An AR-15 Does NOT Fire a .222!?

Question

AR -15's are chambered for the .223 or 5.56x45.This is not a question I'm just tired of hearing people saying that it fires a .222.

Answer 1

Bits 'n pieces with links below:
It also includes a comprehensive survey of the Colt semi-automatic-only family of commercial and law enforcement products, in .222 Remington, 5.56mm (.223 Remington), 9mm and 7.62x39mm, and an in-depth Reference Compendium of all Colt military and civilian models and components.
http://www.gunaccessories.com/AR15/AR15books_videos.asp

R6510 AR-15A2 .222
http://www.biggerhammer.net/ar15/variants/

1957. The US Army requests the Armalite Division of the Fairchild Aircraft Corp to develop a rifle of .22 caliber, lightweight, select-fire, and capable to penetrate the standard steel helmet at 500 meters. The Eugene Stoner, then a designer at the Armalite, began to develop this rifle, based on his earlier design, 7.62mm AR-10 battle rifle. At the same time, experts at the Sierra Bullets and the Remington, in conjunction with Armalite, began do develop a new .22 caliber cartridge, based on the .222 Remington and .222 Remington Magnum hunting cartridges. This development, initially called the .222 Remington Special, was finally released as .223 Remington (metric designation 5.56x45mm).
http://home.comcast.net/~jbenner411/M16/M16.htm

The AR-15 Rifle was designed by Eugene Stoner and his team of engineers in the 1960 s for entry into U.S. military trials for a new battle rifle to replace the M-14. Mr. Stoner, working at the time for ArmaLite (a division of the Fairchild Aircraft & Engine Corporation), engineered a revolutionary new rifle utilizing non-traditional rifle materials such as aluminum alloys and plastics. It was initially designed around the .222 Remington cartridge.
http://www.guns-plus.com/coilt/?p=25

Delta H-Bar (R6600DH)
- similar to R6600, except has 3-9X rubber armored variable scope, removable cheekpiece, adj. scope mount, and black leather sling, range selected, aluminum cased. Mfg. 1987-91. - 9mm Para. cal., carbine model with 16 in. barrel and bayonet lug with 1:10 twist, w/o forward bolt assist and brass deflector, two-position collapsible stock, with 20 shot mag., 6 lbs. 5 oz. - 9mm Para. cal., similar to R6450 Carbine, except does not have bayonet lug or collapsible stock. New 1992. - 7.62x39mm cal., 16 in. barrel w/o bayonet lug and 1:12 twist, fixed buttstock. New 1992.
27th Edition Blue Book of Gun Values

Not sure how accurate any info is, just what I found doing a quick search.

Answer 2

Of course the standard/stock M-15 will not fire the .222 Remington. It will NOT fire the .222 Magnum either. I think that is where people become confused. The .223 (5.56x45) and the .222 Magnum are ballistic twins (on paper). They are NOT interchangeable, though. Problem is people will only 'half-read' stuff and conclude, hey! The .223 and the .222 Mag. are the same! They must interchange!!!

Many years ago before concealed carry was permitted in Texas the Texas Penal Code read in part:

...a security guard on duty and in a distinctive uniform may carry a gun in plain view...

That section of the Penal Code ONLY applied to security guards on duty and in full uniform, yet people were only reading: "...may carry a gun in plain view..." and would perpetuation the erroneous rumor that a person in Texas could carry a handgun so long as it was in... plain view. Lot's of people ended up getting arrested for unlawful carrying.

You are right to point out that the M-15 will NOT fire anything but what it was chambered for, the .223 or 5.56x45 ammo.

H

Answer 3

Bound's hubby here:

Yes. Most definitely we know the AR-15 is only available in .223 Remington/5.56 NATO. We also know that the AR-15 was made available in 9mm Luger (remember those Uzi-styled stick magazines hanging out an AR-15 mag well?). And don't forget the aftermarket barreled uppers chambered in 7.62x39 Russian. But never have we seen an AR-15 chambered in .222 Remington.

However, when I bought my (AR-15) Match Target HBAR in the mid-90s, I did something unusual for me. I read the owner's manual provided by Colt. In that owner's manual Colt references three offerings of the AR-15: .223 Remington, 9mm, and, lo and behold, .222 Remington. Thinking that Colt might know what it was saying, I presume the .222 Remington was not a mistake but an export model for countries that prohibit the civilian population from owning firearms chambered in military calibers such as our soon to be illegal brothers and sisters from the phantom state of Mexico.

Despite the fact that the poster that prompted this thread may have meant to type .223 Remington, Colt Manufacturing acknowledges the manufacture and distribution of the AR-15 chambered in .222 Remington.

Sorry about this guys. When I first read the Colt manual I found it hard to believe, too.

Good luck.

Answer 4

Some do in Mexico, as it stands you can own firearms in Mexico after jumping through hoops etcetera, but they cannot be chambered for the same rounds that the military/government uses, hence all the .38 Super 1911 style pistols and AR's chambered in .222

“The inhabitants of the United Mexican States have the right to possess arms in their homes for their security and legitimate defense with the exception of those prohibited by federal law and of those reserved for the exclusive use of the Army, Navy, Air Force, and National Guard. Federal law shall determine the cases, conditions and place in which the inhabitants may be authorized to bear arms.”

Answer 5

Actually there aren't many calibers it can't fire, its probably only limited to cartridge length and diameter. I have seen 9mm, 22lr, 50AE, with all the custom work that is done. There were rumors about a barrel and bolt combo for the ar to shoot 17HMR
Here's an excerpt from sskindustries.com:
Currently chambered AR-15 /M-16 uppers are:
17 Remington
20 Tactical
204 Ruger
221 Fireball
222 Remington
222 Rem Magnum 223 Remington
6/223
6 MM PPC (JDJ)
6 MM Whisper
6.5 Grendel
6.5 MPC 6.5 MM PPC (JDJ)
6.5 MM Whisper
7 MM TCU
7 MM Whisper
300 Whisper
458 SOCOM

Others will be added in the future.

Answer 6

The AR fires a .22 (.223 Rem/5.56NATO) just like the M-14 fires a .30 (.308 Win/7.62NATO). .22 and .30 are headings for broad categories of highpowered rifles. I have never heard anyone claim an AR shoots .222 Remington.

Answer 7

But an AR is not supposed to be loaded with .222 Remington. There is a danger of shell rupture and explosion! You can't shoot a .22 long rifle in a .22 Magnum cylinder for the same reason.

Answer 8

yup, they fire 222, 223, 6x45, 300 wispher, 6.8 spc, 6.5 Grendel, 7.63x39, 9mm, 10mm, 45acp, and several 50 cals. However most of these are after market products requiring a new upper receiver but work on the standard lower.

Answer 9

Does crow taste like chicken?




Later: I hope you now know that yes, Colt did manufacture the AR-15 in .222 - A little research can save you from getting feathers in your teeth...

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Answer 10

well actually you could load some .223 brass with .222 bullets but they wouldnt be very accurate. and like they said just keep telling them that they are wrong and if they do not believe you then get a reloading book and show them the differences of the 2 calibers.