is tougher and less likely to stick in the chamber.


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## AquaHull (Jun 10, 2012)

SOCOM42 said:


> Best to keep the 223 out of the 5.56 chamber, factory primers are softer in the 223 and could blow out.
> 
> Other than a little larger chamber, much the same, obturation is not as good with the 223 in the 5.56 chamber..
> 
> ...


Link ?


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## rice paddy daddy (Jul 17, 2012)

In one of the regular columns in the magazine Handloader a couple years ago it discussed this.
The chambers are different dimensions, and firing 5.56 NATO in a .223 Remington chamber can cause a pressure spike of up to 10,000 PSI above standard pressure. This is not good.
I don't remember what SAAMI standard pressure for the .223 Remington is. Maybe 30,000 PSI?

The only rifle I have in this round is a Mini 14, and even though the barrel is stamped 223, Ruger says firing 5.56 NATO in it is perfectly OK, the chamber is properly dimensioned for it.


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## dsdmmat (Nov 9, 2012)

55000 psi for 223
62000 for 5.56
Max Chamber Pressure - SAAMI Specs
http://www.luckygunner.com/labs/5-56-vs-223/

Everything I have read says that proof pressure for the 223 is 78000 psi.

Proof pressure tests are done to ensure the barrel will not blow up under normal operating pressures.


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## Illini Warrior (Jan 24, 2015)

well at least the manufacturer is trying to be half honest .... some of that ammo coming out of S Korea and South Africa that is nothing more than re-packaged 5.56 for the US market ...


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## Carp614 (Jan 21, 2013)

5.56 vs .223 - What You Know May Be Wrong - LuckyGunner.com Labs This is one of the best explanations of the difference between the two rounds that I have seen.

Warning, you have to be a pretty serious gun nerd to get through this stuff.


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## SOCOM42 (Nov 9, 2012)

AquaHull said:


> Link ?


Link to what, personal experience over 40 years, data from when I worked at H&R?

NO, I did not work as a hunky production worker, started as a toolmaker ended as a process engineer.

I don't understand why you guys think there is always some kind of a link.

I am a dinosaur, there were no links to look for, they did not exist, nor did PC's or the interweb exist either..

I don't spend my time surfing for crap someone else puts out to justify my posting, if you want it, look for it.

I am well aware of throat leads and neck comp for crimps.


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## AquaHull (Jun 10, 2012)

SOCOM42 said:


> Link to what, personal experience over 40 years, data from when I worked at H&R?
> 
> NO, I did not work as a hunky production worker, started as a toolmaker ended as a process engineer.
> 
> ...


Sorry for the butt hurt. I'm familiar with machining, prints, specs etc. I spent 30 years in the business.

I'll just take your word that your an expert, since I read it on an internet forum,I have to ASSume it must be true.


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## Smitty901 (Nov 16, 2012)

.223 will fire just fine in your 5.56 AR. You will hit you target and kill it. It will just not be as accurate in your 5.56, 16 inch 1 in 7 AR and the way the bullet acts when it hits the target will not be the same. But it will shoot , it will hit target and it will kill.
Want to have some fun with your .223 rounds buy a 20 in 1in 12 upper. Then you have it all covered. Fired out of a 20 inch 1 in 12 the 55gr .223 is very effective .


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## M118LR (Sep 19, 2015)

Sometimes a picture is worth a million words.

Bottom line, it is unsafe and unwise to use 5.56 ammo in a .223 Only chamber. 5.56 will function in Wylde or 5.56 chambers. .223 Remington will function in all the associated chambers.


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## SOCOM42 (Nov 9, 2012)

Not worth the time


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## AquaHull (Jun 10, 2012)

Smitty901 said:


> .223 will fire just fine in your 5.56 AR. You will hit you target and kill it. It will just not be as accurate in your 5.56, 16 inch 1 in 7 AR and the way the bullet acts when it hits the target will not be the same. But it will shoot , it will hit target and it will kill.
> Want to have some fun with your .223 rounds buy a 20 in 1in 12 upper. Then you have it all covered. Fired out of a 20 inch 1 in 12 the 55gr .223 is very effective .


I have 1 20" Colt Pencil barrels 556 chamber with 1:12 twist on a 603 upper and NDS-16A1 lower
I have 1 20" Colt Pencil barrel 556 chamber with 1:12 twist on a Colt A2 upper,generic A2 lower
I have 1 20" Colt A2 barrel 556 chamber 1:7 twist on a FN A2 upper and generic lower
All have a1 stock assemblies and have been put together by an "Expert Operator Keyboard Commando"


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## Seneca (Nov 16, 2012)

budgetprepp-n said:


> Hey,
> This may sound like a silly question but I don't know so I'm going to ask.
> I want to buy some 223 55Gn ammo. When it says
> 
> "223 Rem/5.56 NATO" is this 223?


I would make the assumption that it is .223 ammo and in an effort to appeal to a wider marke the manufacturer tacked on the 5.56. However it never hurts to contact the manufacturer and ask them about their product. They should be able to answer your questions and clear up any confusion they may have created over product labeling.


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## Smitty901 (Nov 16, 2012)

AquaHull said:


> I have 1 20" Colt Pencil barrels 556 chamber with 1:12 twist on a 603 upper and NDS-16A1 lower
> I have 1 20" Colt Pencil barrel 556 chamber with 1:12 twist on a Colt A2 upper,generic A2 lower
> I have 1 20" Colt A2 barrel 556 chamber 1:7 twist on a FN A2 upper and generic lower
> All have a1 stock assemblies and have been put together by an "Expert Operator Keyboard Commando"


 And you would agree the 20 inch 1 in 12 is a very effective weapon. I would guess. The current M4 was a compromise. Infantry needed a smaller weapon. The mission we faced required a smaller weapon, but need to maintain the ability to kill from face to face to 400 meters.
The M4 did that and more.
The same reason the 249 SAW was replacing the M60.
My AR ammo supply has a lot of both 5.56 62 gr and .223 55 gr. A few hundred 5.56 77Gr. I hope to increase that number.


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## AquaHull (Jun 10, 2012)

Yep, I see and fill the need for 16" barrels with 1:7 twist

I have to work up a load for the 77 gr Nosler OTM's w/o cannelure, if they shoot well I 'll pick up the cannelured model in bulk


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## budgetprepp-n (Apr 7, 2013)

SOCOM42 said:


> OH boy, you spent 30 years working in machine shops, I don't give a dam what you spent time doing, as you don't care what I did.
> 
> I'm not impressed, I knew how to read prints, mike, vernier and run a lathe when I was 12, at 17 was working as a toolmaker on building M-14's for the military.
> 
> ...


Can you guys feel the love in this room? I can


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## Smitty901 (Nov 16, 2012)

budgetprepp-n said:


> Can you guys feel the love in this room? I can


 Nice thing about this place, we get a bit testy some times but 99% of the time we all get along and move on. You maybe surprised when it comes to AR's and 5.56 /.223 and twist rates more than one is right . It often depends on what out come you want.
SOCOM42 if you worked on and or built the ones I used I thank you. I am still here and those weapons were the reason I am still here.


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## budgetprepp-n (Apr 7, 2013)

Operator6 said:


> If the ammo box states 223/556 it is 223 ammo. All 223 ammo is acceptable for 556 barrels.


Ok this might be what I was looking for. I have a 223 wylde 1-9 barrel and I wanted to use some 223 55gn in it.
The box said 223/5.56 and I wasn't sure. So now I know

In another post AquaHull said that,

"Yup Bear Creek with the plain jane barrel,they used to claim 100K rounds before wear out.
Plus it's a 223 Wlyde chamber aka a tight 556, which means you will have jams in the field and the slightest sight of dirt and you'll have to mortar them out. With a free floating firing pin that's always a scary operation."

So I was going to go with the 223 at first ,, Then maybe try some 5.56 to see,,, Without cleaning it 
soon as the weather gives a break I'm going to heat that thing up a little.


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## Operator6 (Oct 29, 2015)

My AR barrel is a stainless M4 8t wylde type chamber in 223. I only fire 223 in it.


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## Smitty901 (Nov 16, 2012)

budgetprepp-n said:


> Ok this might be what I was looking for. I have a 223 wylde 1-9 barrel and I wanted to use some 223 55gn in it.
> The box said 223/5.56 and I wasn't sure. So now I know
> 
> In another post AquaHull said that,
> ...


 You should have no issue with function with the Wlyde camber. .223 or 5.56. Wlyde came about early on because of the 5.56.
Keep in mind this is some what subjective. Also it is about pouching holes in paper and does not reflect ability to product wounds. Different topics. This is a general out look.


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## AquaHull (Jun 10, 2012)

i HAVE A 20" mOSSBERG PENCIL BARREL,556 CHAMBER AND 1:9 TWIST
AND CAPS LOCK


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## GrumpyBiker (Nov 25, 2015)

budgetprepp-n said:


> Ok this might be what I was looking for. I have a 223 wylde 1-9 barrel and I wanted to use some 223 55gn in it.
> The box said 223/5.56 and I wasn't sure. So now I know
> 
> In another post AquaHull said that,
> ...


The Wylde chamber is a fantastic set up.
Enjoy !


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## budgetprepp-n (Apr 7, 2013)

GrumpyBiker said:


> The Wylde chamber is a fantastic set up.
> Enjoy !


 Thanks this is my first wylde 223 all my other ones are colts LE6920s with the 5.56 1-7
That's what all of us in this group have. My buddy ordered one so I figured I might as well
order one too. I thought the $299 for a complete upper with the bolt carrier group was a good buy
Just something new to check out for myself and see what there like.
I only shoot about 100 yards and I was going to start with 223 55gn.


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## M118LR (Sep 19, 2015)

I can honestly state that the 24 inch 1:9 barrel of my current precision bolt action with .223 Remington Match chamber will not group as tight at 100 yards as my Old 1:12 twist 24 inch at 100 yards with my Match 55 grain spire point load. However, it is slightly more accurate with OTMBT 55 grain Match Loads than the Old 1:12. So while the 1:12 with 55 grain spire points was the most accurate at 100 yard Matches, for general use with OTMBT 55 grain projectiles the 1:9 works better. YMMV. The 1:9 is the hands down accuracy winner with 62-63 grain Match loads. While it may not be exactly apples to apples in your situation, I don't believe you will have any trouble with either .223 55 grain or 5.56 55 grain. I would however try a few Match Loads in the 62-63 grain range to find out if they are more accurate out of your 1:9 twist. JMHO.


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## tango (Apr 12, 2013)

Interesting that every gun post ends up being a Di%k measuring contest


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## Smitty901 (Nov 16, 2012)

The weapon and round that shoots the tightest group . Is not always the one that produce the best chance of a kill. That is where some of the mild conflict comes from.
From my point of view I am not shooting for points. I want a round that produce the best chance of a kill. A minor difference in the group to me is meaningless.
This is why they spent so much time on the M4 working out the twist and round that best fit the over all need and not just one out come.


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## GrumpyBiker (Nov 25, 2015)

tango said:


> Interesting that every gun post ends up being a Di%k measuring contest


Sadly it does seem at times to be the firearm equivalent of a FORD Sucks - Chevy Rules arguments .


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## AquaHull (Jun 10, 2012)

grumpybiker said:


> sadly it does seem at times to be the firearm equivalent of a ford sucks - chevy rules arguments .


mopar


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