What’s the Deal With.223 Wylde?

Most AR-15 shooters know that.223 Remington cartridges and 5.56 NATO cartridges are not identical, and it is generally advised to never use the latter in a rifle chambered only for the former. Most ARs are designed today with 5.56 NATO cartridge chambers, allowing them to safely fire either cartridge. There’s more to the story, however. Many rifles now come with a.223-Wylde chambering. We’ll explain what it is, why was it created, and if you should use one. Finally, we’ll give our top six choices for the best.223-Wylde barrels. What is.223 Wylde?.223 Wylde was developed by gunsmith Bill Wylde from Greenup, Ill. to balance the differences in chamber dimensions between 5.56mm NATO &.223 Remington. Why? To better understand, let’s look at the differences between the.223 Remington cartridge and the 5.56x45mm NATO cartridge. A few years later,.223 Remington cartridges were developed for the AR15/M16 rifle. FN Herstal then developed the 62 grain SS109 bullet and adopted their loading as the standard NATO 5.56x45mm load. NATO adopted a uniform chamber dimension of 5.56mm along with the SS109/M855 bullet. The relevant measurements are the freebore diameter, as well as the shoulder and neck diameters. This diagram from ar15barrels.com illustrates where the freebore length is measured. The extra space also helps to accommodate variations in ammunition size and fouling. This is because the chamber was designed for military carbines, machine guns and other large calibers. A 64-grain tracer has a different ogive from a 55 grain FMJ. The two cartridges have different pressure curves, even though the powder charges may be the same. Some 5.56mm NATO loads can generate pressures that are higher than the.223 chambers. Has a 5.56mm round ever ruptured a Remington.223 gun? I have not found a documented real-world example of genuine factory 5.56mm ammunition blowing up a gun. Kabooms do happen, but they are usually caused by Bubba’s handloads. It’s true that firing 5.56mm in a gun chambered for.223 will accelerate wear…if you shoot a lot, but most people don’t. The most common effect is popped primers. Accuracy is difficult to determine. It’s difficult to say definitively that 5.56mm ammo will be less accurate if fired from a chamber that is.223 (or vice versa). There are too many variables. A.223 has a smaller freebore. On paper, it would seem that this would translate to greater accuracy. However, it is difficult to quantify how this translates in reality. Many people have claimed to get less accuracy, but to prove this conclusively, it would require eliminating variables such as twist rate, chamber dimensions, bullet, primer, powder, etc. This has never been done to my knowledge. It’s not enough to say “5.56” that the item was made according to NATO specifications. What exactly do 5.56 NATO chambers bring to the table? It will theoretically provide the safety and reliability of the 5.56 chamber with the accuracy of the.223 Chamber. What is.223 Wylde best for? What kind of AR build will benefit most from a Wylde chamber in.223? There are two scenarios that immediately come to mind. First, any rifle in which you will be using a lot ammunition with long projectiles for the caliber. Hunters and match shooters both favor heavier, more aerodynamic bullet shapes, and there’s also something to be said for the superior terminal ballistic properties for defensive purposes…especially compared to green tip 5.56! The second is if you are going to feed your firearm a dog’s dinner of ammunition. We’ve all done it. You may have bought some Tula.223, Winchester 5.56, or other cheap ammunition, but you don’t know how accurate it is. In this case, a.223 chamber will prevent you from worrying about exceeding the chamber’s pressure limit or experiencing reduced accuracy. There are two reasons to not choose a.223 barrel. The good Wylde chambered barrels are a bit more costly than barrels with 5.56 NATO and.223 Remington. If you are on a tight budget, you can use the money to build other parts of your gun. If you shoot ARs with a lot of soft points, a Wylde Chamber may not be worth it. The Match series barrels from the company are made of 416-R stainless with a QPQ coat, have nitrided 5-R rifling and a 1:8 turn. They also feature Nickel-Teflon-coated barrel extensions. This barrel features Faxon’s gunner profile, a slightly augmented pencil profile. It’s lighter but more rigid than a pencil barrel to improve response to heat stress. These barrels, which are popular among competition shooters, are available in lengths of 13.9, 14.5, 16, 18, and 20 inches. The 18-inch and 20 inch models feature rifle-length systems, while all other models use mid-length systems. Prices start at $230. Site: faxonfirearms.comNBS 16-inch Premium Series.223 wylde NBS is the brand of AR15Discounts.com. These barrels are not match or duty grade, but they offer a lot for the money. This barrel is made of 4150 CrMoV with a QPQ Nitride finish. It has a mid-length Gas System, a Government Profile, and a 1 to 8 twist. This model is perfect for a budget build you want to use. The MSRP is $149.95 but it’s usually on sale for less. Site: ar15discounts.comRosco Purebred .223 Wylde Barrels Rosco Manufacturing is known for being the premium barrel maker the working man can afford, and the company offers its Purebred barrel in .223 Wylde. Rosco is an OEM for many different rifle manufacturers, has worked on government contracts and is well-known for its QA/QC. The barrels feature a 1/8 twist, a 416R stainless-steel finish on the barrel extension and a nickel boron finish. The barrels can be rifle- or medium-length depending on the barrel lengths. These options include 13.7 inches, 14.5, 16 inches, 18 inches, and 20 inch barrels. Rosco’s Kennel Bargain Bin has discounted items and blemished items. Site: roscomanufacturing.comCriterion AR-15 Hybrid .223 Wylde Criterion is one of the best barrel makers in the business. The.223 Wylde hybrid contour is a medium-weight profile that gives you more rigidity and less weight than the pencil profile. Criterion’s barrels have a 4150 CRV bore with a phosphate finish and a chrome-lined bore. They also have a mid-length gas system and a 1 to 8 twist. Criterion hand-laps rifling and will headspace the barrel to the bolt if you purchase the barrel with a bolt or BCG. The barrels are available in lengths of 13.9, 14.5 and 16 inches and the MSRP is $289 regardless of which option you choose. Site: criterionbarrels.comRainier Arms UltraMatch Mod2Rainier Arms match barrels have long been known to be among the finest available. The UltraMatch Mod2 is a series that pays attention to every detail. It features hand-cut chambers, crowns, and precision machined parts with tight tolerances. UltraMatch Mod2 barrels come in stainless steel (brushed or polished), with a titanium-nitride extension, Rainier’s proprietary fluted middle-heavy profile, and a 1 to 7.5 twist to stabilize heavier projectiles. The barrels come with either rifle-length or mid-length gas depending upon the barrel length. Options include 12-, 16, 18-, and 20-inch models. The MSRP is $400, regardless of the length. Site: rainierarms.comChristensen Arms AR-15 Carbon Fiber Barrels Christensen Arms is known for its carbon-fiber-wrapped match barrels. 416R stainless blanks are cut manually, rifled, and then chambered to a tolerance of.0001 inches. They are then wrapped in carbon fiber for weight savings and heat dissipation. Christensen also installs its gas block and tube, but offers fewer options than other manufacturers. You can choose between a 10.5 inch barrel with a low profile gas block and pistol-length gas, or a 16.25 inch barrel with an adjustable block and mid-length gases, and a twist of 1:8. The MSRP for the low-profile model is $749 and $899 for that with an adjustable gas block. Site: christensenarms.comMore AR Stuff:NEXT STEP: Download Your Free Storm Tactical Printable Target Pack62 Printable MOA Targets with DOT Drills – Rifle Range in YARDSThis impressive target pack from our friends at Storm Tactical contains62 printable targetsfor rifle and handgun range use. The grids and bullseyes are measured in MOA. Subscribe to the Gun Digest newsletter and we will send you your print-at home target pack immediately. Enter your email below.