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oldiegoldie
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o.k., I think I will use up my 5.56 and begin buying .223 from now on, just to be ultra safe. I appreciate all of the responses.
courting disaster?
- Thread starter oldiegoldie
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IMO.. this is another one of those old wives tails-voodoo stories that have taken root in recent years. Until recently I have not heard of these differences-dangers. I think they get repeated enough and then become gospel, like +P in the .38 Special.
Plazzman
Member
I believe 5.56 casing are thicker which puts the powder in a tighter area bringing the pressure in the casing a lot higher than .223. 
Ricrock
Member
What is wrong with +P in 38 spl?
uncledoggle
Member
Here's a link to what the NRA has to say on the subject of .223 and 5.56 ammo:
American Rifleman | .223 Remington Vs. 5.56: What's in a Name?
American Rifleman | .223 Remington Vs. 5.56: What's in a Name?
Rastoff
US Veteran
I'll just leave this right here:
Nothing is wrong with +P .38 Spl. But it seems to have acquired a super power mystic that people are always asking
" is +p safe in my this or that size frame revolver....or even in my .357 Mag."? It has become a boogie man story and people are afraid of it.
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ChiefStealth
US Veteran
I believe 5.56 casing are thicker which puts the powder in a tighter area bringing the pressure in the casing a lot higher than .223.
That, and 5.56 has more powder in 'em.
sgtsandman
US Veteran
A general good rule of thumb is you can shoot .223 out of a 5.56 chambered rifle but should not shoot 5.56 out of a .223 chambered rifle.
Have people done it? Yep. Have they done it successfully for years? Yep. It comes down to the chamber tolerance, the barrel quality, and a bunch of other factors. It's better not to play roulette that your firearm can do it.
The one common exception to the above rule of thumb is the .223 wyld (SP?) chambered firearms. Because of how the chamber is reamed, it can shoot 5.56 with no concern of a potential issue.
Have people done it? Yep. Have they done it successfully for years? Yep. It comes down to the chamber tolerance, the barrel quality, and a bunch of other factors. It's better not to play roulette that your firearm can do it.
The one common exception to the above rule of thumb is the .223 wyld (SP?) chambered firearms. Because of how the chamber is reamed, it can shoot 5.56 with no concern of a potential issue.
sgtsandman
US Veteran
That's why I answered the way I did. I have read where people have shot 5.56 NATO out of a .223 Remington chambered rifle for years with never any problems. Due to manufacturer recommendations, the various dimensional differences, and the pressure differences, I defer on the side of caution.
Now I do some what break the "rules" myself. Meaning I shoot .308 Winchester out of a 7.62X51 NATO chambered rifle. The pressure differences aren't as high and the rifle I am talking about has a medium bull barrel on it. Plus, the manufacturer did not warn against shooting the more powerful cartridge out of it. And lastly, I've never seen anyone mention problems or primer pressure signs from doing so. It may have been a bit of a minor gamble but due to research I did prior to trying it, I felt it was a safe one to make.
MichiganScott
Member
When you continuously blow primers you will damage the bolt face due to flame cutting. It happens.
It may not be dangerous but it will damage your rifle.
sgtsandman
US Veteran
Like Michiganscott said, be careful with that. If there are over pressure signs, something will eventually get damaged, even if it isn't a catastrophic failure.
For example. I have a Mossberg MVP Patrol chambered in 5.56. I found a spent primer in the action upon initial cleaning after buying it new. Thus far, I have only shot .223 through it, so have not had a chance to check if it was just factory junk or a potential problem. With that in mind, when I DO get a chance to shoot some 5.56, I will be carefully inspecting spent cases for over pressure signs. Being that it is clearly marked on the barrel as a 5.56 and sold that way, it should not be an issue but if it is, Mossberg will be getting a call.
I have done that with my 7.62 MVP because it isn't chambered for .308 and over pressure can be a problem. The chances are good that I won't have a problem with tolerance stacking but my luck isn't that great either. Murphy's Law likes to visit and I sweat the man setup residence at my house. Better to be safe than sorry. Once the trigger is pulled, you can't call or wish it back.
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If your AR-15 has 556 on the barrel you can shoot either 556 or 223 all day long. I looked at my S&W Sport II and it has 556 on the barrel as did my PSA and DPMS AR 15's. The only rifle I have that says 223 on the Barrel is a Browning A Bolt and I shoot 223 through it as I reload my own ammo.
hdwhit
Member
That's not the conclusion you should draw. A person can shoot over-pressure loads repeatedly, but they are stressing the components of the gun beyond their limits accelerating fatigue and they will fail eventually. The problem is that failure may be catastrophic and result in injur or death.
Check your barrel markings some Ruger Mini 14's are marked 5.56, so one can shoot both 5.56 and 223.
The older ones may not be marked as such and the guessing begins, did they just add the 5.56 with a minor chamber mod and or a change to barrel twist or did they just remark the barrels of the newer ones.
Every Mini 14 on the Ruger website is marked 5.56 safe, but I would swear the older ones were not marked as such.
The reason I know about the 5.56 markings on the barrels is I purchased one last Saturday.
The older ones may not be marked as such and the guessing begins, did they just add the 5.56 with a minor chamber mod and or a change to barrel twist or did they just remark the barrels of the newer ones.
Every Mini 14 on the Ruger website is marked 5.56 safe, but I would swear the older ones were not marked as such.
The reason I know about the 5.56 markings on the barrels is I purchased one last Saturday.
Rastoff
US Veteran
Prior to the Ranch rifle, the Mini-14 was marked .223Rem. That was a long time ago.
Yes, firing 5.56 in a .223 chamber could be problematic, but considering Ruger's reputation for building tough guns, I don't think it would be a problem in any Mini-14.
hdwhit
Member
Nothing.
Inadvertently firing a 5.56 round in a modern 223 gun in good condition should not cause a problem. Regularly and routinely firing 5.56 in a 223 can cause problems and should be avoided.
Since you have both, you should purchase and shoot 223 ammunition to avoid any inadvertent mix-ups.
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