Details
Boxes? We ain’t got no boxes. We don’t need no boxes. We don’t have to show you any stinkin’ boxes! If it could speak, that’s what this loose-packed Winchester USA 223 Rem ammo would say. And just as well! When you don’t have to pry open 50 little boxes of ammo, you have more time to do what really matters in life: shooting.
This is the ammo any 5.56/223 rifle needs to become useful at the target range – all AR-15s included. Its 55 grain bullets and standardized charges of clean-burning propellant both give it a solid, predictable 3,240 fps muzzle velocity. As FMJs the bullets aren’t ideal for self-defense (although they will get the job done if need be), but they’re hard enough to avert deformation during feeding and ignition and streamlined enough to deliver satisfyingly flat trajectories.
You may notice that these rounds’ cases are gray around their mouths. They’re not reloaded – they’re heat-treated, and Winchester didn’t waste anytime polishing them up for cosmetic purposes. This nonmagnetic and non-corrosive ammo is a great investment if you plan on handloading your empty brass!
This is the ammo any 5.56/223 rifle needs to become useful at the target range – all AR-15s included. Its 55 grain bullets and standardized charges of clean-burning propellant both give it a solid, predictable 3,240 fps muzzle velocity. As FMJs the bullets aren’t ideal for self-defense (although they will get the job done if need be), but they’re hard enough to avert deformation during feeding and ignition and streamlined enough to deliver satisfyingly flat trajectories.
You may notice that these rounds’ cases are gray around their mouths. They’re not reloaded – they’re heat-treated, and Winchester didn’t waste anytime polishing them up for cosmetic purposes. This nonmagnetic and non-corrosive ammo is a great investment if you plan on handloading your empty brass!
Product Question and Answer
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Q: Why is it that the Winchester 5.56/55 gr ammo has slightly less velocity and energy than the .223/55gr Winchester according to your sites specs. It seems the pressures would be slightly less in the 5.56. Would it then be safe to fire in a .223? Thanks
Posted On: 9/21/2023 By: Mark Wilhelm
A: Thanks for reaching out Mark! I advise against firing 5.56 ammo in a firearm that's chambered for 223. The 5.56 cartridge is specifically designed for the 5.56 chamber, which has a 0.125” longer throat than a 223 chamber. That extra space is required to accommodate the 5.56's slightly higher chamber pressure. If you fire a 5.56 cartridge in a 223 chambered firearm, then the shorter chamber will suddenly contain more pressure than it is designed to safely accommodate. In short, the 5.56 cartridge and 223 cartridge aren't just different; the chambers that are designed to fire them are different as well. The longer 5.56 chamber can safely contain the 223 cartridge's weaker pressure, but the shorter 223 chamber is not designed to safely contain the 5.56 cartridge's stronger pressure.