Why is the 5.56/.223 still so popular?

[mavracer]

For every guy who got an AR-15 in .300 BLK as a suppressor platform or in .450 Bushmaster to hunt big game, there's probably twenty guys who got one in 5.56 NATO to shoot paper at the range and defend their house if they need to do so.

And that one guy that has a 300 Blackout suppressor host and a 450 Bushmaster for big game might even have a 224 Valkyrie (or 6 ARC/Grendel) for long range and a 22lr AR also but he has 3 ARs chambered in 5.56/223 wylde. Ask me how I know lol.

 

[wbm]

I really don't understand what's confusing about it myself

Me neither.

 

[redcon1]

For every guy who got an AR-15 in .300 BLK as a suppressor platform or in .450 Bushmaster to hunt big game, there's probably twenty guys who got one in 5.56 NATO to shoot paper at the range and defend their house if they need to do so.

And at least 10 of those 20 guys probably has a 300 BLK upper, a 450 bushmaster upper, a 6mm ARC upper, a 6.5 Grendel upper, etc. that he can slap on his lower. There's no doubt these niche specific calibers are outstanding in their niches but the niche generalist 5.56x45 caliber is the superior niche generalist caliber due to the economy of scale as much as anything. If the US military ever replaced 5.56 with 6mm ARC, I'm sure you would see a mass exodus away from the 5.56.

 

[JohnB-40]

I three 5.56 rifles. Beside the ballistics,light recoil etc,my reason for choosing this caliber is.....If this society continues its rapid spiral downwards to Mad Max levels,5.56/.223 will probably be (along with 9mm) one of the easiest rounds to come across in the wasteland.

 

[d2wing]

WAY too much emotion and sentimentalism attached to the cartridge in question.

A cartridge is only as "effective" or as "devastating" as the bullet it fires, (Really, cartridges in and of themselves are neither effective, nor ineffective. They're just a means by which to launch a bullet) and comparing the potency of an unnamed .224" bullet to an unnamed .310" bullet makes no sense at all. Anyone who has killed and butchered even a modicum of game at all will tell you that generally speaking, larger bullets are more effective than their smaller counterparts due to their greater diameter and weight. While little .22 caliber bullets travelling at relatively high velocities may create "devastating" wounds, they lack woefully in penetration, and penetration trumps a large shallow wound all day, every day. Before the breathless infatuation with the AR platform manifest itself via video games and internet forums, the .223 Remington was considered a medium range varmint round with roughly a 35-40 yd. advantage over other rounds such as the .222 Remington and lagging slightly behind the .222 Remington Magnum. But the lust for the platform has people shoe horning the cartridge into rolls for which it really isn't well suited. In order for .22 caliber bullets to be effective on medium game such as hog an deer, one must use specialized bullets where the 7.62x39, with its larger frontal area and greater sectional density when compared to a .224" 55 gr. bullet, will work fine with most any softpoint.

So, love .223/5.56 all you want, but try to be realistic.

35W

With a handle like you have I would expect a bias like that. The other bullet was named. 7.62x39. I have extensive experience with both. The 5.56 and .223. are superior in many regards. I have shot several large deer and penetration is not an issue. I have also shot a few with the 7.62x39 and while effective at close range, the wounds with the .223 were much more devastating than the named 7.62x39. Both using appropriate soft point bullets. I also served in combat and there is not question that the 556 NATO is more effective and at much greater range than the 7.62x39.
I do concede that there might be a small penetration advantage to the 7.62x39 but I can't name a situation where it mattered. Certainly not for deer.
Of course appropriate bullets are required and that is not a problem with the .223 as a wide variety for many situations are available.
Of course I do not expect you to agree but I did not want to concede that point without an answer.
You should be aware that I am a 74 year old combat veteran and never played a video game and my experience with both goes back to the 1960's. I have no infatuation with anything. I do expect that many agree with you and that is not a problem. It's America. Buy what you like.

 

[d2wing]

Another note, I hear the Russians have adopted a similar .22 caliber for Combat.
Again, the Op is totally wrong about what cartridges are more effective.
Like many people he has a strong bias to the slower heavier bullet. The experience of thousands if not millions of us that have used the 5.56/223 cartridges is that every assumption the poster made is completely false.
Also, arms makers around the world and military experts even the Russians agree.

 

[dogtown tom]

......For every guy who got an AR-15 in .300 BLK as a suppressor platform or in .450 Bushmaster to hunt big game, there's probably twenty guys who got one in 5.56 NATO to shoot paper at the range and defend their house if they need to do so.

I would bet it's a far, far greater difference.
While .300BLK is a popular round for AR's................1:20 ain't even close. If it was the ammo would be cheaper.
Easily 5000:1 (as in 5000 5.56/.223 for every .300 blackout)
There are relatively few .300BLK complete firearms sold vs barreled uppers.

Before WalMart went stupid, my clue as to the popularity of a particular cartridge was "Is it on the shelf at WalMart?" If not, it probably wasn't popular enough to justify shelf space that was allocated to other better selling items.

 

[someguy2800]

Simple economics of production in mass scale. It doesn't take anything spectacular to put holes in paper, or blow up plastic jugs, or make steel plates ding, which is what the majority of people do with their AR15's.

 

[film495]

I shot a propane tank with a 20 gauge shotgun shell and it made a nice dent in it at 50 yards. A 1911 shooting .45 ACP at 25 feet made also a nice dent. A .223 round put a clean hole in one side and out the other. Works for me.

 

[DustyGmt]

Military cartridge and proliferation of AR15 type rifles and the vast number of manufacturers that popped up between 2001-present day.......

That and it's an excellent intermediate sporting/defensive cartridge. Most anybody can shoot it and most anybody can afford one..... when stopping power and the bigger better bullet club had to pipe down, the 5.56 reigned and became a ubiquitous cartridge

 

[CapnMac]

Range is not a be-all end-all; once you get to a quarter mile (400m) you get into serious issues of target identification. Sure, with good glass, you get better ID, but your situational awareness must needs narrow. Recoil matters, too. As does weight overall. These things are a balance of compromises. And as with any compromise there will be those who will argue that this or that change would be "better." This is a normal sort of thing. Is a truck better or worse with a given engine in it? Depends. Are you buying stock off the lot or waiting for a custom to be delivered. Depends.

Now, in fairness, Some things just "go together"--
Garands in 30-06
1911s in 45acp
GP5 in 9x19
The list will go on and on.

There are all sorts of "other" calibers for each of those. The proponents of those calibers will call them "better"; the opponents, "worse." There's good comfort in buying something off the shelf, and knowing every possible place will be like to have ammo or parts for it.

Your Mileage May Vary.

 

[Newtosavage]

Why is the '06 still so popular?

 

[35 Whelen]

With a handle like you have I would expect a bias like that.

I have absolutely no bias towards large calibers. My first deer rifle was a .222 Remington followed by a 6mm Remington, then a 220 Swift and my father for many years hunted with a .222 Remington Magnum. With these three I killed a couple dozen head of deer and hogs. I learned that with cartridges such as these, which would include the .223, there is little margin for error, and much deviation from broadside shots result in wounded game. I now typically use a .308 or .280 Remington, especially when ranges are liable to exceed 200 yds. And FYI, my 35 Whelen is used strictly for elk.

The other bullet was named. 7.62x39.

That sir is a cartridge, not a bullet.

I do concede that there might be a small penetration advantage to the 7.62x39 but I can't name a situation where it mattered. Certainly not for deer.

Of the several dozen deer I've killed in over 40 years, the only one I lost was with a .22 caliber rifle when I attempted a rear quartering shot. Lesson learned. With more muscular game such hogs, penetration is even more critical.

Of course appropriate bullets are required and that is not a problem with the .223 as a wide variety for many situations are available.

Yes, and that is one of the many "ifs" that goes along with using ANY .22 caliber rifle for medium game; one needs to use a controlled expanding bullet. But even then due to their relatively light weight, penetration will still be lacking. Simple physics.

People are going to sling .22 caliber bullets at deer and hogs in perpetuity for the simple reasons discussed here; infatuation with a platform and cheap ammunition.

So go in peace, use whatever makes you happy, but remember that your love for a cartridge doesn't make it more effective.

Thanks for your service.

35W

 

[dranrab]

People are going to sling .22 caliber bullets at deer and hogs in perpetuity for the simple reasons discussed here; infatuation with a platform and cheap ammunition.

Go back 25 years in time. I was a huge naysayer about the 223. It was a varmint cartridge, and even in that capacity, it paled in comparison to the 22-250 and 220 Swift.

Then I started using it. It's so easy to shoot, easy to shoot well, easy to load for, easy to find cheap plinking ammo. As faster twists became more prevalent, so did better, heavier bullets. I started shooting deer with it an loading for my grandchildren who shot deer with it. My grandson probably killed 30-40 deer with it at their place that borders the National Forest. With the 60 grain Nosler partition and the 64 grain Nosler Bonded, pass throughs are common and so are DRT shots.

When you peel deer that have been killed with these bullets, "BDA" reveals devastation that's indistinguishable from damage imparted by a 30-06 or 257 Roberts. No exaggeration there. It WRECKS their innards. YOU could not tell the difference. Penetration is likewise impressive.

So my question to you would be why choose 55+ grains of powder, 165 grain bullets, heavy recoil, more muzzle blast and noise and more expense to kill deer with a 30-06, when the 223 does BETTER.

Let me qualify better. My grandson doesn't "miss" with the 223. His dad does "miss" with the 30-06. My grandson rarely has to track deer. His dad does. What's going on there?

There is a broadening body of experience and knowledge relative to the 223. People are using even heavier bullets than I do. The results are impressive.

 

[David Hoback]

For those of you talking about 7.62 vs 5.56 & sectional density, you really should research more, instead of simply regurgitating what you think. 5.56 defeats 7.62 at EVERY facet except a very marginal MUZZLE energy. Which is bested by 5.56 at greater distance anyway.

 

[Madcap_Magician]

I would bet it's a far, far greater difference.
While .300BLK is a popular round for AR's................1:20 ain't even close. If it was the ammo would be cheaper.
Easily 5000:1 (as in 5000 5.56/.223 for every .300 blackout)
There are relatively few .300BLK complete firearms sold vs barreled uppers.

Before WalMart went stupid, my clue as to the popularity of a particular cartridge was "Is it on the shelf at WalMart?" If not, it probably wasn't popular enough to justify shelf space that was allocated to other better selling items.

Plus it's the entry level. I mean, you get a 5.56 NATO AR-15 and that's the starting point, where you then just get uppers in different calibers. Lots of people own just an AR-15 in 5.56 NATO. Lots of people own AR-15s in 5.56 NATO with uppers or additional AR-15s in different calibers. But probably nobody owns just an AR-15 in .224 Valkyrie or something like that. Since most of those intermediate cartridges are designed to fit the same magazine or at least the same mag well and therefore the same serialized lower, and sometimes the same bolt carrier group, you get a ton of mileage out of it before the sickness takes over and you also get into AR-10s.

 

[dogtown tom]

Plus it's the entry level. I mean, you get a 5.56 NATO AR-15 and that's the starting point, where you then just get uppers in different calibers. Lots of people own just an AR-15 in 5.56 NATO. Lots of people own AR-15s in 5.56 NATO with uppers or additional AR-15s in different calibers. But probably nobody owns just an AR-15 in .224 Valkyrie or something like that. Since most of those intermediate cartridges are designed to fit the same magazine or at least the same mag well and therefore the same serialized lower, and sometimes the same bolt carrier group, you get a ton of mileage out of it before the sickness takes over and you also get into AR-10s.

I know. What I was getting at is relatively few AR owners EVER buy an additional barreled upper.

 

[d2wing]

I have absolutely no bias towards large calibers. My first deer rifle was a .222 Remington followed by a 6mm Remington, then a 220 Swift and my father for many years hunted with a .222 Remington Magnum. With these three I killed a couple dozen head of deer and hogs. I learned that with cartridges such as these, which would include the .223, there is little margin for error, and much deviation from broadside shots result in wounded game. I now typically use a .308 or .280 Remington, especially when ranges are liable to exceed 200 yds. And FYI, my 35 Whelen is used strictly for elk.



That sir is a cartridge, not a bullet.



Of the several dozen deer I've killed in over 40 years, the only one I lost was with a .22 caliber rifle when I attempted a rear quartering shot. Lesson learned. With more muscular game such hogs, penetration is even more critical.



Yes, and that is one of the many "ifs" that goes along with using ANY .22 caliber rifle for medium game; one needs to use a controlled expanding bullet. But even then due to their relatively light weight, penetration will still be lacking. Simple physics.

People are going to sling .22 caliber bullets at deer and hogs in perpetuity for the simple reasons discussed here; infatuation with a platform and cheap ammunition.

So go in peace, use whatever makes you happy, but remember that your love for a cartridge doesn't make it more effective.

Thanks for your service.

35W

It is not love of a cartridge, it is just knowledge. It may surprise you to know that in many points I agree with you. My preferred hunting rifle is Tikka in 7-08.
I used an AR when my shoulder was too damaged to use anything else. I find an AR to be bulky, can be noisy and I do prefer a little more power for odd angles and long shots. But I could make do with a .223 and an AR.

 

[N555]

Up to 300 shots per pound of powder is more appealing than 150 shots per pound for some people.

 

[Hokkmike]

1. ubiquity of ammo
2. price of ammo
3. magazine capacity
4. range
5. accuracy
6. flat trajectory
7. interchangeability of .233 and 5.56 (in many rifles)
8. low recoil & noise
9. CZ-527 and other fine guns so chambered.....

 

[Madcap_Magician]

I know. What I was getting at is relatively few AR owners EVER buy an additional barreled upper.

...I was just agreeing with you and expanding on it.

 

[M1key]

The AR-15 is America's rifle. My wife and grandson can shoot them well.

M

 

[Robbins290]

1) Cheap ammo
2) Almost every gun maker producing a variant in .223/5.56 NATO
3) Easy to shoot, less recoil = better shooting and longer range sessions. Also easier to kids to shoot
4) Can be a good hunting round for deer if you stay in its limitation.
5) Did I mention cheap to shoot?

 

[Archie]

Here are my conclusions on the matter:
1. They are cheap to shoot (in normal times and conditions).
2. Recoil is NOT a problem.
3. All the cool guys like them.

 

[7.62 Nato]

Low price and availability is an even larger consideration when your only wants are inside the limits of the round.

Same reason the .22 LR is even more popular. Not because of what it can’t do but what it can.

5.56/.223 is the 22lr of the centerfire world.