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.223 ammo

Ga boyGa boy Member Posts: 97 ✭✭
edited April 2011 in Ask the Experts
Seemed to make sense that I start a fresh thread on this topic. I'm learning that there are apparently three types of .223 ammo. The civilian load, called .223 Remington, the military load, the 5.56mm used in the M-16 and it's descendants, and another one that is called something like .223 Winchester magnum. I gather that the latter is apparently a different round and is NOT interchangeable with the first two. But I also am learning that, while you can shoot the civilian rounds in a rifle chambered for the military cartridge, the reverse is not adviseable due to the greater pressures of the 5.56 round. But the military rounds are what make shooting the .223 caliber so much more economical. That being the case, what should you look for when buying a .223 rifle to make sure you can shoot both the military and the civilian rounds?
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Comments

  • Ga boyGa boy Member Posts: 97 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Is .223 (5.56x45mm) ammo interchangable with .223 (5.45x39mm) ammo.
    In particular, will they both fire safely and efficiently in a ruger.223 ranch rifle or a bushmaster .223??
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  • Ga boyGa boy Member Posts: 97 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    does anyone know if the 63grain british ss109 .223 surplus stuff is any good? a local shop got a bunch in and its $150 for 720 rounds...the stuff isnt corrosive is it?
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  • Ga boyGa boy Member Posts: 97 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    i just purchased a colt pre-ban AR -15 and am looking for ammo.i have been told to be carfeful about what kind I bought as some brands wouldn't function properly. I would appreciate any reccommendations you may offer
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  • Ga boyGa boy Member Posts: 97 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Have any of you ever used silver bear ammo? How would you compare it to Wolf. Is it worth the little extra money. I'll quit bothering you now(for awhile,maybe)
    Thanks
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  • hdcolt51hdcolt51 Member Posts: 4,585 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I have never had any problems with any ammo in mine except steel cased.Only use that in my ak and sks.

    I bought a few thousands rds of malaysian ammo years ago grouped better than any ammo I ever shot in it.
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  • MobuckMobuck Member Posts: 14,163 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    What do you want your ammo to do? If all you want if for it to feed and go bang, that's a whole different game than finding functional, accurate ammo.
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  • tsr1965tsr1965 Member Posts: 8,682 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    First off, you will need to know the twist rate of your barrel. A 1 in 7, will prefer stuff 62 grains and above, a 1 in 9 will give functional accuracy with stuff from 55 to 69 grains, but prefer 69 grains, the 1 in 12 will like 40 to 55 grain stuff. There is the 1 in 8, that likes 62 to 75 grains too.

    Make sure that you have the 5.56 NATO chamber. If you have the 223 chamber, then do not shoot the 5.56 NATO stuff in it.

    Best

    EDIT 1

    quote:F.Y.I. though your particular AR was manufactured before the Clinton "gun ban" it sunset years ago so for intent and purpose it is a Colt AR-15 sporter rifle and nothing more. Avoid shooting any and all steel cased ammo because it will erode the chamber/throat of the barrell thus affecting accuracy. Once that happens, its time to rebarrell the rifle. Most Colt AR's were chambered in both 5.56 and 223. However some AR's were only chambered for one caliber specifically. Best

    There is no 5.56, and 223 chambers...they are either one or the other. It is physically impossible for a chamber to have the dimensions of both. The 5.56 will accept both rounds, as will the Wylde chamber.

    Best
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  • GarthGarth Member Posts: 381 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    F.Y.I. though your particular AR was manufactured before the Clinton "gun ban" it sunset years ago so for intent and purpose it is a Colt AR-15 sporter rifle and nothing more. Avoid shooting any and all steel cased ammo because it will erode the chamber/throat of the barrell thus affecting accuracy. Once that happens, its time to rebarrell the rifle. Most Colt AR's were chambered in both 5.56 and 223. However some AR's were only chambered for one caliber specifically. Best
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  • nmyersnmyers Member Posts: 16,892 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    All Colt AR-15's are pre-ban. I assume that your rifle is stamped "Colt AR-15"; if it is stamped "Colt (something else)", it is a Colt (something else).

    All Colt AR-15's will chamber 5.56 mm Nato & .223 interchangeably.

    All Colt AR-15's have a 1 in 12" twist rate.

    Neal
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  • cpermdcpermd Member Posts: 5,273 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by Garth
    F.Y.I. Avoid shooting any and all steel cased ammo because it will erode the chamber/throat of the barrell thus affecting accuracy. Once that happens, its time to rebarrell the rifle. Most Colt AR's were chambered in both 5.56 and 223. However some AR's were only chambered for one caliber specifically. Best


    BS

    Erosion is caused by heat and pressure. Has nothing to do with the case material.

    I have 4 Colt M16s and a bunch of ARs
    I would just about bet that I shoot more 5.56 ammo each week than anyone on here. Because of that I shoot a LOT of steel case ammo.

    As long as I have good extractors, O rings and ext springs I never have trouble with steel ammo.

    CP
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  • thebambam2001thebambam2001 Member Posts: 733 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by Ga boy
    i just purchased a colt pre-ban AR -15 and am looking for ammo.i have been told to be carfeful about what kind I bought as some brands wouldn't function properly. I would appreciate any reccommendations you may offer


    Check on the auction for a guy in Maine---type MCCI in the search box under rifle ammo.
    http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=224766283
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  • dcs shootersdcs shooters Member Posts: 10,870 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by nmyers
    [br

    All Colt AR-15's have a 1 in 12" twist rate.
    WRONG [B)]
    Neal


    My Colt Sporter has a 1/7 twist barrel on it, as do all the others I have looked at.
    Colt marks the twist rate on top of the barrel behind the front sight.
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  • Don McManusDon McManus Member Posts: 23,695 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by dcs shooters
    quote:Originally posted by nmyers
    [br

    All Colt AR-15's have a 1 in 12" twist rate.
    WRONG [B)]
    Neal


    My Colt Sporter has a 1/7 twist barrel on it, as do all the others I have looked at.
    Colt marks the twist rate on top of the barrel behind the front sight.


    Neal pointed out the differences between a Colt AR-15 and a Colt 'something else'. In your case the 'something else' is 'sporter'. I believe my Colt 'something else' has a 1 in 7 twist rate as well.
    Freedom and a submissive populace cannot co-exist.

    Brad Steele
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  • tsr1965tsr1965 Member Posts: 8,682 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by Don McManus
    quote:Originally posted by dcs shooters
    quote:Originally posted by nmyers
    [br

    All Colt AR-15's have a 1 in 12" twist rate.
    WRONG [B)]
    Neal


    My Colt Sporter has a 1/7 twist barrel on it, as do all the others I have looked at.
    Colt marks the twist rate on top of the barrel behind the front sight.


    Neal pointed out the differences between a Colt AR-15 and a Colt 'something else'. In your case the 'something else' is 'sporter'. I believe my Colt 'something else' has a 1 in 7 twist rate as well.


    All of the early, first Colt AR-15's were just AR-15's...long before even the M-16. They were selective fire for the US government military. After about a year or two, the US government made them call it the M-16. It remained the AR-15 thru the early 80's as far as I know. They ALL had the 1 in 12 twist for the 55 grain bullets, untill they started playing with heavier bullets in service rifle competition.

    Best
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