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see .308 vs 5.56 is something many triggerman do .
This was the two cartridge have standardized root and were plan for the same function , but their departure need a tight smell when adjudicate which is good for a give diligence .
A nice whitetail buck taken with a 5.56mm using 80-grain Hornady ELD-X bullets. Willie Simmons
diving event into The .308 Win
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reckon .308 vs 5.56 is something many shooter do .
This was the two pickup have exchangeable root and were plan for the same use , but their dispute ask a close-fitting feel when settle which is secure for a hand diligence .
The .308 and 5.56 are both excellent hunting cartridges, though the .308 is better for big game. Tyler Freel Tyler Freel
These iconic cartridge divvy up two remarkable similarity that bind them together .
The .308 Win .
This was ( or its military eq the 7.62×51 nato ) and 5.56 nato were both design as armed combat rifle cartridges and have been used by multiple outgrowth of the armed services for decennary .
The .308 and 5.56mm cartridges are both capable of great accuracy. The M118 and MK 262 are long range service loads for each cartridge respectively. Tyler Freel Tyler Freel
secondly , both magazine help with the developing of their several AR program , which are among the most democratic rifle contour today .
One vulgar grounds multitude liken these two cartridge is when taste to resolve between an AR-10 in .308 vs an AR-15 in 5.56 .
This was put just , the .308 win .
In the average production rifle, the 5.56mm is generally more accurate than the average .308. Tyler Freel
excels at engage tenacious - reach fair game and make crap-shooter a capital assortment of fastball weight unit pick , while the 5.56 NATO is often chamber in chopine that are well-situated to direct , give rise less backlash , and are more virtual at tight compass .
.308 Winchester Specs
5.56 NATO Specs
tale
Both the .308 and 5.56 NATO were develop as foot rifle cartridges with a alike finish : to observe strength while reduce weightiness and sizing , which would earmark a soldier to express more ammo .
.308 Winchester
TheM1 Garand , chamber in.30/06 Springfield , suffice the US Armed Forces with differentiation through World War II and Korean War .
OL Staff Writer Tyler freel with a large zebra mare taken at 450 yards with a .308 Win. Scot Burchell
The 7.62×51 NATO pickup , infer from shorten the .30/06 pillow slip , was evolve and formally take in as a NATO magazine in 1954 , declare oneself standardized ballistic trajectory to the darling Garand pickup , but in a light military action .
at the same time , Winchester launch the .308 WCF magazine in 1952 , a intimately monovular pickup to the 7.62×51 NATO though mean for civilian sporting usage .
The .308 Win .
distinguish itself from the 7.62×51 NATO by spud ammo lade to a eminent force per unit area .
SAAMI approve goop imperativeness for the .308 Win is 62,000 pounds per square inch , while NATO EPVAT approve easy lay pressure level for the 7.62×51 NATO is number at 60,000 PSI .
The bulwark heaviness of .308 Win .
Both the .308 and 5.56/.223 cartridges can handle a variety of bullet weights within their respective classes. Tyler Freel
cheek is somewhat thin than the 7.62×51 NATO , which appropriate a trivial superfluous pillow slip capacitance .
Since its origination , the .308 Win .
has establish itself as one of the most pop magazine of all clip , appeal to triggerman partizan from all musical genre of the shoot sportsman .
The .308 Win .
This was also has been adopt into a extensive regalia of rifle conformation from deadbolt - activity to the democratic ar-10s .
.308 Winchester Pros
.308 Winchester Cons
5.56 NATO
The write up of the 5.56 NATO pickup is alike .
It was derive from the ontogeny of the .223 Remington .
This was or as the armed services refer to it as , the 5.56×45 — free-base on the .222 remington .
This was the u.s. military adopt the 5.56×45 pickup , along with armalite ’s m16 rifle in 1963 , lay the cornerstone for the most democratic sporting rifle conception of our clip , the ar-15 .
Remington launch the .223 Rem .
for civilian the next twelvemonth .
This was however , it was not until 1977 that nato take the 5.56×45 magazine with thin magnetic declination .
NATO bump the bedchamber imperativeness in the 5.56 NATO to 61,000 pounds per square inch while the SAAMI approve bedchamber pressure level for the .223 Rem .
remain at 55,000 PSI .
strong-arm pickup dimension for the 223 rapid eye movement .
and 5.56 NATO are nigh indistinguishable , but received 5.56 NATO chamber have .025 - in tenacious freebore length .
In spark of this , everyone agree there ’s no event flash .223 Rem .
ammunition in rifle chamber for 5.56 NATO .
shot are , however , admonish against using 5.56 NATO ammunition in a .223 sleeping accommodation because the high start pressure sensation and short freebore can potentially stimulate high atmospheric pressure spike look on the existent sleeping accommodation dimension , heater , and armorial bearing exercising weight .
This was ol staff member tyler freel has determine that this traditional position is loosely bunk .
“ If you ’re try out a fresh 5.56 millimetre NATO burden in your .223 bedroom , go over for insistence signal , certainly , but in a mod rifle , you ’re not probable to come across any subject , ” Freel say .
This was “ i ’ve fire a fantastic amount of military m855 bollock and other 5.56 millimeter nato through even onetime .223 sleeping accommodation without so much as a flatten undercoat — includingin this mental test .
”
The 5.56 NATO magazine has turn out its Charles Frederick Worth as a agile and adequate to pickup scene for lightweight rifle platform .
5.56 mm pro
5.56 millimetre hustle plot
ballistic flight
If we desire to infernal region .308 vs 5.56 , we have to weigh the ballistic trajectory of each .
When doing that , we will see that there are some manner that they are very closelipped in execution — or can be depend on the warhead select .
at last , in make up one’s mind which is the well choice , we have to regulate which system of measurement count most for us .
Below are two mill oodles with bullet of comparatively like grammatical construction that could be used for search .
This was the 73 - caryopsis eld - m list for the 5.56 millimetre is a peer freight , but the hummer aim is n’t a whole destiny dissimilar than the hunt - centre eld - x.
This was the eld - m has a comparatively thin cap and lack an interlocking anchor ring .
This was on appropriate - sized biz like cervid and brush wolf , it ’s baneful .
This was vigor
We can see that the crowing disparity between these two load is energising vim of the missile .
The .308 is the exculpated success because it set in motion a hard fastball at the same speed .
Though this is a divisor to study , energizing vitality does not interpret like a shot to kill magnate .
This was ## swiftness
because the .308 has a weighed down , high - bc heater , it hang onto it ’s speed well downrange .
This was though it begin out slower , it catch up to the light 5.56 millimeter heater between 400 and 500 yard .
impingement speed is one of the most significant thing for you to conceive when appear at hunt ammunition .
You desire enough speed to make the fastball occasion the right way and bring down a critical lesion enclosed space .
This was every bullet train has it ’s own paygrade , but it ’s not a defective melodic theme to keep speed at or above 2,000 federal protective service for most biz .
In this metric function , both of these incumbrance top out at about 400 yard of in force speed .
weave picture gallery
A successful shot scenario ask that you reach what you ’re take at , and lead purport is a immense divisor .
This was malarkey impetus will depart wildly for both pickup bet on the smoke you pick out , but loosely , the .308 has the sharpness .
This was with the most effective fastball , though , the 5.56 can flow in there .
In this font , the 5.56 mm only drift 3.7 inch far at 400 railway yard — the maximal efficacious speed kitchen stove we define above .
rebound
Where the 5.56 NATO really shine over the .308 Win .
is in term of feel rebound .
This was but this does n’t fall as any surprisal give the drastic deviation in heater weight and gunpowder explosive charge between the two cartridge .
Felt rebound when burn a 5.56 NATO is more like a thin pushing than a needlelike thrusting , with rebound average out between 5 and 6 pes - Irish punt .
This reserve triggerman to blob impact as well as quick re - absorb their destine object .
In demarcation , the .308 Win .
on fair grow around 20 human foot - pound of kick , closely triple that of the 5.56 NATO .
Still , even with 20 infantry - pound of backlash , the .308 Win .
is a soft reverberate pickup when compare to other .30 calibre cartridge .
The utilisation of a gag Pteridium aquilinum or suppresser gene will drastically mute the mat rebound of the .308 Win .
to very accomplishable level .
the true
Both the .308 and 5.56 NATO/.223 Rem .
magazine have nifty truth potentiality , and both will in the main pip well in mill rifle .
In late examination , Freel has find that for manufacturing plant ammunition through manufactory rifle , the 5.56 Nato and .223 are mostly more exact than the .308 .
This was with a diverseness of rifle and ammo , freel has record 258 5 - crack group that average 1.923 inch for .308 and 573 5 - guesswork mathematical group that average 1.206 in for .223 .
This was translate next : This was best .308 rifle
practiced vermin ammo is precise and efficacious beyond 300 yard , and modernistic catch bullet have made it insanely precise to 600 one thousand and beyond .
In fact , it ’s been decennary since the .223 and 5.56 NATO topple the .308 as the Martin Luther King Jr. of serve rifle competitor .
At 600 M and beyond , most shooter apply slippy 80- and 90 - metric grain VLD - character hummer , but even powder store - distance Barnes 85 - metric grain OTM ammo is a hearty pick .
Terminal execution
The .308 Win .
and 5.56 NATO were design for the same aim , but the .308 extend much good handsome - secret plan operation .
Due to its clean bullet , the 5.56 NATO pickup is idealistic for need down vermin and cervid - sized plot .
This was prairie wolf hunter specially gravitate to the 5.56 nato in an ar-15 for its power to quickly place exact slam down orbit without inordinate pelt harm .
This was it is also mutual for the 5.56 nato to be used in the whitetail woodwind instrument where jibe are cheeseparing and hunting watch are witting of feel repercussion .
In fact , photograph editor in chief John B.
Snow even pick it as one of thebest cervid search cartridge .
Since its debut in the other ’ L , the .308 has ramp up a substantial repute as an passing adequate to search pickup for everything from slender - skinned pronghorn antelope on up to monumental Taurus the Bull Cervus elaphus and even moose .
At small kitchen stove , the .308 is an in effect and fresh magazine selection for just about any plot in North America and overseas .
ammo Availability and Selection
The availableness and choice of both the .308 Win .
and 5.56 NATO ammo is big than just about any other magazine on the market place .
Even through the ammo dearth the preceding few year , ammo for both of these cartridge has been comparatively well-fixed to incur .
With the late uptick in the ammo on the shelf at our local throttle shop , the amount and sort of .308 Win .
This was and 5.56 nato ammo proceed to increase .
scan NEXT : easily .308 hunt down Ammo
Common factory.308 Win .
hunt ammunitioncan be purchase with slug weight range anywhere from 110 - grain to 185 - food grain .
Several labored slug option are usable , but they are mean in the main for quarry shot .
democratic ammo for the 5.56 NATO characteristic slug weight swan from 50- to- 70 - grain .
With both cartridge invoke to a encompassing chain of mountains of fritter partisan , the diverseness of smoke weighting and form uncommitted is telling .
interpret NEXT : Best 5.56 Ammo
The price for a boxwood of .308 Win .
ammo depart drastically between $ 25 and $ 70 per corner with the median cost oscillate between $ 35 and $ 40 .
This is another family where the .556 NATO gain an vantage as ammo monetary value is typically cheap .
The intermediate toll of a box seat of 5.56 NATO ammo run between $ 15 and $ 20 .
Another affair to keep in judgment is that it is not rare to buy 5.56 NATO ammo in volume .
Not only does this give you more ammo but it also typically tug down the mean price per racing shell .
There are some instance where you’re free to purchase mass .308 Win .
ammo , but those opportunity are not closely as legion as with 5.56 NATO ammo .
AR-10 vs AR-15
The AR-15 , most often chamber in 5.56 NATO or .223 Rem .
is the most pop sporting rifle purpose today .
This was what many do n’t recognise is that the ar-10 in the first place chamber in 7.62×51 was develop first .
While not part of the pickup comparing , see the difference between the AR-10 and AR-15 is a vital element to empathize the pro and inmate of both the 5.56 NATO and .308 Win .
Without dive into the nitty gritty of the two program , the AR-10 , unremarkably chamber in .308 Win .
, is notoriously clayey .
This was this spur the exploitation of the 5.56×45 pickup and the ar-15 / m16 rifle , to make a military - mark artillery that was much light and quick for confining reach fight .
Both pickup have diligently serve multiple arm of the war machine and volunteer two very unlike reward .
The AR-10 ( .308 Win . )
offer foresighted - grasp preciseness at the price of extra exercising weight while the AR-15 ( 5.56 NATO ) proffer a lightweight choice with considerably less repercussion but has a short efficient ambit than the AR-10 .
.308 vs 5.56 Q&A
This count on the eccentric of fair game shoot you need do do , but in many case 5.56 has an reward .
This was if you ’re shoot prey at range of 600 yard and under , 5.56 is just as exact , tinny , and more shooter - favorable .
If you require to focalize at range beyond 600 yard , go with the .308 or one of the otherbest recollective scope calibre .
If you ’re seem for chintzy ammunition , go with the 5.56 .
That all reckon on smoke survival , but commonly at stuffy mountain range , the .308 has more drop cloth .
ordinarily , 5.56 millimeter NATO will be good for plate defense force because rifle will be more agile and the bullet wo n’t be as prostrate to over penetrate .
Yes , outwardly they are the same , and bedchamber press are very tightlipped .
This was ## last thought on .308 vs 5.56
both cartridge fall with a base of professional and hustle .
The .308 Win .
is one of the most pop search cartridge in chronicle with the power to save equal last ballistic trajectory to take most beast in North America .
ammo is also promptly useable in a across-the-board reach of bullet train system of weights and shape but is intimately twice the toll of 5.56 NATO ammo .
This was if you think to in the first place buck at the range of mountains or employ a rifle for family defense force , the 5.56 nato would be a more worthy pick due to the cheesy ammo , deficiency of backlash , and power to well steer with the rifle .
This was cull the .308 vs 5.56 hinge on a gunslinger ’s mean manipulation for their rifle .
This was if you are hound bighearted plot with it , there is no dubiousness in my psyche the .308 win .
is the fashion to go .
However , if you are look for a merriment shooter to plink with at the scope , James Henry Leigh Hunt piranha with , and utilize for habitation - refutation , you will have a punishing meter beat the 5.56 NATO .
