When it comes to intermediate rifle cartridges, while you certainly have your pick of the lot, there are few that are better, all-around, than the venerable .223 Remington.
And if you need a justification, here are 11 reasons why.
Low Recoil
The .223 Remington, like its cousin 5.56 (which is functionally the same even though the two cartridges are technically not the same) produces very, very little recoil.
Realistically, they produce the lowest recoil of any centerfire cartridge out there, and of the others that are close, the difference is so negligible it’s hardly even worth the effort to qualify, let alone quantify it.
This makes it excellent for teaching new shooters as well as for high-volume target shooting, as you are unlikely to get fatigued when shooting such a light-kicking cartridge.
Low Cost
Just as it produces little recoil, .223 Remington is one of the most affordable of all centerfire rifle cartridges, which is another trait it shares with 5.56 NATO.
Because of its low cost, it is an excellent cartridge for high-volume target shooting as you can burn through a load of mags, even a whole ammo can, without making your wallet really suffer.
High Availability
While .223 may not be as ubiquitous as 12 gauge target loads or .22LR, in the world of centerfire cartridges, there’s not much that’s more available or more accessible than it is. This again makes it an excellent option for a wide range of applications.
.223 Bulk Ammo and Surplus Deals Are Available
Because it is such a popular cartridge and chambering, the market is awash in deals, specifically bulk deals, for .223.
And in addition to .223 bulk ammo, you can usually get surplus deals, too. Or, if not, and you have a 5.56 rifle instead, you most certainly can get surplus deals on 5.56.
Flat-Shooting
Many rifle cartridges are not flat shooting, and are abysmal for long-range shooting. Some of these that come to mind are .22LR, .300 BLK, and 7.62 Soviet, though there are certainly many others.
The .223 Remington (and 5.56 NATO) are not in that camp, and in fact they are some of the best cartridges out there, if only for the flat trajectory they exhibit. Other cartridges like 6.5 Creedmoor and .308 Winchester might carry more energy to the target, but if you’re just target shooting and not hunting, it’s hard to argue with the economy and flat-shooting performance of .223.
Solid Stopping Power
While the .223 is underpowered compared to many other rifle cartridges, it still offers solid stopping power, especially at close ranges, which can give it some advantages in close quarters for defensive applications.
As a general rule, many larger, heavier handgun cartridges will produce solid stopping power without a higher risk of overpenetration, but in the world of centerfire rifle cartridges the .223 splits the difference pretty effortlessly.
Accuracy
The .223 Remington is a well-respected cartridge for accuracy, and in a tuned rifle generally will perform as well or better than common alternatives like .308, .300 BLK, .30-06, and others in the .20-caliber range. This makes it an excellent cartridge for target shooting and competition.
Suitable for Varmint and Predator Control
The .223 is cheap and produces more than enough power to dispatch most varmints and predators, making it an excellent cartridge for that matter, especially when given its accuracy, too. While there are other cartridges out there that others swear by, no one is going to tell you that .223 is inadequate for foxes and yotes and prairie dogs. If anything it’s overpowered.
Small and Medium-Game Hunting
Say what you like, with proper shot placement, .223 is more than adequate for taking game up to and including whitetail deer, despite the fact that it is not legal in all states for that discipline. Why else would Outdoor Life go so far as to blankly call .223 the most underrated cartridge for deer?. You can’t make this stuff up.
It’s the Classic AR Cartridge
Another thing that makes the .223 so enduringly popular is that it is the quintessential AR cartridge. Alright, well, technically that’s 5.56x45mm NATO, but there are still tons of other ARs and AR-style platforms out there that are actually chambered in .223, so close enough.
It’s Not Overdone
The final callout here is that there are tons of things you can use .223 for without it being too much cartridge, at least in most instances. It might be a bit much for rabbits and squirrels, but other than that, there isn’t too much you can’t do with .223.
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