Armscor 223 Rem 55gr FMJ – Great Value Range Ammo

Description

Range ammunition does not need to be complicated, and the Armscor 223 Rem 55gr FMJ is refreshingly not. New brass cases, boxer primers, a 55 grain full metal jacket boat tail at 3050 feet per second, loaded to SAAMI specification by a company that has been doing this since 1952. It costs about what you would expect and it works.

• The 55 grain standard
• Full specifications
• New brass, not remanufactured
• Honest notes before you buy
• 223 Remington versus 5.56 NATO
• The bottom line

The 55 grain standard

The 55 grain FMJ is the reference load for the 223 Remington. It is what most rifles are zeroed with, what most twist rates handle without argument, and what nearly every published trajectory table assumes. The Armscor 223 Rem 55gr FMJ sits right on that standard, which makes it a sensible baseline for practice and for load comparison.

At 3050 feet per second and 1135 foot pounds the Armscor 223 Rem 55gr FMJ matches conventional 223 ball performance closely. There is nothing exotic here and nothing needs to be. For putting rounds through an AR to build skill, matching the standard is exactly the right target.

Full specifications

• Caliber: 223 Remington
• Bullet weight: 55 grain
• Bullet: full metal jacket boat tail
• Muzzle velocity: 3050 fps
• Muzzle energy: 1135 ft-lbs
• Ballistic coefficient (G1): not published for this load
• Case: reloadable boxer primed brass
• Quantity: 20 rounds per box
• Part number: boxer primed new brass, 20 rounds per box

The boat tail is a small but real advantage over a flat base bullet of the same weight. It reduces drag slightly and helps the bullet enter the case mouth cleanly during loading, which shows up as marginally better consistency. In a value load it is a nice thing to find in the Armscor 223 Rem 55gr FMJ.

New brass, not remanufactured

This is worth being clear about because the market is full of reloaded ammunition sold at similar prices. The Armscor 223 Rem 55gr FMJ uses new, never fired brass. That means consistent case wall thickness, consistent neck tension and no accumulated work hardening, which matters for both reliability and for how many times you can reload the case afterwards.

Those cases are worth keeping. Boxer primed 223 brass in new condition is the best possible starting point for a handloader, and twenty pieces per box accumulates quickly. Plenty of shooters buy the Armscor 223 Rem 55gr FMJ with reloading in mind as much as shooting.

Honest notes before you buy

Do not expect match accuracy. This is ball ammunition and two to three minutes at a hundred yards from a typical AR is normal and entirely fine for its purpose. If you want to find your rifle’s accuracy ceiling, buy a match load. If you want to shoot a lot without thinking about it, the Armscor 223 Rem 55gr FMJ is the answer.

Full metal jacket is not a hunting bullet. It does not expand, it is illegal for big game in many states, and on a coyote or a hog it makes a small hole and a long chase. Keep the Armscor 223 Rem 55gr FMJ for paper, steel and training, and buy a soft point or a polymer tip if you plan to hunt with the rifle.

223 Remington versus 5.56 NATO

This is 223 Remington, not 5.56 NATO, and the distinction runs one way. The Armscor 223 Rem 55gr FMJ fires safely in any rifle chambered for 5.56 NATO or for 223 Wylde as well as in a 223 chamber. The reverse is not true, because 5.56 ammunition in a tight 223 chamber can raise pressure. Buying 223 keeps you safe in every rifle.

Twist rate is the other thing worth a thought. A 55 grain bullet stabilizes in everything from 1:12 to 1:7, so the Armscor 223 Rem 55gr FMJ will shoot in any AR or bolt gun you own. It is the heavy 69 to 77 grain bullets that need a fast twist, not this one.

The bottom line

For an AR owner who wants honest new brass practice ammunition at a fair price, the Armscor 223 Rem 55gr FMJ is hard to argue with. You can read more about the bullet design at swiftbullets.com, or browse the rest of our stock on the MAG5 Firearms ammunition page.

MAG5 Firearms keeps the Armscor 223 Rem 55gr FMJ in stock and moving, and we are glad to talk through bullet choice before you order. If you are working up a load for a new rifle, a single box of the Armscor 223 Rem 55gr FMJ is a sensible place to start.