5.56 vs .223 Ammo: Which One Is Safer for AR Platform

As many gun shooting enthusiasts know that 223 ammo and 5.56 Ammo are popularly used for semi-automatic rifle AR-15 for sporting purposes, such as target shooting. The .223 Remington and the 5.56x45mm NATO have the same external dimensions, case capacity when measured but there are several aspects which differentiate both. They are different in terms of pressure, caliber and thickness.


The .223 ammo is a sporting rifle cartridge with same external dimensions such as 5.56x45mm NATO military cartridge. It is generally loaded with a .224 inch diameter jacketed bullet. In the past few years the use of rifle as the best home-defense weapon has increased, specifically the use of .223/5.56mm ammunitions for AR15 platform.

The personal defense AR rifles don’t have any limitations on their choice of projectiles. In the last few years, manufacturers have really made a concerted effort to produce ammunition designed specifically for self-defense—not for hunting, plinking or target shooting.


Difference b/w .223 ammo & 5.56 ammo:-

The Cartridges:-

The .223 Remington and 5.56×45 NATO cartridges are very similar in their external appearance.
But there are many differences that lie beneath the surface. The 5.56 cartridge case contains thicker walls to handle higher pressures, which simply means that the interior volume of the case is smaller than .223 ammo.

Chamber of the Cartridge:-

While the cartridges are identical but there is a lot of difference in terms of powder load, bullet weight, and chamber pressure, a significant difference is in barrel of the rifle to be used, not in the cartridge. The .223 Remington and 5.56×45mm NATO barrel both have dissimilar chambers. .223 Remington contain chamber named as “SAAMI chamber” which is different from MIL-SPEC chamber. A SAMMI Chamber has relatively shorter lead. These chambers are specifically designed to handle both 5.56mm and 223 ammo.


Higher Pressure:-

The 5.56x45mm ammo has the ability to create a higher pressure. This over-pressure or we can say higher pressure will frequently cause difficult extraction, flowing brass or popped primers. In several cases, this extreme pressure case could damage or destroy the rifle and also injure the shooter. The chambers of .223 Remington have specifically shorter lead. In short, the 5.56mm has a higher pressure load and CAN NOT be shot in a barrel which is specifically meant for the .223 ammo. The main reason for that is the lower pressure of the .223, it can usually be shot in a barrel meant for higher pressure loads like the 5.56.






Which Ammo or Chamber Should I Buy:-

.223 Remington: –

The 223 ammo is the only SAAMI standardized cartridge that you’re likely to find used in rifles produced by major manufacturers. Considering all the common center fire cartridges which is available in these days the .223 remains widely used because of its affordable cost and wide availability in the market. Mostly, it is observed that the 5.56×45 mm NATO ammunition is not as accurate as .223 ammo. In many of the AR type rifles extant even with the same bullet weight. In terms of a carbine-style AR-15, I usually prefer to purchase one with a .223 Remington chamber.


5.56mm NATO –

The best suited for the persons who are lover of high volumes shot. 5.56mm ammunition without an emphasis on tack-driving accuracy or precision, 5.56 barrels from reliable machine shops will outshoot most humans while also keeping pressures within normal limits. Cheap 5.56 barrels often disappoint us. So now it depends upon you that what kind of ammo you want to choose for your rifle. Choose the one which fulfill all your shooting requirements.



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