What grain of bullet do we use?

[ballz]

I am getting my friend to reload ammo for me. I'm purchasing 1000 bullets in Edmonton when I go there in Xmas. Was just wondering if anybody knows what grain of bullet the 5.56 NATO round has in it?

 

[cupper]

This is what Wikipedia says:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/5.56_NATO

It's either 62 gr or 63 gr depending on the type.

And here is another reference

http://www.fas.org/man/dod-101/sys/land/m855.htm

 

[lethalLemon]

I think it's safe to say 5.56x45mm NATO is generally 62gr due to the CF previously employing the FN SS109 which also used a 62gr 556 round.

 

[ballz]

Thanks, for some reason I was thinking it was a 55

 

[Bass ackwards]

The old US M193 Ball was 55 grain.

 

[KevinB]

unless you buy SS109 type projectiles you won't get the same BC in a 62gr FMJ.
  The SS109 round has a steel penetrator insert into the lead core.

If your loading plinking ammo 55gr FMJ will be cheapest, and if your loading Match ammo, a 77gr Sierra Match King (as used in Mk262) will give much better long range performance.

If your loading for terminal performance it is very hard to beat the Barnes 70gr TSX round.

 

[ballz]

unless you buy SS109 type projectiles you won't get the same BC in a 62gr FMJ.
  The SS109 round has a steel penetrator insert into the lead core.

If your loading plinking ammo 55gr FMJ will be cheapest, and if your loading Match ammo, a 77gr Sierra Match King (as used in Mk262) will give much better long range performance.

If your loading for terminal performance it is very hard to beat the Barnes 70gr TSX round.

I just want to match the flight characteristics as closely as possible so that when I'm shooting on the civilian range with my AR-15, it's putting bullets exactly where a C7A2 would be putting them. So all I really need to worry about is getting a 62 grain bullet and the same amount of powder right?

My AR-15 shoots a .223 Remington as opposed to a 5.56mm NATO... will that effect how much powder I have to load into the casing?

 

[kkwd]

My AR-15 shoots a .223 Remington as opposed to a 5.56mm NATO... will that effect how much powder I have to load into the casing?

Get yourself a good handloading manual. A good choice is Lyman. If you don't want to make that investment you can go the websites of the powder companies and they will have a limited number of loads documented.  I just went to the Hodgdon site and they may have what you need. Don't try to make up loads on your own, you could be making your lovely rifle into a wall hanger by damaging it.

 

[KevinB]

Ballz,
.223 has slightly different chmaber dimensions that 5.56mm - as well the SAAMI spec for it is a lower pressure.
  General rule of thumb is while you can run .223 is a 5.56mm chamber, its not a good idea to run 5.56mm in a .223 chamber.

As I mentioned above you will need to buy 62gr SS109 projectiles and load them to a velocity pertaining to the barrel length you have if you want an exact C77 clone load.

This was some chrono'd ammo I did while in the CF with C77 ball

However personally would not sweat getting an exact match, any loading that you can do that will give you more experience with the weapon system will be benificial -- and the enemy never shows up on a KD range, so specific range holdovers are not so crucial, as unless you have access to a LRF overseas, its going to be JD and adjusting your fall of shot as applicable.