.556 and .223 loading.

Post by **Cr0ck1** » Sun Nov 25, 2012 2:33 pm

Question, are there different dies for .223 and .556? I wanted to load rounds for my ar and i have 223 and 556 brass. But do i need two different die sets?

What exactly is the difference between them both? I heard .556 is a thicker casing (inside) and has crimped primers (which are a little bit harder to remove).

Can i mix the brass?

Post by **sparkfly88** » Sun Nov 25, 2012 3:20 pm

They are different ever so slightly. Keep em separate.

I know you can fire one caliber in another chamber, but not the other way around.

Without looking I want to say the 556 chamber can handle 223.
But 223 can't fit 556 safely..

I don't own the caliber, but I find all the arguments about those two calibers so entertaining

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Post by **Cr0ck1** » Sun Nov 25, 2012 3:54 pm

I got a 556 that can shoot 223.

Post by **sparkfly88** » Sun Nov 25, 2012 4:42 pm

Yeah. And on my other forum they have a post about alot of case dimensions that are different.

So I have the feeling that the dies will be different.

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Post by **Cr0ck1** » Sun Nov 25, 2012 5:05 pm

Hmmm.

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Post by **Iluv2hunt** » Sun Nov 25, 2012 5:13 pm

One of many articles on the subject
http://www.humanevents.com/2011/02/15/2 ... -hurt-you/

Post by **Cr0ck1** » Sun Nov 25, 2012 5:33 pm

So basically its just a thicker interior casing on the 5.56 to hold a bigger charge.

Question still is : do you need different dies?

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Post by **swampbird** » Sun Nov 25, 2012 8:37 pm

Cr0ck1 wrote:So basically its just a thicker interior casing on the 5.56 to hold a bigger charge.

Question still is : do you need different dies?

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5.56 is loaded to NATO specs and pressures @ 61,000 psi.
223 Rem is loaded to SAAMI specs @ 55,000 psi.

You do not need different dies to load the 5.56, the difference is mainly in the chamber throat of the barrel. One problem you will encounter if you try to re-load nato brass, is the primer crimp. It's a bear to punch the primer out, then you need to remover the crimp from the primer pocket.

If your gun is marked 5.56 your safe to shoot 223 and 5.56. If your gun is marked 223 it's recommended not to shoot 5.56 ammo.

Post by **swampbird** » Sun Nov 25, 2012 8:46 pm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/.223_Remington

read that...learn ya self sumtin....lol

Post by **Cr0ck1** » Sun Nov 25, 2012 10:05 pm

Thx.

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