re: AR-15 Ammo of Choice?

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The deals move around but I can typically find what I want from SG Ammo, Lucky Gunner or PSA.

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Agreed, and I'd add in Targetsportsusa, Brownells (if they ever throw coupons back in), and Selway Armory.

Selway used to be one of the few that carried 7.65 Argentine at a reasonable price, and once (I don't know about now) they would ship free if you got to $300. Doing a few calibers, that wasn't hard.

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TargetSports is who I used back during the blm bs and 9mm was impossible to find. I had a membership that had free shipping with them for about two years.

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Targetsportsusa was the storefront where I made one of my luckiest-timed purchases ever, and it was directly related to the BLM protests.

We remember cheap 9mm getting tight, but early on that was just the range fodder (sub- $200 cases of FMJ).
I was surfing on the S&W forum, and someone posted that Targetsports had just put Gold Dots on sale, 50% off. It was the end of April, the poster said they would usually do that around that time. So I ordered a case of 9mm Gold Dots for $399, I want to say April 29th. I normally wouldn't buy that much premium SD ammo, but Covid and the growing unrest had me uneasy, so I got the full case.

The Chicago riots started the next day, and before I received my order, even cheap FMJ like Magtech and Blazer was priced that high. I did get my order

What is the reason for shooting .223 instead of 5.56 ammo? I am a complete newbie of this rifle which will shoot both calibers.

223 in a 223 chamber is supposed to be more accurate. As far as I know, there are no longer any Ar15 type rifles made with a 223 chamber, usually a 5.56 mm chamber or sometimes a 223 Wylde chamber.

The difference between a 223 chamber and 5.56 chamber is the 5.56 chamber has a slightly longer neck or freebore which allows the bullet to jump a bit before engaging the rifling to allow for the 5.56 to be loaded to a slightly higher pressure. It is exactly the same concept that Weatherby uses in getting their higher velocities than comparable "standard" magnums.

A 223 Wylde chamber basically splits the difference on freebore length between the 2 and allows the use of 5.56 mm without any pressure problems.

While most of the time you can use 5.56mm in 223 chambers without problem, there is a warning that it could cause a pressure spike and blow or rupture the primer. I have seen this happen a few times.

The general consensus , although I am sure someone will argue the point, is that you can shoot 223 in a 5.56 chamber but may have problems shooting 5.56 in a true 223 chamber. The 223 Wylde, for the reason noted above, can handle either.

Hope this helps all of the confusing info you have gotten.

While I have not purchased ammo, I have never had any issues with any other purchases.

Good range stuff for sure from aac

I have tried their 67gr smk 5.56 loading and if I remember right it shot around 1 moa.

The 62 gr green tip ammo was designed to penetrate Russian body armor and helmets. While it certainly will kill, it does have more of a tendency to “pencil through” and not cause as much damage especially if the velocity drops off below about 2400 fps. If you are sticking with military bulk ammo, the 55 gr fmj is more effective in soft tissue and does more damage while still being the most economical you can buy. Another great military load is the 77 gr bthp loads which are very effective albeit more expensive. You can also use any of the soft point or expanding loads which will do more damage in soft tissue

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PSA has these LINK 5.56 62gr green tips for sale at $12.99 / box of 20. After shipping it’s ~$0.88/rd

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I paid $.60 a round for a 150 round box of this from Bass Pro.

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How did it shoot?

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I have not shot any yet. I have a new AR-15 which is my first one, plus I am still getting stuff for it. The weather has not been very good for shooting it yet either. I am hoping I can go to my brother's place this week. I have a free range close by, but I want to shoot it first at my brother's first. I don't want everyone to see me making mistakes shooting it the first time.