22 caliber same as 223?

[JamieC]

Hopefully this isn't dumb, I'm getting ready to start reloading 223, while looking for bullets I ran across what is labeled as 22 cal, to me 22 caliber is the little single shot Remington I got when I was 10. The 22 caliber bullets are .224" diameter, same weights as 223, can they be used to reload 223?

 

[454PB]

Yes.

 

[DanTheFarmer]

Check out the cartridge diagrams in your reloading manual (i.e. Lyman 49). You will see that 218 Bee, 22 Hornet, 22 K-hornet, 222 Rem, 222 Magnum, 223 Rem, 22-250, and more all use bullets .224 in diameter.

If you keep looking you will discover that 308 Winchester has a smaller diameter bullet than the 303 British. You will see that a 44 Magnum isn't 44 caliber at all, and whole lot of other seeming inconsistencies.

Reading the manuals and examining the diagrams is an important part of the hobby. Some find it more interesting than others.

Good Luck.

Dan

 

[cfullgraf]

And to confuse things a bit more, old 22 Hornet firearms, like pre WWII or so, use .223" diameter bullets.

As DantheFarmer said, reloading manuals and guides are your friend and wealth of information.