Know the difference between 223 caliber and 5.56mm for safety.

[PDXBear]

It's ok to use 223 caliber in 5.56mm rifle but do not use 5.56mm in 223 caliber rifle for safety because 5.56mm is hot load for more punch for the military.

View: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/uUDybKXLYjw

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[OrPackrat]

If it says 223, only use 223.

If it says 556, you can use 556 and 223.

If it says 223 wylde, you can use 223 and 556

 

[msgriff]

Although it is true that 5.56x45 NATO fired in a .223REM chamber can be dangerous, it's not because 5.56x45 NATO is a "hot load". It has to do with the bullet being seated into the rifling upon chambering, which can cause chamber pressure to exceed SAAMI limits when fired. Normal cartridge to chamber design allows the bullet to move forward a small distance before entering the rifling when fired, commonly called the "jump". Typically, the greater the jump, the lower the chamber pressure. The jump allows the bullet to gain momentum before entering the rifling, which helps overcome the friction the lands of the rifling imparts on the bullet.
edit:spelling

 

[Medic!]

If it says 223, only use 223.

If it says 556, you can use 556 and 223.

If it says 223 wyle, you can use 223 and 556

Not a hard and fast rule.

 

[Stomper]

Not a hard and fast rule.

View attachment 2148973

Same with my Colt Sporter-II.... says .223 on the lower like yours, but the HBAR barrel is stamped 5.56

 

[NeoBlackdog]

Again?

 

[Andy54Hawken]

What's the difference...?
Duh.....numbers...one is 223...the other 5.56....two different sets of numbers...
223 - 5.56 = 217.44..... 217.44 Is the difference...

Kidding here.
Andy

 

[gmerkt]

Although it is true that 5.56x45 NATO fired in a .223REM chamber can be dangerous, it's not because 5.56x45 NATO is a "hot load". It has to do with the bullet being seated into the rifling upon chambering

This is a thing not only with 5.56mm ammo manufactured for the military. You can run into this issue if you reload your own using typical military profile ogive bullets. I learned this the hard way years ago because accuracy was all over the place. I had to learn it twice, once with .223 and again with .222 Rem. Same result.

 

[eb in oregon]

B.S. argument as both .223 and 5.56 have the exact same bullet profile in the lighter weight bullets and virtually the same velocity. It does not become an issue until using the heaver weight bullets designed for .223 chambering as the NATO chamber isn't meant for projectiles much heavier than 65 grains. As long the correct overall length is not exceeded and the velocity is comparable you have a better chance getting struck by lightening than having something go wrong. And just saying, but as both chambering's use .223 projectiles there should be zero problems exchanging the two for the majority of loadings. I've reloaded .223/5.56 for over 45 years using commercial and NATO cases with the original 55 grain bullet around 3,200 fps and never had an issue in any firearm.

 

[bcp]

A large fraction of all 5.56 I see for sale is 55 grain. I would use it in a 223. But would not use heavier buller 5.6.

Bruce

 

[Cerberus Group]

 

[Dozer99]

^^^^^^THIS^^^^^^^

 

[Kruel J]

It really was about that time for another one of these threads. Im guessing a mil-spec thread should be popping up soon.

 

[Cerberus Group]

I think youtube and others have too much time on their hands...too many ideas on what the differences/problems between the two, when there really isn't much.

If your chamber is 223 - run 223
If your chamber is 5.56 - run 5.56 and 223

5.56 chamber has a longer throat to allow for chamber shrink during high volume shooting aka full auto. Does this affect 223 being shot through it...may or may not. Try some loads and find out.

Can you run 223 in a 5.56 chamber - yes, without any problems..BUT, that depends on the quality of your barrel/chamber...specwise.

One can run 223 50gr up to 77gr in a 5.56 chamber without any problems, and it doesn't matter the bullet profile. .224 bullet can only be .224. Like any rifle, some like certain loads/bullets, and some like other loads.

Again the quality and spec of your barrel/chamber make all the difference...and there's a lot of garbage stuff out there. And I don't care who makes it, we are human...things get missed, so yes, even the top tier barrel makers throw a lemon now and then.

Also, with the right powder...one can get 5.56 velocity while getting 223 pressure.

Bottom line, just like a hunting rifle...try a load and see how it performs. If it doesn't group/work well then try something else.

I know someone will pipe up with...well in my gun I experienced this... Please spare me, ok, then try something else, it apparently didn't like what you tried.

 

[Kruel J]

I think youtube and others have too much time on their hands...too many ideas on what the differences/problems between the two, when there really isn't much.

If your chamber is 223 - run 223
If your chamber is 5.56 - run 5.56 and 223

5.56 chamber has a longer throat to allow for chamber shrink during high volume shooting aka full auto. Does this affect 223 being shot through it...may or may not. Try some loads and find out.

Can you run 223 in a 5.56 chamber - yes, without any problems..BUT, that depends on the quality of your barrel/chamber...specwise.

One can run 223 50gr up to 77gr in a 5.56 chamber without any problems, and it doesn't matter the bullet profile. .224 bullet can only be .224. Like any rifle, some like certain loads/bullets, and some like other loads.

Again the quality and spec of your barrel/chamber make all the difference...and there's a lot of garbage stuff out there. And I don't care who makes it, we are human...things get missed, so yes, even the top tier barrel makers throw a lemon now and then.

Also, with the right powder...one can get 5.56 velocity while getting 223 pressure.

Bottom line, just like a hunting rifle...try a load and see how it performs. If it doesn't group/work well then try something else.

I know someone will pipe up with...well in my gun I experienced this... Please spare me, ok, then try something else, it apparently didn't like what you tried.

You get tired of typing that out every so often?

 

[Cerberus Group]

You get tired of typing that out every so often?

I have it saved for the yearly thread...cut and paste ya know! Ha!

 

[ilikegunspdx]

A related note, .308 and 7.62x51 have different case thicknesses. If you shoot .308 in a fluted chamber (such as hk roller delayed firearms have) the .308 brass will extrude into the chamber making the case harder to eject. This can be an issue if you have an hk 91. Sometimes the ejection force can tear the case in half so that half the case remains in the chamber. This won't happen with 7.62x51 because the case is thicker and it doesn't extrude into the flutes.

Now does the same hold true for 5.56 vs .223? Probably, but I've never tried cuz I don't have a 5.56 with flutes chamber. My guess is it will be the same cuz 5.56 brass is thicker. But just a guess. This only applies to fluted chambers. I have heard some people with hk g36 clones have issues if they use .223, likely for this reason.

Many of the hk clones are designed to run with .308 and 7.62x51 but you will have better ejection with 7.62 x 51 cuz it works as designed, the gas in the flutes helps the case eject.

Here is a .308 vs 7.62x 51 in a PTR gun for example. You can see how .308 fills the flutes, defeating the purpose of having the flutes to aid ejection.
.308

7.62x51

 

[crstrode]

If it says 223 wyle, you can use 223 and 556

as in Coyote?
If that is what you meant, it is still spelled wrong.

 

[OrPackrat]

as in Coyote?
If that is what you meant, it is still spelled wrong.

Spell check killed it, wylde

 

[po18guy]

Crap! My rifle only says "7.62X51 NATO" Now what?