223 for 5.56 Switching Use Opinons Wanted

G

GeorgeJure

Regular
Rating - 100%
38   0   1
Location
Ontario, Canada
Hello

This question has been in my head since I bought my Norinco CQB 223 semi automatic. Others have said that Yes you can also use the 5.56 ammo in it. From my LITTLE bit of knowledge I learned that the 5.56 is a little longer and slightly more powerful round.

My question, if that is true, are you NOT taking a chance with serious rifle failures and even personal harm? I am NOT going to go extensive shooting with my rifle, just fun target shooting BUT still if the rifle says 223 should I not just use 223 OR can I also use 5.56?

Should I very ammo OR what can happen etc. Not sure of the unkown BUT I do find ammo for sale at Good prices for 5.56 and 223.

Stick with one or switch back and forth?????

George
 
If the gun is chambered in 556 it can shoot both 556 and 223. If it’s chambered in 223 it can only shoot 223, 556 could make it go boom in a bad way.

If it’s chambered in 223 Wylde than you can use both 556 and 223

In most cases 223 is cheaper I would stick with 223 especially if you rifle is chambered in 223.
 
GeorgeJure said:
Hello

This question has been in my head since I bought my Norinco CQB 223 semi automatic. Others have said that Yes you can also use the 5.56 ammo in it. From my LITTLE bit of knowledge I learned that the 5.56 is a little longer and slightly more powerful round.

My question, if that is true, are you NOT taking a chance with serious rifle failures and even personal harm? I am NOT going to go extensive shooting with my rifle, just fun target shooting BUT still if the rifle says 223 should I not just use 223 OR can I also use 5.56?

Should I very ammo OR what can happen etc. Not sure of the unkown BUT I do find ammo for sale at Good prices for 5.56 and 223.

Stick with one or switch back and forth?????

George
Click to expand...
The majority of semi auto black rifles imported into Canada with .223 marked barrels are actually 5.56 barreled rifles. They do that for export seasons. Your Norinco rifle is actually 5.56 by the way.
 
GeorgeJure said:
...if that is true, are you NOT taking a chance with serious rifle failures and even personal harm?
Click to expand...

My opinion is that the risk is grossly overestimated. I am a reloader, so I have been watching for pressure signs in most of rifles for years. With that background I would not hesitate to run a couple of boxes of 5.56mm through a rifle that I wan't sure of the chamber specifics. Using a hot 5.56mm round in a tight .223 Rem. chamber is likely to cause flattened or blown out primers, hard extraction, or minor deformation of the case head (ejector mark swaged into the head, for example). It is not going to blow up a rifle.

If you know how to spot pressure, just shoot the gun and check for pressure signs when you first start out. If you see any then discontinue. If not, then carry on.
 
I guess that`s a big yep!
Thanks to ALL for your lessons.

Would anyone care to make a suggestion on a decent, cheap brand of scope that would go with my rifle? Just for fun target shooting but help the old eyes also.

Thanks again
George
 
Im sure this has been posted elsewhere but as a reminder your european rifles that are designated 223 are done so under cip standards. Cip standards 223 rem and 556 nato are the same. So be it your bolt actions like tikkas or cz, or black rifles such as your haenel cr223 or hk sl8 etc are all good to go with 556 nato.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom