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I have both 223 and 5.56 rounds on hand, pic related. My AR's lower says .223 caliber, but it has a 5.56 NATO barrel on it. I assume due to the barrel it's safe to shoot the 5.56, but what about the 223?

Before thinking about it much I've shot both through it, and nothing went wrong. Well, yet. After thinking about it I'd rather get some second opinions before chancing it again.

Internet literature and video research turned up inconclusive results, at least from what I found.

I have both 223 and 5.56 rounds on hand, pic related. My AR's lower says .223 caliber, but it has a 5.56 NATO barrel on it. I assume due to the barrel it's safe to shoot the 5.56, but what about the 223? Before thinking about it much I've shot both through it, and nothing went wrong. Well, yet. After thinking about it I'd rather get some second opinions before chancing it again. Internet literature and video research turned up inconclusive results, at least from what I found.

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[–] • 0 pt (edited )

Don't give people advice about guns if you aren't informed. I happen to be extremely informed about AR-15s and gunsmithing.

The .223 marked lower is an AR-15 pattern lower. They are all the same.

Yes, there are AR lowers marked .223. Colt makes them for one.

Again, .223 being marked on the lower doesn't matter.

The upper matters. You don't want to shoot 5.56 through a barrel/chamber marked .223 because 5.56 has higher case pressure. Shooting .223 through a 5.56 barrel is fine.

[–] • 0 pt

Correct, it is a Colt. My dad bought it like 15 or so years ago and customized it. Then he gave it to me a couple of years ago.

[–] • 1 pt

Yeah, fine to shoot 5.56. 5.56 for your defense rounds - Hornady TAP 2 is great for apartments, you can do barrier blind if you live on a farm. 223 for practice (or whatever is cheapest).