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There are two primary differences between the .223 Remington and the 5.56 NATO. The first is that the 5.56 is loaded at higher pressures than the .223. The 5.56 NATO cartridge runs around 58,000 pounds-per-square-inch (psi), while the .223 Remington is loaded to approximately 55,000 psi.
The 5.56×45mm NATO (official NATO nomenclature 5.56 NATO, commonly pronounced FYV-fyv-six) is a rimless bottlenecked centerfire intermediate cartridge family developed in the late 1970s in Belgium by FN Herstal. [5] It consists of the SS109, L110, and SS111 cartridges.
Is there a difference between 5.56 and 5.56 NATO ammo? Yes, there is a difference. While they have a similar appearance and caliber, 5.56 NATO ammo is manufactured to higher pressure and velocity standards, making it unsuitable for use in all firearms chambered for 5.56 and .223 Remington.
It is easy to think of .223 ammunition as the lower pressure version, and the 5.56 NATO as the +P version. Though the pressure is higher for the 5.56 NATO, the U.S. military gave it a chamber...
If it is newer than M855 (the mid-1980s) and it is military, you can be sure it is 5.56 and should be treated accordingly. A .223 Remington and 5.56×45 are not the same. The 5.56 has a longer leade, a longer distance between the bullet start and the onset of the rifling. Here's why it matters.
The 223 Remington and 5.56 NATO cartridges have identical case dimensions but are not completely interchangeable.
The main differences are that 5.56x45 mm NATO operates at a higher chamber pressure (about 60,000 p.s.i. versus 55,000 p.s.i. on the .223 Rem.) and the 5.56’s chamber is slightly larger...
The NATO spec for 5.56 is determined by SAAMI's European counterpart, CIP. CIP measures at the case mouth and lists the 5.56 pressure spec of 62,000 psi. Measured at the case middle as SAAMI does, it shows 60,000 psi- so either way it's higher than the .223. But the problem isn't just pressure.
5.56 cartridges are used by NATO and non-NATO military forces around the world as standard ammunition for infantry. Beyond its wide use in military applications, the 5.56 cartridge has also become a popular option for civilian hobbyists and home defense.
The main differences are that 5.56×45 mm NATO operates at a higher chamber pressure (about 60,000 PSI versus 55,000 PSI on the .223 Rem.) and the 5.56’s chamber is slightly larger than that of the .223 Rem. Also, the throat or leade is longer in the 5.56×45 mm chamber.