[Myk9noseknows]

I've always shot military 5.56 out of my 5.56 AR M4. however, with the recent upswing on ammo prices and always looking for a deal, I've found .223 w/ brass cheaper than current 5.56 (also it's hard to find quality/affordable 5.56 these days).

Will I lose accuracy shooting .223 out of my 5.56 if everything else is the same (bullet weight, bullet shape, etc.)?

 

[chupacabrachus]

You will not lose accuracy.

 

[mif_slim]

5.56 and 223 is basicly the same. only diffrence is 5.56 has higher pressure mostlY due to thicker case. the bullet itself is the same. its like a .3o8 is a 7.62x51, its just a standard and metric coversion.....

 

[MordeKyle]

same round

 

[MagicPie]

It's rather wrong to just call them the same round, their difference lay in the freebore, shoulders, and throat area sizes, along with their pressures, however the bullet it self is the same. They are entirely different rounds.

As for accuracy, it depends on ammo, but .223 in a 5.56 will often lead to a bit wider grouping, often however the difference is less the .5". Although not always the case, as Black Hills often show improvement over 5.56, up to a .5" decrease.

If can located the September 2008 magazine SWAT-they have a nice article about the differences and effects on accuracy. No major accuracy problems but there is a 1" of play between 5.56 and cheap to expensive .223

 

[mif_slim]

Just dont shoot a firearm made for .223 with 5.56. But you can always shoot a 5.56 made firearm with .223.

Recently a guy shot his Ruger mini 14 with .223 stamped on it had his gun explode after 60 or so shots of 5.56.

 

[mp3mogul]

Just dont shoot a firearm made for .223 with 5.56. But you can always shoot a 5.56 made firearm with .223.

Recently a guy shot his Ruger mini 14 with .223 stamped on it had his gun explode after 60 or so shots of 5.56.

Really?

I was under the impression that all Ruger Mini 14's were 5.56 rated.

I just checked the manuals for all Mini 14's... here's a cut and paste:

AMMUNITION​

The​

​

​

​

RUGER® MINI-14® RIFLES are chambered for the .223 Remington
(5.56mm) cartridge. The Mini-14 Rifle is designed to use either standardized U.S.
military, or factory loaded sporting .223 (5.56mm) cartridges manufactured in​

accordance with U.S. industry practice

 

[MordeKyle]

Just dont shoot a firearm made for .223 with 5.56. But you can always shoot a 5.56 made firearm with .223.

Recently a guy shot his Ruger mini 14 with .223 stamped on it had his gun explode after 60 or so shots of 5.56.

this is such an internet myth.

ive shot 223 in my 556 and ive shot plenty of 556 in my 223. not a hickup,

 

[sourpatch45]

a 223 chamber is more accurate then a 5.56 chamber but shooting out of a 5.56 chamber you wont notice any difference in accuracy

now if you should a 223 in both a 223 chamber and a 5.56 chamber the 223 chamber would be more accurate

 

[fett701]

The 223 round is inherently more accurate than the 5.56, but that is shooting in a 223 rifle. In your 5.56 chambered rifle i would expect about the same performance in my 16 inch carbine the accuracy is about the same but i only shoot at 25 to 100 yards.

 

[sourpatch45]

this is such an internet myth.

ive shot 223 in my 556 and ive shot plenty of 556 in my 223. not a hickup,

do you have any proof to back this up...besides your experience doing so?

just because you were fine shooting a 5.56 in a 223 does NOT mean it is safe to do so
5.56 IS loaded to a higher pressure then the 223 (that is a FACT)...and shooting ammo that is loaded to a higher pressure then the gun was designed for is never a good idea, odds are you will be fine but personally i will only shoot the ammo my gun was designed for.

shooting 223 in a 5.56 is not an issue at all

 

[mif_slim]

Really?

I was under the impression that all Ruger Mini 14's were 5.56 rated.

I just checked the manuals for all Mini 14's... here's a cut and paste:

AMMUNITION​

The

​

​

RUGER® MINI-14® RIFLES are chambered for the .223 Remington​

(5.56mm) cartridge. The Mini-14 Rifle is designed to use either standardized U.S.

military, or factory loaded sporting .223 (5.56mm) cartridges manufactured in​

accordance with U.S. industry practice​

I dont know how old his Ruger is, but he said he didnt want to return it to Ruger because its too old. I did read that older Mini's were not 5.56 compatiable.​

Besides, what story am I making up? Good thing is that I didnt hear it from someone but I SAW IT HAPPEN.

Look, 5.56 PSI is: 62,367, .223 PSI is: 55,000. Thats some 7000+ PSI added in the 5.56. Some guns marked .223 is safe to shoot 5.56, lke the SU-16 and some others, but even some AR marked .223 cannot and should not shoot 5.56. Just because its an civilian M-4 doesnt mean it can shoot 5.56.​

 

[MagicPie]

The mini 14 is a .223 only rifle, the shorter freebore and abrupt throating of a .223 chamber, can cause a pressure spike with 5.56.
You might get away with 5.56, but risk are involved.

5.56 and .223 are not the same round!

 

[Myk9noseknows]

Wow, i mustuv been on an Ambien induced internet post, I don't even remember being on the computer, let alone on XD Talk. No wonder I was so tired today. i wonder if I'm sleep eating or sleep driving too

 

[Joe2131]

5.56mm is a 55gr ball round. I have shot a lot of 5.56 ammunition, it's not any different than civilian ammunition, it's just made to the military's criteria, to thier exact standards.

Consult your gun smith on what to use, talk to the manufacturer of your barrel. All you need is 55gr FMJ, I hear the stuff in the white box shoots best in .223.

I love my dad's mini 14, I'm gonna have to take him shooting when I find more .223


Dad's stuff I shoot civilian rounds with,
M1 Garand-Korean sniper model
Wincester M1 Carbine .30
1911

 

[Joe2131]

The mini 14 is a .223 only rifle, the shorter freebore and abrupt throating of a .223 chamber, can cause a pressure spike with 5.56.
You might get away with 5.56, but risk are involved.

5.56 and .223 are not the same round!

My dad and I have used everything from handloads to military surplus in his, never a problem.

I should take a moment to point out though, factory barrels are not manufactured to tollerances as barrels made for competion or accurracy, so maybe it may be true with a rifle you or your friend has owned one. This really is a huge problem with leadless bullets, the expansion and velocity is different in every barrel unless you pay $2000 or more for your rifle.

 

[MagicPie]

^ A bunch of factors can be involved, and what you say is true. Also I'm no expert at anything.

What I can say is often what will happen in a AR15 with a .223 chamber, when a 5.56 is used, excess pressure can cause the primer to pop out, and thus getting deeply jammed in the trigger or bolt carrier.

The differences in pressure between a .223 and 5.56 isn't so extreme that a risk of injury to shooter or damaged to the gun is likely to occur.
But, I would be willing to be the mini-14 is experiencing some 5.56 pressure spikes. Now if this may very well not be high enough to cause trouble for the mini-14, but again they're some risk-at least on a technical paper stats side.

Really my only point of all this, as this thread sort of went off course, is that a .223 and a 5.56 are not the same round. There is some rather key differences in the casing design of the round and chamber of the gun.

To say a .223 and 5.56 are the same-is completely wrong, they are simply compatible in most regards-but safely in a 5.56 shooting .223 and not the other way around.

 

[Joe2131]

^
What I can say is often what will happen in a AR15 with a .223 chamber, when a 5.56 is used, excess pressure can cause the primer to pop out, and thus getting deeply jammed in the trigger or bolt carrier.

Ok so I am not an expert either but I'd venture to say that the crimp holding the primer in is the most obvious difference that I can see by visual comparison. I'll admit-that shook something loose I've heard before on my adventures to Aberdeen Proving Grounds.

 

[mif_slim]

I think 7000PSI+ is alot of difference. Back when we use to play paintball alot, a guy had a 3000PSI HPA tank...it errupted and nearly killed him. On the News, a guy got killed from a 1200PSI CO2 tank errupting. Thats half less then the 7000PSI. Even though the ammo is smaller, theres alot of metal around to fragment.

I'd say, stay safe and shoot what the gun is marked to shoot.

 

[Joeywhat]

Remember that the CARTRIDGE does not dicate accuracy. A .223 rem cartridge (or bullet or whatever) is not more accurate then a 5.56 cartridge. The increased accuracy comes from a shorter leade, so the bullet doesn't have to jump a potentially long gap to reach the rifling (as is the case with 5.56 chambers). Since 5.56 chambers are deisgned to accept a wide variety of ammunition and OAL's, the lead needs to be a little longer. To make up for the lost accuracy it's loaded slightly hotter to keep velocity up.

.223 rem chambers keep the tolerances a bit tighter, and since the bullet does not need to go far to reach the rifling, it does not need as much powder to reach normal velocities.

I would not fire 5.56 in ANY gun rated for .223 rem. If I wasn't sure I would check the chamber myself to confirm. SAAMI doesn't recommend it, and as such I don't do it.

YMMV.