In order to participate in the GunBroker Member forums, you must be logged in with your GunBroker.com account. Click the sign-in button at the top right of the forums page to get connected.

5.56 NATO or 223REM ????

spider65spider65 Member Posts: 40 ✭✭
edited October 2009 in Ask the Experts
witch one is the better? witch has more options what twist with what size bullet. I hope you know what Im getting at Ill be useing it for just about anything possible PS. barrel lenth?

Comments

  • rufe-snowrufe-snow Member Posts: 18,650 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    The 5.56/.223 has been around since the early 60's. Literally hundreds of firearms have been chambered for them over the past 45+ years. How the heck are we supposed to answer your question. It's like asking how deep is the ocean.
  • givettegivette Member Posts: 10,886
    edited November -1
    Go to www.fulton-armory.com

    They have rifles (or just upper receivers) in the Wylde chamber. That type of chamber can accomodate both 5.56 and .223. Best, Joe
  • partisanpartisan Member Posts: 6,414
    edited November -1
    They BOTH shoot in the same gun! Don't worry which is which.
  • spider65spider65 Member Posts: 40 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    asked a simple question all I got back was a bunch of crap. ask the experts ha ha they are not the same. joe was the only one with good advice thanks joe the others can kiss my ......
  • mark christianmark christian Forums Admins, Member, Moderator Posts: 24,453 ******
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by spider65
    asked a simple question all I got back was a bunch of crap. ask the experts ha ha they are not the same. joe was the only one with good advice thanks joe the others can kiss my ......


    I'm sure everyone will now be in a huge rush to answer your next questions.
  • quickmajikquickmajik Member Posts: 15,576 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Use the search feature.. upper right of the screen..


    I'd advise you to Get a 5.56 or wylde chambered rifle....

    5.56 and .223 chambers arent exactly the same. Either of the chambers above will shoot both 5.56 and .223rem with good enough accuracy. An 18" or 20" barrel with a 1-7" or 1-8" twist is good enough to stabilize most heavy bullets.

    I dont know what type of rifle you want so i wont comment any further.
  • GuvamintCheeseGuvamintCheese Member Posts: 38,932
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by spider65
    asked a simple question all I got back was a bunch of crap. ask the experts ha ha they are not the same. joe was the only one with good advice thanks joe the others can kiss my ......
    You are not really asking, if you already know the answer! You are just showing us how smart you really are!
  • RCrosbyRCrosby Member Posts: 3,808 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Give him time boys,
    Just not our time.
    Life's too short to put up with that stuff.
  • stetsonstetson Member Posts: 84 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    {Elsewhere} is the place to check if you want the run down on this.
    Rest assured there's been many special builds that guys made for
    there specifications for one reason or another.I can tell you Olympic
    is on the economy end of ar-15 and you can not shoot 556 ammo with
    then else you are asking for trouble.I know when I was looking around for AR-15's it seems the only ones at this time selling AR-15
    at military specifications was abc = Armalite,Bushmaster,Colt.
  • nononsensenononsense Member Posts: 10,928 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    There really is no need to send our members to other websites when there is more than enough expertise right here if you bother to look.

    This is the explanation I wrote and borrowed some from a major manufacturer a while back (use 'search' button) in response to the often asked question about the difference between these two cartridges:

    .223 Rem VS 5.56mm

    There are a lot of questions about these two cartridges. Many people think they are identical - merely different designations for commercial and military. The truth is that, although somewhat similar, they are not the same and you should know the differences before buying either cartridge.


    The cartridge cases for both cartridges have basically the same length and exterior dimensions.

    The 5.56 round, loaded to Military Specification, typically has higher velocity and chamber pressure than the .223 Rem.

    The 5.56 cartridge case may have thicker walls, and a thicker head, for extra strength. This better contains the higher chamber pressure. However, a thicker case reduces powder capacity, which is of concern to the reloader.

    The 5.56mm and .223 Rem chambers are nearly identical. The difference is in the "Leade". Leade is defined as the portion of the chamber directly in front of the neck where the rifling has been cylindrically removed to allow room for the longer ogive bullet. It is also more commonly known as freebore. Leade in a .223 Rem chamber is usually .085". In a 5.56mm chamber the leade is typically .162", or almost twice as much as in the 223 Rem chamber.

    You can fire .223 Rem cartridges in 5.56mm chambers with this longer leade, but you may generally have a slight loss in accuracy and velocity over firing the .223 round in the chamber with the shorter leade it was designed for.

    Problems may occur when firing the higher-pressure 5.56mm cartridge in a .223 chamber with its much shorter leade. It is generally known that shortening the leade can dramatically increase chamber pressure. In some cases, this higher pressure could result in primer pocket gas leaks, blown cartridge case heads and gun functioning issues.

    The 5.56mm military cartridge fired in a .223 Rem chamber is considered by SAAMI (Small Arm and Ammunition Manufacturers Institute) to be an unsafe ammunition combination.

    Before buying either of these two types of ammunition, always check your gun to find what cartridge it is chambered for, then buy the appropriate ammunition. Most 5.56mm rounds made have full metal jacket bullets. Performance bullets - soft points, hollow points, Ballistic Silvertips, etc. - are loaded in .223 Rem cartridges.

    Firing a .223 Rem cartridge in a 5.56mm-chambered gun is safe and merely gives you slightly reduced velocity and accuracy. However we do not recommend, nor does SAAMI recommend, firing a 5.56mm cartridge in a gun chambered for the .223 Rem as the shorter leade can cause pressure-related problems.

    Best.
Sign In or Register to comment.