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About .223 Remington Ammunition

The .223 Remington, often referred to as the .223 Rem, is one of the most common rifle calibers in the United States. As an intermediate rifle cartridge, .223 Rem loadings will produce a light recoil impulse and feature a light projectile. The rounds will typically yield a high velocity and feature a flat trajectory. While the cartridge and its NATO cousin have seen duty use, the .223 Rem has also established itself as a capable round as far as target shooting and hunting go as well. The round is enjoyed by shooters, both new and experienced, due to the light recoil and overall performance afforded by the cartridge.

Types of .223 Remington Loadings

• Full Metal Jacket (FMJ): Like the name suggests, these types of loadings feature projectiles which are adorned with metal jacketing. This jacket is generally made of copper and will cover the tip and sides of the projectile. Typically, the base of the projectile is left uncoated.These types of loadings are well-suited for range use and are some of the most common types of ammo one will encounter.
• Hollow Point Boat Tail (HPBT): HPBT loadings feature hollow point projectiles with boat tail style bases. These differ from traditional projectiles with flat bases and are well-suited to precision-oriented shooting. Like traditional hollow point loadings, these loadings are also designed to facilitate expansion on impact.
• Full Metal Jacket Boat Tail (FMJBT): Like FMJ loadings, ammunition of this type features a projectile that is fully encapsulated in a metal jacket. This metal is generally going to be of the copper variety. Typical FMJ projectiles feature a flat base while boat tail projectiles feature a tapered base which resembles a boat tail. This geometry promotes accuracy and high velocities.
• Hollow Point (HP): HP loadings feature hollow point projectiles like the name suggests. This removal of material makes the projectile lighter and promotes high velocities. These types of loadings are optimized for self defense or match use and have a tendency to expand on impact. A good hollow point loading is one that achieves an appropriate level of penetration while expanding reliably upon impact within the target.
• V-MAX: Loadings of this type feature a premium, specialty V-MAX projectile from Hornady. These projectiles feature polymer tips and are well-suited to varmint hunting applications. V-MAX loadings are also capable of high velocities and flat trajectories, adding to their potency. Projectiles are designed to expand and fragment on impact, resulting in optimal terminal ballistics in varmint hunting applications.

Firearms that Use .223 Remington Ammo

There is a wide range of firearms on the market which will accommodate .223 Remington ammunition. Some of these firearms are purpose-built for .223 Remington ammunition while others are 5.56x45mm NATO firearms which will accept .223 Remington ammo. The most notable firearm chambered for .223 Remington is the AR-15, a popular semi-automatic rifle widely used for both recreational shooting and home defense. .223 Remington-specific firearms can also be found in the form of various semi-automatic and manual action firearms. These same types of firearms can be found in the form of 5.56x45mm NATO chambered firearms, albeit in greater numbers.

.223 Remington Interchangeability

One of the most common examples of interchangeability on the market comes in the form of the relationship between 5.56x45mm NATO ammo and .223 Remington ammo. The .223 Remington served as the basis for developing the 5.56x45mm NATO, a fact which explains their nearly identical dimensions as far as projectiles and casings go. The biggest difference, however, is the fact that the 5.56x45mm NATO is a higher-pressure round than the .223 Remington. This means that 5.56x45mm NATO chambered firearms are able to accept .223 Remington ammunition.

The use of 5.56x45mm NATO ammunition in a firearm chambered in .223 Remington is ill-advised due to the increased pressure of the cartridge. While most firearms, regardless of caliber, are tested with overpressure loadings during the manufacturing process, a steady diet of ammunition of this type is not recommended. Luckily for shooters, the number of 5.56x45mm NATO chambered firearms outweighs the number of firearms exclusively chambered in .223 Remington. This means that most of the time, shooters will be able to safely shoot either 5.56x45mm NATO or .223 Remington ammunition in their firearm without any worries.

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