# 223 questions



## bucksandducks (Sep 11, 2007)

What grain bullet is the mil spec for the 223 or in other words what grain does the military shoot? I have read 55gr and/or 62gr.


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## Al Hansen (Sep 7, 2007)

bucksandducks said:


> What grain bullet is the mil spec for the 223 or in other words what grain does the military shoot? I have read 55gr and/or 62gr.


Interresting question. I Googled it and got that the original design was for a 55 grn. ball and the current design is for a 62 grn. ball.


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## bucksandducks (Sep 11, 2007)

Ya thats what i did to. I was just thinking maybe someone out there had more experience with it. Thanks for your help.


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## Mojo1 (Sep 8, 2007)

Goggle is correct, Current standard issue to us is the 62 gr, we used to get those 55 grs loads.


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## fire4j15 (Nov 13, 2010)

Its a 62gr bullet. With a steel core penetrator. Usually the tip is painted green. Sometimes you can find surplus bullets on the internet.


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## bucksandducks (Sep 11, 2007)

Can I find some of those bullets to use for reloading? Or something that is close to it?


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## Bax* (Dec 14, 2008)

They shoot 62gr bullets like these:

http://www.cheaperthandirt.com/AMM223C-5.html


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## bucksandducks (Sep 11, 2007)

I went to Gunnies today and found some 62gr lead core bullets for reloading. These are probably the closest I am going to find for reloading?


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## Bax* (Dec 14, 2008)

I dont know that I have ever found any penetrator bullets for sale as components. But I have seen the military tracer bullet for sale separately.... so it probably isnt impossible to find the exact same bullets.


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## flyfisher117 (Jun 29, 2009)

Just curious but why are you wanting the steel core?


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## Wind In His Hair (Dec 31, 2009)

bucksandducks said:


> Can I find some of those bullets to use for reloading? Or something that is close to it?


http://surplusammo.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=664


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## Bax* (Dec 14, 2008)

Wind In His Hair said:


> bucksandducks said:
> 
> 
> > Can I find some of those bullets to use for reloading? Or something that is close to it?
> ...


Thats funny you found that. I went to the same website looking for those. Just couldnt seem to find them though.

Side question: I pulled some bullets from my Lake City ammo, and noticed that the bottom of the bullets are concave (I dont know what the correct term is for this design). Is there some sort of advantage to this design?


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## Wind In His Hair (Dec 31, 2009)

For obturation maybe?

Frisco Pete would know.


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## Loke (Sep 7, 2007)

Most likely ease of manufacture. With the FMJ design, the lead core is inserted from the base, and it is easier to make it concave than to try to get it perfectly flat. It could also be that they roll the jacket material around the base to lock it together as well.
You wouldn't want it to obturate, that would distort the base of the bullet, ruining accuracy potential, and negating the long range ballistic advantage of the boat-tail design.


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## Frisco Pete (Sep 22, 2007)

Loke is correct.

In addition to the M193 55-grain FMJ that was used in our earlier Vietnam-era M16s - which had a 1-12" twist; and the 62-gr M855 62-grain FMJ (with penetrator for Soviet body armor - Cold War) that is used in current 1-7" twist twist M16s and M4s - there is a 77-grain Sierra BTHP Match bullet used in what is termed Mk 262 5.56 ammo. These heavy, lightly constructed bullet fragments more violently at short range and also has a longer fragmentation range when compared to M855 - which has a tendency to "ice-pick" at longer ranges where velocity is lower.


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