.223 in 5.56

[yossarian]

I'm sure this has been asked many times but i want to make sure I''m safe. I have WK180-C which is chambered in 5.56 but i just found a couple boxes of .223 remington (federal ammo) is this safe to use in my rifle?

 

[maple_leaf_eh]

I'm sure this has been asked many times but i want to make sure I''m safe. I have WK180-C which is chambered in 5.56 but i just found a couple boxes of .223 remington (federal ammo) is this safe to use in my rifle?

The standard Internet answer is HELL NO! If you do, your #### will fall off. Which is a long ago rejoinder by Tactical Teacher about wrenching on Chinese M14s. There is a specific chamber profile called the Wylde Chamber, designed by Bill Wylde to safely shoot either cartridge in the same rifle. Unless your WK180C has the Wylde Chamber best to let Wolverine or Kodiak (heh? the W and K in the name....) answer.

 

[thegazelle]

You can shoot .223 in your WK 5.56. I have found that accuracy drops a bit in using .223 rounds. I used Winchester, Remington, S&B, Federal, PMC, etc.

I have found 62gr or 77gr 5.56 founds the best to use in my WK for some semblance of accuracy.

A gun chambered in .223 Wylde can shoot both.

For a pure .223 chambered gun, stick with just .223. Avoid shooting 5.56 in a .223 gun.

That being said, if you are unsure, check the barrel stamp where the caliber will always be stated and etched. Some imported guns that are sold here as .223 in ads are actually 5.56 (some export thing) - my Tavor X95 was like that - it was advertised as a .223 in the ad, but it is actually a 5.56 and it said that on the barrel and both North Sylva and IWI confirmed that.

 

[jonnyc]

Pretty much interchangeable names...as are .308 and 7.62x51. I have shot thousands of each, over many years, with no negative effect whatsoever. More of an "internet" issue than anything else.