FAQ: 5.56mm NATO vs .223 Rem

Finally someone that explains this in a short package you have my like sir thank you.

Ayo holy shit I get it now

every body's preparing for the apocalypse, i see. 😅😅

I know people talk about their 3rd cousin best friend bought a gun .

better question is "why do you not know that 5.56×45 is metric for .223 Remington?"

Did he really say 20k psi more out of 5.56? More like 3k psi… don't give out false info please…

فیلم س** فیلم فیلم س***

Thank you

Thank you, I've been feeling pretty stupid about this. I appreciate the content you put out in this video.

Where do you get the idea that the 5.56 can produce so much more pressure than the .223? All the information I have shows just the opposite. Since the cases are exactly the same size and if the bullets are the same then all my load data shows the .223 being charged with more powder in every case resulting is slower bullets from the 5.56. More powder in the same case will produce more pressure. I would be afraid to use my .223 loads in a black rifle. The data I have, which was produced by Sierra, shows the same reduced loads for the 5.56 all the way to an 80 grain bullet where my information stops.

223 wylde is the best of both worlds

For a typical AR chamber, both are fine. But don’t try jamming a 5.55 into a 1962 bolt action .223. The reamed leade lengths are different. Your 5.56 case will jam.

5.56mm = Military Round. .223 Remington = watered down civilian trash. For equal example, See: .357 magnum vs .38 Special.

So glad I got a 5.56 rated AR best of both worlds 😂🤙

🧠 fast, good info

Excellent.

Crystal clear explanation! Thanks.

But if as in a CZ Bren 2ms the gas knob is stamped 556 on one side and 223 on the other can you shoot both?

Thx

short and direct to the point, love it!

I’m using a .223 wylde barrel now, only because 5.56 barrels were out of stock. I wanted to use both calibers on my new build

So what are the advantages of a .223 Wylde over a 5.56? I understand that they can both shoot both cartridges. Is one more prone to malfunction or accuracy issues with one of these cartridges?

Brownell's "Smyth Busters" say it is okay to fire 5.56 from a .223 chambered rifle, especially modern rifles, which can typically exceed the max pressure a .556 round would produce.

What if the barrel is stamped 5.56 and the lower says 223 Rem?

😃👍😎

I couldn't make out what he said at 4:46. Something like "223 wide" or "wire." He didn't show the marking for that either. Anyone know?

length & diameter, freebore
.0566" .2265" 5.56 NATO
.0250" .2240" .223 Remington
.0619" .2240" .223 Wylde

TY

Finally a video that is simple and straight to the point and answers all the questions you were wondering none of that fancy pants bullshit.

0:46 "…the 223 wild". . . WTH is a "223 wild"? What's he saying there? Anyone know?

Straight to the answer. Thanks

If I have a 5.56 that’s not NATO, can I shoot a 223 in it?

I would add this: if you are still in doubt, or have additional questions, contact the manufacturer of the firearm. As the manufacturer of that weapon, their answer will be the most accurate and up to date.

How in the world does a chamber affect the amount of pressure a firearm can handle? The 5.56 chamber is designed to deal with dirty ammo, don't drag your gun through the mud and happy shooting.

Very educational thank you for this

Finally someone who doesn’t beat around the damn thorn bush

Thanks man. I just bought a Colt AR-15 a few days ago and the shop I bought it from sold me some 223 rounds. I went to academy today and bought some 5.56 rounds, but I was still pretty upset until I saw this video lol.

I like the video about the difference. Unfortunately I won’t be buying either from you guys are your prices are bonkers.. I mean 18.00 for a box of 20 223 plinking rounds is crazy…

This is bullshit, show me the .223 gun that blew up from eating 5.56!

Thanks for getting right to the point ass well great video

My Ruger Mini 14 is a .223 but it handles both.

This video is perfectly short and informative.

This video is hogwash, and whomever wrote the 60 second script set back "facts" on this case about 40 years…

1. Presenter says the 5.56NATO can make 20,000 psi more than .223, and the very idea is stupid on its face. Same external dimensions, same bullet weight. Did you think they put 40% more powder in that load?

2. Presenter says "Another caliber designation to look for is .223 Wylde." You will never see a box of ammo marked with the "Wylde" designation. Ever. "Wylde" is a standard or specification for a chamber dimension – not a caliber or ammo designation or type. This matters. A lot.

How do you know I'm right? Here's the gospel truth: Hornady has been running the Lake City contract for years now. You can see with your own eyes that if you go buy several boxes of Frontier (Hornady's lower-price brand…) ammunition in .223, you'll see that the headstamp on the cartridge literally says LC 5.56 NATO. So… brass is literally interchangeable. The same. Exactly. Which means that to the people (Hornady) that both:

a. run the military ammo manufacturing contract (Lake City), and

b. manufacture both .223 and 5.56×45 NATO, the dimensions of the chamber are the same because 5.56 brass is used to manufacture .223 ammo. Fact.

Bullets? Same 55 gr. bullet with cannelure. Same. Bullet. Same weight, same dimensions, same cannelure in the same location. From the same manufacturer (Hornady). Fact.

Why does this misunderstanding persist? Because very old .223 bolt rifles have shorter 'leade' – the freebore in front of the chamber before the rifling starts. In some old varmint rifles chambered in .223 Remington, it is SUSPECTED that putting an old 5.56 round of uncertain manufacturing standards (non-NATO or even NATO-partner ammo…) into a .223 chamber with a shorter leade COULD push the bullet back into the neck of the case – causing a catastrophic pressure spike.

And yet no one has ever seen this. No one has ever documented this. It's an idea that could be true.

If you have an AR-15 manufactured in the last 30 years, you can shoot both .223 and 5.56×45 NATO in it. Full stop.

"Wylde" chamber design (and all the other chamber designs out there…) is literally to help the consumer not be scared of shooting both .223 and 5.56×45 NATO in their guns.

That's all there is to it. Bring the hate and the flame wars – I'm wearing my turnout gear.

20,000. Lol c, mon

D you have any 6.5 Grendel ammo available?

I have an old Ruger mini14 Ranch rifle, stamped as .223. According to Ruger it is designed to fire 556, however at the time of manufacture 556 was not allowed to be used by the public. In the case of older rifles, check with the manufacturer and provide serial numbers to be sure. I safely fire 556 with no issue.

Your 223 will not explode firing 5.56…period. May have performance issues but, no Kaboom! Think barrel proofing requirements and lawyers/lawsuits.