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Find out the best ammo for your AR-15 for range plinking or home defense. We'll cover cheap FMJ rounds, Green Tip, and even hollow points for self-defense.
Not sure what to feed your AR for the range and home defense? Or the difference between 5.56 NATO and .223 Remington?
We'll go over caliber, barrel twist, bullet type, and price range to find your perfect fit.
Prices were holding steady and even dropping during the summer, but the latest Israeli conflict has sent prices way up for 5.56 and .223 ammo. “CPR” = cost per round.
Our first choice for 5.56 ammo is PMC's X-TAC XM193 55gr because it's likely in stock, usually the more affordable option, and has always gone bang for us.
It's internal designation is 5.56X and it closely mimics the US military's M193 ammo specs without the price hike.
A great overall round for your AR-15 or other firearm.
Bullet Type: Steel Penetrator with Full-Metal Jacket
Case: Brass
Bullet Weight: 62gr
Muzzle Velocity: 3100 fps
The M855 round designation has a steel penetrator tip (SS109) for better barrier penetration and has been a mainstay ammo of US troops.
It's manufactured for civilians but strictly adheres to NATO specs.
And it's easily discernible with its "green tip."
Note that many ranges will not allow M855 because the steel penetrators will destroy their metal targets or over-penetrate their barricades...so make sure before you load up!
Best AR-15 Ammo (5.56/.223): Range & Defense - Pew Pew Tactical
Specs
Bullet Type: Bi-metal
Case: Steel
Bullet Weight: 55gr
Muzzle Velocity: 2953 fps
We don't readily use these next suggestions in our ARs, but if you're really trying to save money, you can opt for Russian steel or coated steel cartridges.
Start off with a small batch first since some AR-15s don't like steel-cased ammo. They can offer pretty good savings sometimes but are dirtier shooting and less accurate...but probably great only for the range.
Since the sanctions against Russia and future ammo imports from there, the cost of steel-cased ammo is fluctuating and is generally rising. If you can find brass-case ammo for the same price, we always recommend taking that route.
Also, keep in mind that you can't save these to reload later, and you need to shoot at a range that allows both steel casings and bi-metal bullets.
Typically people will lean toward Hornady's Critical Defense lineup with the 55gr FTX bullet, but these can be very difficult to find in stock.
However, the ultra-popular V-Max round uses the same bullet construction, just with a pointed ballistic polymer tip instead of a flat one.
Both rounds deliver extremely similar (and effective) results.
AR-15 Calibers: 5.56 vs .223
Your average AR-15 comes in two popular calibers, the 5.56x45mm NATO and the .223 Remington.
You can double-check what it is by looking at your model specs or physically on your barrel, which should be stamped with the caliber and barrel twist rate.
The two cartridges are physically identical but the 5.56 may be loaded to higher pressures than .223 ammunition.
The .223 is a civilian round and has SAAMI specs (an organization that sets standards for pressure and dimensions) while the 5.56 is a military round that has its own specifications that might require higher pressure for higher velocity.
Therefore, it's best to follow the advice:
5.56 chamber: OK to fire both 5.56 and .223
.223 Wylde chamber: OK to fire both 5.56 and .223
.223 Rem chamber: OK to fire only .223
Please note that .223 Rem and .223 Wylde are not the same things. One (Wylde) is perfectly safe to fire either 5.56 or .223; however, a .223 Rem chamber is not safe to fire 5.56 NATO.
Your barrel or rifle probably won't instantly blow up from shooting a 5.56 in a .223, but why risk it?
Combined with the variance in the machining of the barrel and ammo production standards, it's best to use the proper ammunition.
AR-15 Barrel Twist
Your barrel stamp should indicate the barrel twist after the caliber.
You should see a ratio of 1:7 all the way up to 1:12, it means that the barrel will spin the bullet one revolution every X inches. Most barrels will be from 1:7 to 1:9 twist, with the most popular being 1:9.
Take a look at the chart below to see the ideal twist rate for your barrel.
The heavier grain bullets are usually reserved for the military and their tracer rounds.
With normal cartridges, you're most likely to see 55-grain and 62-grain bullets. These are fine to shoot in 1:7 to 1:9 barrels, and you probably won't even notice a difference up to 300 yards.
Bullet Types
You'll see two big families of bullet types, the full metal jackets (FMJ) and the hollowpoint/soft-points (HP/SP).
The FMJs are great for plinking, while HP/SP are more for home defense or long-range applications. FMJ is also sometimes called Ball ammo.
Don't you love multiple names for things...
Other confusing acronyms you might see include (BT), which means boat-tail and indicate the back of the bullet has a more aerodynamic shape than simply cutting off straight.
Lastly, if you're looking at military 5.56 rounds, you'll see M193 and M855. The 55-grain M193 is the standard FMJ of the military, while the 62-grain M855 is the "green tip" penetrator round that has a steel rod inside.
Things to keep in mind for M193 vs M855:
Pricing is similar
M855 is better at penetration (duh?)
Some ranges do not allow steel core ammo like the M855
Most of the time, you'll see XM instead of just M... which means it didn't quite meet military specifications but still meets commercial specs. Learn more here.
Final Thoughts
So there you have it, our recommendations for the best AR-15 ammo in both .223 and 5.56.
Let us know what you went with and how it runs in your AR.
Want more AR-15 guides...check them all out here. Looking for a new AR? Check out our huge Best AR-15s Guide.
Latest Updates
October 2023:Cleaned up list, added additional experience/data, and updated latest ammo situation due to the Israeli war situation.
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