Shooting 5.56 in 223 stevens?

[rjsixgun]

Just don't tell anyone on this forum and you'll be ok.

[Captain Finlander]

I shoot em in my guns with no additional pressure signs or problems. If the bolt closes naturally your all right.

[bubbinator]

GaCop you are too much- I did too and got to fly a helicopter ::), To be honest, all the 556 Mil I&#39;ve shot is < 1985 GI Ball. I retired from the service as a MP/Pistol Team leader w/a little spare ammo to practice with. From what I am reading in gun mags, on the forums, and such, the glitch is coming with the newer 62gr 556 ammo(if it really is an issue). What I have from my GI career 25 yrs ago. shoots well in all my 223s! The newer stuff from my 22 yr State LEO Career( 15 yr FBI trained Insturctor/3 gun) shoots well too! My most accurate 223 is a Rem 700 HB Varmint rifle circa 1973 w/handloads<.30. Best Tactical 223 is Kel-Tec SU16C w/ Eotect and WW Ranger LE 60gr NoslerPartitions 1 MOA !

[Jamie]

The only way you are going to know if it will work in your rifle is to try and chamber it in your rifle. I know lots of people shoot 5.56 in their .223s all the time but I have owned two firearms that saw high pressures when 5.56 was used. Popped primers type of high pressure. Never had a hint of cratering with .223 rounds.

Currently the only .223 I own is a Rock River with the Wylde chambering. Seems to work fine as I have put 10 shots in less than 1" with 55 grn spitzers. Oddly though, it doesn&#39;t like 75 grn A Maxes even though it is 1:8 twist.

[helotaxi]

2. The Military NATO EPVAT pressure standards are different than commercial American SAAMI standards and the pressures are not taken at the same point on the cartridge during testing and the pressure readings are higher "BUT" still exactly the same in reality.

3. The only real difference is the throat or leade as pictured above in front of the bullet, as you can see below there are eight different chamber reamers for the .223/5.56.

Because of number 3), number 2) is necessarily false. The allowable pressure is exactly the same. The issue is that the longer leade allows for a hotter load with the same chamber pressure. A load that is a "max" load under SAAMI and in a SAAMI chamber from a pressure standpoint will produce a lower chamber pressure in a 5.56 chamber. Similarly, the "max" 5.56 load in a 5.56 chamber will produce higher pressures in a SAAMI chamber.

The length of the bullet has nothing to do with it. The longer leade was included in the military chamber for reliability of function and to moderate pressure. Think bout it this way, whether loaded with a 62gn or 55gn the COAL is the same for military ammo. The bullet ogive is the same for both, the 62gn simply has more bullet in the case. The military went to a faster twist barrel because of the longer bullet (1:9 for the 62gn, 1:7 for the tracers), but the chamber specs never changed.

If being able to shoot 5.56 is that big a deal for you, a gunsmith can recut the leade to Wylde or one of the other hybrid chambers. Not sure it would be worth it, but it&#39;s your gun.