Quoted: I was looking at Model 1 Sales for a barrel and i'm given 2 different options, .223 or 5.56. I was under the impression that they were the same thing... Which one do I want if I plan on shooting surplus AND commercial ammo? |
5.56 NATO has a higher pressure curve than .223 commercial ammo, so get the 5.56 barrel so you'll be able to shoot both.
As far as twist is concerned, if you'd like an accurate rifle, get a twist suited for your needs. If you plan on shooting surplus ammo (55gr/62gr) then 1/9 would be the optimal twist for those rounds. If you want to shoot high power rounds (78gr +/-) and/or tracer rounds you want to consider a 1/7 twist. If you want to shoot lower grain ammo (45gr) then something like a 1/12 would be more optimal for it. Don't get confused with what I say, any twist will shoot any 5.56 ammo, it's just one twist will shoot a certain type of ammo better than another twist.