But it says ".223 remington" on it. I know it's loaded to 5.56 spec, it is also the exact ammo that is in the yellow norinco box, I'm not the one that is concerned about it. The OP is, I've already said I don't have any problems shooting 5.56 in a .223 chambered rifle. All 4 of those boxes of ammo have been shot through my savage rifle without issues.
Question about Norinco .223/5.56 ammo
- Thread starter tmandell
- Start date
But it says ".223 remington" on it. I know it's loaded to 5.56 spec, it is also the exact ammo that is in the yellow norinco box, I'm not the one that is concerned about it. The OP is, I've already said I don't have any problems shooting 5.56 in a .223 chambered rifle. All 4 of those boxes of ammo have been shot through my savage rifle without issues.
The next time someone feeds you that line, tell them to prove it.
As long as things are equal, there is no problem mixing and matching. The only issue is with the hard primers. Most bolt action rifles don't have strong enough springs to ignite them properly and therefore will get poor powder ignition and lousy accuracy to go with it.
The case dimensions are identical. The military chambers, are slightly larger (mostly) to make chambering and extraction easier.
I've shot a lot of milsurp ammo. There were also similar rumors being spread around about 7.62x51, 30-06, 8x57 and 303 British. HOGWASH. In the case of the machine gun only ammo, use the different loadings of the 7,62x54 as an example. Machine guns were loaded with heavier bullets. Same goes for the rest of the cartridges. They were also purposely interchangeable with the rifles the servicemen carried.
It would be foolish to do otherwise. It was common practice to break up machine gun belts when ammunition for the soldier's rifle was scarce. Not something that happened regularly but it was acceptable.
I knew a WWII Brit Sniper by the name of Pat Graham. He told me that he and several of his peers would go to great lengths to get the boxes of red stripe ammo made specifically for regulated aircraft machine guns, to use in their No4 MkI T rifles.
- Location
- Georgetown Ontario
When SAMMI recommends not to shoot 5.56mm in a .223 chambered gun there is a good reason. All the proof you need. No you may not kaboom your gun but you may experience increased wear and parts breakage not to mention the problems guy's have been having with the hard Milspec primers.
Have you thought this through?
This isn't rocket science or magic.
From what I can get out of their recommendations, the hard primers are the issue they are warning against, because of the hangfire issues.
The milspec chambers are a few thou larger than commercial chambers. That's it.
There is little if any pressure difference in the milsurp over commercial ammo. If anything, the milspec ammo would have lower pressures. Usually below 50,000psi
- Location
- Georgetown Ontario
Just how did you come to the conclusion that there is little if any pressure difference or that milspec maybe less pressure than commercial? Do you own a pressure transducer and chrongraph to have tested both types of ammo? Are you qualified to operate that type of equipment? Do you set the Industry Standards?
Not trying to be difficult here but this is an old arguement that has been answered many times over the years. Just because some guy reports that he's shot 5.56 in his .223 for years with no problem's and think's it's safe for anyone to do it does not make it so. I chose to listen to the Industry expert's who set the standard's rather than some anonymous people on the internet, especially since it involves seting off a 50,000+PSI cartridge in front of my face!
- Location
- chilliwack BC.
I don't know specifically about the 5.56/.223 thing, but as far as SAAMI goes, they also state that 7.92x57(8mm mauser) ammo needs to be loaded really weakly too, whereas the original stuff is HOT ammo! The US availiable ammo is weak and why lots of Americans think its an inferior round, and only comparable to a 30-30.
that said, I wouldn't shoot 5.56 ammo in a barrel marked .223 unless in a pinch. I specifically chose a rifle with markings for both just in case and for reloading to NATO spec.
that said, I wouldn't shoot 5.56 ammo in a barrel marked .223 unless in a pinch. I specifically chose a rifle with markings for both just in case and for reloading to NATO spec.
