FAQ: 5.56mm NATO vs .223 Rem
We address the frequently asked question “Can my 5.56 rifle accept .223 Ammo?”
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I wish more people could put out short helpful videos
3rd video Iāve seen that parrots the same false information. Have you ever heard of +P ammunition??? Exactly what part of your rifle will be damaged by these higher pressures? Are there any documented cases of failure or injury from shooting 556 out of a 223 rifle?
Thx
I would add this: if you are still in doubt, or have additional questions, contact the manufacturer of the firearm. As the manufacturer of that weapon, their answer will be the most accurate and up to date.
short and direct to the point, love it!
This video is perfectly short and informative.
length & diameter, freebore
.0566" .2265" 5.56 NATO
.0250" .2240" .223 Remington
.0619" .2240" .223 Wylde
0:46 "…the 223 wild". . . WTH is a "223 wild"? What’s he saying there? Anyone know?
Straight to the answer. Thanks
I still dont understand the point of. 223 wylde. if a 5.56 barrel shoots 5.56 and .223 why does .223 wylde need to exist?
Very educational thank you for this
I have an old Ruger mini14 Ranch rifle, stamped as .223. According to Ruger it is designed to fire 556, however at the time of manufacture 556 was not allowed to be used by the public. In the case of older rifles, check with the manufacturer and provide serial numbers to be sure. I safely fire 556 with no issue.
20,000. Lol c, mon
So what are the advantages of a .223 Wylde over a 5.56? I understand that they can both shoot both cartridges. Is one more prone to malfunction or accuracy issues with one of these cartridges?
I didn’t know, but I’m happy to know now
D you have any 6.5 Grendel ammo available?
So if it says nato u can shoot both 556 n 223
What if the barrel is stamped 5.56 and the lower says 223 Rem?
hell ya straight to the point no bs great video!
How in the world does a chamber affect the amount of pressure a firearm can handle? The 5.56 chamber is designed to deal with dirty ammo, don’t drag your gun through the mud and happy shooting.
Brownell’s "Smyth Busters" say it is okay to fire 5.56 from a .223 chambered rifle, especially modern rifles, which can typically exceed the max pressure a .556 round would produce.
I couldn’t make out what he said at 4:46. Something like "223 wide" or "wire." He didn’t show the marking for that either. Anyone know?
Your 223 will not explode firing 5.56…period. May have performance issues but, no Kaboom! Think barrel proofing requirements and lawyers/lawsuits.
Crystal clear explanation! Thanks.
so kind like 357 and 38
Ahhhh just learned this the other day, super important! Canāt have the bullet reaching out into those riflings…
But if as in a CZ Bren 2ms the gas knob is stamped 556 on one side and 223 on the other can you shoot both?
This is bullshit, show me the .223 gun that blew up from eating 5.56!
My Ruger Mini 14 is a .223 but it handles both.
Finally a video that is simple and straight to the point and answers all the questions you were wondering none of that fancy pants bullshit.
Finally someone who doesnāt beat around the damn thorn bush
Thank you
If I have a 5.56 thatās not NATO, can I shoot a 223 in it?
I like the video about the difference. Unfortunately I wonāt be buying either from you guys are your prices are bonkers.. I mean 18.00 for a box of 20 223 plinking rounds is crazyā¦
Thanks for getting right to the point ass well great video
TY
Iām using a .223 wylde barrel now, only because 5.56 barrels were out of stock. I wanted to use both calibers on my new build
This video is hogwash, and whomever wrote the 60 second script set back "facts" on this case about 40 years…
1. Presenter says the 5.56NATO can make 20,000 psi more than .223, and the very idea is stupid on its face. Same external dimensions, same bullet weight. Did you think they put 40% more powder in that load?
2. Presenter says "Another caliber designation to look for is .223 Wylde." You will never see a box of ammo marked with the "Wylde" designation. Ever. "Wylde" is a standard or specification for a chamber dimension – not a caliber or ammo designation or type. This matters. A lot.
How do you know I’m right? Here’s the gospel truth: Hornady has been running the Lake City contract for years now. You can see with your own eyes that if you go buy several boxes of Frontier (Hornady’s lower-price brand…) ammunition in .223, you’ll see that the headstamp on the cartridge literally says LC 5.56 NATO. So… brass is literally interchangeable. The same. Exactly. Which means that to the people (Hornady) that both:
a. run the military ammo manufacturing contract (Lake City), and
b. manufacture both .223 and 5.56×45 NATO, the dimensions of the chamber are the same because 5.56 brass is used to manufacture .223 ammo. Fact.
Bullets? Same 55 gr. bullet with cannelure. Same. Bullet. Same weight, same dimensions, same cannelure in the same location. From the same manufacturer (Hornady). Fact.
Why does this misunderstanding persist? Because very old .223 bolt rifles have shorter ‘leade’ – the freebore in front of the chamber before the rifling starts. In some old varmint rifles chambered in .223 Remington, it is SUSPECTED that putting an old 5.56 round of uncertain manufacturing standards (non-NATO or even NATO-partner ammo…) into a .223 chamber with a shorter leade COULD push the bullet back into the neck of the case – causing a catastrophic pressure spike.
And yet no one has ever seen this. No one has ever documented this. It’s an idea that *could* be true.
If you have an AR-15 manufactured in the last 30 years, you can shoot both .223 and 5.56×45 NATO in it. Full stop.
"Wylde" chamber design (and all the other chamber designs out there…) is literally to help the consumer not be scared of shooting both .223 and 5.56×45 NATO in their guns.
That’s all there is to it. Bring the hate and the flame wars – I’m wearing my turnout gear.
First he says you can shoot either if it is marked 5.56 than he he says they recommend shooting what the barrel is marked, that makes it clear!
Thanks man. I just bought a Colt AR-15 a few days ago and the shop I bought it from sold me some 223 rounds. I went to academy today and bought some 5.56 rounds, but I was still pretty upset until I saw this video lol.
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