Ok,

My new Bushy says it shoots .223, or 5.56. Question is are they not the same? Am I missing something here. I understand that 5.56 is the NATO stuff, but os it not the same as .223?

Thanks,
Andy

it's so close you can't tell the difference.  

When I was searching for my new rifle (I ended up buying a Bushy too--16" V-Match), I was told to look for a 5.56 chamber as opposed to a .223 chamber.  A rifle with a .223 chamber would be more accurate, and a rifle with a 5.56 would be more reliable when shooting a lot of rounds between cleanings.  I was told by a couple of guys that their rifles with .223 chambers start having function problems after 200-300 rounds.

I'm no expert at AR's (This Bushy being my first one), but I do know this: One day I fired 1,200 rounds through it and experienced NO malfunctions.  I added some lube to the bolt assembly at about 900 rounds, but that's it.  As far as the ammo, I've shot both kinds (.223 & 5.56) and I haven't noticed any difference.

Yes. This is a confusing subject. I thought that 5.56 was .223, but maybe I'm wrong about that. I know that when I buy .223 for my
mini-14 it will shoot the 5.56 without a problem. The rounds look the same when compared to each other. What's the differences? Same grains, looks to be same casing. I don't know.


Thanks for the help guys!!!!!!
Andy

The rounds are dimensionally the same, but the pressure standards are different.

The main difference that affects shooters if the CHAMBER dimensions.  .223 is tighter than 5.56.

5.56 ammo is usually loaded to a higher pressure then .223, and when combined with the tighter chamber, the .223 gun may be less reliable than the 5.56 gun.

Have you read the [url=ammo-oracle.com]ammo FAQ[/url]?