Okay.. can you shoot .223 out of 5.56? are they different? which is a better round minus the price and availibility issues?(faster/more powerful)
Thanks

Quoted: Okay.. can you shoot .223 out of 5.56? are they different? which is a better round minus the price and availibility issues?(faster/more powerful) Thanks

Yes, you can shoot a .223 out of a 5.56 chamber but it isn't recommended to shoot 5.56 out of a .223 chamber.

The 5.56 produces higher pressures and velocities than .223 and therefore has thicker casing walls.

They are probably equal in terms of availability.

What do you plan on using it for? Competition? Hunting?

SAAMI released one set of specifications for the.223 cartridge and the military went with another set of specs. The military specs are slightly more powerful than the commercial specs.

The SAAMI specs (.223) allow a slightly lower pressure than the military (5.56) specs allow. But the big problem is that military 5.56 has a slightly longer neck than .223. So, if you try to fire 5.56 in a .223 chamber it’s possible that the longer neck will get wedged into the barrel and hold onto the bullet when the rifle is fired. Naturally it will break free when pressures rise high enough, but it might require high enough pressures to damage the rifle.

So of you have a .223 chamber do not fire military grade 5.56 in it. However a 5.56 chamber can shoot .223 just fine. So for general use the 5.56 chamber is considered superior. However for target/hunting use the .223 is probably better as the chamber is specifically designed for the .223 commercial cartridges you will be using.

Incidentally you have a similar situation with 7.62 and .308… Only in reverse. The SAAMI .308 specs allow for higher pressures than the military 7.62 standards allow. So don’t fire commercial 308 in a rifle chambered for 7.62.

Thanks thuban... i am going to plink with it, but i want to be able to shoot some earth pigs this summer (ground hogs)... I will probably go with the 5.56

Quoted: Okay.. can you shoot .223 out of 5.56? are they different? which is a better round minus the price and availibility issues?(faster/more powerful) Thanks

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