The Difference Between .223 and 5.56

...interesting article on the subject:

http://www.gundigest.com/ammunition-reviews-articles/223-vs-5-56

 

Unreal how many AR owners don't have a clue about the differences.

 

Interesting read

 

+Rep

Great read there's many people that don't know the difference.

 

And some think that "AR" in AR15 stands for "Assault Rifle" I don't know how many I asked and got that answer.

 

yep, a lot of misinformation has been spread by antis and the LSM morons... AR actually meant "armalite rifle", ...as eugene stoner's cutting edge new rifle (at the time) was initially produced by the armalite company...

 

i heard a good thing to know is that you can shoot a .223 through a 5.56 chamber, but you cannot shoot a 5.56 through a .223 chamber.

 

yes, that is correct... however, we should expound upon whether a 5.56 stamped barrel is indeed safe, ...if you read article in my OP, the author states that after guaging a bunch of 5.56 stamped barrels from various big name manufacturers, they were not properly reemed for 5.56 - that is a bit worrysome...

 

Rock river uses a .223 wylde chamber which is a happy medium between the two. Most commercial ammo even 5.56 is not hot enough to matter either way. I would think that any mil spec rifle marked 5.56 is within a tolerance to safley shoot military ammo. I have fired thousands of rounds of 5.56 from numerous countries and never had a problem of anykind. Just don't put any in a bolt rifle.

 

..the chamber dimensions for 5.56 are different from that of .223, at the neck... this is for a good reason... read the article, and you may have a different take on it

 

Neck demension is not different, free bore in front of neck is longer to facilitate the bullet being seated out further and the inside capacity of the case is less due to thicker military brass meaning more pressure. Outside case demensions are identical.

 

you may have caught me in a random overgeneralization (which happens often while multi-tasking...)

i'm not familiar w/ the wylde chambered rifles, ...guess i'd only trust a 5.56 chamber to shoot 5.56, ...as much as i'd hate to have a kaboom w/ a handgun cartridge, i'd really really hate to have a kaboom w/ a rifle cartridge!

 

I here that, its no fun if its too dangerous, lol.

 

I'm curious as to the thought here - is it because a bolt action would have tighter tolerances, or that most bolt actions are chambered for 223 and not 5.56? The giant locking lugs, steel construction and pressure vents make me think that something like a Rem 700 would be significantly less likely shear a lug and fail than an AR.

Maybe I'm wrong? I haven't studies this.

 

Yes, because bolt rifles are chanbered for .223 and also they are not gas operated like a AR is.

 

wow thats is a good read.

 

Good info

 

If I recall correctly the EXTERNAL dimensions of the 2 calibers are the same. This is why you will not find a separate reloading die for .223 and 5.56. Now the wall thickness is greater on the 5.56 brass so I'm not sure about reloading .223 brass with 5.56 recipes. I personally would use a reloading recipe for a .223 unless you are sure you are using 5.56 brass. As others have mentioned, the 5.56 has greater internal pressures.

I pretty much only shoot American Eagle XM193 5.56 mm out of my Stag 2T AR-15. This stuff has the good Lake City brass in case I decide to reload.

 

There are very few true .223 caliber AR's out there as well - mostly purpose built target rifles. Most off the shelf AR's are chambered in .223 Wylde, which will handle 5.56 and .223.