[mike481]

I read somewhere on here that it is better to purchase an upper that is 5.56 instead of 223 or vice versa. It was stated that a 5.56 upper would shot 5.56 or 223 and that a 223 was only safe shooting 223

Could someone please enlighten me on this. I am sure that what I just stated is probably wrong and someone on here can correct me.

Sorry for the noobiness

Thanks guys
Mike

[Righteous]

As far as AR's go there are a few oddballs that will shoot only .223 but most will shoot the 5.56 as well and will say 5.56 nato on the barrel. Some hunting rifles are not suited for the excess pressure that the 5.56 has. They are the same round as far as specs go just the nato is loaded a little more hotter.

[RL357Mag]

I posted this for another topic Mike, but you are right. You can fire .223 in a gun chambered for 5.56, but the 5.56 chamber has a longer lead, and because of this, accuracy may suffer and velocity will be slightly less. The more important issue is the 5.56 ammo loaded to military specs has higher velocity and chamber pressure than the .223. Consequently, firing 5.56 ammo in a .223 chamber with a shorter lead can dramatically increase chamber pressure. In some cases this can result in primer pocket gas leaks, blown cartridge case heads and functioning issues. The 5.56 military cartridge fired in a .223 Rem chamber is considered by SAAMI to be an unsafe ammunition combination. This is why most high quality, accuracy-built AR-15 models are offered with 5.56 chambers instead of .223 chambers, so people won't be loading .223 chambers with 5.56 ammo - the other way is ok, it's a safety issue, not so much an accuracy one. The RRA Wylde chamber was designed as a Match chambering and is relieved slightly to help in extraction and has a shorter lead to improve accuracy - but it will accept both .223 and 5.56. Hope this answers your question!

[matt g]

Yeah, buy the Wylde chambered upper. It's setup to run both 5.56x45 NATO and .223 Remington.

[mike481]

Thanks alot RL357Mag. That was exactly the answer i was looking for.

[G21.45]

Unless you manage to find an early Ruger, 'Ranch Rifle' or one of their neutered SAAMI spec. Mini 14's, there's little danger you're going to be able to purchase a, '223 Remington upper' anything.

(Crazy situation! Even Ruger doesn't know which of their Mini 14's have either SAAMI or NATO chambers, and recommend that if you don't positively know which Mini 14 you've got, then, have a professional gunsmith do a chamber casting before attempting to fire that Mini 14 with 5.56x45mm ammo!)

[RL357Mag]

Originally Posted by mike481

Thanks alot RL357Mag. That was exactly the answer i was looking for.

You're welcome Mike, and like Matt G said - buy the .223 Wylde chambered AR. Rock River makes a beauty and it shoots sub 1/2" groups with any good .223 or 5.56 ammo.

[Ruger Redhawk]

I had this question awhile back. I asked several people and got a couple different answers. I finally wrote Ruger concerning shooting 5.56 in the Mini 14's and in a M-77 chambered for the 223.Ruger's reply was that 5.56 was completely safe to use in their rifles that they are chambered for the 5.56.So shooting either cartridge is acceptable.
Once again I've gotten different answers. A good friend was a rifle builder and Smith. He again told me it was safe to shoot the 5.56 in a 223. I have a Winchester "Coyote" in 223. As stout as it is I wouldn't hesitate using the 5.56 in it.

[G21.45]

Originally Posted by Ruger Redhawk

I had this question awhile back. I asked several people and got a couple different answers. I finally wrote Ruger concerning shooting 5.56 in the Mini 14's and in a M-77 chambered for the 223.Ruger's reply was that 5.56 was completely safe to use in their rifles that they are chambered for the 5.56.So shooting either cartridge is acceptable.

Once again I've gotten different answers. A good friend was a rifle builder and Smith. He again told me it was safe to shoot the 5.56 in a 223. I have a Winchester "Coyote" in 223. As stout as it is I wouldn't hesitate using the 5.56 in it.

No disrespect meant; but, I really don't think Ruger should have told you that! I've been told by a police armorer whose department fields Ruger Mini-14's that - short of actually slugging the chamber - there is no other absolutely certain way to tell which chamber is which in a Mini-14?

This armorer told me Ruger has reluctantly admitted to him that a rifle's serial number will not provide this information; and, the factory does NOT have complete manufacturing records to tell, either, when or how a particular Mini-14's rifle chamber was made.

Awhile ago there was a long thread on this subject going on at Glock Talk. Several posters mentioned that, when it comes to the Mini-14, what factory tech support tells you can vary from day to day, and seems to depend as much on who you talk to as what you ask. Personally, I honestly believe that Ruger has definitely manufactured and sold both types of Mini-14 chambers, at different times, and with different rifle variations.

If you're using an older Mini-14, never forget that there's a lot of, 'political history' to Ruger's little, 'assault rifle'. If even one police armorer tells me that his department has Mini-14's with both chambers, then, that's enough for me to carefully checkout any old or used Mini-14 I might be thinking about using.

However it ain't my face or fingers; so, everyone is more than welcome to do whatever they think best. The only thing I'm positive of is that the NEW Ruger Mini-14's are OK to use with 5.56x45mm. However, as far as I'm concerned, the older Mini-14's remain, something of, a crapshoot.

Here, check THIS out.