Buy 5.56x45mm NATO Ammo Online

5.56x45mm NATO rifle ammunition for sale. Our online store sells ammunition by the box as well as bulk ammo in case quantities. For self-defense and duty applications, we stock Jacketed Hollow Point JHP and Hollow Point HP ammunition. Hunting, varmint hunting, and small game hunting all use V-MAX, Polymer Tip, and Soft Point ammunition. For target, plinking, and range use we also offer Lead Round Nose and Full Metal Jacket FMJ ammunition. You can purchase online securely through our easy and secure checkout process. We are dedicated to offering the best customer service, products, and packaging to all our customers! 5.56 Ammo For Sale.

At reelammunition shop , we carry a wide selection of 5.56x45mm ammunition. There are many reliable NATO rounds available, but the most popular are those produced by Lake City, Federal American Eagle, and PMC (Precision Made Cartridge).

The History Of 5.56x45mm NATO Ammo:

In 1964, the United States Armed Forces adopted the 5.56x45mm NATO ammunition, commonly known as the 5.56 NATO, as a standard-issue cartridge.

A 5.56mm (1.76 inch) NATO ammo case with a rimless and tapered shape measures 44.70mm (1.76 inches) in length and measures 6.43mm at its neck to 9.58mm at its base. A 5.56 cartridge is comprised of a boat-tailed bullet measuring 5.70mm, or .224 inches in diameter, and its length is 57.40mm (2.26 inches) when loaded with both the bullet and shell.

Originally, the rifle bullets for 5.56x45mm were 55 grains (gr) of lead; today, they weigh 62 gr and have a lead base and steel penetrator. The extra weight increases the ammunition’s velocity and penetration, which improves its performance.

This ammunition uses a small rifle primer, with a maximum pressure of 55,000 to 58,000 pounds per square inch (psi) set by the Sporting Arms and Ammunition Manufacturers’ Institute (SAAMI), but a variety of versions are available with pressures as high as 62,000 psi.

The 5.56x45mm NATO was designed originally as a military cartridge, but modern civilians are increasingly picking it up. It is especially popular with military-style semi-automatic carbines.

5.56x45mm NATO Ammo Types:

There are a number of different configurations of 5.56 NATO cartridges that are currently available for civilians to choose from, including:

Full Metal Jacket (FMJ):

A metal case made of copper or some other hard metal is enclosed in an FMJ round, which keeps its shape and penetrates deeper during impact.

Full Metal Jacket-Boat Tail (FMJ-BT):

A boat-shaped bullet, which is both jacketed and tapered at the rear, is found in FMJ-BT ammunition; these properties enhance accuracy and provide a more stable flight than conventional ammunition

Hollow Point Boat Tailed (HPBT): 

These rounds are known for their hollow point in the center and boat-shaped back of the bullet. Often seen at long ranges for hunting big game animals, these rounds are known for their rapid expansion.

Frangible Bullets: 

The fragmentation of frangible bullets reduces the risk of over-penetration; this method also increases the size and internal damage of wounds, unlike FMJs or jacketed hollow points.

Open Tip Match (OTM):

In contrast to hollow points, OTM rounds contain jacketed lead bullets; the projectile is designed not to expand, like hollow points. Like hollow points, the projectile has an open tip, but it’s not intended to expand. Despite having a poured core, this bullet is extremely accurate and a popular choice among competition target shooters.

5.56×45 NATO vs .223 Remington:

The 5.56x45mm NATO cartridge and the .223 Remington cartridge have no visible differences other than the size of the casing and the diameter of the projectile. They also have the same headstamp, which gives them the same characteristics.

Nevertheless, there are important differences, ones that can be extremely dangerous if ignored.

Both the 5.56 NATO and the .223 Remington were designed as military cartridges, but since their conception, the .223 Remington has been largely used by civilians. One was designed for wars, the other to throw varmints into the backyard. 5.56 Ammo For Sale

It is understandable, then, that the NATO 5.56 is shot with a different powder load, which results in higher pressure. The military round has about 5,000 psi more pressure than a Remington .223 round.

Powder differences aren’t the only reason for this pressure difference, chamber leade plays an important role as well. A chamber leade is a space between the bullet’s resting position and its engagement in the rifling twist. The shorter the leade, the faster it engages, and the more pressure is created in the barrel.

Those firearms chambered for .223 have a shorter leade than those chambered for 5.56 NATO. In order to reduce malfunctions and misfires from dirty guns, such as those commonly found on battlegrounds, weapons manufactured for the military round have chambers that are actually slightly larger than those manufactured for the .223 round. In order to accommodate the longer leade in these larger chambers, the 5.56 NATO is designed accordingly. 5.56 Ammo For Sale

When a 5.56 NATO round is inserted into a .223 Remington chambered firearm, which was designed for firing from a rifle with a long leade, it engages in the rifling faster than it should, and the pressure in the barrel can greatly increase, endangering the firearm as well as the shooter.

The 5.56 NATO weapon can fire .223 ammo without issue because the .223 ammo is lower pressure and it has a shorter leade than the 5.56x45mm NATO rounds.

The .223 Remington ammunition is NOT safe to fire from firearms chambered to 5.56 NATO, but it is safe to fire with 5.56 NATO ammunition from firearms chambered to .223 Remington.

Modern military-style firearms feature both chamberings as part of the barrel label, such as 5.56 NATO/.223 Remington.

The way to think about it is this: Think about the 5.56 NATO as a .223 +P ammunition. As with other higher pressure ammunition, shooters should never fire the higher pressure ammo from barrels that are not intended for its pressure.

Frequently Asked Questions 

Why do I need 5.56×45 ammo?

It has been in use by the U.S. Armed Forces since 1964 and is considered one of the most iconic military cartridges. This projectile contains a steel penetrator and is 62 grains in weight with a rimless, tapered bottleneck case and a boat-tail bullet measuring .224 inches in diameter. Although the NATO rounds are very similar, they are stronger and many consider them to be .223 +P rounds.

How does 5.56 green tip ammo work?

Green tips can sometimes be painted on 5.56x45mm rounds. This signifies the cartridge is surplus ammunition, or bulk ammunition, which is re-distributed and sold on the commercial market. The green tip implies that the bullet contains a steel bar, increasing penetration and power. It’s likely that the round is a polymer-tipped .223 Hornady FTX round if the green tip is plastic and not painted onto the metal. Some armored tanks can be penetrated by rounds with a green tip.

Can a 5.56x45mm gun fire 5.56x45mm rounds?

It was the Armalite-15, commonly referred to as the AR-15, that was the most popular gun chambered for the 5.56x45mm NATO. In the U.S. military, the M16 rifle was also popular. In addition to many civilian semiautomatic 5.56 chambered guns, Colt and Bushmaster are also manufacturers that produce 5.56 chambered guns. These guns are collectively referred to as being “AR-15 style.” Semiautomatic rifles are the most common, but pump-action rifles are also available.

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