View Full Version : best .223 ammo for my AR-15
richard91577
12-14-10, 21:33
I'm new to shooting a AR-15 rifle and needing little help. I just got my new DPMS AR-15 rifle. I hand it for about two weeks now and not a single round thur it. Has a 16" barrel and 1and 9 twist. I'm plaining on playing around up to 200 yards right now. Once I get some more money looking about butting a scope on it and shooting longer range. So I'm just wondering what is the best grain weight for it and brand to shoot thur it. From the cheapest and to the highest. Just wondering wanting to buy a case and not wanting to buy something thats not going to fire will and jam up on me and thanks for you help.
start with cheap bulk ammo.. learn to shoot it. then you'll know where to go from there..
good bulk brass-
federal AE xm193 (apparently on sale for $60/200 at bi-mart right now, if you have those)
winchester q3131
wolf 55gr. FMJ
anything else you can find
nothing will hurt your gun, and you won't be able to out-shoot any of this stuff any time soon.
ETA- on second though, DPMS is notorious for having tight chambers- in light of that, i'd either steer clear of steel-cased ammo (like wolf) or expect to learn to do some stuck-case extraction drills.
Any bullet weight up to 69gr with a 1/9 any heavier and you may have issues with bullets not stabilizing. Check out the PMC ammo on cabelas or Palmetto State Armory.
richard91577
12-15-10, 07:04
I was told 60 and up would have a hard time stabilizing with a 1 and 9 twist and was just wondering if thats right or not. So thats what I'm trying to find out what is a good round to shoot
federal AE xm193 (apparently on sale for $60/200 at bi-mart right now, if you have those)
I miss Bi-Mart like crazy. I wonder if I still have my card from when I used to live just outside Yreka, CA or in Oregon.
Gutshot John
12-15-10, 07:36
I was told 60 and up would have a hard time stabilizing with a 1 and 9 twist and was just wondering if thats right or not. So thats what I'm trying to find out what is a good round to shoot
That's something of a misstatement. It's not so much the weight of the bullet but its length, the heavier bullets also tend to be longer.
1:7 is usually preferred because it will stabilize the broadest range of bullet weights/length.
1:7 will also stabilize heavy bullets (77gr) much better than 1:9.
1:9 stabilizes slightly better if you're going to be shooting exclusively 55gr but if you're shooting 62 grain it will do just fine.
I'd stick with your barrel in the meantime. Shoot the cheap ammo all you want (Fiocchi .223 is my fav go-to practice ammo).
My favorite M193 is Prvi Partizan (PPU). I have shot thousands of rounds of the stuff and it is more accurate in my firearms than LC. I can get 1 MOA out of it. I have also shot their M855 with equally great results.
Can be found at Wideners.
One of my rifles has a 1:9 twist and it stabilizes Win 64gr PP handloads at 1 MOA at 100 yards. I pulled the right shot which is evident. This was shot using a 2 MOA CompML3. 10 shot string.
http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc6/hammonje/Win64PPTargetLoadProfile.jpg
Gutshot John
12-15-10, 07:54
It should be noted that different loads will perform differently in different firearms so going by any particular recommendation YMMV.
You'll need to try a few to find where your carbine's sweet spot.
Unless you are sure your DPMS is a true 5.56 chamber, I would stay away from any brand of XM193 or M855/SS109, and stick with .223 ammo like Fiocchi. A 5.56 chamber can shoot .223, but a standard .223 chamber shouldn't be used to shoot 5.56.
The rounds are identical in dimension whether .223 Rem or 5.56 NATO. The differences lie in the chamber. Cantact DPMS and inquire about their chamber dimensions. The M193/M855 will be hot and acheive greater MV versus the .223 Rem. No other differences.
I prefer a Wylde chamber myslef. It eats anything. I doubt your DPMS has a match chamber. Good quality 5.56 ammunition should shoot fine. The more generous 5.56 chamber will be beneficial upon heating and fouling improving extraction efficiency. Just more room. Adds reliability but decreases accuracy, albeit probably to an insignificant amount in the carbine platform.
If you try some 5.56 and it jams then get it reamed.
Richard
I have a DPMS 16" 1:9 as well so far it's shot everything from 50gr SEI up 75gr Horn HPBT ! For cheap stuff to shoot PMC Bronze, AE223 Tac are good ones though the PMC seem underpowered. The AE223 Tac is right up there as far as MV as XM193 wasn't impressed with the Federal Bulk box-100 count! Mine absolulety loves the 5.56mm XM193! :D
Feel free to shoot all the Wolf ammo you want. It's cheap. If you shoot brass cased ammo right after the steel stuff though you run the risk of getting a stuck case... Not sure how often this will happen for you, but the risk is there. So just clean your gun after shooting something like wolf.
Tactical Joke
12-15-10, 19:55
I'm partial to Prvi Partizan 5.56 55gr for practice.
richard91577
12-15-10, 20:35
thanks for the info guys and keep them coming and yes it is a 5.56 rifle.
How do you know that? Because it is stamped somewhere? That means ABSOLUTELY nothing with some brands. In fact, I took a 5.56 chamber reamer and used it on a few DPMS rifles and they all had tight chambers.
thanks for the info guys and keep them coming and yes it is a 5.56 rifle.
Iraqgunnz
Maybe they fixed that problem and it's nolonger an issue? My DPMS upper has been flawlesss with XM193! All my reloads are 5.56mm spec'd! So have you used your reamer on any other so called 5.56mm chambered guns? Or do you just dump on DPMS only!:rolleyes:
No need for the eye roll gunnut, Iraqgunz speaks the truth.
DPMS has a history of sub-standard parts and having barrels marked with 5.56 but actually being chambered for .223, same-same with Bushampster and many other AR builders.
5.56 spec ammo going through .223 chambered rifles is a well known problem and has been for quite some time.
The only guns I know for a fact have been coming out with actual 5.56 chambers are Colt and BCM. S&W seems to have gotten their crap together in this area as well as of late.
... and because you asked, I have personally used a chamber reamer to clean up my issued 14.5" Bushampster that I had when I was on our team at my job. The chamber was obviously not 5.56 before running the reamer through it. This and dropping a Colt BCG into the gun had it running far better than it did when I first got it.
I am happy that your sample of one is good. My point is that they have had the issues in the past and I don't see why one would make the assumption that they are GTG, when they may not be. The guns I looked at were in 2009- so it's not like it was real far back in the past.
I don't need to use my reamer on any other "so-called" 5.56 chambered guns, because those guns actually work. You the brands I refer to right? Colt, DD, BCM, Noveske, LMT.
I don't only dump on DPMS. I dump on any POS that a company sells and tries to bamboozle people with words like "milspec" or other misleading nonsense. Does that answer your question?
Iraqgunnz
Maybe they fixed that problem and it's nolonger an issue? My DPMS upper has been flawlesss with XM193! All my reloads are 5.56mm spec'd! So have you used your reamer on any other so called 5.56mm chambered guns? Or do you just dump on DPMS only!:rolleyes:
Jesse Tischauser
12-16-10, 16:16
PMC is $300 per 1000's right now. You can't go wrong there. Ammunition To Go has some good prices online.
Buy a box of Black Hills 69gr Sierra Match Kings to see what the potential of you new rifle is. That stuff is amazingly accurate.
Ooh, sweet catfight.
I am happy that your sample of one is good. My point is that they have had the issues in the past and I don't see why one would make the assumption that they are GTG, when they may not be. The guns I looked at were in 2009- so it's not like it was real far back in the past.
I don't need to use my reamer on any other "so-called" 5.56 chambered guns, because those guns actually work. You the brands I refer to right? Colt, DD, BCM, Noveske, LMT.
I don't only dump on DPMS. I dump on any POS that a company sells and tries to bamboozle people with words like "milspec" or other misleading nonsense. Does that answer your question?
Ooh, sweet catfight.
Not really. Using the word "catfight" implies the other guy actually stands a chance. I think "baby seal clubbing" would be more appropriate.
TriumphRat675
12-16-10, 18:15
OP,
I second the PMC. I've had very good experiences with it. Any 55 grain factory, brass cased .223-spec ammo should be just fine for you to learn basic marksmanship and manipulations with. Just buy some and get started.
Iraqgunnz
Maybe they fixed that problem and it's nolonger an issue? My DPMS upper has been flawlesss with XM193! All my reloads are 5.56mm spec'd! So have you used your reamer on any other so called 5.56mm chambered guns? Or do you just dump on DPMS only!:rolleyes:
Please read the stickies and don't taunt the IP's. Welcome to the forum!
https://www.m4carbine.net/showthread.php?t=6642
https://www.m4carbine.net/showthread.php?t=7376
http://m4carbine.net/showthread.php?t=6993
GermanSynergy
12-16-10, 21:44
Just a heads up:
Iraqgunz has built/repaired more rifles used in the GWOT than all of us combined.
Your sarcasm towards an IP won't go over well here.
DPMS is notorious for making substandard crap, and it matters not what they mark on the barrel.
Iraqgunnz
Maybe they fixed that problem and it's nolonger an issue? My DPMS upper has been flawlesss with XM193! All my reloads are 5.56mm spec'd! So have you used your reamer on any other so called 5.56mm chambered guns? Or do you just dump on DPMS only!:rolleyes:
this thread was going so well for so long... but it's simply inevitable that the introduction of D, P, M and S into any thread will quickly turn it into a shitstorm.
no offense to anyone- just an observation.
for the record, DPMS makes probably the 3rd worst rifles on the market, above only Hess and Olyarms.
I really don't know what the definition of "worst" AR is??? Lately I have been shooting a Colt 20" HBAR 1/7, Bushmaster 16" HBAR 1/9 and a DPMS 16" lightweight 1/9. All will group 1MOA @ 100y with current production 69gr Prvi Partizan 223match, and with zero malfunctions. Can't tell much difference between them as far as accuracy and reliability goes.
What am I missing?
To answer the OP, the ammo above is the "best" inexpensive TARGET AMMO I have tried in 1/9 & 1/7 barrel AR's.
I think this thread should just die a peaceful death. If someone really needs it to be re-opened send me a PM.
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