.223 vs. 5.56mm

[hopalong]

OK before you guys pound me into the ground remember I shoot .30 cal stuff !!!!!

I do have a couple of .223 chambered ARs (says .223 on both of them) so can I shoot military stuff in them????

I have heard the 5.56 chamber is slightly different than the .223 chamber.......what is different? Or is that BS ?

Hopalong

[Run n Gun]

This gives a pretty clear explanation, in fact, the whole page is full of good info for someone just getting started with .223/5.56. I have both chambers and prefer the 223, it seems a little more accurate. I've never had any trouble mixing NATO and SAAMI spec ammo in either gun.

Ed

[SinistralRifleman]

.223 can be shot out of 5.56mm chambers all day long.

5.56mm can have issues when used in a .223 chamber...I have seen it happen with regularity. Use this combination at your own risk.

[J-Ho]

Hiding in a stack somewhere on the workbench, I've got diagrams of 6 or 7 different chambers. About half .223 half 5.56. The differences between are all so slight, but the 5.56 chambers all had one thing in common. They were all slightly and I do mean ever so slightly longer in the throat. It was really neat to see all the specs laid out.

Now I'm goin' to have to clean out the garage to look for this. Damn you for starting this thread and reminding me about this.

[mpeltier]

Hopalong

I remember reading somewhere that some manufacturers of AR15's use the same reamers for their military and civilian barrels and mark Military barrels with 5.56 and civilian with .223. I would recomend contacting the manufacturer and asking them.

[Gregory_k]

Check out ar15 barrels for reamer info.

223-5.56

[Chuck Anderson]

What brand is your rifle? Some use .223, some use 5.56 and some use Wylde chambers which is in between.

[Chris]

And just to confuse things even more.. JP uses the .223 Wylde chamber

[hopalong]

Lawman,

One is a Bushmaster National Match (CMP edition) It seems the caliber marking is under the handguard as I don't find any stamping on it. but being it is designed for accuracy I'm betting it is .223.

The other is a put together thing I have assembled from prize tables and good deals ect. It has a 1-8 twist .223 from Saber defence (marked on the barrel right in front of the gas block)

Sure is a shame as I have several thousand 5.56 sitting around begging to be shot...........reason enough for another rifle???????

Hop

[dajarrel]

Hey Sam,

I'm from the "give it a try" school. Run a few hundred through each gun and see if they puke. If not you're good to go.

And before I get my head handed back to me on a platter for speaking sacrilege I too, would really like to know.

My Bushmaster is .223 and although I've never had the chance to run any 5.56, it does eat Winchester, Wolf and Silver Bear without any problems.

But what do I know? I'm just a hillbilly from the flatlands south of Hop. Otherwise known as a Redneck :-)

FWIW

dj

Edited July 20, 2007 by dajarrel

[George]

I will shoot NATO stuff in any of my AR's if they are clean and the stuff passes my ammo drop gauge gauntlet.

I have chambers ranging from .223 Wylde (JP) to loosey-goosey 5.56mm ones, no issues as it's all throat clearance differences to allow for fouling and dirty function clearances. Tha ammo itself is pretty much the same from the case mouth on back for.223 & 5.56.

The thing I would do if I wanted to make sure is hand chamber a round with the upper removed and no bolt carrier. Mark the bullet with marker ink and grind it in the chamber, if it marks the bullet, the loaded length/ogive are an issue. Bullet no touchee' the throat, you are good to go.

[J-Ho]

I will shoot NATO stuff in any of my AR's if they are clean and the stuff passes my ammo drop gauge gauntlet.

I have chambers ranging from .223 Wylde (JP) to loosey-goosey 5.56mm ones, no issues as it's all throat clearance differences to allow for fouling and dirty function clearances. Tha ammo itself is pretty much the same from the case mouth on back for.223 & 5.56.

The thing I would do if I wanted to make sure is hand chamber a round with the upper removed and no bolt carrier. Mark the bullet with marker ink and grind it in the chamber, if it marks the bullet, the loaded length/ogive are an issue. Bullet no touchee' the throat, you are good to go.

+ more than I got fingers to count.

I think it is too easy to get wraped up in how good a gun is 'on paper' (I'm not talkin about a target here).

I think the best and fastest way to see if something works is to try it. Doesn't work try somethin else. If your AR screws up with NATO spec ammo don't use it. Give it to me, ammo or gun I'm not picky.

[lmccrock]

Check out ar15 barrels for reamer info.

Did you mean AR15 Barrels Reamer Data?

ETA: He used to have a drawing with a bunch of reamers from different vendors including one for Wylde. Now the drawing is easier to read, but has less data.

Lee

Edited July 21, 2007 by lmccrock

[Chuck Anderson]

I think the Sabre rifle is a 5.56 chamber. All their literature lists it as a 5.56 not .223 and they make a lot of military contract guns. The Bushmaster who knows. Calling Bushmaster would probably get you the best answer on that one.

[nb forrest]

According to Bushmaster theirs is 5.56, mine will eat anything i feed it, but 5.56 NATO seems to be the most accurate.

[jobob]

Yes, Bushmaster uses 5.56 chambers almost exclusively. The only exception being, I believe, in their varmint rifles. Even my BM V-Match has a NATO chamber.