Posted: 11/2/2008 9:28:42 AM EDT
| Why can't an AR stamped .223 fire 5.56 but a 5.56 can fire .223? I forget and a buddy thats just getting into it asked. |
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A 5.56 chamber has more slop in it so it can reliably shoot ammo from various makers. The slop is in the headspacing. The larger headspacing allows the 5.56 chamber to take hotter ammo. The downside to the 5.56 chamber is that it is slightly less accurate than a .223 chamber.
The .223 chamber has less headspacing so it can't take the pressure that a 5.56 can. The benefit is that one gets better accuracy. The comprmise to 5.56 and .223 is a .223 Wylde chamber. It's headspacing is inbetween that of a 5.56 and .223. This will take 5.56 nato ammo and provide better accuacy while not running into pressure problems. |