For those of you who shoot AR-15s . . . .

4265 Views 38 Replies 31 Participants Last post by mawguy, Aug 13, 2018

daytonaredeye

Discussion Starter · Jul 27, 2018

If you shoot the basic model, do you prefer 5.56 NATO or .223 Remington? Not interested in other AR calibers at the moment.

I know you can buy .223 ONLY rifles but I bought mine as a 5.56/.223 for the variety.

I’ve mostly bought 5.56 except during the beginning of the drought after Newtown when .223 was all I could find - and not much of that readily available. When the ATF was considering banning the steel tipped Armour Piercing rounds I bought a few thousand rounds of the 5.56 in that configuration. I’ve still got a ton of that that I’ve never touched.

You may shoot both and that is fine; just curious if you have a preference.

Reactions: 1

1 - 20 of 39 Posts

PreacherRodgers

· #2 · Jul 27, 2018

I shoot a basic model and reload to 223 specs. Mine does not get a lot of use except for the .458 SOCOM upper. I love that AR caliber.

Reactions: 1

TrucksNCoffee

· #3 · Jul 27, 2018

I shoot both. I buy both, but prefer, for no good reason, to purchase 5.56 unless I find some .223 on sale. And correct me if I'm wrong, but are there not more hunting rounds offered in .223 than 5.56? In any case, while my weapon will shoot---uh, used to shoot*---steel case ammo just fine, I decided to stay away from the stuff. Again, no good reason, I just like to feed and extract brass over steel.

*Lost in yet another boating accident, don'tcha know.

Reactions: 1

darbo

· #4 · Jul 28, 2018

No preference for me. I load my own so it's just find a load that works in my rifles. And I don't bother to separate my picked up range brass. I treat it all the same. As for the steel tip ammo, factory stuff, I have found it to not be very accurate, relatively speaking. I also have some green tip reloads that are set aside for SHTF so I figure they will never get used.

Reactions: 2

Taurus1965

· #5 · Jul 28, 2018 (Edited)

Prefer the 5.56 Federal steel tip for sighting in. Very accurate in my M&P 5.56. Use cheaper .223 for general range ammo. Matter of fact good sale going on at PSA .https://palmettostatearmory.com/lak...-on-10-round-clips-in-ammo-can-of-420rds.html

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Smokewagon

· #6 · Jul 28, 2018

My Smith&Wesson is stamped 5.56 on the barrel. I prefer that over .223. I'll shoot both, but when buying, the NATO round is what I look for.

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Divebum

· #7 · Jul 28, 2018

Very little difference except the 5.56 is loaded to a little higher pressure than the .223, and the chamber of a .556 my be very slightly larger than a .223. Here's a great article on the differences.

https://www.luckygunner.com/labs/5-56-vs-223/

Reactions: 5

TonyC2639

· #8 · Jul 28, 2018

Well I wasn't sure whether you were talking about the gun or the ammo but everybody is going ammo soooooooo. In my mind I prefer 5.56 because it is technically the better choice for a 5.56 rifle. I say in my mind because I don't go to any trouble to get it and only buy it if I trip over a really good deal. On top of that my rifle is .223 Wylde so I'm not sure it matters at all now.

Reactions: 2

daytonaredeye

Discussion Starter · #9 · Jul 28, 2018

Divebum said:
Very little difference except the 5.56 is loaded to a little higher pressure than the .223, and the chamber of a .556 my be very slightly larger than a .223. Here's a great article on the differences.

https://www.luckygunner.com/labs/5-56-vs-223/

THANK YOU! Great article which answered some questions I’ve had. Definitely bookmarked it and added it to my home screen for reference.

daytonaredeye

Discussion Starter · #10 · Jul 28, 2018

Smokewagon said:
My Smith&Wesson is stamped 5.56 on the barrel. I prefer that over .223. I'll shoot both, but when buying, the NATO round is what I look for.

Ditto for me, except that mine is DPMS. I really can’t tell any difference in “shootability” (accuracy, recoil, etc). But 5.56 NATO is a tad cheaper so that’s what I buy.

Reactions: 1

Smokewagon

· #11 · Jul 28, 2018

All the 5.56 I've bought is 62 grain. .223 is typically 55 grain. I prefer the heavier bullet also.

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JeeperCreeper

· #12 · Jul 28, 2018

Before I started reloading in the caliber, I would only buy 5.56 unless there was a good sale on the .223. I have no reason for it really. My AR is chambered .223 Wylde.

Reactions: 1

Trotline

· #13 · Jul 28, 2018

TrucksNCoffee said:
I shoot both. I buy both, but prefer, for no good reason, to purchase 5.56 unless I find some .223 on sale. And correct me if I'm wrong, but are there not more hunting rounds offered in .223 than 5.56? In any case, while my weapon will shoot---uh, used to shoot*---steel case ammo just fine, I decided to stay away from the stuff. Again, no good reason, I just like to feed and extract brass over steel.

*Lost in yet another boating accident, don'tcha know.

Another gun related boating accident, seems to happen to too many of us. Such a common tragedy!!!! Remember, Safe Boating is No Accident!!!

Czechbikr

· #14 · Jul 28, 2018

I reload my own to a lighter .223 spec and it shoots fine in my 5.56 chambered carbine. I only buy lead core FMJ in 55 grain as the steel core projectiles are frowned upon at my indoor range due to the propensity to set the rubber crumb backstop on fire.

Reactions: 2

Yissnakk

· #15 · Jul 28, 2018

.223 Wylde, so performance-wise irrelevant...but I haven't bought any in ages. I reload to something less than max charge which is where I've found my best accuracy for the pulled bullets that I tend to plink with.

Reactions: 2

lwb92af

· #16 · Jul 28, 2018

My rifle is my own build and has a Wylde barrel, I haven't bought any ammo for it in a long time because I load my own. I found a load that is very accurate in my rifle and stick to it, so I don't have any preference.

texastaurusguy

· #17 · Jul 28, 2018

Mine can handle both and I shoot both. I mainly reload for 223 but I do get my hands on the 5.56 ammo from time to time.

Reactions: 1

Bamabowtie

· #18 · Jul 28, 2018

For plinking it's whatever is cheap, which is usually 5.56. But the most accurate factory ammo I've found (in 3 different ARs) is the Perfecta .223 that Walmart used to sell in the 50 round boxes. I still have about 400 rounds of that for when I want to punch little holes close together on paper.

Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk

777Driver

· #19 · Jul 28, 2018

I paid a little extra to get an AR-15 with a "Wylde" barrel, designed by Bill Wylde.
From what I've read, it's the best barrel to handle both .223 and 5.56 without any problems.

NativeTexan

· #20 · Jul 28, 2018

My Bushmaster will shoot either, but I buy .223 because it's cheap and available.

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