Winchester White Box .223 versus 5.56, any real difference?

[Therapydude]

In my quest to round up some Winchester White Box .223 ammo, I went to three stores yesterday and bought all they had. Ended up with 40 round boxes of .223 from Wal-mart, 20 round boxes from Gander Mountain, and 20 round boxes of 5.56 from a local gun store. All are 55 grain FMJ Winchester White Box. Any real difference between the .223 and 5.56? They will all be fired from a Colt LE6920. Thanks!

 

[CDignition]

go here: http://www.ammo-oracle.com/body.htm this will answer all your .223-5.56 questions...

the WWB I have used is good shooting stuff, but is lower powered than real XM193 US Issue Lake cuty ammo...

 

[DMK]

Comparing to M193 5.56, (unless it's Q3131 which is M193 and also comes in a white box from Winchester), the Winchester will have a lower velocity, the bullet has no cannelure so it can setback on repeated chamberings, and the bullet itself has a stronger jacket which means that it won't fragment like M193 will.

Comparing to M855 5.56, the Winchester will be a 55gr. bullet instead of 62gr of M855 and it won't have the penetration characteristics of the milspec round.

Commercial 223 will not have sealant around the primer and bullet, but then some 5.56 surplus doesn't have it either.

In other words, it's fine for plinking, training or other range work, but not for serious life or death stuff.

 

[longhorngunman]

Look for the WWB with the Q3131A designation. It is loaded to military standards and has enough velocity to fragment like the round is intended to do. Good stuff for SHTF ammo.