AR15 Tech question?

kalashnikov

kalashnikov

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Hi! I'm looking to buy an AR15 that shoots 5.56 Nato AND .223. Would like to know what brand (other than Norinco) is chambered for 5.56...
Going through all manufacturers web sites is pretty much time consuming...

Reason for this is that i bought lots of 5.56 surplus ammo.
 
Most newly imported ARs are 223 per US restriction. Your best bet is to hunt something down in the EE if you want a US made 556 chambered AR. Some of the local manufacturers might have 556 available.
 
Someone please correct me if I am wrong, but Stag Arms AR15's are chambered in .223 Wylde which is a hybrid of .223 and 5.56 making both safe for use.
 
most AR that is labled as .223/.556 are really .556, since it is easier to change the stamp than making another production of .223 chambering, or you can get a any of the domestic produced uppers like Questar, Arms East, S&J or ATRS they are all in .556.
 
If you find a "cheap" .223 you can also swap the barrels out to a 5.56
Not that hard to do. (RRA makes some inexpensive 5.56 bar's )
 
Can't go wrong with the Stags, I've got 3 now and was pricing out another one for a friend this morning. You could always go with one of their N8 uppers (556 marked) if you want a 10.3 or 12.3" gun.
 
It was explained to me that my Norinco is 5.56. That means the chamber is rated for the higher pressures that the 5.56 puts out over the regular .223. Both cartridges are the same size and length, just more powder in the 5.56.
 
From Wikipedia article ".223 Remington":

Using commercial .223 Remington cartridges in a 5.56mm NATO chambered rifle should work reliably, but generally will not be as accurate as when fired from a .223 Remington chambered gun due to the longer leade.[12] Using 5.56mm NATO mil-spec cartridges (such as the M855) in a .223 Remington chambered rifle can lead to excessive wear and stress on the rifle and even be unsafe, and the SAAMI recommends against the practice.[13][14] Some commercial rifles marked as ".223 Remington" are in fact suited for 5.56mm NATO, such as many commercial AR-15 variants and the Ruger Mini-14, but the manufacturer should always be consulted to verify that this is acceptable before attempting it, and signs of excessive pressure (such as flattening or gas staining of the primers) should be looked for in the initial testing with 5.56mm NATO ammunition.
Click to expand...
 
colin455 said:
It was explained to me that my Norinco is 5.56. That means the chamber is rated for the higher pressures that the 5.56 puts out over the regular .223. Both cartridges are the same size and length, just more powder in the 5.56.
Click to expand...

A properly built barrel will handle both 5.56 and 223 from the pressure perspective. "Rated" is a wrong expression.

The difference is only in dimension of the chamber in certain areas.

Some 223 chambers might have extraction issue with 556 ammunition. That's it. Most of the time it is just factory's attempt to avoid all possible liability issues.
 
greentips said:
A properly built barrel will handle both 5.56 and 223 from the pressure perspective. "Rated" is a wrong expression.

The difference is only in dimension of the chamber in certain areas.

Some 223 chambers might have extraction issue with 556 ammunition. That's it. Most of the time it is just factory's attempt to avoid all possible liability issues.
Click to expand...

Thank you for clearing that up for me. I always welcome advice from the more learned than me.

Actually feel pretty proud to have Greentips himself answer me. It's like getting an autograph of someone famous. :)
 
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greentips said:
A properly built barrel will handle both 5.56 and 223 from the pressure perspective. "Rated" is a wrong expression.

The difference is only in dimension of the chamber in certain areas.

Some 223 chambers might have extraction issue with 556 ammunition. That's it. Most of the time it is just factory's attempt to avoid all possible liability issues.
Click to expand...
:agree:
Thast the best answer , very simple .
All of the Barrels we have finished so far are chambered in 556 nato.
we have allmost 3600rounds tesed on one unit right now, still going strong.
bbb
 
kalashnikov said:
Thanks, I knew about US restrictions. I'm finding out there isnt that many 5.56 around...:(
Anything from europe?
Click to expand...

We've still got quite a few US made AR's (in our inventory) with 5.56NATO barrels and markings... but new orders coming out of the US on new Export Permits are now restricted and can't have 5.56NATO or 7.62NATO barrels.

Mark
 
The S&W M&P15 is made for 5.56 and 223. The version sold in Canada, M&P15I, only has .223 stamped on it for export reasons, but is the exact same as every other M&P15. If you have a line on cheap surplus 5.56 please let me know ;)
 
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