Just recently bought a Bushmaster and need some ammo info. It's supposed to be chambered for .223 Remington but I've read in another forum that "Colt and Bushmaster chamber ALL their .223 in 5.56." If this is correct, does this mean that Bushmasters can safely accomodate military 5.56? Thanks.
Appropriate ammo for Bushmaster XM15E2S
- Thread starter Kato
- Start date
Dr van Nostran
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Lower Mainland, B.C.
Bushmaster should be milspec for 5.56, most domestic AR15's are.
Colts are marked .223 on the receiver, but 5.56 on the barrel. Might make a difference in Mini 14's and bolt guns, but most AR's should be fine with surplus 5.56. Somebody flame me if I'm wrong. Got any surplus 5.56 for sale ?
Colts are marked .223 on the receiver, but 5.56 on the barrel. Might make a difference in Mini 14's and bolt guns, but most AR's should be fine with surplus 5.56. Somebody flame me if I'm wrong. Got any surplus 5.56 for sale ?
- Location
- East ontario
ive up 15k of 556 and 223 in the 3 bushmaster ive had i nthe last 4yrs
no probs
bbb
no probs
bbb
Seeing as we don't stumble across large quantities of genuine Nato pressure surplus 5.56 ammo on the market, I'd say go with God. Yes, with a tighter neck and lead it is possible for Nato pressure ammo to cause problems. Commercially sourced ammo like Federal or Winchester is likely safe regardless of the label.
www.williamsarms.net, www.questar.ca, www.p-d-ent.com have Bushmastersbuffhuntr said:
on their in-stock lists. I think www.ellwoodepps.com has some too.
Straight from the Horses mouth at Bushmaster.com
.223 Remington or 5.56mm: We’ve had numerous inquiries about .223 Rem. versus 5.56mm NATO
ammunition. The short answer is that all Bushmaster barrels are chambered for the 5.56mm cartridge. Most of
our barrels are stamped 5.56 NATO - usually just ahead of the front sight. Despite the fact that our Lower Receivers are
stamped CAL.223-5.56MM, our chambers, barrels, and bolts are designed to withstand the higher pressures of the 5.56mm
cartridge. We do this for the safety of our customers, and because our rifles have always been built following the military
pattern. In any of our barrels, the .223 Remington cartridge can be fired safely.
So, what’s the difference between the two cartridges? They have basically the same exterior dimensions
and length, but the 5.56 is usually loaded to produce higher velocity and chamber pressures. It has thicker case walls
for the extra strength needed to handle those higher pressures. The difference comes in the chambering of the rifle, and
that difference is in "Leade" (more commonly known as the throat) which is the portion of the barrel directly in front of
the chamber where the rifling has been removed to allow room for the seated bullet. In a 5.56mm chamber the throat
is typically .162" – in a .223 chamber it’s usually .085"(about half that dimension). The result of firing a .223 cartridge
in the Bushmaster 5.56mm chamber is a slight loss of velocity when measured against the 5.56mm cartridge.
However, if you own other (non Bushmaster) rifles specifically chambered for the .223 Remington, you
should not use 5.56mm ammunition in them as it is considered by SAAMI (Small Arms and
Ammunition Manufacturers Institute) to be an unsafe ammunition combination. (This 5.56mm/.223 Rem.
information from Bushmaster Gunsmithing and the Winchester Law Enforcement Ammunition Website.)
.223 Remington or 5.56mm: We’ve had numerous inquiries about .223 Rem. versus 5.56mm NATO
ammunition. The short answer is that all Bushmaster barrels are chambered for the 5.56mm cartridge. Most of
our barrels are stamped 5.56 NATO - usually just ahead of the front sight. Despite the fact that our Lower Receivers are
stamped CAL.223-5.56MM, our chambers, barrels, and bolts are designed to withstand the higher pressures of the 5.56mm
cartridge. We do this for the safety of our customers, and because our rifles have always been built following the military
pattern. In any of our barrels, the .223 Remington cartridge can be fired safely.
So, what’s the difference between the two cartridges? They have basically the same exterior dimensions
and length, but the 5.56 is usually loaded to produce higher velocity and chamber pressures. It has thicker case walls
for the extra strength needed to handle those higher pressures. The difference comes in the chambering of the rifle, and
that difference is in "Leade" (more commonly known as the throat) which is the portion of the barrel directly in front of
the chamber where the rifling has been removed to allow room for the seated bullet. In a 5.56mm chamber the throat
is typically .162" – in a .223 chamber it’s usually .085"(about half that dimension). The result of firing a .223 cartridge
in the Bushmaster 5.56mm chamber is a slight loss of velocity when measured against the 5.56mm cartridge.
However, if you own other (non Bushmaster) rifles specifically chambered for the .223 Remington, you
should not use 5.56mm ammunition in them as it is considered by SAAMI (Small Arms and
Ammunition Manufacturers Institute) to be an unsafe ammunition combination. (This 5.56mm/.223 Rem.
information from Bushmaster Gunsmithing and the Winchester Law Enforcement Ammunition Website.)
