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Now that .223 is getting scarce again........

2K views 15 replies 11 participants last post by  Condition 1 
#1 ·
Since ATF made their announcement about restricting green tip ammo it seems that almost no inexpensive .223 ammo is in stock anywhere. I was looking into maybe switching over to 7.62X39. I have over 1000 rounds of 7.62 to feed my 2 SKS's and my CZ 527 and it's not as hard to find as the .223. I was looking for advice about what new rifle to get to feed all that ammo to.

I am considering an AR15 platform in 7.62x39 as well as an AK 47. I like my .223 AR and once owned a cheap AK that while reliable just didn't shoot all that well for me. Maybe I should just stick to the SKS. If all the .223 options were suddenly taken away what platform would you go with?
 
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#2 ·
Henry, I have a AR15, & like you I'm concerned about obtaining ammo for it & even tho I reload for the AR, components will also be hard to find. Therefore, I'm keeping my SKS & the ammo for a backup firearm.
I don't have a AK 47, but that's OK cause my SKS is more accurate & IMHO, just as reliable..
The .223 ammo I have stored will be used in my Savage/Stevens .223 bolt gun.
 
#3 ·
I've got several hundred rounds of .223 but as you know it's not enough. There seems to be plenty of the more expensive hunting ammo that goes for $20 + a box. I know I should have bought a 1000 rounds of Wolf or Silver Bear. From what I have been reading it seems that most prefer the AR over the AK. I would even consider the Ruger Mini 30. I like my Mini 14 a lot more than the AR.
 
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#4 ·
Henry, the Mini 14 & 30 are good rifles "BUT" Ruger advises against using steel cased ammo in their Mini 14 & Mini 30. I have read of Mini 14 & 30 owners having problems with the extractor breaking when using steel cased .223 & 7.62x39 ammo (mostly 7.62x39),, therefore Ruger advises not to. So, I'll stick with my Yugo SKS, it's like a Timex,, takes a licking & keeps on ticking!!:biggrin:
 
#10 ·
That was my experience. I learned since then that the steel case does not swell and seal like brass will, which allows dirt to blow back into the chamber.
I know mine stripped through the steel rim -- extractor was undamaged -- but I had the Devil's own time getting the steel case out of the chamber.
Traded it off after that and been kicking myself ever since!
 
#5 ·
You may want to check out Palmetto State Armory's section on AR-10's. They started carrying a few AR-10 parts about a year ago but now they have a formidable inventory of parts for builds or complete rifles. I have to admit, I'm a little PO'd at PSA right now, they are on the M855 price gouging bandwagon. But their selection and pricing on AR parts is too good to pass up.

AR-10
 
#6 ·
They are not going to ban the 55 grain stuff... yet...
So once the panic dies down that will get back in stock.

Obama must giggle like a school girl cause whenever he wiggles his
finger the gun market goes into a panic.

If that green tip is made illegal then will what is out there be grandfathered?

Every new rifle that is made into a pistol is going to cause this to happen.

It shouldn't but it will.

Once the BATF decides that all rifle ammo can penetrate light duty cop armor
that will be the end of it because it will all be armor piercing.

Cops want to be safe but c'mon!
 
#7 ·
Cabelas pulled the bulk stuff off the net for sale at the moment.
Many others as well.
Ammunition store still has gustaf m855 for sale but it is berdan primed.
They also have plenty of 223/556 ammo for sale.
I have plenty of ammo for my ar. I just can not believe just as things were back to normal this crap happens and buying frenzy kicks off again.
 
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#11 ·
As far as I've seen only the M855 has blow away like a fart in the wind?, all other flavors of 223/5.56 are still well stocked on the shelves.

When I had a Ruger Mini 30 I shot TONS! of the Russian steel cased ammo thru it!, NEVER had an issue, kinda wish I would have kept that one, it digested anything that said 7.62x39 on it and would put it about 1 1/2" all the time!, it must have been one of the best ones by the way people complain about accuracy with them?
 
#12 ·
I just got back today from my usual prowl of my favorite gun stores, (total of 6 today).. including sportsmans warehouse... every store combined, I saw 2 boxes of .223 total on the shelves between them... it has vanished around here... a few of the guys that work at the stores said that everything went within 2 days. some people bought thousands of rounds at once... Thankfully I reload, and have more components than some small countries... but I am on the hunt for more components, even the brass suppliers around here are getting slammed, and starting to limit volumes..... I put in a few orders at different places...just in case....
 
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#13 ·
Looks like a lot of bad reporting, by newsmen that have never actually touched a gun, has started another ammo panic. I wouldn't be surprised to find out that the manufacturers are feeding them the stories. Prices go up and they can't make the stuff fast enough. The King's edict only covers the m855 green tip, but several news stories I've seen make it appear as though it's all 223 ammo. Let the panic begin.
 
#14 ·
5.56 M855 NATO is going away, try and buy the good stuff like IMI and it's all gone.
There is crap M855 still to be had out there but now it's expensive.
If M855 is banned that means the SS109 bullets will also be banned.
So reloading won't be an option unless you have a lot of SS109 bullets.

Myself I don't really care if it's steel core or jacketed lead. I like relatively
cheap ammo but the M193 55gr ammo works pretty well in anything with a 1/9 twist.

If you have a 1/7 twist the 70+ grain bullets will be more accurate anyway.

If M855 is made illegal and not grandfathered that will really create a problem...
 
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#16 ·
I think 5.56/223 will be around for a long time. The M855 Green Tip and the SS109 bullets, not so much.

AP rounds are going away from everything except the 50 BMG.

AP/Tracer/Incendiary rounds are mostly for hard targets.

If pistol AP rounds were legal cops would have no use for body armor.
AP goes through Level IIIa like a hot knife through butter.

Here is a video with a 9mm AP round vs Class IIIa armor. This is what scares the cops.

 
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