Thank you so much for covering this so completely. I've watched so many on this topic over the years and this one is by far the best explanation I have seen.
There's not much to it. They are interchangeable at the end of the day. The "biggest" difference is the pressure: 58,000 PSI on 5.56 and 55,000 on .223 - Seems like a lot but it's only about 5%. There's more pressure variation between 9mm standard load and +P (10% or more). The cases have slightly different thicknesses but the external diameter remains the same. The freebore or "throat" as it's sometime inaccurately called is slightly longer in 5.56 but this is a difference in chamber not the casing itself. They are totally interchangeable. Some places say never shoot 5.56 out of a .223 chamber, because "muh pressures" but it's not dangerous. If shooting 5% overpressure rounds is dangerous to your weapon, you need a better weapon. You can legitimately have have more than 5% margin of error from the factory powder loadings shooting only .223 and handloads can have even more variance. I suppose the only real drawback would be an increase in deviation and degraded accuracy to the longer freebore area if shooting .223 from a 5.56. There's minimal amounts of room for the round to move before actually reaching the rifling. But even this is splitting hairs because it's so minimal. Most practical shooters wouldn't notice this unless measuring MOA and recording/comparing the groupings. And the freebore difference doesn't actually cause any operational issues because there's more tolerance engineered into head spacing on the bolt/carrier than the difference in freebore lengths.
@@originaltasmanian5321 No, Freebore is much more accurate. It's not even called "throat" on the casing either, it's called a "neck" and it's totally different: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freebore
It's about the chamber combination. Finally someone says it again. So many only look at the rounds but not at the interaction with certain chambers. Most no longer make those tight .223 chambers, often only on request for match rifles. If it is that tight, a few rounds and the benefit is gone, high pressure spikes too. The wylde can make save use of both cartridges, but won't reach the optimum for either. It's a compromise.
As a rifle builder who buys chamber reamers from Pacific Tool & Guage how about you explain you calling how a tight chamber is made when buying from any company chamber reamers this isn't such chamber reamers called tight chamber reamers! You think you know everything in building rifles from playing video war games then let's have a test who know real gun making in machining work. There is NO difference from shooting 5.56x45 in a 223 chamber or shooting 223 in a gun marked 5.56x45 it is all TH-cam Groupie Parrot mouth talking Bull shit !
@@lurebenson7722 We are talking about shooting the 5.56 in a 223 marked AR (M4) rifle..The Colt and military TDP specifies a longer 1.4646 minimum go gauge than a commercial 223 of 1.4636..Most AR rifles are actually much longer when heads[aced with incremental head space gauges..The chamber will shrink lengthwise when it heats up..This longer minimum is to increase reliability..The longer throat will also decrease chamber pressures compared to a shorter throat, when equal pressured ammunition is applied..If you are a rifle builder, you should know this..When I talk about a tight chamber, it is usually because a barrel manufacturer has re-sharpened the reamer too many times and the chamber is actually too tight..A function gauge will determine this and if the throat is in spec..
@@steveray8022 So you want to elaborate what is wrong? And before you go blabbering off your experiences with guns that came from playing video war games know this, I am a 64 year old custom rifle builder and a professional hunting guide since 1978 with work in Alaska and the Pacific NW. I have fired thousands of militaries 5.56x45 in bolt guns to auto loaders marked 223 and I reload to the highest load data 5.56x45 and 223 brass that data for pressure exceed any and all commercial or Military loadings for 5.56x45 and 223 which is safe and cause primers to be flat due to pressure and where are the blown up guns ? there aren't any!
I always understood it as you can shot a 223 out of a 556 chamber but you can’t shoot a 556 out of a 223 chamber but you explain it much better. Keep making these videos because you do an excellent job.
The mini-14 calls itself a 223 but unless it’s a target model, it is made to also take 556, though it doesn’t say so on the barrel. I imagine there are some others, too.
I have a mini 14 i believe it was made in the 80’s or 90’s and ive fired one,just one round of 5.55 out of it. Worked fine but i wont be trying it again. Ive read that certain models can take the pressure of 5.56 but im just dont see a need to risk it.
@@jackwoods535I believe the older “tactical” 14s took 5.56, and in 2006 or so they went to wylde to avoid further confusion on what mini took which round. Models starting with 585 will shoot either .223 or 5.56 but some of the older models could also shoot either, and then of course the acc5.56 was no surprise 5.56. I just wish Ruger would have gone with the standard mag rather than the ak/m-14 tilt and lock style when they settled on the new chamber standard.
You're the first person that stresses calling a cartridge a cartridge and not calling a cartridge a bullet. That is such a pet peeve of mine. Good explanation between 5.56 and 223 ammunition.
223 chamber pressure is around 50000 psi. 5.56 chamber pressure is around 59000 psi. I just run the 223 wylde and use whatever is cheaper.😂 Great video 😊
The pressures are typically measured differently. I have seen tests where each caliber is measured using the same testing methods and the pressures are nearly identical.
I was confused about the two cartridges and wonder how many people reload either brass. At the rate I see people shooting an AR style rifle reloading does not even look practical.i😂
Out of all the video I watched on 5.56 vs 233 this guy has explained it the absolute best out of anyone, WOW this guy is amazingly knowledgeable on this stuff and extremely detailed in his explanation! Great job bud keep up the good work I just learned a ton from you!
The 223 Remington was created as a military cartridge, not a commercial varmint round..The original AR15 was first designed around the 222 Remington commercial varmint round for the SCHV rifle test in the 1950's..The military then decided to change the penetration test from 300 yards to 500 yards and Stoner realized the chamber pressures would be too high to accomplish this.. Stoner then had Remington lengthen the 222 case to add more powder, which became the 223..This was at first called the 222 Special and then was changed to the 223..The 5.56 chamber has a longer minimum head space (go gauge) of 1.4646 compared to the 223 Rem commercial go gauge of 1.4636.. The 5.56 throat is also longer than the 223..The 223 Wylde uses a long throat like the 5.56 but tighter..The 223 Wylde also uses the 5.56 go gauge of 1.4646..
@@VincitOmniaVeritas7 Yes, it is the distance between the bullet and where the lands and grooves begin..Some barrel makers have a gradual taper to the lands and grooves while others have a more aggressive design..Some have a short free bore while others (like the 5.56) have a longer one..The longer the free bore, the more pressure and velocity can be obtained without raising chamber pressures..The 223 Wylde has a long throat but a tighter free bore compared to the 5.56 to allow higher pressure ammunition like the 5.56, but obtain a theoretically more accurate result..
@@VincitOmniaVeritas7 The 5.56 also has a longer minimum chamber length than the 223..When a chamber heats up, it will shrink lengthwise..This is why the 5.56 has a go gauge of 1.4646 and the 223 uses a 1.4636 go gauge..I see many 5.56 marked barrels with an out of spec chamber ( short chamber)..Many places sell 223 go gauges marked 5.56 and they are the wrong size..
August 2005, I was in Baghdad, Iraq. 10th Mountain Division. We were on the zero range with our M-4’s. Got ammo that was constantly had a failure to fire, failure to eject. Turns out we were given British ammunition and not American ammunition. Once we got our new ammo, the rifles fired correctly. 🇺🇸
The same has happened to me in reverse, but its more to do with the batch than the national origin of the cartridge (poorly stored, damaged crates etc, from our American neighbours next AO over). Over the years I have had good and bad experiences with all sorts of rounds, and not just on the range. Thankfully the incidences are rare. Goes with the job.
I had my bolt actioned .223 "reamed" to take the 5.56mm NATO round. Now it shoots very comfortably, with no worry from my side. Before the ream work was done, one could "feel" the slight difference in recoil from the bench, and it affected accuracy a bit. Now, it's fun to burn surplus military ammo on steel plates. Many thanks for the great video. Greetings from Africa.
Thanks for explaining the difference between these rifle chambers and including the .223 Wylde in that discussion. It is what I would use if I were to have this type of rifle. One thing that nobody ever really talks about though, is the gun powder...it's hard to talk about comparing ballistics without considering powder type and weight. When you look at two brands of ammo with the same exact bullet weight but the velocities are different that difference could very well be due to type and quantity of powder. Without knowing the specifics of the powder, it leaves a pretty big hole in the discussion for me. It was still informative, so again, thanks for that.
This is my first contact with this channel, and it is the best explanation of the differences between the two rounds that have heard. Beyond the content is the presenters style and demeaner, which is basically relaxed, straightforward and in plainly spoken English that imparts knowledge. No hyperbole, no BS. I will be subscribing to discover what Old English Outfitters is about.
Thank you for the definitive video objectively explaining the difference. I’ve always been wary of firing .223 in my 5.56 chambered rifle, and this video helped me understand what’s truly OK to do versus what shouldn’t be done, and why that’s the case.
Thank you for your insight, Sir. With the coming crisis here in America, I do encourage all law abiding citizens to adhere to wisdom and knowledge. It would be suicidal to NOT research what is best for self and loved ones' taking into consideration the need to familiarize ourselves with means of self preservation. Never give up your firearms. NEVER. Always be prepared and practice. These two cartridges are standard among many of us. I've learned in the service that fire fights are cot commonplace out past 300 yards. Engagement of the enemy will happen between 65 and 100 yards max. These two cartridges will SAVE YOUR LIVES, people. God Bless all!
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Your manner of explanation is fun to watch, and reinforces the facts in my mind. Thank you, sir ! Edit: The diagrams helped a lot to show the dimension difference, as well as pointing out Wylde, which was new for me.
One thing you never discuss is; what is the powder measure for each type of cartridge? Is it the same? When you say that one has higher chamber pressure, I’m thinking that’s because they increased the powder?
Mostly what you're saying is very spot on sir. But let me add to it, yes the original .223 is 5.56x45mm and was exclusively developed for the U.S. Military in 1957 mainly the U.S. Air Force as they were the ones pushing hard for it's development as they also were for the AR-10 and AR-15 rifles, in 1956 the AR-10 was sabotaged at the CONARC trials by the U.S. Army's Springfield division who looked at it as a toy and didn't want it, so after it failed Eugene Stoner examined it and found parts that were added to it and parts that were missing, but the damage was already done to it's reputation, and despite all of that U.S. Air Force General Willard G. Wyman requested that Stoner of Armalite create a smaller version of the AR-10 for testing and this is how the AR-15 came about, they tried different existing ammunition chamber in the AR-15 but none could reach desired velocities that the Military wanted so the U.S. department of defense and Armalite had Remington and Sierra Bullets create a brand new cartridge from the ground up that was the .223 Remington, the military designated it as 5.56X45MM Ball M193. All M16/AR-15 could handle this cartridge because they are proof tested, all the .223 rifles of the time could handle it with no issues either. The issues started in the 1980s and here's why around 1977 the same year that the Colt AR-15 patent expired, NATO wanted a new standardized cartridge for all nations to be able to use interchangeably on the battlefield, and they had all kinds of new ammunitions being entered into these trials but settled on an upgraded version of the 5.56X45mm. This new ammunition was developed by FN Herstal in Belgium and it's called SS109. It's a 62 grain bullet with a mild steel penetrator, the cases are supposed to be heat treated for longer at a slightly higher temperature and the charge was increased for high pressure and velocities, when Nato officially accepted the ammunition it was designated 5.56X45MM NATO, and the U.S. military adopted it in the 1980s starting in September of 1982 with the U.S. Marines with the newly adopted M16A2 that has a 1:7 twist ratio to better stabilize the 62gr SS109 Bullet 🚅 that was designated "5.56X45MM NATO M855/GREEN TIP". So what most people don't know is that, .223 Remington is 5.56X45MM it's the very same, but 5.56X45MM NATO is a hotter load and originally was SS109/M855 Green Tip, and start getting around the U.S. in the 1980 after the military adopted it. Once people got there hands on this NATO ammunition they start firing it from target and hunting rifles that didn't have that military proof rating, that being those like the Ruger Mini 14 Target rifle and other thin chambered barrel rifles and they may have worked for a few shot and the metal would be compromised and a kaboom would happen. The older AR-15s can handle 5.56X45MM NATO because the proof round they were tested for was at a much higher operational pressure even if the barrel say .223 Remington. There's no documented reports on any AR-15s chambered in .223 kabooming from 5.56X45MM NATO ammunition. But they are from less fortunate events with other .223 Remington chambered sporting rifles that wasn't designed for 5.56X45MM NATO. So there's .223 Remington/5.56X45MM and there's the higher pressure 5.56X45MM NATO. The original .223 Remington/5.56X45MM Ball M193 was officially accepted and adopted in September of 1963 thats 19 years before 5.56X45MM was even in the picture, but technically the AR-15 and this ammunition was secretly being used in Vietnam in 1957 so it's been being officially used 25 years before the NATO variant. A lot of people tent to think that 5.56X45MM NATO is the original ammunition for the AR-15/M16 rifles and that .223 Remington was a sporting cartridge for varmint, some even go to believe that the AR-15 was designed, developed, and marketed to the public before it's military adoption lmmfao 🤣. The AR-15 and .223 Remington are exclusively military R&D. .223 Remington ammunition were available in small quantities for the first time to the public in December of 1963 after Remington release the Model 760 chamber in it and in April of 1964 Colt Release the AR-15 SP1 to the public. The Department Of Defense officially adopted the AR-15/XM16E1 in October 1963. Lastly, originally the AR-15 and AR-10 were both full automatic rifles when designed and developed for the military.
Finally! Someone who can express the inherent difference between .223 Remington and 5.56 NATO. I only take exception with your comment that one can fire either one in a 5.56 chambers. I have AR's (Sigs) that malfunction with .223 so I shoot only 5.56.
I had a Howa In .223, Mine would do consistent 0.5" at 100yds with 55gn Hornady ballistic tips driven at 3750fps. Fantastic firearm, great for lifting the top off cats, even head shots easy out to 300yds. Just a bit of trivial info.
I bought a used Benelli mr-1 off a friend it came with 2500 rounds of x tac .556 after putting a couple hundred rounds through it, I was cleaning it and noticed the barrel read .223 so I called the previous owner and asked him if he knew it is a .223, he said no and that he's put atleast 400 rounds through it, so that's atleast 600 all together. I don't own any .223 ammo so .556 55 grain it is. I'll bet they're coming out of that barrel like rocket ships doing re-entry.
This is a good video and clarification that confuses a lot of people. I will say that velocity has very little to do with accuracy, especially at what most LR and ELR shooters consider 300 yards to be. Consistent ammunition with lower values on ES (extreme spread), and the right bullet for harmonics with the barrel and twist rate; make for better accuracy. There is a difference in shooting .223 in a 5.56 chamber and how they fit in the chamber and how it affects throat alignment. Barrel harmonics and where the sine wave node happens to be relative to the crown of the barrel as it exists the barrel plays a much bigger part than a few hundred fps. Please do NOT give the impression to viewers that velocity is related to accuracy. You touched on another subject that you a re correct on, in that people should probably fire .223 in .223 chambered bolt action rifles. I can’t endorse it, but will say that a bolt action rifle in .223 is far less likely to have a catastrophic failure with 5.56 ammunition, than a gas gun that is chambered in .223 running 5.56 ammunition. I completely agree with you that the safest bet is to have a 5.56 or .223 Wilde chamber, and be done with it.
Learned something new today! I was never aware of the subtle but significant difference between the two. I have an old Mini-14 in .223 and my brother recently gifted me with several hundred rounds and in the lot were a few boxes of 5.56. It was a sign from God that I've been procrastinating about taking the rifle to the range. Someone at the range is going to get a few free boxes of 5.56 ammo next time I go!
It is possible to purchase an AR-15 style semi-automatic rifle chambered in 223 Remington. PLEASE LOOK AT THE BARREL! The barrels of long guns (rifles and shotguns) are usually stamped with the caliber (or gauge for a shotgun) that the firearm is chambered for. READ YOUR BARREL and verify whether it’s a 223 or 5.56. I worked as a gun guy for a local sporting goods store and we were very careful to verify that the purchaser was familiar with the caliber of the AR they were purchasing. This is a GREAT video explanation…. GREAT INFO!
The 556 is adopted by NATO and is a higher pressured round then the 223 rem and it's the opposite for the 308 win/762, the 308 win is higher pressured for hunting heavy game
If you are another num nuts trying to claim 5.56x45 blows up guns with 223 chambers, then you are talking out your ass and then shows us where are the photos - videos - write ups on guns blown up by shooting 5.56x45 in 223 chambers? Or explain why reload data for 223 & 5.56x45 are the same and top loads exceed any and all Military loaded 5.56x45 showing flat primers caused by excessive pressures and the guns don't blow up! I was loading and shooting 223 and 5.56x45 in rifles before time of Bull Clinton was president and it was normal to by military surplus ammo in 5.56x45 to shoot in all rifles from bolt guns to auto loaders with NO one blowing up guns then comes all of this PUNK ASS BS that shooting 5.56x45 in 223 chambered guns blows them up like a bomb went off. When the Norinco 5.56x45 ammo was sold we shot ship loads of it being so cheap and brass reloadable cases and again NO one blew up 223 chambered guns. That Norinco 5.56x45 was $2.50 a box and it was good ammo.
I do my own reloading and I have bought 5.56 brass and loaded to .223 Rem. specs. I have an AR15 and .223 Rem. bolt action rifle and I shoot it in both guns. I have also shot them in a Thompson Contender with 14 in. barrel and have had no problems out of the rounds that I have loaded.
Good rule of thumb is get something with a barrel that’s chambered in either 5.56NATO or 223Wylde. Both will accept 223&556. Long as you don’t get something chambered in 223Rem you’re good to use both. I like both 5.56NATO and 223Wylde but I’ve found 223Wylde to be slightly more accurate but I’m talking half MOA better so not a crazy difference.
Very wise explanation for this subject i really enjoy listening to someone who has the knowledge and experience to make these explanations and differences easy to understand not to mention lest we forget Kentucky Ballistics has fired hundreds of thousands of rounds and been trained extensively as a cop and still had his 50 bmg blow up in his face thank you sir for this video 👍🏻👍🏻💯🇺🇸🪖
My M&P 15 sport-2 prefers 5.56 over 223. Tighter groups at 100 yds with 5.56. Gun is marked for 223/5.56. My Sig M-400 tread also shoots 5.56 better, so that's all I shoot. I've been told it has to do with the barrel twist.
You've been brainwashed by TH-cam Groupie Parrot mouth talkers BULL SHIT ! There is zero problems shooting any and all 5.56x45 in guns marker 223 . If there was, I would know it since I have fired military marked 5,56x45 in Rem 700 rifles to AR 15 I personally did the barrels chamberings using 223 chamber reamers. And all the other people shooting 5,56x45 in 223 so where are the reports of bad things happening? tell me where? What also indicated this is liars bull shit is reloading data for 5.56x45 & 223 are identical and max powder charges exceed all Military loaded 5.56x45 pressures so much that a fired reloaded 5.56x45 and 223 case the primers are flat from over pressure so where is this dangerous? again tell me how this is dangerous where it's done all the time?
@@dalebenson6859 Blown primers, reliability and accuracy issues..There are many catastrophic examples of blown up AR rifles with the shooter being clueless of what happened..If they admit they used a 5.56 in a 223 chamber then the warranty is gone and void..The 5.56 uses a longer minimum chamber than the 223 because the chamber will shrink lengthwise causing reliability and pressure issues..No one was brain washed lol, use the correct ammunition for the chamber..There is a reason they create specs and tolerances and Colt has always used the 1.4646 go gauge nstead of the 223 commercial go gauge of 1.4636..The differences in the throat is where the pressure problems can occur..Weatherby used a longer throat in their 300 mag to obtain the highest velocity..Use the same ammunition in a short throat 300 WBYM and problems will occur..
@@hairydogstail Another day passes, and you can't even come to defend yourself because you can't from all of your lying TH-cam Groupie Parrot mouth talking BS and when someone corners you on your lies you turn them into TH-cam. If you never done that - never been there - don't own guns like you don't them don't go making lying Parrot mouth BS statements!
Stay away from any AR that doesn't have the mil-spec 5.56x45 chamber. Wylde chambers are notoriously inconsistent and .223 chambers are unsafe with full power military ammo.
I love my 223 Wylde AR's 16 inch and 11 inch. What I will say is you'll wanna opt for a higher twist rate. You really don't want anything below 1:9. Both rounds are consistent and highly accurate with tight groupings. Great video
Thank you touching on the confusing aspect. I'm starting to get into shooting more. All these different sizes of ammo is super confusing. And I'm not just talking about .223 vs 5.56. I'm talking about all ammo.
Good video, there are way to many people with a .223 chamber AR15 that think they can just shoot 5.56 rounds without incident not understanding they are putting themselves and others in danger if the ,223 chamber fails from the higher pressure of the 5.56 round. They think as you said well they have shot 5.56 in their .223 chamber and nothing has happened so far but why take the chance. I own two 5.56 Sig Sauer AR15 rifles.
Best explanation I seen so far, and you included the Wylde. I have a Wylde, and I reload, but only as 223 Remington. If I want hot 223s, I'l use my 556 range brass, but still keep lower than max for 556 just in case one ends up in my standard 223 Remington. Just so you know, I keep my powder charges levels between the highest low to the lowest high, just to stay safe.
Very nicely done!!! I've heard/been following along with this topic for decades, but I do believe YOU presented more things related to it in this single video, and you did so in a nicely worded/easily understood manner folks who have little to no hands-on experience can appreciate, but also for folks with reloading/ballistics experience. I for one had heard of the .223 Wilde, but never really knew what it was about (And since I don't have any platform designed this way, just didn't take the time to do my homework on). Thank you!
I Just Now got home from the Gun Range. Shot my AR15 5.56. Shot 223 55 grain and 5.56 nato 62 grain. There is Absolutely a noticeable recoil differences. 5.56 IS Hotter .. bit more recoil.
Excellent video on a nuanced subject. I may have built a beautiful, tough AR in .223-Remington with a not long barrel stamped .223 specifically. I always wondered if it would be detrimental to the gun itself if I were to fire 5.56 cartridges thru it. Now, Im not even going to tempt disaster by firing 5.56 thru it. That particular AR will be for .223 exclusively. Seriously, this AR I'm talking about is exquisite in how it performs & I want to keep it that way for as long as possible. Thank you.
Great video, I recently bought a colt M4 16” The gun has stamped on it 556 the manual says to use Remington 223. This video kind of covers everything 👍
I was soo confused when I bought my first AR, it was a used rifle but was only 399 so I bought it. The tag said the caliber was a 5.56 and when I got home the first thing I did was take it apart to learn about it and clean it and noticed the barrel was the .223 wylde and figured I got ripped off. Thankfully I researched it and it was safe to fire a 5.56 through it but admittedly the first shot at the range was a very scary shot
@@dunkenrunten4593 I only put like two magazine through it cuz last time I went to the range I had all my pistols and only had around 100 rounds for the AR. It functioned perfectly though, well once I stopped babying it lol. I know they can handle it but any time I chamber a round I usually slowly let the slide go in battery and if I do it with the rifle it will chamber but won't be able to eject the round so I have to like bow and arrow it sorta and pull the charging handle all the way and let go so it slammed into battery
Great explanation! Well spoken, well done. I have a rifle chambered in 556 and never worried about shooting 223 ammo because of your explanation. I do not own anything chambered in 223 so the point is moot.
So what exactly happens when I reload my brass? I start by resizing the case. A .223 die is used for both .223 and 5.56; there is no such thing as a 5.56 die. I then crimp the brass as I see fit; there is no specific standard. The bullet used for the .223 and the 5.56 is exactly the same. The video implies the COL is longer for the 5.56 than the .223 at 5:12 min. The MAX COL for the .223 is actually longer than the 5.56 according to my Hornady manual. I could not find the SAAMI spec page for 5.56 and had to rely on my Hornady book. At this point then is there any real practical difference between the a 5.56 and a .223? If so what is it. I'm still lost.
Unrelated, but I believe the military also flirted with the idea of using the .224 Valkyrie at one point but went ahead with the 5.56. I could be misremembering my history facts there. Excellent video. My first AR build was a "frankenstein" build of sorts, but I made sure to include a .223 Wylde barrel.
I own a half dozen AR-15's.....every one of them now has a .223 Wylde barrel.....saves me potential problems. If you've ever seen a rifle suffer a "catastrophic" explosion, you'll understand why. Oh...that's why I've never bought (or built) a 300 blackout....VERY dangerous if you put that cartridge in the wrong barrel.
Yeah I grabbed the wrong mag one time and shot a 300 blackout out my 5.56 Tavore. Luckily it just jammed up without much fuss instead of having a dangerous malfunction. I got rid of my 300 blackout after that... I didn't want a situation where I might be using both and have the magazines close by and make that mistake again.
They are both the same the 223 wylde was designed to shoot the ELD( extremely low drag) and the 5.56x45mm was and did get it's name the DAY IY BECAME the combat rifle for Vietnam. And he is lying to you. Th re same dies resize the same cartridge so go ahead believe his lies
I was really curious to hear why the 5.56 and other military rounds seem to have been treated near the neck, hence the brownish hue at the top. Also, I think the primers are important factror for those reloading this caliber. It's a nasty surprise when you try to shove a primer in a 5.56 round you found at the range and didnt know about that little extra ring they put there. They are getting more and more common even on 223 since the Ukraine war started draining reloading resources. Still, I learned a good deal with this video. Thanks for making it!!
This is great advice. I just wish I had heard of this difference before I had fired thousands of 5.56 through my older .223 Ar15. I shall refrain from doing so.
Bro you are good. I wrote a post this morning, check it out. The two ammo's, (223 556) are the same only the throat/ free bore is different in SOME guns but most are all made to the same dimensions.
All Colt AR15 rifles use the longer minimum chamber (go gauge), even the older Colt marked 223..Using the hotter 62 grain 5.56 ammunition in an older 1 in 12 rifling won't be very accurate anyway..
Love this channel. Easily one of the most serious, thoroughly informative gun channels by far. Plenty of others are entertaining. This is actually educational though.
Thanks for the WYLDE thing. Always wondered about that. Then, there is the revolution part per bullet weight and on and on. Science like it seems. Thank you sir.
If you reload your own, all the manuals will have these cartridges classified as .223 Rem. You can find loadings that reach and exceed pressures that most people think of as 5.56. In modern manufacturing, almost all barrels can take the pressure of both. Only really older guns need to be differentiated between the two cartridges.
NATO 5.56 is usually wax seal coated to keep out any water/moisture, increasing reliability, even in ROUGH conditions. 5.56 is really the only option to choose, so either (and whatever is available when SHTF) gives you a better chance to protect yourself or Hunt Larger Game using 75, to even 85 grain at closer range.
The Vietnam war M16's used a lower pressured cartridge compared to the adopted 5.56 ammunition in the 1980's..The M16/AR15 always used a longer minimum chamber length compared to the commercial 223..
Can you explain why the greater pressure of the 5.56 translates to greater accuracy than a .223? It seems as though as long as the pressure remains constant, the accuracy would remain constant. The trajectory would be different, to be sure, but if your holdover or under are consistent, the bullet should go through the same hole. What am I missing?
I purchased a Radical Firearms AR 15 about a year and a half ago on sale for 429 at our local Midwest gun exchange. Real basic gun, all aluminum upper and lower. Shoots both .223 and .556 so that would be your choice of which. Great gun but if your just into occasional plinking, I'd go cheaper and check out polymer framed AR models since they are considered cheaper.
I own a 556 bolt action with a 16 inch barrel. Both rounds work well against paper. I bought this weapon for home defense. A 16 inch barrel is short quick and accurate, looking down the barrel at say 10 feet you are not going to miss the target. The 556 round was designed for one purpose to kill the enemy at 300 meters. At 10 feet it will accomplish the mission and the intruder will be dead, the shock to the system may be enough, when it hits the target it releases a tremendous amount of energy then it expands and tumbles where ever it wants to it could go left, right, up or down no way to tell, the amount of bleeding internally is also lethal. Great job with the nuts and bolts.
Well, actually..... (just to throw a spanner in the works), I was in the military "a WHILE back", during the transition FROM 7.62 Nato TO 5.56. Part of the rationale we were given (we weren't told about commercial contracts, kickbacks and the like) was it was better to WOUND an enemy than outright kill. For every wounded soldier, FOUR personnel are tied up in their care, as opposed to just being "minus 1" for the kill. Supposedly. I believe there may be a transition (I'm not in the loop as far as military goes anymore) to 6.8 mil calibres as 5.56 lacks "stopping power" in the current view. Re home defense, not disputing the capability of a 556 bolt action, but I wouldn't want to fire one indoors (particularly in a hallway) without hearing protection (same with a shorter barrelled shotgun). But that's just me :)
You have allowed yourself to believe in TH-cam Groupie Nonsense Parrot mouth BS because bullet tumbling is caused by improper rifling twist rate for weight of bullet. The old Vietnam M-16s had the 1-14 rate of rifling that just caused minimum bullet stabilized by the bullet in flight but touches anything it destabilized and also caused tumbling. New ARs have the 1-9 / 1-8 / 1-7 twist rate the bullets won't destabilized and if not, the bullet fracturing it will pass in a straight line as I have seen the inside of deer, I shot with the AR 15 and a 1-9 and a 1-8 rate of twist rate. Never believe anything from TH-cam which is posted by idiots!
We had a Sargent-Major in SADF who had a 223 hunting rifle and he would bring it to our range days and used the military issued rounds. He basically had free ammo for days.
Mini14 rifles are chambered in 556 despite earlier ones being marked 223, with the exception of the target model which is 223 only. I’ve found my mini to be a little more accurate with 556 but I still need to play with weights a little bit.
Ok, I reload, if I use 5.56 used range brass, loaded to 223 specs (which I have without a problem so far in a 223 bolt rifle) could this cause a problem? And, I never load to max powder loads, mostly on the lower -mid range for plinking. My point is, I understand that 5.56 is a higher pressure round, but what you talked about, does this only pertain to factory loaded ammo, loaded to 5.56 specs, or will the 5.56 with the thicker case inside diameter, even loaded to 223 specs, be high pressure that could cause damage?
Great show. Thank you for this explanation and breakdown. I believe there is an exception to the rule.? (If memory serves me well) back before ARs, I used to shoot Ruger Mini 14s. I believe Rugers claim was you can shoot 5.56 in their rifles even though it was stamped 223 Rem on the barrel. If I am miss remembering, I apologize. I did feed my Mini 14s a steady diet of 5.56 without ever having an issue.
One of the reasons a 5.56 has increased chamber pressure is to assist cycling a full-auto rifle. Also, unless something has changed, military 5.56 has the primers crimped in. A slight pain in the ass if you reload ammunition, because you need to deburr the crimp with a chamfer tool or the primers won't seat.
All of this sounds so familiar to the .308 and 7.62 differences. Where firing a 7.62 in a .308 is fine, but definitely not when firing a .308 in a 7.62. Again mostly due to the higher chamber pressures of the .308.
I had so many people online telling me that using 5.56 ammo in a bolt action rifle is just fine and works great. Had to do some research before I figured out that it can be extremely dangerous if the rifle can't take the extra pressure. Some can, but many can't and you end up with the rifle exploding in your hands. AR's are illegal here so I ended up ordering a Tikka T3X compact Tactical chambered in .223 from a gunsmith. He is going to re-chamber it in .223 Wylde and replace the stock with a GRS Bifrost. Should be a nice range / small game rifle when I get it in 4-5 months. Anyway, best video I have seen on this topic. Thumbs up!.
I do know that the military stack 556 is a knee a lot better which I’m assuming create tighter bond around the projectile us giving you more chamber pressure
I have a Diamond Back AR rifle, it is suppose to be able to fire both rounds. I can only afford the 223 rounds, But is it safe to fire either round ???? Just incase I ever do purchase the 5.56...
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Thank you so much for covering this so completely. I've watched so many on this topic over the years and this one is by far the best explanation I have seen.
There's not much to it. They are interchangeable at the end of the day. The "biggest" difference is the pressure: 58,000 PSI on 5.56 and 55,000 on .223 - Seems like a lot but it's only about 5%. There's more pressure variation between 9mm standard load and +P (10% or more). The cases have slightly different thicknesses but the external diameter remains the same. The freebore or "throat" as it's sometime inaccurately called is slightly longer in 5.56 but this is a difference in chamber not the casing itself. They are totally interchangeable. Some places say never shoot 5.56 out of a .223 chamber, because "muh pressures" but it's not dangerous. If shooting 5% overpressure rounds is dangerous to your weapon, you need a better weapon. You can legitimately have have more than 5% margin of error from the factory powder loadings shooting only .223 and handloads can have even more variance. I suppose the only real drawback would be an increase in deviation and degraded accuracy to the longer freebore area if shooting .223 from a 5.56. There's minimal amounts of room for the round to move before actually reaching the rifling. But even this is splitting hairs because it's so minimal. Most practical shooters wouldn't notice this unless measuring MOA and recording/comparing the groupings. And the freebore difference doesn't actually cause any operational issues because there's more tolerance engineered into head spacing on the bolt/carrier than the difference in freebore lengths.
Throat is the given term ..... accurately.
@@originaltasmanian5321 No, Freebore is much more accurate. It's not even called "throat" on the casing either, it's called a "neck" and it's totally different: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freebore
It's about the chamber combination. Finally someone says it again.
So many only look at the rounds but not at the interaction with certain chambers. Most no longer make those tight .223 chambers, often only on request for match rifles. If it is that tight, a few rounds and the benefit is gone, high pressure spikes too.
The wylde can make save use of both cartridges, but won't reach the optimum for either. It's a compromise.
The 223 chamber uses a shorter go gauge (1.4636) than the 5.56 (1.4646)..Many barrels marked 5.56 use the 223 short chamber and throats..
As a rifle builder who buys chamber reamers from Pacific Tool & Guage how about you explain you calling how a tight chamber is made when buying from any company chamber reamers this isn't such chamber reamers called tight chamber reamers!
You think you know everything in building rifles from playing video war games then let's have a test who know real gun making in machining work.
There is NO difference from shooting 5.56x45 in a 223 chamber or shooting 223 in a gun marked 5.56x45 it is all TH-cam Groupie Parrot mouth talking Bull shit !
@@lurebenson7722 We are talking about shooting the 5.56 in a 223 marked AR (M4) rifle..The Colt and military TDP specifies a longer 1.4646 minimum go gauge than a commercial 223 of 1.4636..Most AR rifles are actually much longer when heads[aced with incremental head space gauges..The chamber will shrink lengthwise when it heats up..This longer minimum is to increase reliability..The longer throat will also decrease chamber pressures compared to a shorter throat, when equal pressured ammunition is applied..If you are a rifle builder, you should know this..When I talk about a tight chamber, it is usually because a barrel manufacturer has re-sharpened the reamer too many times and the chamber is actually too tight..A function gauge will determine this and if the throat is in spec..
@@lurebenson7722 Wrong
@@steveray8022 So you want to elaborate what is wrong?
And before you go blabbering off your experiences with guns that came from playing video war games know this, I am a 64 year old custom rifle builder and a professional hunting guide since 1978 with work in Alaska and the Pacific NW.
I have fired thousands of militaries 5.56x45 in bolt guns to auto loaders marked 223 and I reload to the highest load data 5.56x45 and 223 brass that data for pressure exceed any and all commercial or Military loadings for 5.56x45 and 223 which is safe and cause primers to be flat due to pressure and where are the blown up guns ? there aren't any!
Excellent explanation, thanks!!!
Alan...great job explaining the difference! Thank you!!!
At least spell his name right
@@steveray8022 geeez....I suppose you never make a mistake! Seems 22 people didn't mind, not to mention Allen.
Great explanation, I’m sure this will help many shooters who are unfamiliar with the differences.
I always understood it as you can shot a 223 out of a 556 chamber but you can’t shoot a 556 out of a 223 chamber but you explain it much better. Keep making these videos because you do an excellent job.
The mini-14 calls itself a 223 but unless it’s a target model, it is made to also take 556, though it doesn’t say so on the barrel. I imagine there are some others, too.
I have a mini 14 i believe it was made in the 80’s or 90’s and ive fired one,just one round of 5.55 out of it. Worked fine but i wont be trying it again. Ive read that certain models can take the pressure of 5.56 but im just dont see a need to risk it.
I agree 👍🏻
Me, too. The difference I had heard was the pressure difference.
@@jackwoods535I believe the older “tactical” 14s took 5.56, and in 2006 or so they went to wylde to avoid further confusion on what mini took which round.
Models starting with 585 will shoot either .223 or 5.56 but some of the older models could also shoot either, and then of course the acc5.56 was no surprise 5.56.
I just wish Ruger would have gone with the standard mag rather than the ak/m-14 tilt and lock style when they settled on the new chamber standard.
This might be the best explanation I have heard.
I thought it was a good explanation, too. Glad I watched it.
Ditto!
They're weapons of WAR! 😡😠🤬
Seriously
I'm learning from the knowledgeable comments as well.
You're the first person that stresses calling a cartridge a cartridge and not calling a cartridge a bullet. That is such a pet peeve of mine. Good explanation between 5.56 and 223 ammunition.
Did you see those two bullets he had on the desk in front of him? Wow they had to be 3 inches long!
Cartridge = Casing + Powder + Cap + Round. Several times he called the case a cartridge. Equally as infuriating.
223 chamber pressure is around 50000 psi. 5.56 chamber pressure is around 59000 psi. I just run the 223 wylde and use whatever is cheaper.😂 Great video 😊
I use my AR chambered in 5.56 NATO for the same reason.
The pressures are typically measured differently. I have seen tests where each caliber is measured using the same testing methods and the pressures are nearly identical.
@@hamfox9714that's the exception
@@hamfox9714 Not true when it comes to the pressure differences..
I don't understand why 223 wylde is a thing. Just run a 5.56...
Literally the best explaination I've ever heard. I've been chasing this question for over 10 years.
And the answer was so simple. Thank you for this.
Well, as long as you're speaking literally, I'm sold!
I have a 223 wylde barrel that was given to me, thank you for the perfect explanation of the two
I could watch stuff like this all day. Thanks for the education!
I was confused about the two cartridges and wonder how many people reload either brass. At the rate I see people shooting an AR style rifle reloading does not even look practical.i😂
Out of all the video I watched on 5.56 vs 233 this guy has explained it the absolute best out of anyone, WOW this guy is amazingly knowledgeable on this stuff and extremely detailed in his explanation! Great job bud keep up the good work I just learned a ton from you!
This is the absolute best presentation I have ever seen.. I will look for and follow all your videos.. thank you!
Clear, concise and good lighting. As a newbie I am working my way through the learning curve and this video nailed all my questions.
The 223 Remington was created as a military cartridge, not a commercial varmint round..The original AR15 was first designed around the 222 Remington commercial varmint round for the SCHV rifle test in the 1950's..The military then decided to change the penetration test from 300 yards to 500 yards and Stoner realized the chamber pressures would be too high to accomplish this.. Stoner then had Remington lengthen the 222 case to add more powder, which became the 223..This was at first called the 222 Special and then was changed to the 223..The 5.56 chamber has a longer minimum head space (go gauge) of 1.4646 compared to the 223 Rem commercial go gauge of 1.4636.. The 5.56 throat is also longer than the 223..The 223 Wylde uses a long throat like the 5.56 but tighter..The 223 Wylde also uses the 5.56 go gauge of 1.4646..
Is “free bore” the same as the throat?
@@VincitOmniaVeritas7 Yes, it is the distance between the bullet and where the lands and grooves begin..Some barrel makers have a gradual taper to the lands and grooves while others have a more aggressive design..Some have a short free bore while others (like the 5.56) have a longer one..The longer the free bore, the more pressure and velocity can be obtained without raising chamber pressures..The 223 Wylde has a long throat but a tighter free bore compared to the 5.56 to allow higher pressure ammunition like the 5.56, but obtain a theoretically more accurate result..
@@hairydogstail thank you very much. I remember researching this .223/5.56 topic long ago and the biggest difference was the free bore.
@@VincitOmniaVeritas7 The 5.56 also has a longer minimum chamber length than the 223..When a chamber heats up, it will shrink lengthwise..This is why the 5.56 has a go gauge of 1.4646 and the 223 uses a 1.4636 go gauge..I see many 5.56 marked barrels with an out of spec chamber ( short chamber)..Many places sell 223 go gauges marked 5.56 and they are the wrong size..
@@hairydogstail Wow, that's getting very precise. Strange how .001 can be so very different.
August 2005, I was in Baghdad, Iraq. 10th Mountain Division. We were on the zero range with our M-4’s. Got ammo that was constantly had a failure to fire, failure to eject. Turns out we were given British ammunition and not American ammunition. Once we got our new ammo, the rifles fired correctly. 🇺🇸
Climb to Glory!
The same has happened to me in reverse, but its more to do with the batch than the national origin of the cartridge (poorly stored, damaged crates etc, from our American neighbours next AO over). Over the years I have had good and bad experiences with all sorts of rounds, and not just on the range. Thankfully the incidences are rare. Goes with the job.
😅 2:29 😅😂🎉😅😅😊😅😂😅😂
Excellent explanation of the difference between the two rounds...thank you...
Best explanation yet. Thanks
I had my bolt actioned .223 "reamed" to take the 5.56mm NATO round. Now it shoots very comfortably, with no worry from my side. Before the ream work was done, one could "feel" the slight difference in recoil from the bench, and it affected accuracy a bit. Now, it's fun to burn surplus military ammo on steel plates. Many thanks for the great video. Greetings from Africa.
Thanks for explaining the difference between these rifle chambers and including the .223 Wylde in that discussion. It is what I would use if I were to have this type of rifle. One thing that nobody ever really talks about though, is the gun powder...it's hard to talk about comparing ballistics without considering powder type and weight. When you look at two brands of ammo with the same exact bullet weight but the velocities are different that difference could very well be due to type and quantity of powder. Without knowing the specifics of the powder, it leaves a pretty big hole in the discussion for me. It was still informative, so again, thanks for that.
Thank you for taken the time explaining the difference. So much to learn and review.
This is my first contact with this channel, and it is the best explanation of the differences between the two rounds that have heard. Beyond the content is the presenters style and demeaner, which is basically relaxed, straightforward and in plainly spoken English that imparts knowledge. No hyperbole, no BS. I will be subscribing to discover what Old English Outfitters is about.
Ditto 👍👍👍
Thank you for the definitive video objectively explaining the difference. I’ve always been wary of firing .223 in my 5.56 chambered rifle, and this video helped me understand what’s truly OK to do versus what shouldn’t be done, and why that’s the case.
Thank you for your insight, Sir. With the coming crisis here in America, I do encourage all law abiding citizens to adhere to wisdom and knowledge. It would be suicidal to NOT research what is best for self and loved ones' taking into consideration the need to familiarize ourselves with means of self preservation.
Never give up your firearms. NEVER. Always be prepared and practice. These two cartridges are standard among many of us. I've learned in the service that fire fights are cot commonplace out past 300 yards. Engagement of the enemy will happen between 65 and 100 yards max. These two cartridges will SAVE YOUR LIVES, people.
God Bless all!
always be afraid of the "other"...lol
SIR CORRECT I USE TO LAUGH AT PREPERS 5 SF GRP NAM VET COMP SCI DEGREE 10,000 HRS ON LINE FROM THE END OF THE 1ST TRIAL MY A!! Coup d'état FACTS ALL WARS BANKS RUN WHO RUNS THE FED RESERVE TRY JUST TRY TO FIND OUT NOW IVE GOT BETTER THAN I HAD IN NAM REACTIVE BODY ARMOR IR SCOPE THAT READS CORIOLIS EFFECT EVEN WE HAVE BEEN CONNED FROM 6TH GRADE UP INSURGENCETS RUN CONGRESS WE SUPPORT TERROISTS A NUKE OR PROPAGAND IS MORE LEATHAL? NUKES DONT SELL BILLIONS OF BIG MACS WHO IS THEY THEY WON A WAR YRS AGO THEY DONT FIGHT WARS THEY CON OTHERS TO DO IT THEY ARE WORLD WIDE NOW ARMYS RAISED IN FEED AND BREED PROGRAMS 10.000 HRS OF WORK ONLINE SO FAR MY WORLD NOW I COULD BE ON MARS ALONE LAST 5 YRS BETTER SECURTY THAN THE OVAL OFFICE INCLUDING WOLFS OUT SIDE SOON UNDER A MOUTAIN 100 MILE TO A STORE ONE WAY START HERE THE USS LIBERTY THEN DUNKIRK POPULATION INCRESESE EUROPE WW2 YRS SUBLIMINALS IN DISNEY MOVIES FOR KIDS WHATS IN FT KNOX ZERO MEDICAL REASONS OF BOY MUTILATIONS AT BIRTH. LAWS VALID ONLY IF IN EFFECT DEC 15 1791 A PER CONGRESS PRISON MANDATORY A FED FELLONY NECATIONORS OF THE SUPREMECY CLAUSE FELONS FROM FDR TO MR POTOEHEAD BECAUSE OF EVEN A ATTEMPT TO VIOLATE WE THE PEOPLE ALSO BREAKING THE OATH OF OFFICEAS THE ONE LEGAL LAW INVOLATE UNBREACHABLE IS> SHALL NOT BE
LAW THE NAME CHANGED DEC15 1791 FROM THE PRPOPOSED AMEND PENDING TO A LAW THE RIGHT TO IS A LAW THEN AND FOREVER
WHO IS THIS DESTRUCTIVE FORCE A BREAD CRUM HERE USS LIBERTY
UNARMED SLAVES SHEEPLE? OR ARMED FREE MEN ? NOW IS THE CROSS ROAD
As a new gun owner this was very informative, thank you!
In Sweden due to new rules they sell AR chambered in 5.56 to hunters. But we only have .223 rem ammo available for purchase.
Your manner of explanation is fun to watch, and reinforces the facts in my mind. Thank you, sir !
Edit: The diagrams helped a lot to show the dimension difference, as well as pointing out Wylde, which was new for me.
One thing you never discuss is; what is the powder measure for each type of cartridge? Is it the same?
When you say that one has higher chamber pressure, I’m thinking that’s because they increased the powder?
My gun counter guy couldn't explain the difference this well. Thank you!
Bottom line: Don't put a 5.56mm in a .223 chambered firearm unless it's Wylde compatible.
Mostly what you're saying is very spot on sir.
But let me add to it, yes the original .223 is 5.56x45mm and was exclusively developed for the U.S. Military in 1957 mainly the U.S. Air Force as they were the ones pushing hard for it's development as they also were for the AR-10 and AR-15 rifles, in 1956 the AR-10 was sabotaged at the CONARC trials by the U.S. Army's Springfield division who looked at it as a toy and didn't want it, so after it failed Eugene Stoner examined it and found parts that were added to it and parts that were missing, but the damage was already done to it's reputation, and despite all of that U.S. Air Force General Willard G. Wyman requested that Stoner of Armalite create a smaller version of the AR-10 for testing and this is how the AR-15 came about, they tried different existing ammunition chamber in the AR-15 but none could reach desired velocities that the Military wanted so the U.S. department of defense and Armalite had Remington and Sierra Bullets create a brand new cartridge from the ground up that was the .223 Remington, the military designated it as 5.56X45MM Ball M193.
All M16/AR-15 could handle this cartridge because they are proof tested, all the .223 rifles of the time could handle it with no issues either.
The issues started in the 1980s and here's why around 1977 the same year that the Colt AR-15 patent expired, NATO wanted a new standardized cartridge for all nations to be able to use interchangeably on the battlefield, and they had all kinds of new ammunitions being entered into these trials but settled on an upgraded version of the 5.56X45mm.
This new ammunition was developed by FN Herstal in Belgium and it's called SS109. It's a 62 grain bullet with a mild steel penetrator, the cases are supposed to be heat treated for longer at a slightly higher temperature and the charge was increased for high pressure and velocities, when Nato officially accepted the ammunition it was designated 5.56X45MM NATO, and the U.S. military adopted it in the 1980s starting in September of 1982 with the U.S. Marines with the newly adopted M16A2 that has a 1:7 twist ratio to better stabilize the 62gr SS109 Bullet 🚅 that was designated "5.56X45MM NATO M855/GREEN TIP".
So what most people don't know is that, .223 Remington is 5.56X45MM it's the very same, but 5.56X45MM NATO is a hotter load and originally was SS109/M855 Green Tip, and start getting around the U.S. in the 1980 after the military adopted it.
Once people got there hands on this NATO ammunition they start firing it from target and hunting rifles that didn't have that military proof rating, that being those like the Ruger Mini 14 Target rifle and other thin chambered barrel rifles and they may have worked for a few shot and the metal would be compromised and a kaboom would happen.
The older AR-15s can handle 5.56X45MM NATO because the proof round they were tested for was at a much higher operational pressure even if the barrel say .223 Remington.
There's no documented reports on any AR-15s chambered in .223 kabooming from 5.56X45MM NATO ammunition.
But they are from less fortunate events with other .223 Remington chambered sporting rifles that wasn't designed for 5.56X45MM NATO.
So there's .223 Remington/5.56X45MM and there's the higher pressure 5.56X45MM NATO.
The original .223 Remington/5.56X45MM Ball M193 was officially accepted and adopted in September of 1963 thats 19 years before 5.56X45MM was even in the picture, but technically the AR-15 and this ammunition was secretly being used in Vietnam in 1957 so it's been being officially used 25 years before the NATO variant.
A lot of people tent to think that 5.56X45MM NATO is the original ammunition for the AR-15/M16 rifles and that .223 Remington was a sporting cartridge for varmint, some even go to believe that the AR-15 was designed, developed, and marketed to the public before it's military adoption lmmfao 🤣.
The AR-15 and .223 Remington are exclusively military R&D.
.223 Remington ammunition were available in small quantities for the first time to the public in December of 1963 after Remington release the Model 760 chamber in it and in April of 1964 Colt Release the AR-15 SP1 to the public.
The Department Of Defense officially adopted the AR-15/XM16E1 in October 1963.
Lastly, originally the AR-15 and AR-10 were both full automatic rifles when designed and developed for the military.
Finally! Someone who can express the inherent difference between .223 Remington and 5.56 NATO. I only take exception with your comment that one can fire either one in a 5.56 chambers. I have AR's (Sigs) that malfunction with .223 so I shoot only 5.56.
I had a Howa In .223, Mine would do consistent 0.5" at 100yds with 55gn Hornady ballistic tips driven at 3750fps. Fantastic firearm, great for lifting the top off cats, even head shots easy out to 300yds. Just a bit of trivial info.
I bought a used Benelli mr-1 off a friend it came with 2500 rounds of x tac .556 after putting a couple hundred rounds through it, I was cleaning it and noticed the barrel read .223 so I called the previous owner and asked him if he knew it is a .223, he said no and that he's put atleast 400 rounds through it, so that's atleast 600 all together. I don't own any .223 ammo so .556 55 grain it is. I'll bet they're coming out of that barrel like rocket ships doing re-entry.
This is a good video and clarification that confuses a lot of people. I will say that velocity has very little to do with accuracy, especially at what most LR and ELR shooters consider 300 yards to be. Consistent ammunition with lower values on ES (extreme spread), and the right bullet for harmonics with the barrel and twist rate; make for better accuracy. There is a difference in shooting .223 in a 5.56 chamber and how they fit in the chamber and how it affects throat alignment. Barrel harmonics and where the sine wave node happens to be relative to the crown of the barrel as it exists the barrel plays a much bigger part than a few hundred fps. Please do NOT give the impression to viewers that velocity is related to accuracy. You touched on another subject that you a re correct on, in that people should probably fire .223 in .223 chambered bolt action rifles. I can’t endorse it, but will say that a bolt action rifle in .223 is far less likely to have a catastrophic failure with 5.56 ammunition, than a gas gun that is chambered in .223 running 5.56 ammunition. I completely agree with you that the safest bet is to have a 5.56 or .223 Wilde chamber, and be done with it.
Learned something new today! I was never aware of the subtle but significant difference between the two. I have an old Mini-14 in .223 and my brother recently gifted me with several hundred rounds and in the lot were a few boxes of 5.56. It was a sign from God that I've been procrastinating about taking the rifle to the range. Someone at the range is going to get a few free boxes of 5.56 ammo next time I go!
Call Ruger The Mini-14 was made to shoot 5.56 ball ammo. I have shot thousands of 5.56 ammo thru mine. This was in the 1980,s.
It is possible to purchase an AR-15 style semi-automatic rifle chambered in 223 Remington. PLEASE LOOK AT THE BARREL! The barrels of long guns (rifles and shotguns) are usually stamped with the caliber (or gauge for a shotgun) that the firearm is chambered for. READ YOUR BARREL and verify whether it’s a 223 or 5.56. I worked as a gun guy for a local sporting goods store and we were very careful to verify that the purchaser was familiar with the caliber of the AR they were purchasing. This is a GREAT video explanation…. GREAT INFO!
The 556 is adopted by NATO and is a higher pressured round then the 223 rem and it's the opposite for the 308 win/762, the 308 win is higher pressured for hunting heavy game
If you are another num nuts trying to claim 5.56x45 blows up guns with 223 chambers, then you are talking out your ass and then shows us where are the photos - videos - write ups on guns blown up by shooting 5.56x45 in 223 chambers?
Or explain why reload data for 223 & 5.56x45 are the same and top loads exceed any and all Military loaded 5.56x45 showing flat primers caused by excessive pressures and the guns don't blow up!
I was loading and shooting 223 and 5.56x45 in rifles before time of Bull Clinton was president and it was normal to by military surplus ammo in 5.56x45 to shoot in all rifles from bolt guns to auto loaders with NO one blowing up guns then comes all of this PUNK ASS BS that shooting 5.56x45 in 223 chambered guns blows them up like a bomb went off.
When the Norinco 5.56x45 ammo was sold we shot ship loads of it being so cheap and brass reloadable cases and again NO one blew up 223 chambered guns.
That Norinco 5.56x45 was $2.50 a box and it was good ammo.
You are correct..
I'm former military, that's why I know
I do my own reloading and I have bought 5.56 brass and loaded to .223 Rem. specs. I have an AR15 and .223 Rem. bolt action rifle and I shoot it in both guns. I have also shot them in a Thompson Contender with 14 in. barrel and have had no problems out of the rounds that I have loaded.
Good rule of thumb is get something with a barrel that’s chambered in either 5.56NATO or 223Wylde. Both will accept 223&556. Long as you don’t get something chambered in 223Rem you’re good to use both. I like both 5.56NATO and 223Wylde but I’ve found 223Wylde to be slightly more accurate but I’m talking half MOA better so not a crazy difference.
😊
Very wise explanation for this subject i really enjoy listening to someone who has the knowledge and experience to make these explanations and differences easy to understand not to mention lest we forget Kentucky Ballistics has fired hundreds of thousands of rounds and been trained extensively as a cop and still had his 50 bmg blow up in his face thank you sir for this video 👍🏻👍🏻💯🇺🇸🪖
My M&P 15 sport-2 prefers 5.56 over 223. Tighter groups at 100 yds with 5.56. Gun is marked for 223/5.56. My Sig M-400 tread also shoots 5.56 better, so that's all I shoot. I've been told it has to do with the barrel twist.
Thank you sir for explaining the differences and similarities between the .223, .223 wylde, and the 5.56!!!
So, just don’t shoot 5.56 in a .223 chambered AR
You've been brainwashed by TH-cam Groupie Parrot mouth talkers BULL SHIT !
There is zero problems shooting any and all 5.56x45 in guns marker 223 .
If there was, I would know it since I have fired military marked 5,56x45 in Rem 700 rifles to AR 15 I personally did the barrels chamberings using 223 chamber reamers.
And all the other people shooting 5,56x45 in 223 so where are the reports of bad things happening? tell me where?
What also indicated this is liars bull shit is reloading data for 5.56x45 & 223 are identical and max powder charges exceed all Military loaded 5.56x45 pressures so much that a fired reloaded 5.56x45 and 223 case the primers are flat from over pressure so where is this dangerous? again tell me how this is dangerous where it's done all the time?
@@dalebenson6859 Blown primers, reliability and accuracy issues..There are many catastrophic examples of blown up AR rifles with the shooter being clueless of what happened..If they admit they used a 5.56 in a 223 chamber then the warranty is gone and void..The 5.56 uses a longer minimum chamber than the 223 because the chamber will shrink lengthwise causing reliability and pressure issues..No one was brain washed lol, use the correct ammunition for the chamber..There is a reason they create specs and tolerances and Colt has always used the 1.4646 go gauge nstead of the 223 commercial go gauge of 1.4636..The differences in the throat is where the pressure problems can occur..Weatherby used a longer throat in their 300 mag to obtain the highest velocity..Use the same ammunition in a short throat 300 WBYM and problems will occur..
@@hairydogstail I can turn your own Punk ass in also for harassment so far play
@@hairydogstail Another day passes, and you can't even come to defend yourself because you can't from all of your lying TH-cam Groupie Parrot mouth talking BS and when someone corners you on your lies you turn them into TH-cam.
If you never done that - never been there - don't own guns like you don't them don't go making lying Parrot mouth BS statements!
Stay away from any AR that doesn't have the mil-spec 5.56x45 chamber. Wylde chambers are notoriously inconsistent and .223 chambers are unsafe with full power military ammo.
I love my 223 Wylde AR's 16 inch and 11 inch. What I will say is you'll wanna opt for a higher twist rate. You really don't want anything below 1:9. Both rounds are consistent and highly accurate with tight groupings. Great video
Always wanted to know exactly what you expained. Im subscribing because you absolutely know what youre talking about.
Thank you for taking the time to explain the differences
Thank you touching on the confusing aspect. I'm starting to get into shooting more. All these different sizes of ammo is super confusing. And I'm not just talking about
.223 vs 5.56. I'm talking about all ammo.
I feel like I can always learn something from this channel. Thank you.
Good video, there are way to many people with a .223 chamber AR15 that think they can just shoot 5.56 rounds without incident not understanding they are putting themselves and others in danger if the ,223 chamber fails from the higher pressure of the 5.56 round. They think as you said well they have shot 5.56 in their .223 chamber and nothing has happened so far but why take the chance. I own two 5.56 Sig Sauer AR15 rifles.
Best explanation I seen so far, and you included the Wylde. I have a Wylde, and I reload, but only as 223 Remington. If I want hot 223s, I'l use my 556 range brass, but still keep lower than max for 556 just in case one ends up in my standard 223 Remington. Just so you know, I keep my powder charges levels between the highest low to the lowest high, just to stay safe.
I had wondered what the difference was between the two, if any, and the reasons why. This was a clear explanation.
Thanks!
Me too.
Very nicely done!!! I've heard/been following along with this topic for decades, but I do believe YOU presented more things related to it in this single video, and you did so in a nicely worded/easily understood manner folks who have little to no hands-on experience can appreciate, but also for folks with reloading/ballistics experience. I for one had heard of the .223 Wilde, but never really knew what it was about (And since I don't have any platform designed this way, just didn't take the time to do my homework on).
Thank you!
I Just Now got home from the Gun Range. Shot my AR15 5.56. Shot 223 55 grain and 5.56 nato 62 grain.
There is Absolutely a noticeable recoil differences. 5.56 IS Hotter .. bit more recoil.
This is the best explanation I’ve ever heard. Thank you! 🇨🇦
Excellent video on a nuanced subject.
I may have built a beautiful, tough AR in .223-Remington with a not long barrel stamped .223 specifically. I always wondered if it would be detrimental to the gun itself if I were to fire 5.56 cartridges thru it. Now, Im not even going to tempt disaster by firing 5.56 thru it. That particular AR will be for .223 exclusively.
Seriously, this AR I'm talking about is exquisite in how it performs & I want to keep it that way for as long as possible.
Thank you.
Wow! A totally lucid and understandable presentation. Thanks.
Great video, I recently bought a colt M4 16” The gun has stamped on it 556 the manual says to use Remington 223. This video kind of covers everything 👍
I was soo confused when I bought my first AR, it was a used rifle but was only 399 so I bought it. The tag said the caliber was a 5.56 and when I got home the first thing I did was take it apart to learn about it and clean it and noticed the barrel was the .223 wylde and figured I got ripped off. Thankfully I researched it and it was safe to fire a 5.56 through it but admittedly the first shot at the range was a very scary shot
Do you still shoot 5.56 out of your .223 barrell and have you had any issues with it at all?
@@dunkenrunten4593 I only put like two magazine through it cuz last time I went to the range I had all my pistols and only had around 100 rounds for the AR. It functioned perfectly though, well once I stopped babying it lol. I know they can handle it but any time I chamber a round I usually slowly let the slide go in battery and if I do it with the rifle it will chamber but won't be able to eject the round so I have to like bow and arrow it sorta and pull the charging handle all the way and let go so it slammed into battery
There was an article in a gun magazine some time ago that said using 5.56 in a .223 rifle was the equivalent of firing proof loads.
Great explanation! Well spoken, well done. I have a rifle chambered in 556 and never worried about shooting 223 ammo because of your explanation. I do not own anything chambered in 223 so the point is moot.
So what exactly happens when I reload my brass? I start by resizing the case. A .223 die is used for both .223 and 5.56; there is no such thing as a 5.56 die. I then crimp the brass as I see fit; there is no specific standard. The bullet used for the .223 and the 5.56 is exactly the same. The video implies the COL is longer for the 5.56 than the .223 at 5:12 min. The MAX COL for the .223 is actually longer than the 5.56 according to my Hornady manual. I could not find the SAAMI spec page for 5.56 and had to rely on my Hornady book. At this point then is there any real practical difference between the a 5.56 and a .223? If so what is it. I'm still lost.
Unrelated, but I believe the military also flirted with the idea of using the .224 Valkyrie at one point but went ahead with the 5.56. I could be misremembering my history facts there. Excellent video. My first AR build was a "frankenstein" build of sorts, but I made sure to include a .223 Wylde barrel.
I learned something new today. Always thought these were 1:1, but important to know there is a difference.
Thanks, I didn't even know how badly I needed this explanation before watching. Totally makes sense now.
I own a half dozen AR-15's.....every one of them now has a .223 Wylde barrel.....saves me potential problems. If you've ever seen a rifle suffer a "catastrophic" explosion, you'll understand why. Oh...that's why I've never bought (or built) a 300 blackout....VERY dangerous if you put that cartridge in the wrong barrel.
Yeah I grabbed the wrong mag one time and shot a 300 blackout out my 5.56 Tavore. Luckily it just jammed up without much fuss instead of having a dangerous malfunction. I got rid of my 300 blackout after that... I didn't want a situation where I might be using both and have the magazines close by and make that mistake again.
I just use colored mags. All the funky ones are 300 blk and normal mags 556. Works for me. They also make stencils and rubberbands
They are both the same the 223 wylde was designed to shoot the ELD( extremely low drag) and the 5.56x45mm was and did get it's name the DAY IY BECAME the combat rifle for Vietnam. And he is lying to you.
Th re same dies resize the same cartridge so go ahead believe his lies
And more pressure bullshit SAAMIuses electronic measurement systems and not the old crush cup system. He is a bald face FAKE
A 5.56 can fire a 223. A 223 can not fire a 5.56.
I was really curious to hear why the 5.56 and other military rounds seem to have been treated near the neck, hence the brownish hue at the top. Also, I think the primers are important factror for those reloading this caliber. It's a nasty surprise when you try to shove a primer in a 5.56 round you found at the range and didnt know about that little extra ring they put there. They are getting more and more common even on 223 since the Ukraine war started draining reloading resources. Still, I learned a good deal with this video. Thanks for making it!!
This is great advice. I just wish I had heard of this difference before I had fired thousands of 5.56 through my older .223 Ar15. I shall refrain from doing so.
Bro you are good. I wrote a post this morning, check it out. The two ammo's, (223 556) are the same only the throat/ free bore is different in SOME guns but most are all made to the same dimensions.
All Colt AR15 rifles use the longer minimum chamber (go gauge), even the older Colt marked 223..Using the hotter 62 grain 5.56 ammunition in an older 1 in 12 rifling won't be very accurate anyway..
Best explanation ever! No nonsense. Ditto previous comments! THANK YOU!!
Love this channel. Easily one of the most serious, thoroughly informative gun channels by far. Plenty of others are entertaining. This is actually educational though.
Thanks for the WYLDE thing. Always wondered about that. Then, there is the revolution part per bullet weight and on and on. Science like it seems.
Thank you sir.
If you reload your own, all the manuals will have these cartridges classified as .223 Rem. You can find loadings that reach and exceed pressures that most people think of as 5.56. In modern manufacturing, almost all barrels can take the pressure of both. Only really older guns need to be differentiated between the two cartridges.
I purchased a Colt AR-15A3 a few years ago. It was 223 and not 5.56mm. Luckily I learned the difference between the two.
NATO 5.56 is usually wax seal coated to keep out any water/moisture, increasing reliability, even in ROUGH conditions. 5.56 is really the only option to choose, so either (and whatever is available when SHTF) gives you a better chance to protect yourself or Hunt Larger Game using 75, to even 85 grain at closer range.
great explanation, I never load anything but 5.56 in my AR15 chambered in 5.56
Hands down the best explanation I’ve seen. Well done and thank you!
.223 is in imperial measurement and 5.56 mm is in metric simple as that. I'm VN vet trained and used mainly M16A1, it's the same cartridge.
The Vietnam war M16's used a lower pressured cartridge compared to the adopted 5.56 ammunition in the 1980's..The M16/AR15 always used a longer minimum chamber length compared to the commercial 223..
Much appreciated. No doubts now !!
Can you explain why the greater pressure of the 5.56 translates to greater accuracy than a .223? It seems as though as long as the pressure remains constant, the accuracy would remain constant. The trajectory would be different, to be sure, but if your holdover or under are consistent, the bullet should go through the same hole. What am I missing?
Just found your channel.
Great clear explanation for those seeking knowledge.
Fantastic work. Keep it up.
Nice clarification on AR ammunition, now I have to decide which moderately priced rifle gives the best bang for the buck.
Anderson and Del-ton are best bang for the buck if talking .223/5.56 chambered AR’s.
I purchased a Radical Firearms AR 15 about a year and a half ago on sale for 429 at our local Midwest gun exchange. Real basic gun, all aluminum upper and lower. Shoots both .223 and .556 so that would be your choice of which. Great gun but if your just into occasional plinking, I'd go cheaper and check out polymer framed AR models since they are considered cheaper.
@@stevennewman4778 Both of those are assembled using made in China parts.
Build your own to avoid buying made in China junk
I own a 556 bolt action with a 16 inch barrel. Both rounds work well against paper. I bought this weapon for home defense. A 16 inch barrel is short quick and accurate, looking down the barrel at say 10 feet you are not going to miss the target. The 556 round was designed for one purpose to kill the enemy at 300 meters. At 10 feet it will accomplish the mission and the intruder will be dead, the shock to the system may be enough, when it hits the target it releases a tremendous amount of energy then it expands and tumbles where ever it wants to it could go left, right, up or down no way to tell, the amount of bleeding internally is also lethal. Great job with the nuts and bolts.
Well, actually..... (just to throw a spanner in the works), I was in the military "a WHILE back", during the transition FROM 7.62 Nato TO 5.56. Part of the rationale we were given (we weren't told about commercial contracts, kickbacks and the like) was it was better to WOUND an enemy than outright kill. For every wounded soldier, FOUR personnel are tied up in their care, as opposed to just being "minus 1" for the kill. Supposedly. I believe there may be a transition (I'm not in the loop as far as military goes anymore) to 6.8 mil calibres as 5.56 lacks "stopping power" in the current view. Re home defense, not disputing the capability of a 556 bolt action, but I wouldn't want to fire one indoors (particularly in a hallway) without hearing protection (same with a shorter barrelled shotgun). But that's just me :)
You have allowed yourself to believe in TH-cam Groupie Nonsense Parrot mouth BS because bullet tumbling is caused by improper rifling twist rate for weight of bullet.
The old Vietnam M-16s had the 1-14 rate of rifling that just caused minimum bullet stabilized by the bullet in flight but touches anything it destabilized and also caused tumbling.
New ARs have the 1-9 / 1-8 / 1-7 twist rate the bullets won't destabilized and if not, the bullet fracturing it will pass in a straight line as I have seen the inside of deer, I shot with the AR 15 and a 1-9 and a 1-8 rate of twist rate.
Never believe anything from TH-cam which is posted by idiots!
556 is for coyotes, shotguns are for home defense.
Where the hell do you live? Downtown Kabul?
@@robg9236 who this for was ?
This is THE BEST video explaining the difference. And I'll add that I didn't realize that 5.56 travels at 50% more muzzle velocity than the .223. Wow.
how did you come up with 50%
that is far from a max load in .223 out of a 20" barrel it's more like 3000 fps.
@@chargerb150% of 2000 is 1000. 2000 + 1000 =3000. 3000 is 50% more than 2000.
Closer to 6.5% faster, not 50%
@@michaelsylvia275 Look at my math above.
We had a Sargent-Major in SADF who had a 223 hunting rifle and he would bring it to our range days and used the military issued rounds. He basically had free ammo for days.
Mini14 rifles are chambered in 556 despite earlier ones being marked 223, with the exception of the target model which is 223 only. I’ve found my mini to be a little more accurate with 556 but I still need to play with weights a little bit.
Ok, I reload, if I use 5.56 used range brass, loaded to 223 specs (which I have without a problem so far in a 223 bolt rifle) could this cause a problem? And, I never load to max powder loads, mostly on the lower -mid range for plinking. My point is, I understand that 5.56 is a higher pressure round, but what you talked about, does this only pertain to factory loaded ammo, loaded to 5.56 specs, or will the 5.56 with the thicker case inside diameter, even loaded to 223 specs, be high pressure that could cause damage?
I got 223 Wylde 1/8 16 inch and it shoots pretty good. Best of both worlds
Great show. Thank you for this explanation and breakdown.
I believe there is an exception to the rule.? (If memory serves me well) back before ARs, I used to shoot Ruger Mini 14s. I believe Rugers claim was you can shoot 5.56 in their rifles even though it was stamped 223 Rem on the barrel. If I am miss remembering, I apologize. I did feed my Mini 14s a steady diet of 5.56 without ever having an issue.
I p/u a mini 14 specifically b/c it was built to handle 556. It doesn't look as "scary" as an MSR & doesn't draw much attention.
Great job explaining this to the watchers. I have ask this question myself. Should be no questions now!
So glad to see you passing on your wealth of knowledge, my friend. I hope to run into you when your new facility opens!
Nice. Best explanation I have heard. Thank You for the education.
One of the reasons a 5.56 has increased chamber pressure is to assist cycling a full-auto rifle. Also, unless something has changed, military 5.56 has the primers crimped in. A slight pain in the ass if you reload ammunition, because you need to deburr the crimp with a chamfer tool or the primers won't seat.
All of this sounds so familiar to the .308 and 7.62 differences. Where firing a 7.62 in a .308 is fine, but definitely not when firing a .308 in a 7.62. Again mostly due to the higher chamber pressures of the .308.
Your knowledge is priceless. Thank you, Sir!
I had so many people online telling me that using 5.56 ammo in a bolt action rifle is just fine and works great. Had to do some research before I figured out that it can be extremely dangerous if the rifle can't take the extra pressure. Some can, but many can't and you end up with the rifle exploding in your hands. AR's are illegal here so I ended up ordering a Tikka T3X compact Tactical chambered in .223 from a gunsmith. He is going to re-chamber it in .223 Wylde and replace the stock with a GRS Bifrost. Should be a nice range / small game rifle when I get it in 4-5 months.
Anyway, best video I have seen on this topic. Thumbs up!.
Okay, honorable man, thank you very much for such an explanation. I didn't know about slight differences in chambers intesf.
Didn't know i needed to learn these differences. Thank you for the explanation!
I do know that the military stack 556 is a knee a lot better which I’m assuming create tighter bond around the projectile us giving you more chamber pressure
I have a Diamond Back AR rifle, it is suppose to be able to fire both rounds. I can only afford the 223 rounds, But is it safe to fire either round ???? Just incase I ever do purchase the 5.56...
Thanks for sharing your logical debate. My ther concern is: Do you think the calibre 5.45 or 5.56 is as effective as the 7.62 x 39 in close combat ?