silent knight
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Can someone explain the difference between the two? What caliber does the M-16, AR-15 use?
223 & 5.56
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Geronimo45
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Pretty much interchangeable. The M16/AR15 family of weapons uses the 5.56 round, which has (IIRC) slightly thicker brass than normal .223. Some guns intended for the .223 (bolt rifles, perhaps?) may have some issues with 5.56. If the gun is made for 5.56, it can take .223, no problem. Most currently made civilian AR15s should be able to take 5.56, no problem.
Phantom Warrior
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Someone is going to have to come along and verify, but this is my understanding...
5.56 NATO and .223 Remington are dimensionally the same cartridge.
However, 5.56 rounds are loaded to a higher pressure than .223.
And, .223 rifles have a slightly tighter chamber to improve accuracy.
Thus, if you put a hot 5.56 round into a tight .223 chamber, you can cause a KA BOOM, even though they are dimensionally the same round.
The reverse is safe, since 5.56 chambers are a looser and .223 is not as high pressured. Like Geronimo45 said, if you get something in 5.56 you are safe no matter what you shoot in it. You only need to be concerned if you buy a .223 rifle.
Lastly, there is something called a .223 Wylde chamber. This attempts to split the difference by using a tighter chamber than 5.56, improving accuracy, but still loose enough to handle 5.56 without any problems.
5.56 NATO and .223 Remington are dimensionally the same cartridge.
However, 5.56 rounds are loaded to a higher pressure than .223.
And, .223 rifles have a slightly tighter chamber to improve accuracy.
Thus, if you put a hot 5.56 round into a tight .223 chamber, you can cause a KA BOOM, even though they are dimensionally the same round.
The reverse is safe, since 5.56 chambers are a looser and .223 is not as high pressured. Like Geronimo45 said, if you get something in 5.56 you are safe no matter what you shoot in it. You only need to be concerned if you buy a .223 rifle.
Lastly, there is something called a .223 Wylde chamber. This attempts to split the difference by using a tighter chamber than 5.56, improving accuracy, but still loose enough to handle 5.56 without any problems.
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possum
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.223 is running approx 42,000 psi
5.56 is running approx 52,000psi
this should be in the rifle section! just so you know!
5.56 is running approx 52,000psi
this should be in the rifle section! just so you know!
Excellent points all. For the reasons listed, I always assure that an AR rifle have the denotation 5.56 on it barrel. My Lee reloading manual shows .223 Remington pressures at well over 40,000ish. In fact, they are listed in the 52,000 to 56,000 psi.
possum
Member
yeah get a 5.56 chambered gun if there is ever the possibility that you will shot it. that way you can go both ways!
It is said that one will lose a small amount of velocity if .223 remington is fired in a 5.56 chamber.
I have a 5.56 chamber on my 1 in 10 twist varmint rifle and have not yet seen any dramatic difference in terminal effectiveness of .223 cartridges fired at game animals with this rifle.
The critters die just as dead and just as quickly as when I was shooting them with a .223 chamber Winchester Model 70.
Even though I own a chronograph I can't remember ever shooting the cartridges through the screens to see exactly what difference in velocity there really was between the two cartridges in a 5.56 chamber.
If I did bother to do this little test the difference was not great enough to concern me enough to merit writing the results down.
5.56 cartridges should not be fired in a .223 Remington chamber,
SAAMI lists this as an unsafe combination and I being me have tried this combination in a bolt action rifle and a Mini 14 rifle.
What resulted in both cases was a very sticky and hard to open action with nothing gained so I do not recommend the practice.
I have a 5.56 chamber on my 1 in 10 twist varmint rifle and have not yet seen any dramatic difference in terminal effectiveness of .223 cartridges fired at game animals with this rifle.
The critters die just as dead and just as quickly as when I was shooting them with a .223 chamber Winchester Model 70.
Even though I own a chronograph I can't remember ever shooting the cartridges through the screens to see exactly what difference in velocity there really was between the two cartridges in a 5.56 chamber.
If I did bother to do this little test the difference was not great enough to concern me enough to merit writing the results down.
5.56 cartridges should not be fired in a .223 Remington chamber,
SAAMI lists this as an unsafe combination and I being me have tried this combination in a bolt action rifle and a Mini 14 rifle.
What resulted in both cases was a very sticky and hard to open action with nothing gained so I do not recommend the practice.
RNB65
Member
Seek knowledge, Grasshopper, and all shall be revealed. In excruciating detail, no less.
http://www.ammo-oracle.com/body.htm
http://www.ammo-oracle.com/body.htm
possum
Member
darn it i knew i was forgeting something, that is a great link and reference and i am normally all over suggesting that link to folks. :banghead:
I SUCK AGAIN!
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