Winchester White Box 5.56 vs .223

S

saddlerocker

New member
well My brother got me some ammo the other day and he brought home winchester white box. He said both came off the same shelf, but one has .223 on the box, the other 5.56. they are identical size.

I have heard people say that 5.56 is a "hotter" round than .223, and you should only use what is printed on the barrel.

I know it would most likely be fine, but is it technically ok to use the 5.56 in my .223 gun?
 
5.56X45 NATO is hotter than .223 Remington. 5.56 chambers are cut with a longer leade than SAAMI-spec .223 chambers. Shooting the hotter 5.56 in .223 chambers can cause pressure spikes. Shooting .223 in 5.56 chambers is not a problem. You could probably shoot a few boxes of 5.56 without any issues, but I wouldn't make it a habit. And if you do want to make it a habit, get your chamber reamed to 5.56 NATO or .223 Wylde spec.
 
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You need a rifle chambered for 5.56mm to use the 5.56 ammo; the bore lead is slightly longer to accomodate the round. Its OK to use the .223 in the 5.56 chamber though.
 
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