.223 vs 5.56

[dogtag]

Lake City brass is military, therefore 5.56
Other brass I have has 5,56 stamp.
Now, I really don't care what people shoot in their firearms,
as long as I'm not standing next to them.
I reload everything I shoot, and I use only my own cast bullets,
so 223/5,56 makes no difference to me.

[Matt Anthony]

Lake City brass is military, therefore 5.56
Other brass I have has 5,56 stamp.
Now, I really don't care what people shoot in their firearms,
as long as I'm not standing next to them.
I reload everything I shoot, and I use only my own cast bullets,
so 223/5,56 makes no difference to me.

As others have said, they shoot military rounds through their bolt guns without a hitch. The subject was, is there a difference between 223 and 5.56. The answer is YES, there is a difference, it cannot be disputed due to facts on chamber dimensions. Now, does it matter, it seems NOT, as I have never witnessed nor heard of a 223 bolt gun blowing up using 5.56 ammunition. It's not about brass, it's about the dimensions of the chambers and that's it! However, whatever is stamped on the barrel, that's what the manufacturer tooled the barrel for, so it's not hard to understand what to shoot in that rifle. I can't understand why there is any argument or even discussion on this subject. All one has to do is read about chamber dimensions and the discussion is over!
Matt

[tmark]

I was told by my gun store man that 5.56 can be fired in .223 bolt guns on a limited basis. Eventually, he said, the stress of the former round will weaken the bolt lugs and locking mechanism in the receiver.

Other sources say a 5.56 is not meant to be fired in .223 rifles. Google "Firing 5.56 ammo in a .223 rifle" for reliable data. The data says not a good idea to fire 5.56 in .223 rifles.

This should be a topic for mythbusters.

[Parashooter]

Wouldn't it be nice if everyone read the original post on this thread? In case you didn't, it's about brass for handloading - not about firing factory ammunition. Wake up, folks!

[Hefights]

Politics, religion, and 5.56 vs .223 (7.62 vs .308)

[PhillipM]

Wouldn't it be nice if everyone read the original post on this thread? In case you didn't, it's about brass for handloading - not about firing factory ammunition. Wake up, folks!

Exactly. Exhibit A

[Art]

Politics, religion, and 5.56 vs .223 (7.62 vs .308)

.......and what rifle Alvin York used, and are low number '03s safe to shoot

[tmark]

Wouldn't it be nice if everyone read the original post on this thread? In case you didn't, it's about brass for handloading - not about firing factory ammunition. Wake up, folks!

It is not unusual for responses to a specific post to side track into other parameters related to the general topic. I appreciate and welcome the additional data.

[tmark]

Politics, religion, and 5.56 vs .223 (7.62 vs .308)

Chevy vs Ford?

[tmark]

.......and what rifle Alvin York used, and are low number '03s safe to shoot

Art, Alvin used a German Luger. Anyone who saw the movie knows that!!! No doubt it was a low number Luger.

[WarPig1976]

Chevy vs Ford?

Blonde vs Brunette...well, either one really..

[tmark]

LOL

[Dolt]

FYI I have a Ruger Hawkeye in 223 Rem. I had my gunsmith run a Wylde reamer into the chamber so that I could shoot both 223 and 5.56 safely. Gunsmith said that almost no metal was removed by the reamer. He fired both 5.56 and 223 in the rifle and said they both function fine with no unusual pressure signs. I do get almost 300 fps faster, 3100 in 5.56 as opposed to 2850 in 223 commercial ammo. And this is out of a 16 inch bbl. It's all a mystery to me.

[JohnMOhio]

Deleted comment..

John

[JohnMOhio]

It is my understand that the 5.56 NATO round is usually loaded to a higher pressure. Please note that when you size a 5.56 in .223 dies, you get a .223 case. Also I might add that the 5.56 brass is usually thicker. Therefore when sized to .223 spec's the interior is somewhat smaller. If case capacity is less, then the pressure will most likely be higher when equal powder amount is used along with the same bullet verses civilian brass which is a thinner.

John