Since, all other things being equal, a shorter leade results in higher chamber pressure when compared to a longer leade, this means that firing 5.56mm ammunition (which is already loaded to a higher pressure) out of a. In addition to producing increased velocity and therefore better performance at long range, this also had the advantage of improving reliability by allowing more build up of carbon and other “gunk” without adversely affecting the function of the rifle. However, the M-16A1 has a slower rifling twist rate than the other two since it was designed to use different bullet weights.ĭue to the military roots of the cartridge, the 5.56mm NATO round was designed for use with a longer leade with a shallow angle.
Indeed, the M-16A1, M-16A2, and M-4 rifles and carbines commonly used by the US Army and Marine Corps (as well as the other branches of the military) over the past few decades are all chambered in 5.56 NATO. The 5.56x45mm NATO cartridge was originally designed for the U.S. Generally speaking, a shorter leade results in increased accuracy at the expense of increased pressure and decreased velocity while a longer leade produces increased velocity with lower pressures at the expense of reduced accuracy. 223 Remington chambers are smaller overall and have a shorter leade or freebore (the distance between the case mouth of the cartridge and the point where the rifling engages the bullet) with a steeper angle than 5.56mm chambers. The chamber dimensions of rifles chambered for the two cartridges are slightly different as well. 223 Remington chambers generally are not. 223 Remington.Ĭorrespondingly, 5.56mm firearms are designed and built to withstand the increased pressure, while. However, 5.56x45mm ammunition is still recognized as being loaded to a higher pressure than the 55,000psi maximum average pressure standardized by SAAMI for the. 223 Remington cartridge is standardized by the Sporting Arms and Ammunition Manufacturers Institute (SAAMI) while the 5.56x45mm cartridge is not. Making an apples to apples comparison of the authorized pressure of the two rounds is difficult because the. Burning an identical powder charge in a smaller space will result in higher pressures. Since the external dimensions of the two cartridges are almost identical, this means the 5.56 NATO cases will have less case capacity. This is common with many military cartridges. However, 5.56 NATO cases will often have thicker case walls. 223 ammunition in a 5.56mm chamber and vice versa. This means that the majority of the time, it’s possible to chamber and fire. 223 and 5.56mm rounds have virtually identical external case dimensions. 223 vs 5.56 NATO DifferencesĪs you can see in the photo below.
#.223 REMINGTON RIFLE FREE#
This helps support the blog and allows me to continue to create free content that’s useful to hunters like yourself.
This means I will earn a small commission (at no extra cost to you) if you make a purchase. Note: some of the links below are affiliate links. So today, I’ll go over some of the differences between the 5.56 vs 223 Remington cartridges and provide some practices to follow when using them. There is also a bunch of misinformation out there pertaining to this exact subject. However, there are some very subtle, yet important differences between the 223 vs 5.56mm cartridges that go far beyond the differences in their names. It is true that the two cartridges are very similar to each other. 223 Remington and 5.56x45mm NATO cartridges as interchangeable rounds, this can be a dangerous practice under the wrong circumstances. 223 vs 5.56x45mm NATO cartridges so you can use the right ammunition for your AR-15? Here’s what you need to know about their similarities and differences.Įven though many people treat the. Are you trying to learn the difference between the.