Noob needs help w/ 5.56 and .223
I am need a new gun that can shoot 5.56 and 223. I know that they are different being the pressure(this is new info to me)the round can produce when it is shot. I have a lot of m855 and my ar-15 just got destroyed. So i am now looking into some good bolt action rifles. I am looking at heavey barrel rifles, but i am not going to invest the money in a new gun if it cant shoot the 5.56 i have. So if anyone has some real no BS advise or knowledge on this, please let me know.
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quote:Originally posted by surveillancemike
I am need a new gun that can shoot 5.56 and 223. I know that they are different being the pressure(this is new info to me)the round can produce when it is shot. I have a lot of m855 and my ar-15 just got destroyed. So i am now looking into some good bolt action rifles. I am looking at heavey barrel rifles, but i am not going to invest the money in a new gun if it cant shoot the 5.56 i have. So if anyone has some real no BS advise or knowledge on this, please let me know.
Ref: item in blue, above..I can't be specific, but look for those who make rifles chambered for 5.56mm, or better yet chambered in the .223 Wylde chamber. The Wylde chamber is a mid-point between the 5.56mm and .223 in [chamber] dimensions, and can shoot either bullet with acceptable accuracy.
I don't know if shooting military 5.56mm in a bolt rifle chambered in a straight .223 would be OK. Other posters should chime in and tell you whether it's safe or not. Until they post, one way or the other, please consider it an unsafe combination.
Lots of .223 rifles out there, but since you want to be able to use both types of rounds, get the .223 in the Wylde chambering. Check with Savage, or Remington, as I don't exactly remember who sells bolt rifles with the Wylde chambering. Hope I helped. Good Luck! Joe
Edited For Spelling "Wylde"0 -
What caused the AR to go kaboom?
That said... Savage 110FP
Or get any 223 rifle and have a real gunsmith rechamber (via reaming) it to 5.56 - its just a hair longer per GI spec.0 -
ok, so this is what happened (and its a simple STUPID MISTAKE): i was cleaning the rifle after shooting, and had some of the bore foam residue at the end in the muzzle break. I wanted that to get soaked up. I use Hoppe(sp?) Bore snake on all my guns, and was using the .22 cal one on my AR. So to attempt to get the small amount of residue in teh muzzle break, i put a patch at the end of the bore snake in the loop. Well it made it to the chanber, and got stuck, and BAD. I tried pulling, and that just got it more wedged in the barrel. Then i tried picking the patch out with surgical crimps from my fishing tackle, and that got a lot out, but still it was in there. Then i took it to my buddy who owns a gun shop, and we removed the barrel, muzzle break, and tried pushing it from the other end, and that just made the problem worse. So now i have a Kreiger Heavy Match barrel SS, which has been threaded to 1/2x28 for the break and future attactment of a can, usless to me. WHAT a simple but EXPESIVE day! 0 -
I second the question, what happened to the AR?
Anyhow, I shot 5.56 and .223 in my 12FV long before I knew you weren't supposed to. And a few other .223 bolt action rifles. I might have been shooting de-milled stuff though. But, that was when it was still cheaper to buy 5.56/.223 than to reload it. I remember it being $2.99 a box sometimes.
So, that said a Savage will be the easiest to have the chamber re-cut to .223 Wylde which will allow you to shoot full power 5.56. But, any other threaded barrel system (Rem 710,715,770 don't qualify) could have it done as well.
Or, you could buy an AR that has 5.56 stamped on the UPPER (not lower). That way you can see that upper is m,ade for 5.56 which is hotter.0 -
If I"m reading this right, a cloth patch is what 'ruined' the barrel?
I"d try air pressure,from a tight fitting nozzle.Lots of stuck lead balls in black powder rifles have been blown out this way,quick as a wink.
A brass 'range rod' should kock it out too,I'd think.0 -
surveillancemike,
I hate to hear when a shooter encounters problems with a barrel since it involves one of the most expensive parts to replace. I advise going to a qualified AR gunsmith and getting their opinion on the problem and suggestions for the solution. If you need help locating one, let me know and I'll get a couple of suggestions. I don't think your rifle or barrel is ruined... but without a hands-on inspection, that's simply theory going by your description.
This is a great article on the debate between the .223 Rem. and the 5.56 NATO cartridges. Please read it and look at the drawings.
http://www.thegunzone.com/556v223.html
The big differences are the pressure, the thickness of the case walls and head, and the length of the throat and leade. As a member points out, the Wylde chamber is acceptable for shooting both types of ammunition.
One difference that should be noted is the twist rate for the rifle that is store bought. 'Most' chambered for the .223 Rem. have a slow twist for the shorter varmint-type bullets something like 1:14". I like the 1:9", 1:8" or 1:7 for some of the military ammunition which features a longer, heavier bullet that requires a faster twist. Be sure to check which ammunition you want to use then shop for the proper twist rate.
I use the .223 Wylde reamer for both AR rifles and bolt action rifles unless there is something very specific that a client wants.
Best.0 -
Nononsense-You got a nice Butt (plate).
Mike- you need to see if there are any semi-corrosive compounds that will eat through the nylon and cotton in your bore. I would try heat first, to see if you can get the wad moving, then see if there's a sturdy brass rod lying around that can be used to pound the obstruction out of the bore. From your post, it seems you got it stuck closer to the muzzle than the chamber, so I'd go in from the chamber end to start with.
You might also try a penetrating oil to see if it will lube the bore enough to push out the wad.
There's also the hydraulic principle; which says that water cannot be compressed, and you might be able to force it out with a tight-fitting jag/patch on top of a barrel 1/2 full of water.
Whatever you decide to use, try to use metal that is softer than the 4140 in your barrel.0 -
OK, here is what we did, we heated the barrel w/ a torch on the outside and the bore snake melted. So now the barrel is clear, but i am SERIOUSLY afraid that all the crap that was shoved into that thing to try and remove or dislogde the bore snake is going to make the barrel a sour shooter![V] I notices some scratches on the begining of the rifling, and that has me worried, but i still have to clean the thing to its previous luster! Pray for me friends, for i surely need it! 0 -
Mike,
I would be worried that the torch damaged your barrel, instead of worrying about the scratched rifling. How hot did that barrel get, and how long did you heat it?0 -
Well, if the temper is left in the barrel, that's a good thing. Now get some JB Bore Paste and a lotta patches and oiling lightly, start lapping your barrel until it's squeaky clean, then have your gunsmith fire the first shot. 0 -
GUNNUT505,
"...then have your gunsmith fire the first shot."
[;)][;)][;)]ARE YOU NUTS????!!!![:D][:D][:D]
The gunsmith is innocent in these doings and you want him to be the sacrificial lamb? Geeeeez. [}:)]
Just funnin' with you.
I use a fixture to test fire questionable firearms brought in by a client and I stand behind a truck or tree just in case.
"Nononsense-You got a nice Butt (plate)."[/i
Thank you! You don't think it makes me look too fat, do you? [:D]
Best.0
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