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Tried the search function but didn't find what I was looking for. So after reading from other forums when comparing JUST case dimension's, the 223 Wylde, 556 and 223 are identical? Correct?
When comparing the three it's the amount of lead and free bore between them where the 556 has the most, 223 has the least and 223 Wylde is in between?
The reason I'm asking I have two AR's one that has the 223 Wylde chamber and the other is 556/223 so when I start to reload didn't know if I need to separate my brass between the two. At the moment, I'm just interested in loading up some plinker loads for both AR's. I'm trying to eliminate an extra sizing or bullet seating step that's all.
I firmly believe in using a small base sizing die, full length resizing and a Lee factory crimp for any .223 that is going in an AR. I do sort my brass by head stamp due to the varying internal dimensions and any load gets worked up accordingly. This negates any differences in chamber dimensions.
"He has erected a multitude of New Offices, and sent hither swarms of Officers to harass our people and eat out their substance." Declaration of Independance, July 4, 1776 11B30
On my Bushmaster Varminter it's stamped "223 5.56mm" So in what way they are not the same? case dimensions and/or chamber throat area?
Don't want to open up a can of worms here and I know it's been heavily debated. I'll be honest I'm new to the AR platform so I'm trying to get a little guidance.
Let's not confuse chambers w/loads. The .223Rem & 5.56NATO chambers and ammo is different. The .223Wylde chamber is a cross between the other two. I've never heard of .223Wylde specific ammo, unless one has worked up loads for their specific rifle. In which case, I wouldn't fire that ammo in any other rifle, as there ARE differences between reamers.
.223/5.56 is a common barrel marking to indicate the chamber is safe for either load. 2 of my ARs are so marked. My son's is marked .223Wylde and is also safe for both commercial & milsurp ammo. At least all of my reading so indicates!
I also use small base dies and have had no issues. I load all my ammo using .223Rem loads and segregate out milsurp brass after for use separately.
It's my understanding that reaming a 5.56NATO chamber to Wylde does nothing, but reaming a .223Rem chamber to Wylde allows the safe use of 5.56NATO loads while still maintain excellent accuracy with commercial .223 ammo.
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Mainehunter wrote:
On my Bushmaster Varminter it's stamped "223 5.56mm"
Then it's a 5.56 chamber.
I've seen a Bushmaster Predator marked .223 blow the primer out of half the 5.56 rounds fired in it. (and still I had a hard time getting the gun's owner to stop doing it. I just couldn't get through to him that they were NOT the same thing, and that bad things were happening and worse things could. )
The .223/5.56 is stamped on the lower receiver....meaning that lower is good for those two caliber, and probably 6.5 Grendel, 7.62x39, etc.
The chambering is marked on the barrel.
My understanding is the chamber on a 5.56 is more generous to allow it to chamber in less than ideal conditions. And 5.56 is slightly higher pressure (or can be). So sticking a 5.56 cartridge in a .223 chamber can lead to over pressure conditions.
If you put a 223 in a 5.56 chamber, no problem. Just less than prime accuracy conditions.
I wasn't aware .223 Wylde was an actual cartridge. I thought the 223 Wylde chamber was designed as a compromise that would take the pressures of 5.56 but be slightly more accurate than a 5.56 chamber when shooting .223 through it.
If I had a 223 match chamber that is all I would shoot in it and that is the only chamber my 223 match brass would be shot in.
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The Wylde Chamber is a propitiatory design to accommodate (safely) longer bullets, from 77gr up to 80gr "match grade" bullets without having to worry about pressures from the other chamber designs (has a longer leade). I think the only one more generous is the one by the AMU (Army Marksmanship Unit). It has been around for some time. You can fire any 5.56/.223 Remington ammunition in a Wylde Chamber that is SAAMI specification. You will be hard pressed to hit the 10 or X ring 600 yd NRA target unless you are putting one of these heavier bullets downrange in an NMA2 or NMA4 rifle with the full barrel length (not an M4 carbine).
As someone stated earlier, .223 Wylde is an accuracy chamber for .223/5.56. It is not a cartridge. If the barrel says 5.56/.223, it is 5.56 chamber. What the lower receiver says is completely irrelevant since all AR lower recievers are the same other than the differences in machining for the auto sear or semi only lowers.
I would also like to re-emphasize/encourage anyone reloading .223 to full length resize using a small base sizing die, factory crimp, and if at all possible CCI mil primers, or CCI small rifle. There is almost no practical accuracy to be gained by neck sizing only, and a lot of reliability to lose.
"He has erected a multitude of New Offices, and sent hither swarms of Officers to harass our people and eat out their substance." Declaration of Independance, July 4, 1776 11B30
sore shoulder wrote:As someone stated earlier, .223 Wylde is an accuracy chamber for .223/5.56. It is not a cartridge. If the barrel says 5.56/.223, it is 5.56 chamber. What the lower receiver says is completely irrelevant since all AR lower receivers are the same other than the differences in machining for the auto sear or semi only lowers.
I would also like to re-emphasize/encourage anyone reloading .223 to full length resize using a small base sizing die, factory crimp, and if at all possible CCI mil primers, or CCI small rifle. There is almost no practical accuracy to be gained by neck sizing only, and a lot of reliability to lose.
Last summer I've reloaded just a few batches to get a feel for it. I do have the RCBS small base dies and use CCI primers in all of my reloads. It's interesting though I tried peaking through the hand guards to see what's stamped on the barrel but couldn't find any markings of any sort. May need to take the hand guards off to get a better look.
Generally if it's a 5.56 barrel it's near the muzzle end.
"He has erected a multitude of New Offices, and sent hither swarms of Officers to harass our people and eat out their substance." Declaration of Independance, July 4, 1776 11B30
I just couldn't get through to him that they were NOT the same thing, and that bad things were happening and worse things could. 
)