Conservidave
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I have a ton of 5.56 (mostly LC) brass and assuming I have properly sized with my .223 dies and prepped the cases, it is safe to use in my .223 bolt?
Thanks,
Dave
Thanks,
Dave
5.56 brass in .223 bolt
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MarshallDodge
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Yes, 5.56 brass and 223 brass are basically the same.
Wall thickness can vary from one manufacturer to the next so keep this in mind when loading.
Wall thickness can vary from one manufacturer to the next so keep this in mind when loading.
rcmodel
Member in memoriam
Yes, a .223 case is a 5.56 case, is a .233 case.
The cases are exactly the same after sizing in a .223 die.
Nobody makes a 5.56 NATO die!
It's the 5.56 NATO load specs that are different.
rc
The cases are exactly the same after sizing in a .223 die.
Nobody makes a 5.56 NATO die!
It's the 5.56 NATO load specs that are different.
rc
Conservidave
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So the question begs.... what is the difference between them before resizing?
Thanks,
Dave
MarshallDodge
Member
The brass is the same before firing and conforms to the chamber it is fired in. The die squeezes the case back to spec for reloading.Conservidave said:
Here is a good article on the subject.
OP--5.56 is just an overloaded .223. Loaded to higher pressures than 223 SAAMI specs to meet military requirements. This subject opens up a fiasco that would eclipse the Kennedy assassination conspiracy theories......
The cases are identical and the chambers are essentially identical except for the leade, or funneled portion of the barrel that guides the bullet from the case into the rifling. Dies are the same. Just do NOT use 5.56 reloading specs when loading for your bolt action.
The cases are identical and the chambers are essentially identical except for the leade, or funneled portion of the barrel that guides the bullet from the case into the rifling. Dies are the same. Just do NOT use 5.56 reloading specs when loading for your bolt action.
Conservidave
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This is kind of what I was thinking to begin with, I just needed a little clarification and confirmation. This is really good news because I am now set for a good long time for brass. 
rcmodel
Member in memoriam
Again, nothing.
Except the 5.56 NATO all has crimped primer pockets that have to be reamed or swaged out before you can reload them.
And most commercial .223 brass didn't used too.
But now, a lot of it does too.
rc
The .223 Remington is a sporting cartridge with the same external dimensions as the 5.56x45mm NATO military cartridge. It is loaded with a .224" diameter, jacketed bullet, with weights ranging from forty up to ninety grains, though the most common loadings by far use a fifty five grain bullet.
The primary difference between .223 Remington and 5.56x45 mm is that .223 is loaded to somewhat lower pressures and velocities compared to 5.56 mm. The ammunition designated .223 Remington can safely be fired in a firearm chambered for the 5.56 mm, but the reverse may well result in an unsafe combination. The additional pressure created by 5.56 mm ammunition will frequently cause over-pressure problems such as difficult extraction, flowing brass, or popped primers, and in extreme cases, may well damage or destroy the rifle. Chambers cut to .223 Remington specifications have a shorter leade (throat) area as well as slightly shorter headspace dimensions compared to 5.56 mm ‘military’ chamber specifications, which contribute to pressure issues.
Using commercial .223 cartridges in a 5.56-chambered rifle should work reliably, but generally will not be as accurate as when fired from a .223-chambered gun due to the excessive leade. Using 5.56 mil-spec cartridges (such as the M855) in a .223-chambered rifle can lead to excessive wear and stress on the rifle to the point that it is (or will become) unsafe, and the SAAMI recommends against the practice. Some commercial rifles marked as ‘.223 Remington’ are in fact suited for 5.56 mm, such as many commercial AR-15 variants and the Ruger Mini-14, but the manufacturer should always be consulted to verify that use of the military cartridge is acceptable in their model rifle before attempting to use it, and signs of excessive pressure (such as flattening or gas staining of the primers) should be looked for in the initial testing whenever the military 5.56 mm ammunition is used.
The official SAAMI position is: Chambers for military rifles have a different throat configuration than chambers for sporting firearms which, together with the full metal jacket of the military projectile, may account for the higher pressures which result when military ammunition is fired in a sporting chamber. SAAMI recommends that a firearm be fired only with the cartridge for which it is specifically chambered by the manufacturer.
The primary difference between .223 Remington and 5.56x45 mm is that .223 is loaded to somewhat lower pressures and velocities compared to 5.56 mm. The ammunition designated .223 Remington can safely be fired in a firearm chambered for the 5.56 mm, but the reverse may well result in an unsafe combination. The additional pressure created by 5.56 mm ammunition will frequently cause over-pressure problems such as difficult extraction, flowing brass, or popped primers, and in extreme cases, may well damage or destroy the rifle. Chambers cut to .223 Remington specifications have a shorter leade (throat) area as well as slightly shorter headspace dimensions compared to 5.56 mm ‘military’ chamber specifications, which contribute to pressure issues.
Using commercial .223 cartridges in a 5.56-chambered rifle should work reliably, but generally will not be as accurate as when fired from a .223-chambered gun due to the excessive leade. Using 5.56 mil-spec cartridges (such as the M855) in a .223-chambered rifle can lead to excessive wear and stress on the rifle to the point that it is (or will become) unsafe, and the SAAMI recommends against the practice. Some commercial rifles marked as ‘.223 Remington’ are in fact suited for 5.56 mm, such as many commercial AR-15 variants and the Ruger Mini-14, but the manufacturer should always be consulted to verify that use of the military cartridge is acceptable in their model rifle before attempting to use it, and signs of excessive pressure (such as flattening or gas staining of the primers) should be looked for in the initial testing whenever the military 5.56 mm ammunition is used.
The official SAAMI position is: Chambers for military rifles have a different throat configuration than chambers for sporting firearms which, together with the full metal jacket of the military projectile, may account for the higher pressures which result when military ammunition is fired in a sporting chamber. SAAMI recommends that a firearm be fired only with the cartridge for which it is specifically chambered by the manufacturer.
Dudedog
Contributing Member
My thought is as long as the brass is trimmed to the correct length you should be ok. I have found in some of the LC brass I have that the case volume is a little less than some commercial cases. (Thicker brass?) Also I have found that LC cases I have tend to be little longer to start with, but that is a non issue once trimmed.
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