2aHawaii
General Topics => General Discussion => Topic started by: BLKDRGN on July 14, 2014, 12:40:46 PM
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Why do some of you choose 5.56 over .223 ammo? It cost more so I'm wondering if it's because of .223 ammo shortage, because you gun can handle it so why not, because Military uses it, more velocity, etc.
Edit: My question is not so much comparing the two specs. My question is, if you were to go to the store and there where two boxes, one .223 and one 5.56, why would you choose the 5.56? So far it seems that you would only purchase 5.56 if .223 was unavailable. I know others out there only buy 5.56 so I'm trying to figure out why? If there is good justification maybe I'll switch over. I'm also going to reload so if that should be factored in too.
.223 is cheaper
.223 can be fired in a .223 and 5.56 barrel
5.56 has slightly higher velocity
5.56 cannot be fired in a .233 only barrel
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Price and avaibility.
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I have always thought that 5.56 is more expensive than .223.
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It's the same projectile so I don't think shortage is an issue. 5.56 is just loaded "hotter" so higher velocity. The size of the cartridge is slightly different also which is why they say you can fire a 223 in a 556 barrel but it isn't advisable to do the opposite. It seems most barrels are chambered in 556 so they can shoot both, the exception bring some precision 223 stainless barrels.
That's my understanding anyway.
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My question is not so much comparing the two specs. My question is, if you were to go to the store and there where two boxes, one .223 and one 5.56, why would you choose the 5.56? So far it seems that you would only purchase 5.56 if .223 was unavailable. I know others out there only buy 5.56 so I'm trying to figure out why? If there is good justification maybe I'll switch over. I'm also going to reload so if that should be factored in too.
.223 is cheaper
.223 can be fired in a .223 and 5.56 barrel
5.56 has slightly higher velocity
5.56 cannot be fired in a .233 only barrel
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Same price as .223
5.56 is loaded hotter to military spec
Better for all purpose use (range, shtf etc)
Just rather have the full power version of two very similar cartridges
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If you reload, 223 is less likely to have crimped primer pockets. ( some 223 manufacturers do crimp their pockets as well) I have both 223 and 556. 556 is stored for shtf scenarios, while I practice and plink with 223 since it takes a step out of the reloading equation.
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Because I feel operator shooting mil-spec ammo through my rifles.
JK. Like everyone says, 5.56 is hotter. My AR-15 has heavy buffer and spring, so I don't trust shooting .223 in it. I shot some .223 Tula in my AK and I had a few failure to feed. Maybe it was the brand, but the extra power of the 5.56 makes me feel better.
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.223 is the more American round, being standard measurements.
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556 has a tendency to crack or explode barrels sooner and cause faster wear on all your moving parts
also its harder to reload because the neck is tempered and the primers are crimped in.
the angle of the shoulder on a 223 and 556 is different.
556 tending to be hotter is less accurate also will wear out your gun faster.
I try not to shoot 556 because it makes my shoulder hurt.
But if you want maximum bullet head efficiency you will need to use 556 since it is more powerful than the 223 round.
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5.56 should run more reliably, because it is hotter. However, you might sacrifice a bit of accuracy.
My gun runs fine with .223, and that's what I'm sighted in for, however I'll buy whatever is cheaper.
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you can get 556 any where in the world its a common round if you was in the jungle with your 223 gun and ran out of ammo but theres lots of 556 all around the jungle on dead bodies you cannot use there ammo with a 556 it fits right in
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just like the ar15 if the upper receiver breaks you can take someone elses reciever and attach it to yours very convienient if your in the thick of things
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just incase theres zombies go 556
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You just need 22LR to zap a Zombie.....Headshot!
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Are the 22 shortsge over or srill going on?
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Are the 22 shortsge over or srill going on?
pretty much over but prices are still high.
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I'll shoot both .223 Rem and 5.56. If given the choice and about the same price, I'll buy 5.56. I try to make sure both .223 and 5.56 run in my guns, but I do notice stronger and more consistent ejection with 5.56 in my mid-length gas guns. I don't really notice a difference in recoil between .223 Rem and 5.56...
I have noticed that my mid-length gas guns do NOT like the weaker Tula .223 Rem. They will run fine in my carbine gas guns, but the mid-lengths guns to not like Tula.
My guns are also zeroed for 5.56. My ARs aren't precision guns, so that's not a big deal for me.
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I shoot 5.56 because OGC or SEC always have deals on it in bulk.
And that's what I'm zero'd for. ( 55grainers )
However, out of my MVP bolt gun ( 5.56 chamber ) I shoot mostly .223 because I shoot 62 grain SPs and there's a lot of hunting rounds available in 223.
( and I don't even really hunt but just in case i have the chance )
If given the choice and about the same price, I'll buy 5.56.
+1. Just because that's my current zero.
Does the Zero change a lot from 5.56 to .223 ?
Never really tried to compare head to head.
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Price and avaibility.
I concur.
The few times I've been able to buy 223/556 ammo there were deals on 556 making it a little cheaper than 223, no idea why but it doesn't bother me.
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I shoot 5.56 because OGC or SEC always have deals on it in bulk.
And that's what I'm zero'd for. ( 55grainers )
However, out of my MVP bolt gun ( 5.56 chamber ) I shoot mostly .223 because I shoot 62 grain SPs and there's a lot of hunting rounds available in 223.
( and I don't even really hunt but just in case i have the chance )
+1. Just because that's my current zero.
Does the Zero change a lot from 5.56 to .223 ?
Never really tried to compare head to head.
I've done some testing and it does affect zero slightly. I typically zero at 50 yards and I'll notice a slight shift at that range, but that can probably be partially because I only shoot with a 2 MOA, unmagnified red dot. So I'm not expecting super-duper accuracy. Well, honestly more a limitation on me than the optic. . . :'( I like to think/believe that my groups would improve with a magnified optic. Haha
Last two times I went to the mainland for carbine classes, I shot Federal .223 Rem at the class since that was available locally. I did notice that both times I had to adjust my T-1 slightly to zero at 50 yards. I don't think the optic shifted in transit and I also had to adjust when I came back home. Not enough that I would worry about it too much though when going back and forth between the two.
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The differences really come into play with the starting path of the bullet and the unrifled portion of the chamber ahead of the rifling, called the leade. A narrower (less diameter) leade keeps the bullet from tipping as it moves forward, which enhances accuracy. A larger leade allows for more buildup and gunk and thus greater reliability.
At the end of the leade is the rifling. To prevent bullet mangling, the rifling has an angle on its front face to allow the bullet to slide in and smoothly begin rotating. The steeper this angle (within reason) the more quickly the bullet is controlled by the rifling and thus potentially delivering greater accuracy. However, the steeper the angle, the more the bullet “stalls” on engaging the rifling and the greater the pressure spike.
The 5.56 chamber has a slightly longer leade and shallower rifling angle, allowing the 5.56 cartridge to be loaded to higher pressures.
A shallower angle on the rifling—in effect, a longer ramp—also creates a longer effective leade, as the ogive of the bullet has to travel a greater distance before it engages shallow-angle rifling than it would with steep-angle rifling.[/color]
When the .223 was invented, it was meant as a benchrest and varmint round. As such, accuracy was paramount. Velocity was a good thing, but not if it meant losing accuracy. So the .223 was designed with a short leade and steep rifling engagement, which is fine for shooting varmints or targets.
When the Army was forced to adopt the M16, however, it tried to avoid adoption by moving the goalposts, insisting on 500 yard penetration performance. To get that, the designers had to boost pressure and velocity. To control pressure (and also to get full utility out of tracer ammo, which uses bullets nearly twice as long as typical full metal jacket ammo), they modified the shape of the leade and rifling angle. And later, taking advantage of the longer leade and gentler angle, ammo makers tuned the 5.56 round to maximum performance using that extra margin.
.223 Remington chamber
By contrast, the .223 Remington has a shorter leade and sharper rifling angle, the design stemming from a desire for top accuracy.
Today, the difference can be marked. The leade on a proper 5.56 chamber is twice or more than that of a .223 chamber, and the onset angle of the 5.56 rifling creates a ramp with four times the distance. Firing .223 in a .223 chamber, or a 5.56 chamber, is not a problem. But firing real-deal 5.56 ammo in a .223 chamber can be a big problem.
The SAAMI-spec maximum average pressure for the .223, measured at the middle of the case, is 55,000 psi. The NATO spec for 5.56 is determined by SAAMI’s European counterpart, CIP. CIP measures at the case mouth and lists the 5.56 pressure spec of 62,000 psi. Measured at the case middle as SAAMI does, it shows 60,000 psi—so either way it’s higher than the .223.
But the problem isn’t just pressure. That CIP pressure of 62,000 psi? It is measured in a 5.56 chamber. If we take the same round, which shows 60,000 psi per SAAMI (which is already 5,000 psi over the .223 max) and put it into a .223 chamber, things get ugly. The pressure spike piles onto an already over-pressure round.
Read more: http://www.rifleshootermag.com/2012/02/02/5-56-and-223-are-they-different/#ixzz38FkRLxQW (http://www.rifleshootermag.com/2012/02/02/5-56-and-223-are-they-different/#ixzz38FkRLxQW)
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I like Mil-Spec/LEO ammo at all times.
5.56 has Crimped primer, sealed casing to bullet more velocity etc...
When needed, all ammo/zeros will be the same for all firearms
In distance, I see a difference in zero even between 193, 855 and tacticle bonded 5.56
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Update to my earlier post regarding mil-spec/LEO ammo.
Last weekend was shooting with friends when someone used my AR with their "off the shelf" ammo.
Suddenly there was FTE/FTF issues.
Rifle was still clean and lubed.
Brought home, disassemled only to find a primer had come loose and managed (at 1,000,000,000,000 to 1 odds) to find it's way into the BCG Key tube.
A perfect fit !
I replaced the key as the primer was so smashed into the tube, it was unreasonable to remove it with out damaging the key any further, but I wanted and ainstalled a new Spikes BCG anyway. :love:
The old BCG has become part of my "extra parts" kit
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Update to my earlier post regarding mil-spec/LEO ammo.
Last weekend was shooting with friends when someone used my AR with their "off the shelf" ammo.
Suddenly there was FTE/FTF issues.
Rifle was still clean and lubed.
Brought home, disassemled only to find a primer had come loose and managed (at 1,000,000,000,000 to 1 odds) to find it's way into the BCG Key tube.
A perfect fit !
I replaced the key as the primer was so smashed into the tube, it was unreasonable to remove it with out damaging the key any further, but I wanted and ainstalled a new Spikes BCG anyway. :love:
The old BCG has become part of my "extra parts" kit
Wow that is crazy odds. Do you recall who manufactured the ammo?