Is there a diff. between .223 and 5.56mm?
02-21-2008, 01:16 PM
#11
Boone & Crockett
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Comance county, OK
Posts: 11,408
RE: Is there a diff. between .223 and 5.56mm?
"According to the link you provided there is enough differences in chamber dimensions to warrant not shooting 5.56 in a .223 chamber."
The cartridge cases have the exact same dimensions.
Which chamber? This is important because neither a factory .223 round or a 5.56mm military round will chamber in a one of my rifles that has a Remington Match chamber. The cases have to be neck turned. Look at the dimensions of all the chambersthat AR-15offers. Agunsmith friend recently told me that there are very few if any new guns being chambered to the original .223 SAAMI specs.
US companies want tosell ammo. Of course they will tell you that it is dangerous to shoot 5.56mm MilSurp in a .223 rifle.
Has anyone ever seen any 5.56mm ammo that warned against its use in a .223 chamber?
The cartridge cases have the exact same dimensions.
Which chamber? This is important because neither a factory .223 round or a 5.56mm military round will chamber in a one of my rifles that has a Remington Match chamber. The cases have to be neck turned. Look at the dimensions of all the chambersthat AR-15offers. Agunsmith friend recently told me that there are very few if any new guns being chambered to the original .223 SAAMI specs.
US companies want tosell ammo. Of course they will tell you that it is dangerous to shoot 5.56mm MilSurp in a .223 rifle.
Has anyone ever seen any 5.56mm ammo that warned against its use in a .223 chamber?
02-21-2008, 01:44 PM
#12
Boone & Crockett
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 10,679
RE: Is there a diff. between .223 and 5.56mm?
02-21-2008, 02:06 PM
#13
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Where the ducks don't come no more
Posts: 4,420
RE: Is there a diff. between .223 and 5.56mm?
ORIGINAL: Pavomesa
There has alreadybeen a few zillion military rounds shot through all sorts of .223 caliber rifles. A little late to be telling anyone don't do it.
There has alreadybeen a few zillion military rounds shot through all sorts of .223 caliber rifles. A little late to be telling anyone don't do it.
Natural selection ain't just a myth you know....
02-21-2008, 05:40 PM
#14
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Sep 2005
Posts: 6,867
RE: Is there a diff. between .223 and 5.56mm?
i have always been told not to shoot 5.56 through a .223 also
the 5.56 has higher pressure and i think it is set at metric since it is the NATO ammo
also i do not think you can get a 5.56 in hollow point since using hollow points are banned by NATO
the 5.56 has higher pressure and i think it is set at metric since it is the NATO ammo
also i do not think you can get a 5.56 in hollow point since using hollow points are banned by NATO
ORIGINAL: Pavomesa
There has alreadybeen a few zillion military rounds shot through all sorts of .223 caliber rifles. A little late to be telling anyone don't do it.
There has alreadybeen a few zillion military rounds shot through all sorts of .223 caliber rifles. A little late to be telling anyone don't do it.
02-21-2008, 07:28 PM
#16
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Texas
Posts: 425
RE: Is there a diff. between .223 and 5.56mm?
This thread reminds me of the old story of the army drill instructor who was asked if the 7.62 Nato cartridge was the same thing as a .308. The instructor said, "I don't know nothing about no civilian guns."
The SAAMI warning is about as significant as the warning on every box of ammo sold in America, i.e. This ammunition should only be fired in guns in good condition. Looks like someone could provide us with a link to all the stories of this ammo blowing up 223s across the land. Only problem is it's not happening and most likely never has.
The SAAMI warning is about as significant as the warning on every box of ammo sold in America, i.e. This ammunition should only be fired in guns in good condition. Looks like someone could provide us with a link to all the stories of this ammo blowing up 223s across the land. Only problem is it's not happening and most likely never has.
02-21-2008, 09:52 PM
#17
Join Date: May 2007
Location:
Posts: 177
RE: Is there a diff. between .223 and 5.56mm?
SAAMI is like the FDA and are easily bought off like many of you have already pointed out. When I first learned there was a difference I called Bushmaster, Olympic Arms and my local gun smith at Gander Mountain. They all said that you could fire .223 and 5.56 from either chamber and that there was no significant difference, danger or risk of damage by doing so in an AR platform. The the Gun smith and the Bushmaster rep did warn against using a 5.56 in a .223 Chamber for Bolt Actions though.... not too sure why extraction and the emergency pressure release might be some things you might encounter in a bolt action.
while oly arms doesnt have the greatest reputation in the AR worldthey do have a lifetime warranty and I dont think that they would have anything to gain by telling customers to use improper ammo...
while oly arms doesnt have the greatest reputation in the AR worldthey do have a lifetime warranty and I dont think that they would have anything to gain by telling customers to use improper ammo...
02-21-2008, 09:57 PM
#18
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Where the ducks don't come no more
Posts: 4,420
RE: Is there a diff. between .223 and 5.56mm?
ORIGINAL: Badger Boy
my local gun smith at Gander Mountain. They all said that you could fire .223 and 5.56 from either chamber
my local gun smith at Gander Mountain. They all said that you could fire .223 and 5.56 from either chamber
It is true that its safer to shoot them on AR platforms. SAMMI even tells you that. They are not easily "bought off" either. Why in the world do you think that?
There again, its cheaper in the long run to pay an extra $5 a box for ammunition than it is to get a plastic surgeon to rebuild your face... and who knows if it has ever happened... but it won't happen to me!
02-21-2008, 11:00 PM
#19
Join Date: May 2007
Location:
Posts: 177
RE: Is there a diff. between .223 and 5.56mm?
nah the guy at gander i know weve known for over two years, me and huntinggrl89 go to gander almost weekly (when we get bored) just to walk around and we spend a bunch oftime talking to him and never buy anything. He has helped us out big time in the past with birthday gifts, batf orders and the like and we both trust him... guess we got lucky at our gander and found an honest guy.
i wouldnt worry about a 5.56/.223 mix match causing injury from a new factory load in any semi auto. Any issues I have heard of have come from faultyremanufactured/reloadedammo. Not to say that it never happens... there is always the chance of injury but theres also a chance that the correct cartridge in the correct chamber will explode... risks we take.As far as spending the extra 5 bucks, I think that the only thing spending the extra cash for a .223 will do is buy more reliablilty. Especially if the alternative is older 5.56 ammunition.
bottom line is that the 5.56/.223 wont matter in terms of safety or over all equiptment life in any semi-auto BUTthey will matter in a Bolt Action, single shot, pump... ALSO
in terms of performance, the 5.56 tends to have more velocitybut the.223 do tend to be more accurate than 5.56. Thats why competition ammunition is .223 match and not 5.56 match.
hope that helps
i wouldnt worry about a 5.56/.223 mix match causing injury from a new factory load in any semi auto. Any issues I have heard of have come from faultyremanufactured/reloadedammo. Not to say that it never happens... there is always the chance of injury but theres also a chance that the correct cartridge in the correct chamber will explode... risks we take.As far as spending the extra 5 bucks, I think that the only thing spending the extra cash for a .223 will do is buy more reliablilty. Especially if the alternative is older 5.56 ammunition.
bottom line is that the 5.56/.223 wont matter in terms of safety or over all equiptment life in any semi-auto BUTthey will matter in a Bolt Action, single shot, pump... ALSO
in terms of performance, the 5.56 tends to have more velocitybut the.223 do tend to be more accurate than 5.56. Thats why competition ammunition is .223 match and not 5.56 match.
hope that helps
