223 vs 5.56

[Lager]

Ive just purchased a 223 barrel for a Contender and Im a bit confused about ammo choices ?
 There seems to be a large amount of ammo manufacturers labeling their ammo as being being interchangeable but with all the reading Ive been doing,it dosent appear to be the case.
Until I can up with the funds to buy my self some dies,heads and build up some brass that I pick up at the local range. Do you think It would be OK to shoot 5.56 Mil ammo in the Contender ?
Yes, I realize that Mil spec uses a different shoulder angle and increases the over all length a couple of thou,plus hotter powder increasing CUP then 223 is.
But then you have manufacturers like Federal, listing their ammo as such. Mil spec ( to me, that means 5.56 dimensions)but loaded to SAAMI 223 specs.
Needless to say, Im a lil confused.
So, what are you guys shooting in your Contender 223's ?

[FredWT]

They are not identicle but they should be. If your T/C chambers it and closes up they will fire just fine and fire form to your barrel. I have fired eveything that looks like an M16 round in my Bullberry .223 barrel. My RCBS dies loaded all makes of brass just fine for my barrel. Anybody have any major problems I would like to hear about it.

[Lager]

I thought I would have a little bit more imput from the 223 shooters here. Im a Lil disappointed.

[mcwoodduck]

Sorry,
Just saw this.
I have a few 223 chambered guns. (AR, M700 SPS, and a CZ 527)
I also have two T/C barrels for my contender.  14" and 16.25".
I can shoot both 223 and 5.56 in the rifles above.
the few times I have tried 5.56 in the T/C it would stick and so would all the FMJ loaded 223 ammo as it is loaded to 5.56 specs from what I can gather.  Any 223 with a soft, target, or varmint bullet works fine in my 14".  When I got my 16.25" I never tried the FMJ Factory loaded 223 or any of the surplus military 5.56 stuff in it to tell if there is a diff.
But it will make it hard to open my gun and the cases do not extract well with the 5.56  the 223 stuff opens fine and extracts easily.
I have read that other guys have not had this same problem.
In the 14" I shoot the Remington /UMC 45 grain JHP for varmints
The 16.25" I run 55 grain soft points and set it up for a Javilina hunt I did last year where I thought the short light rifle would be benifical.
In the AR I shoot the Federal 55 grain FMJ Boat tail
The CZ gets 45 grain JHPS and I have the movements to change the scope for 60 grain Nosler Parts and 55 grain soft points.
the Rem 700 SPS gets the 45 grain JHP.  ut will shoot the 55 FMJS close enough to 150 yards to break clays or soda bottles.

[Steve P]

Subject has been beat to death over and over on GBs.  Everyone is probably tired of typing the same thing over and over again.  Do a search for .223 and 5.56 in the search bar and you will find LOTs of threads on this subject.

Here are a couple.... http://www.gboreloaded.com/forums/index.php/topic,112877.0.html
                            http://www.gboreloaded.com/forums/index.php/topic,113637.0.html

Steve

[Lager]

Steve has a good point, I should have used the search engine first.
I know I learned a lot using the links he posted up, Thanks again Steve.