Shooting 5.56 in a .223

[Cornhusker77]

I know the answer is usually "Don't do it", but are there any exceptions?
I bought a NEF Handi Rifle marked .223 Rem, but this thing is build like a tank.
I'm so used to shooting ARs and using .5.56 and .223 interchangeably that I hardly think about it any more.
I headed to my shooting bench with the Handi Rifle the other day and noticed I had grabbed a box of 5.56 instead of .223.
I walked back to the house and traded it for a box marked .223, but it got me to wondering, will the NEF HR handle 5.56 or should I just play it safe and stick with .223?

 

[mcb]

I know the answer is usually "Don't do it", but are there any exceptions?
I bought a NEF Handi Rifle marked .223 Rem, but this thing is build like a tank.
I'm so used to shooting ARs and using .5.56 and .223 interchangeably that I hardly think about it any more.
I headed to my shooting bench with the Handi Rifle the other day and noticed I had grabbed a box of 5.56 instead of .223.
I walked back to the house and traded it for a box marked .223, but it got me to wondering, will the NEF HR handle 5.56 or should I just play it safe and stick with .223?

The difference between the two chambers is very minor. The difference are all in the throad and lead into the lands. But 556 in 223 can cause pressure issues. The primary issue comes from the 556 bullet contacting the tapper into the lands when chambered. When the bullet starts in contact with the lands you get a pressure spike.

So if your feeling adventurous you could chamber your 556 in the Handi-rifle and then remove the round un-fired and look for marks on the bullet from the rifling's. Coating the bullet in Sharpie or Dykem will make seeing the marks easier. If you don't see any marks from the riflings on the bullet shoot a round and exam the case for pressure signs. If there are no pressure sign you are likely OK. You would have to do this check with each new 556 ammo type you wanted to use.

The other option is to have a gunsmith open the chamber up to 556 throat dimension and never have to worry about it again. That expense may or may not be worth the cost and time depending on your use.

 

[12Bravo20]

I had a H&R Handi-Rifle in 223. It was the bull barrel model. I can tell you that you probably don't want to try 5.56 in it. I shot one round of 5.56 and it popped the action open upon firing which did not happen with 223. It's not so much the barrel on these rifles that you have to worry about. It is the breech face and the lockup of the action.

 

[MarshallDodge]

Interesting article on the subject

As always, doing anything again what your gun's manual recommends can be unsafe.

I've shot 5.56 in a lot of different guns chambered for 223 and have never had any catastrophic failures. On a couple of them the bolt was a little sticky but they extracted fine.

Along the same lines of discussion, I am sure there are many reloaders making nuclear handloads for their 223. They meet or exceed 5.56 pressures but have never blown up a gun. Most 223 bolt actions are pretty strong considering they were built for much larger calibers.

One thing for sure is that I have pierced magnum primers when working up loads in my 223 but have never done the same with a 5.56 load in a 223 chamber.

 

[Ks5shooter]

Use appropriate round ,you will save more in the long run.

 

[carbine85]

I would ask the manufacturer or look up the manual and go with that.

 

[12Bravo20]

Considering that having a coat of oil on the breech face of a Handi-Rifle can cause it to pop open upon firing. I would not push chamber pressures. I know the manual that came with my 223 H&R Handi-Rifle stated to use 223 ammo only. Like I said in my first post, 5.56 caused the action to pop open even with a dry breech face.

A bolt action is different than a break open single shot. It’s your rifle shoot 5.56 if you want in a 223 chamber. I don’t recommend it due to my own personal experience. A break action is not as strong as a bolt action and can’t take high pressure.

 

[film495]

I think of things like this as cutting a large tree down by yourself. For the most part it is fine, until it is not and goes horribly wrong.

 

[Cornhusker77]

Thanks guys.
I'll stick with .223 in this thing

 

[Double_J]

The answer is maybe. My cousin has one of the handi rifles chambered in .223 and it will chamber some 5.56 ammo but not others. he said 5.56 was a little louder and stronger recoil but not anything show stopping. he also doesn't feed it a diet of stout loads as it is not being made anymore and he wants to keep it for a long time.

 

[Jerry M]

Pressure difference is significant. Tried to fire a 5.56 in a Model 700 BLD in .223. Blew the primer and jammed the bolt. Went the the gunsmith for repair. My suggestion is don't do it.