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Well since the only difference between 5.56 and .223 occurs during chambering, the lower plays no role in this at all. It's just marketing. Some people don't know they can shoot .223 in their 5.56 marked ARs I suppose. Don't shoot 5.56 in a .223 only marked weapon however. I've never seen a .223 only AR upper, but I suppose there's one out there somewhere. Don't worry about the lower, the markings on the barrel are what should concern you. You want one that says 5.56 whether or not it mentions .223 doesn't matter. |
Your lower will be capable of either 223/5.56 unless specifically stated, i.e. an ar10 lower. The same lower can be used for 223, 5.56, 9mm, 6.8... |
The lower will be fine. You will have to basically get a complete upper w/bolt/carrier/charging handle that is made for 7.62x39. You will also have to try to find reliable 7.62 mags (rare and expensive because only Colt made good ones) but there are Frankenmags from DPMS. WIZZO |
| .223 is a U.S. caliber size, 5.56mm is the NATO size (metric system) and they are the same. Just as .308 and 7.62mm Nato are the same. 6.8mm and 9mm use AR lowers with different uppers, but .223 and 5.56mm are one and the same. That fact that knowone else has told you this to this point blows my mind! |
WRONGO!!!! They are very similar, to the point of being interchangeable in most cases. But they are not the same. Different specs alltogether. The lowers for 5.56/.223 are one in the same, but the calibers are different. |
WRONGO!!! There is so much wrong with most of the information posted above.... mostly because everyone's points, including yours, is incomplete. People, spend a little time at the ammo-oracle. www.ammo-oracle.com/ The *caliber* is the same. Caliber describes the projectile size, which is the same.  The *dimensions* of the loaded cartridge is the same. From the oracle:
Therefore, the AMMO is identical is size... just a higher spec for the powder charge/pressure of the NATO spec 5.56 ammunition.... and you will typically see crimped primers, sealed primer and bullets, etc, on milspec ammo, but you can see these on commercial loadings to SAAMI spec as well. What differs completely... is the chamber.... www.ammo-oracle.com/body.htm#chamb  Details, details. |
| +1 for FALARAK! The question was about the lower being able to fire 5.56 and .223 so +.5 to sapper! I know him, so he proablly left that open to draw fire! You can see that he did that by mentioning the 9mm and 6.8 shooting off AR lowers. Any way Good Job Falarak, not to many AR nuts know the difference! |
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