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5.56mm v. 223 Remington: Deconfusing The Issues of A Couple of Differences..
5.56mm v. 223 Remington: Deconfusing The Issues of A Couple of Differences..
Additionally, SAAMI.s Unsafe Arms and Ammunition Combinations Technical Data Sheet page states* 3he .""# $emington is rated for a ma4imum of 55,555 167 while the 5.5 mm is rated for 5,555 167. 3hat e4tra &5,555 167 is li-ely sufficient to cause a failure in a chamber that.s only rated for the 8sporting8 .""# $emington. 3he .""# $emington and the 5.5 mm 9A3:, when chec-ed with a chamber ream from a reliable manufacturer of each, also ha!e discernable 1
differences in the areas of freebore diameter, freebore length /leade0 and angle of the throat.
SAAMI
Technical Office: P O !o" ##$ !ranford CT %&'%()%##$
/Ironically, gi!en the nature of the on2line confusion e4hibited by .#5 caliber shooters, no similar SAAMI ad!isory is gi!en concerning ). " 9A3: beyond the fact that those who ha!e rifles chambered in 8#5; +inchester8 shouldn.t attempt to shoot cartridges mar-ed 8). "4#(8 or 8#55 Sa!age.8 +ell, duh<0 %owe!er, the estimable 1lint Mc=ee of >ulton Armory, has thoughtfully pro!ided a brief monograph, 3he difference between 5.5 mm and .""# $emington chambers in the A$2&5?2type rifle, which e4plains this issue in greater /but quite readable0 detail. :lin.s +inchester Ammunition site, in "55&, addressed this matter as well, in a concise monograph by 7aul 9owa-.
3his has been ma-ing American shooters nuts for a number of years now... particularly in the immediate aftermath of && September "55& when there was a ma,or run on 5.5 mm ammunition. +inchester.s 8generic8 or 8budget8 USA, or 8white bo4,8 brand of ammunition actually has two different 552grain >M' rounds, and one has to loo- closely at the 8small print8 to discern the difference. >or openers, in addition to the A3=2operated @a-e 1ity plant2, +inchester is also a primary supplier of M&(# to the 6.S. military. 3hat particular E""#$& round is commercially a!ailable in the white 6SA bo4 product encoded 8F#&#&.8 +hat few realize is that Israeli Military Industries /IMI0, the sole supplier of ammo to the Israeli Defense >orce /ID>0, also supplies their M&(# as a subcontractor for +inchesterG that round is often made a!ailable in the 6SA white bo4es mar-ed 8F#&#&A.8 Hy most reports, qualitati!ely, it is the same round and performs !irtually the same as the home2grown !ariant.
*.2 Leade is the distance the pro,ectile of a chambered round must tra!el upon ignition before it enters the bore of a barrel. It is measured in thousandths of an inch, and is a datum of considerable interest to benchrest shooters. +.2 3he go!ernment2owned, contractor2operated @a-e 1ity Army Ammunition 7lant /@1AA70 in Independence, Missouri, is the largest /D5; buildings on #,(#5 acres0 small2arms manufacturing plant in the world.
>ounded in &(D&, 8@a-e 1ity8 manufactures and proof2tests small arms /5.5 mm 2 "5mm0 munitions. It was initially operated by $emington Arms 1ompany until &(;5 when :lin 1orporation bid and was awarded the contract to operate the facility. In &(((, Alliant 3echSystems /A3=0 in con,unction with >ederal 1artridge 1orporation won a ten2 year contract to assume the operations. A3= subsequently acquired >ederal 1artridge from Hlount Sporting Boods Di!ision.