5.56mm vs .223

It doesn't say what caliber the gun shoots on the barrel?
There is no reason for me to attempt shooting 5.56 if the barrel says .223. Remember what you studied when you took your PAL?
It still puts the same size hole in the paper target.
 
Before there was an Internet, 5.56 and .223, like .308 and 7.62NATO, were the same thing. Literally millions of rounds of surplus ammo have been fired and reloaded for all models of rifle in that chambering with no fuss. Mind you, there have never been any milsurp battle rifles in .223/5.56 released for sale to the public. There have been .308/7.62 NATO rifles released and millions of rounds of surplus and factory ammo have been fired out of all models of rifle in that chambering too.
 
HumanCulling said:
It doesn't say what caliber the gun shoots on the barrel?
There is no reason for me to attempt shooting 5.56 if the barrel says .223. Remember what you studied when you took your PAL?
It still puts the same size hole in the paper target.
Click to expand...

From the mouth of Alex Robinson of Robinson Armament. The .223 was stamped on the barrel of the XCR for export reasons. It will shoot both fine.
 
berger said:
From the mouth of Alex Robinson of Robinson Armament. The .223 was stamped on the barrel of the XCR for export reasons. It will shoot both fine.
Click to expand...

I know that there are at least a few rifles that are marked as .223 for sale purposes but actually are chambered in 5.56mm. Im thinking that what the OP is refereing to is wether or not the majority of black rifles available here follow suit. If only there was a "master list" of all the current black rifle calibers actual vs. marked. That would make a number of lives easier I would imagine.
 
Specifically, I am referring to the S&W MP AR 15's, but it begs the same question re: any and all other current AR 15 rifles.
I understand why a .223 can be safely fired in a 5.56mm chamber, but not the reverse. However, I was of the opinion that the current crop of AR 15's would digest both.

Prior to Gamil Garbi at L'Ecole Polytechnique, I owned a Mini 14. I fired any thing that would chamber with no ill effects. That was in an era when we didn't worry about such things.

I sold that rifle after that infamous day, and now I own another.
 
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Technically, the 5.56 chamber has a shorter leade than the SAAMI 223 chamber. 223 Wylde, M and a bunch of others have leades that will accommodate the 556 round. Obviously a 223 match chamber will be tight and short. I would guess that the majority of AR's would be safe with 556 rounds - if you're unsure, email or call them.
 
On a US AR forum I read that the current S&W (and other AR platforms) are chambered 5.56mm and the ROT stamped on the barrel. When my wife's arrives, I'll verify that and post it.

Manufacturers have realized that most AR shooters will take advantage of military surplus ammo and have done the right thing.
 
enefgee said:
Technically, the 5.56 chamber has a shorter leade than the SAAMI 223 chamber. 223 Wylde, M and a bunch of others have leades that will accommodate the 556 round. Obviously a 223 match chamber will be tight and short. I would guess that the majority of PROPERLY BUILT AR's would be safe with 556 rounds - if you're unsure, email or call them.
Click to expand...

Fixed that for you.
 
Most use the 556mm or Whylde chamber despite what it is marked on the barrel. .223 barrel markings are an exportation matter. Chamber matters.

Cheers.

For example. Because I own one and asked the company. My 20" Stag barrel is marked .223. But Stag do not use .223 chambers. Ever.
 
I have before me the July 1983 issue of the NRA "Rifleman" magazine. It has a technical review of the then new Mini -14 Ranch Rifle:

"Members of the 'Rifleman' Technical Staff fired some 200 rds of 55 gr. military spec and sporting .223 ammunition. In the course of the tests, the rifle functioned without a hitch.
Accuracy of the Ranch Rifle was adequate, mil-spec ammo averaging 3" for 5 shot groups at 100 yds. Soft point ammo averaged 2.6" to 2.9".

This is of interest to me as I just acquired a series 187-###X Ranch Rifle with 1x 10" rate of twist. The test was not extensive, but if chamber type was a concern to the NRA Technical Staff, they didn't mention it.
 
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