.223 Calibre On The Way Out ?

vixdname

Lads, was just reading messages on another forum based in Florida.
The guy who started the thread was asking about what grain bullet best suits a .223 rifle, he got a good few answers but one guy finished his answer by saying that "This time next year you wont be able to buy ammo".
Is there something happening in the US with .223 ammo, I thought that .223 ammo was one of the most popular calibres? Considering most of the main ammo manufacturers are US based it'd definitely hit us here rather swiftly if there was a major shift in calibre preferences in the US.
What do ye think ?

Sparks

Dunno about .223, but with the amount of 5.56mm ammo being used up in Iraq and Afghanistan (a quarter-million rounds per insurgent shot), there have been availability issues reported for a while now. Maybe that's spilling over into other ammunition production lines?

gunhappy_ie

.223 is going nowhere. There has been talk in the US for years about the lack of performance from the 5.56mm in the AR system that the US military are using and the need to change 6.8 spc is a favorite contender.


For average shooters/hunters .223 will be here to stay for a very very long time !

Dont believe everythning you read on the net :P

gunhappy_ie

Sparks wrote: »

Dunno about .223, but with the amount of 5.56mm ammo being used up in Iraq and Afghanistan (a quarter-million rounds per insurgent shot), there have been availability issues reported for a while now. Maybe that's spilling over into other ammunition production lines?

Dont worry ... they will start using MOABs instead... 1 per insurgen :P:P

As for availibility .... production has been hit due to the war as companies are desperatly drying to throw out 5.56 as fast as they can get the materials......

tac foley

Well, Nosler won't be making any for a while.

They blew up last week.

Thankfully nobody got hurt...

tac
Supporter of the Cape Meares Lighthouse Restoration Fund

clivej

.223 Calibre On The Way Out ?

and then again ain't we all.

harmoniums

Meh, you hear this all the time, chances are he was being a bit political and meant un-rest/depression/NOBAMA! etc will bring about the end to ammo sales.
He's just a kook, ignore it

tac foley

harmoniums wrote: »

Meh, you hear this all the time, chances are he was being a bit political and meant un-rest/depression/NOBAMA! etc will bring about the end to ammo sales.
He's just a kook, ignore it

+1

Nowhere I saw in the last month seemed to be short, even Wally-world.

tac
Supporter of the Cape Meares Lighthouse Restoration Fund

Hezz700

U.S defence procurment have increased their orders for M193 Ball.

Federal in turn prioritize production of Miillitary 5.56 nato over .223rem production.

Obama spouts about wanting to impose retrictions on civilian ammo sales.

...................and all of a sudden people are stock piling their favourite loads and word spreads like a bush fire that .223 ammo is in short supply and/or is going to be discontinued.:rolleyes:

Yea right.


I don't think you need to worry just yet.;)

Hibrion

The same rumors have been circling for years. I was told the same when I got my 223 about four years ago yet I never had a problem getting ammo.

tac foley

Hibrion wrote: »

The same rumors have been circling for years. I was told the same when I got my 223 about four years ago yet I never had a problem getting ammo.

We don't intend on running short any time soon - between the three of us over there we have about 48,000 rounds of issue ball.

We might just need some more next week, though.... : )

tac
Supporter of the Cape Meares Lighthouse Restoration Fund

PS - Apologies, gentlemen. I meant FOUR of us.

cavan shooter

If you think logically about it over the past number of years it has been a case of

220 swift on its way out
dont touch a 22 hornet on its way out
.17 rem on its way out
dont touch 204 ruger on its way out cant get the ammo
what do you want a 222 for the ole triple deuce is on its way out
dont by a 22 magnum the 22 magnum is on its way out since the 17 HMR came in


Folks everything has been on its way out since the day it was brought on the market, except the good ol 22lr.:D

Im going to by a sling shot stones arent on there way out:D

Tackleberrywho

The .223 and .308 are iconic rounds just like the .303 and .30-o6.

Folk will shoot them for ever

Hornady had availability issues last year, they have now extended their plant by 1/3 to meet demand.

A hornady spokesman assured me that they will be going from strength to strength.

I have o admit that the .204 Ruger seems to perform better on bunnies. But I'm very happy with my .223, she has served me well.

Hundreds of rabbits later she is more accurate now than she ever was, with a few Figgy Tweaks of course