5.56 vs .223 reloads

[chasinfire]

Ok, gonna buy some bulk ammo for my m16A2 rock river, that shoots 5.56. My question is does it matter which kind I buy for reloading after I shoot the rounds.
I have read and researched, and found you can use .223 dies to reload 5.56. It wasn't from this site, and the thread went off track and got ugly quickly. So I am looking for guidance that a noob needs. Buy 5.56 surplus and reload with .223 dies later, or just buy .223 rounds right off the bat. Right now I will be using them to practice...no match shooting or coyote hunting. Thanks for all the information. This site is like having a neighbor that knows just about everything. The internet can be a wonderful thing.

 

[downzero]

There is no meaningful difference. Forget what Arfcom says, get yourself a good reloading manual, a chronograph, and some dies, and enjoy yourself.

 

[U.S. Patriot]

Buy .224 bullets and use load data for .223. You will be good to go. You only need .223 dies, does not matter if you use .223 or 5.56 brass.

 

[Jarhead1775]

Buy .224 bullets and use load data for .223. You will be good to go. You only need .223 dies, does not matter if you use .223 or 5.56 brass.

^
Very true

Even though you are just plinking... I recommend the .224 69 grain Sierra Match King bullets. That is about the cheapest route to go and when loaded to what your rifle likes, very accurate. It is typically on sale most of the time.. always an added bonus.

Good luck

 

[EOC]

I was wondering that same thing about the brass.. thanks

 

[Leo]

NO difference in the brass. You will hear about the "brass it thicker" that is NOT true with the 5.56 brass, and never was. That is a wives tale left from the Military 30-06 brass that WAS thicker. I have weighed, measured and cut apart m16 brass as old as TW69, foreign and domestic military, as well as foreign and domestic commercial brass. None are different enough to make any difference. Reload with confidence, and welcome to reloading.

 

[Cerberus]

What Leo, et al, said.

 

[Iroquois]

Every bit of military brass I've ever loaded( or tried to load) was harder to reload than commercial
type. Primer crimps, stiff brass, thick necks ....not all wives tales. Buy the commercial stuff
if you plan to reload it...just in case I'm right. I don't think the price is that much better on
Surplus.

 

[Cerberus]

Every bit of military brass I've ever loaded( or tried to load) was harder to reload than commercial
type. Primer crimps, stiff brass, thick necks ....not all wives tales. Buy the commercial stuff
if you plan to reload it...just in case I'm right. I don't think the price is that much better on
Surplus.

Other than primer pocket crimps, I've found very little difference between reloading domestic commercial vs domestic military. Foreign fodder can be a different story.

 

[red_zr24x4]

Other than primer pocket crimps, I've found very little difference between reloading domestic commercial vs domestic military. Foreign fodder can be a different story.

This is my experience also. I'll also add for .30-06 I bought some Korean stuff on Garand clips a few years ago. Aside from the corrosive primers, they shot fine, and reloaded just like the LC and commercial brass I already had.

 

[chasinfire]

Thx for the info...so I have read 5.56 is better for stopping power, but. 223 is more accurate. Any comments?

 

[Leo]

The largest contributors to Accuracy is found in two factors, Barrel quality and bullet quality. Punch a Sierra MatchKing down a HART benchrest grade, a Douglass Ultramatch or any other premium barrel and they will try to follow each other into the same hole. Even with a great barrel, neither a .223 or a 5.56 round with junk bullets will group very well. A really quality bullet in a marginal barrel will group tighter than a junk bullet, but still not very well. If a guy bought some third world commie crap ammo in 5.56 and some .223 quality brand name ammo, I'll bet the .223 will shoot better. Reverse the quality and I'll bet the 5.56 will group better.

 

[Yeah]

Thx for the info...so I have read 5.56 is better for stopping power, but. 223 is more accurate. Any comments?

Where did you read that?

Such things make me wish my eyebrows would raise higher up my face than they do.

 

[dukeboy_318]

Other than primer pocket crimps, I've found very little difference between reloading domestic commercial vs domestic military. Foreign fodder can be a different story.

Same here. The only commercial brass I just throw away and refuse to mess with is PMC stuff. Not a fan, lots of out of round primer pockets and other little stuff that just takes time to correct but for the handful I happen to find on occasion, I'd rather put them in the throw away brass bin.

 

[dukeboy_318]

Thx for the info...so I have read 5.56 is better for stopping power, but. 223 is more accurate. Any comments?

Very good read here.

223 Rem + 223 AI Cartridge Guide

Be sure to check out the 5.56x45 timeline link as well.

 

[jdhaines]

recommend the .224 69 grain Sierra Match King bullets. That is about the cheapest route to go...

69gr SMKs are around ~$94 / 500pcs

You can get 55gr fmjs for roughly half that or less. You can get them for $87 / 1000pcs if you want to buy bulk.

I've used the SMKs and they are beautiful bullets...but certainly not the cheapest route if that is the goal. The cheapy 55grs seem to work great for plinking to 300yards which is as far as I've taken them.

 

[chasinfire]

Thx duke, good read with lots of info on the. 223 round.

 

[MarineOne]

Okay, so now I'm officially confused....I recently posted asking about being able to fire .223 out of a 5.56, but not 5.56 out of a .223. Is it the same thing, or is it not?
The AR15.com Ammo Oracle
223 Rem + 223 AI Cartridge Guide