.223 and 5.56

dutchtouch44

dutchtouch44

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Okay I apologize in advance. My question is this (I am sure there are threads for this but I am having problem finding them) I want information in regards to interchange per say shooting .223 out of 5.56 and 5.56 out of .233 I am not trolling just want information. I am very sorry. All information will be useful
I understand that 5.56 is larger. If that is all in all the tell tale of the interchange then so be it.sorry once more
 
If your chamber is marked 5.56/223 Wylde/223M you can shoot either. If your chamber is marked .223 Rem that's what you should shoot (according to the experts). The sticky argues both points against the middle, but essentially what I've posted is the "safe" point of view.
 
For the record, I'm going to say I find the sticky confusing. I say this because the sticky doesn't specifically come out and say enefee says.

One last question for you enefee: If your chamber is marked only 5.56 should you only be shooting that or can you use .223 as well?

My belief has always been
5.56 can use .223 and 5.56
.223 can use only .223

I wish it were only this simple :(
 
I bought some .223 ammo and it was headstamped LC with the Nato circle and cross, indicating its was 5.56 brass, who knows what the real story is??
 
i know people with 223 that shoot 556 all the time with no fails. plus arn't the firearms coming from the states marked 223 I thought so they could cross the border or something to that affect??
 
twistedbrilliance said:
i know people with 223 that shoot 556 all the time with no fails. plus arn't the firearms coming from the states marked 223 I thought so they could cross the border or something to that affect??
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Thats nothing I would generalize ... Although I am sure most .223 wont blow up with 556 ammo, it is nothing I want in my face ..
 
Primary differences in the chambers are in the leade not the chamber itself. The degree to which this affects actual chamber pressures has been decided by gun company lawyers to be excessive. Much of this argument is moot however, there isn't any 5.56 on the market right now that I'm aware of.
 
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twistedbrilliance said:
i know people with 223 that shoot 556 all the time with no fails. plus arn't the firearms coming from the states marked 223 I thought so they could cross the border or something to that affect??
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You are right to an extent. I am importing a 556/223 right now and I had to make sure it was stamped 223. (But it IS a 556 barr) So there are some rifles out there that are like that. BUT, really? is it something anyone really wants to play with. 223 works in all..... just use it, smile, have fun, be safe.
 
Petrock said:
Your ammo was made by Lake City and is 5.56mm NATO standard ammunition.
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I am very well aware of that, just posted to show that the manufacturers sell .223 ammo in 5.56 casings, The box was marked .223, the ammo was 5.56, I imagine a little less powder, it was simply military surplus overrun brass used to fill the run on .223 pre-election. Kind of an endorsment by the ammo makers that its okay to shoot it in a .223 chambered rifle.
 
Not really. It is sold as .223 because it is loaded as .223.
5.56 has a higher pressure, and requires a slightly different chamber.
There are NO and I mean zero, 55gr NATO 5.56x45 loads. The crossed circle indicates NATO spec ammo when in the military supply system. In a box of federal ammo it means nothing.
 
Throttle_monkey1 said:
I have a ton of 55 gr NATO m193. It does exist.
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I would gather you have lots of 5.56x45mm ammunition loaded with 55gr. bullets that may meet one or more Nation's military standard (US army in the case of M193)...but not the NATO one for 5.56x45mm ammunition.

Gunnerlove said:
5.56 has a higher pressure, and requires a slightly different chamber.
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The .223 specified chamber dimensions and tolerances work just fine for 5.56x45mm ammunition.
 
The .223 Wylde chamber seems to be a good choice for mixed stuff. I havent seen a real case of 5.56mm since maybe the early 90s.
 
beltfed said:
I would gather you have lots of 5.56x45mm ammunition loaded with 55gr. bullets that may meet one or more Nation's military standard (US army in the case of M193)...but not the NATO one for 5.56x45mm ammunition.



The .223 specified chamber dimensions and tolerances work just fine for 5.56x45mm ammunition.
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Please explain. I'm confused.
 
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