55grn .22 hornet bullets out of a 5.56 rifle?

[Joejojoba111]

Found a great deal on .22hornet mold, by lynnman, (<20 instead of >60$).

Can these be successfully and safely used in an AR-15?

http://lymanproducts.com/lymanproducts/index.htm

.22hornet 55grn
http://lymanproducts.com/lymanproducts/images/225415.gif

55grn .223
http://lymanproducts.com/lymanproducts/images/225646.gif

 

[Vern Humphrey]

You've got two issues here:

1. Will it shoot well? Lyman doesn't give you the diameter of this bullet, but early .22 Hornets were .223 (like a .22 LR), not .224 (like a .22 centerfire.) There is a chance that this bullet as cast will be too small to shoot well in your .224 diameter barrel. The odds are, however that the bullet will cast larger than its nominal diameter, so you can size it properly to .224. It may shoot well without sizing.

2. Will it function your rifle? Probably not - at least not in any loading that will shoot with any accuracy. The AR-15 is tuned to much more pressure than you want to use with a cast bullet. Most cast bullets do well at 2,000 fps or lower (sometimes a lot lower) and that means very low pressure -- compared to that necessary to drive a 55 grain jacketed bullet to the 3,000 to 3,300 fps normal for the .223 Remington.

 

[taliv]

i don't have any problems hitting aluminum cans at 50yrds with my ciener 22 lr conversion, in a 1980s era A2 upper with the good old fashioned slow twist. but i sure wouldn't take it to a bullseye match.

i'd say diameter isn't your problem. (I would go so far as to say it's 'suboptimal', but not a 'problem'.)


i've never shot lead bullets in any rifle over about 1400 fps, although i know some people who shoot lead up around 2000 fps in buffalo guns. so i don't know, but i think what vern said makes sense.

if you got one of those snazzy light weight titanium bolts and carriers and the right main spring, it might work ok around 2000fps. would be interesting to see.

 

[Joejojoba111]

Ok thanks!