As a choice for my next build please.

To be brutally honest, I only recently learned of this type of barrel(yeah I know) and was wondering if you guys could give me some pros and cons of having one? I was considering a 12.3” Hanson barreled 5.56 pistol build, but the .223 wylde barrel seems tempting for another 16” build now.

Gtg for 5.56 and .223 and accuracy is usually better.

Thanks boss. I did just realize I posted in the wrong forum though. My apologies.

Allows you to shoot 223 and 5.56 with potential accuracy improvement over 5.56 barrel. I have 5.56 and 223 wylde and would say there might be some validity to that.

The idea is that it's compatible with both cartridges, without the accuracy degradation that can come from firing .223 Rem in a 5.56mm chamber due to the mismatched leade. It can also avoid potential pressure concerns, as while each round has the same maximum pressure they are designed to peak at that within their respective chambers; firing 5.56 in a .223 Rem chamber can lead to pressure issues due to the shorter chamber leade, and firing .223 Rem in a 5.56 chamber can lead to accuracy issues due to the longer leade. A .223 Wylde chamber has neither issue and can shoot it all.

From my files.

Posted By: Bill Wylde
Date: Thursday, 13 November 2003, at 8:46 a.m.

"In Response To: Re: .223 Wylde

The case dimensions of the Wylde reamer are that of one of the NATO prints. Not a thing tight about it. As I recall, there were two NATO prints in use. I don't recall the print number used, but do have it in old records somewhere.

Throating was about the only change. The decision was made to make the freebore diameter .2240" as a good bullet seal. That done, excess freebore made little difference to accuracy. One of the reasons the magazine length 69's shot so well in the chamber. It so happened that the 80 grain Sierra seated to the lands was about ideal at .2470" OAL. Simple luck.....All of it.

The initial reamer (designed in 1984) was mainly geared toward Canadian 5.56 ball, as I was experimenting with their issue ball for competitive purposes. This operation was slow in getting off the ground, and really didn't start happening until about 1990. The use of 5.56 NATO ball in Canada was a short lived affair. Handloads were allowed in about 1994.

Just prior to this time the AR's were gaining great strength in the U.S. The military finally got involved. The rest is history.

You might ask how the the 62 grain 5.56 ball worked for Canadian LR prone shooting to 1,000 yds? It was supersonic in barrels of 28", and longer. It also was very competitive with the 147 grain 7.62 ball in use there at the time. The wind drift differential at long range (7.62/5.56) was about 15% in favor of the 7.62.

Those days were very interesting."


Wylde is a close fit in throating but not an interference fit. People always misinterpret the reamer drawings thinking that those will be the finished chamber dimensions. Such is not the case.

Drills and reamers always make the hole larger than themselves. The act of cutting metal in fashion is more akin to high speed peeling than cutting as we think of it. After the drill or reamer makes the initial bite the metal ( "chip" ) is lifted it begins to separate from the base stock very similar to the manner in which a piece of wood splits ahead of the axe bit. This peeling takes a bit of the base stock off along with the chip. The principle is even more effective with higher rates of feed and speed associated with carbide cutters. It is in fact what makes them work so well.

If this were not so or if the finished hole conformed exactly to the dimensions of the drill or reamer then:

a. Drills and reamers would become stuck in said holes due to interference and would then have to be removed with force.

b. Unfired 5.56 ammo would not be removable from Wylde chambers without significant force or tools.

If anyone has any doubts about reamers and finished hole size, consult with a journeyman machinist or tool and die maker.
If there is any doubt remaining after that or if anyone just wants to have some fun, take a cordless drill and drill a 1/4 inch hole in a scrap of steel. Remove the drill bit from the drill and then pass it through the hole just drilled. Easy isn't it ?

Metal is fun stuff.

A friend had one, he would shoot off the shelf .223 and surplus 5.56 with no issues. It was a bull barrel and extremely consistent.

No major advantage for a knockaround gun, but if you want more precision while maintaining the ability to shoot all available ammo it's probably a good choice.