What size ammo does an AR 15 use?
Christopher Harper
Updated on April 13, 2026
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Correspondingly, what size ammo does an AR 15 take?
Most AR15s fire 223 Remington or 5.56 NATO ammo, although AR15s have been chambered with a number of other ammunition types, including 22 long rifle, 204 Ruger, 6.5 Grendel, 6.8 SPC, 300 AAC Blackout, and 458 SOCOM. AR15s can also shoot pistol ammo, such as 9 mm, 40 Smith & Wesson, and 45 ACP.
Furthermore, what calibers fit in an AR 15 magazine? 223/5.56mm, 6.8 SPC, 300 Blackout, and . 308 Winchester.
Considering this, what determines the caliber of an AR 15?
The rifle comes in 2 calibers; the military caliber of 5.56 X 45 or the equivalent . 223. Because of the pressures associated with the 5.56mm, it is inadvisable to fire 5.56mm in an AR-15 marked . Originally, the Colt AR-15 was chambered only for the 5.56 NATO cartridge, just like the military M16/M4.
Is .223 and 5.56 ammo the same?
223 and 5.56 ammunition are effectively identical. 5.56 ammunition may be loaded to higher pressures than . 223 ammunition. 5.56mm chambers are dimensionally larger in certain critical areas than .
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