223 or 556 ammo

[TangoU]

Any recos on places to buy .223 or 5.56 ammo, 500 - 1000 rds?  Purpose is just plinking.

thanks!

[jyerxa]

You can buy a case of 1000 steal cased at the bull's eye in Tacoma.

[jeepasaurusrex]

Safety note: If your gun is chambered for .223 you cannot shoot 5.56 safely. If however your gun is chambered in 5.56 you can shoot both.

* The cartridge casings for both calibers have basically the same length and exterior dimensions.
* The 5.56 round, loaded to Military Specification, typically has higher velocity and chamber pressure than the .223 Rem.
* The 5.56 cartridge case may have thicker walls, and a thicker head, for extra strength. This better contains the higher chamber pressure. However, a thicker case reduces powder capacity, which is of concern to the reloader.
* The 5.56mm and .223 Rem chambers are nearly identical. The difference is in the "Leade". Leade is defined as the portion of the barrel directly in front of the chamber where the rifling has been conically removed to allow room for the seated bullet. It is also more commonly known as the throat. Leade in a .223 Rem chamber is usually .085". In a 5.56mm chamber the leade is typically .162", or almost twice as much as in the 223 Rem chamber.
* You can fire .223 Rem cartridges in 5.56mm chambers with this longer leade, but you will generally have a slight loss in accuracy and velocity over firing the .223 round in the chamber with the shorter leade it was designed for.
* Problems may occur when firing the higher-pressure 5.56mm cartridge in a .223 chamber with its much shorter leade. It is generally known that shortening the leade can dramatically increase chamber pressure. In some cases, this higher pressure could result in primer pocket gas leaks, blown cartridge case heads and gun functioning issues.
* The 5.56mm military cartridge fired in a .223 Rem chamber is considered by SAAMI (Small Arm and Ammunition Manufacturers Institute) to be an unsafe ammunition combination.

[jyerxa]

Safety note: If your gun is chambered for .223 you cannot shoot 5.56 safely. If however your gun is chambered in 5.56 you can shoot both.

* The cartridge casings for both calibers have basically the same length and exterior dimensions.
* The 5.56 round, loaded to Military Specification, typically has higher velocity and chamber pressure than the .223 Rem.
* The 5.56 cartridge case may have thicker walls, and a thicker head, for extra strength. This better contains the higher chamber pressure. However, a thicker case reduces powder capacity, which is of concern to the reloader.
* The 5.56mm and .223 Rem chambers are nearly identical. The difference is in the "Leade". Leade is defined as the portion of the barrel directly in front of the chamber where the rifling has been conically removed to allow room for the seated bullet. It is also more commonly known as the throat. Leade in a .223 Rem chamber is usually .085". In a 5.56mm chamber the leade is typically .162", or almost twice as much as in the 223 Rem chamber.
* You can fire .223 Rem cartridges in 5.56mm chambers with this longer leade, but you will generally have a slight loss in accuracy and velocity over firing the .223 round in the chamber with the shorter leade it was designed for.
* Problems may occur when firing the higher-pressure 5.56mm cartridge in a .223 chamber with its much shorter leade. It is generally known that shortening the leade can dramatically increase chamber pressure. In some cases, this higher pressure could result in primer pocket gas leaks, blown cartridge case heads and gun functioning issues.
* The 5.56mm military cartridge fired in a .223 Rem chamber is considered by SAAMI (Small Arm and Ammunition Manufacturers Institute) to be an unsafe ammunition combination.

That is some really good info since my plinker is a 223 ruger. I'll stick to the Rem. Winchester, and Russian made wolf ammo. I like to shoot. Thats all.With that one anyway. 

[JKEEN33]

Safety note: If your gun is chambered for .223 you cannot shoot 5.56 safely. If however your gun is chambered in 5.56 you can shoot both.

* The cartridge casings for both calibers have basically the same length and exterior dimensions.
* The 5.56 round, loaded to Military Specification, typically has higher velocity and chamber pressure than the .223 Rem.
* The 5.56 cartridge case may have thicker walls, and a thicker head, for extra strength. This better contains the higher chamber pressure. However, a thicker case reduces powder capacity, which is of concern to the reloader.
* The 5.56mm and .223 Rem chambers are nearly identical. The difference is in the "Leade". Leade is defined as the portion of the barrel directly in front of the chamber where the rifling has been conically removed to allow room for the seated bullet. It is also more commonly known as the throat. Leade in a .223 Rem chamber is usually .085". In a 5.56mm chamber the leade is typically .162", or almost twice as much as in the 223 Rem chamber.
* You can fire .223 Rem cartridges in 5.56mm chambers with this longer leade, but you will generally have a slight loss in accuracy and velocity over firing the .223 round in the chamber with the shorter leade it was designed for.
* Problems may occur when firing the higher-pressure 5.56mm cartridge in a .223 chamber with its much shorter leade. It is generally known that shortening the leade can dramatically increase chamber pressure. In some cases, this higher pressure could result in primer pocket gas leaks, blown cartridge case heads and gun functioning issues.
* The 5.56mm military cartridge fired in a .223 Rem chamber is considered by SAAMI (Small Arm and Ammunition Manufacturers Institute) to be an unsafe ammunition combination.

That is some really good info since my plinker is a 223 ruger. I'll stick to the Rem. Winchester, and Russian made wolf ammo. I like to shoot. Thats all.With that one anyway. 

Check your ruger manual. I agree with the above 100%. Some rugers are designed for both.

[jyerxa]

Check your ruger manual. I agree with the above 100%. Some rugers are designed for both.

I got the older Ruger Ranch rifle right after the Clinton administrations attempts to ban assault rifles, plus I like wood stocks. It fell into the free fly zone then and I could shoot it all day and come home with out needing an ice pack. If I put military sights on it, it would fit into the assault weapons category. And wanting to be Joe all American good guy I still wanted to have an edge, I’ll look it up Thanks. Mine had the flip up toggle peep site. I’ve replaced it already Webster I think it is? But yeah I’ll look it up.

[TangoU]

Any recommendations other than bullseye? 

re the safety note: thanks and yup, understood.  My plinker is 5.56mm.

[klindstr]

Surplus Ammo in Lakewood has 5.56 at good prices.

[TangoU]

thanks klindstr!

[Heredoggydoggy]

The 5.56 ammo is loaded hotter to be reliable in an autoloader, especially when people are shooting back at you.  Shooting 5.56 ammo in a bolt gun might be risky.  Should not be a problem in a gas-operated semiauto.  Most modern ARs specify which cartridge the barrel is chambered for.