are they the same?

[Guest marine77]

Just wondering if the .223 winchester and the .223 that you use in the ar's are the same, if you could use the winchester to reload what the ar's use.

[TripleDigitRide]

One is .223 Winchester and the other is .223 Remington. The bullet itself is the same diameter (.224).

Edited February 21, 2009 by TripleDigitRide

[enfield]

They're the same IF the AR is chambered for .223 instead of 5.56 NATO. There are minor differences between .223 and 5.56.

[Guest marine77]

What exactly would the differences be? It shows 5.56, but i have been shooting .223. It's been shooting o.k. with the .223, so that's what i would be reloading (maybe). I have learned that i don't know much about with reloading, so any and all helpful info and tips would be appreciated. I plan on getting a press soon (my bonus came in ), but i don't want to rush into getting everything all at once and find out i didn't get something i needed or got the wrong thing and throw money away!

I do know, about 98% that i will get a dillion to reload with. Right now it will just be to load up as many rounds as i can and shoot them and then start the vicious cycle all over again.

[Guest Mugster]

There is no .223 winchester round, unless you are talking about the .223 WSSM.

.223 remington ammo and USGI 5.56 ammo has the exact same external dimension. A 5.56 stamped armalite barrel has a longer throat and possibly a sloppier chamber than a .223 stamped barrel. The military loads 5.56 ammo extremely hot. Commercial .223 ammo will shoot fine in a 5.56 chamber. The reverse may not be true. The increased pressure of 5.56 ammo will probably show pressure signs in a tighter .223 chambered barrel. In fact, there are headspace gages available in .223 and for 5.56 NATO...so there is a real difference.

Generally, following handload guide info for .223, you cannot duplicate USGI spec 5.56 ball ammunition. No one publishes info for 5.56, or at least, not to my knowledge.

[Guest marine77]

Thanks all for the info, just don't want to make a 'final' mistake on anything. I know it can get a little confusing on some stuff. Been reading my ABC's, it's really been a good read, next to the hornady book, and then another. All this knowledge and still so dumb.