# 5.56 NATO ammo



## Boardfeet (Sep 27, 2007)

Well I have searched this forum for the answer to this question and I cannot come up with the thread. I know I read it a while back. 

Anyway, I am looking to purchase a couple of thousand rounds of NATO 5.56. I want clean burning ammo.
What do you Black rifle guys recommend and where to get it.
Just to have for target shooting etc...FMJ
Not sure what grain bullet I need
Thanks for any input. Just ordered my first AR-15 and I am ignorant about these rifles.


----------



## MrFish (Aug 21, 2009)

https://palmettostatearmory.com/ammunition/rifle-ammunition.html?caliber_multi=2036

I buy most of mine through PSA. They're not having any super great deals right now, but just watch them. Sign up for the emails. I forget what I last paid for Federal XM855, but it was dirt cheap.


----------



## Straight Shot (Jul 14, 2012)

Ammoseek.com is a good place to start for shopping as far as manufacturers I’m had good luck with wolf gold and American eagle just for plinking and such 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## H2OMARK (Oct 2, 2007)

I try to use American Eagle but sometimes when we go through several hundred rounds I'll use Tula and then do an extensive cleaning afterwards. With American Eagle, there's a big difference in pattern and the cleaning.


----------



## MrFish (Aug 21, 2009)

https://ammoseek.com/ammo/5.56x45mm-nato?ikw=xm855


----------



## hebegb again (Oct 9, 2017)

SGAammo.com is a great place.

gunbot.net is another

Great places to see a LOT of deals quickly


----------



## Awhite08 (Jul 28, 2012)

I've used ammoman.com and was happy.


----------



## Catchemall (May 8, 2018)

Yeah you just missed out on a deal on Federal 55gr FMJ with free shipping from Palmetto State. I got a round or two while it lasted. 55gr full metal jacket is by far the most popular plinking round. I load Nosler Varmegeddon bullets for varmints and home defense. Don't be in a hurry to buy in bulk and keep looking. Keep your eyes open and you can find quality stuff like Federal for 28 cents or less a round shipped. Get on Palmetto State's e-mail list and keep up with their daily deals. Ammoseek is pretty thorough but does miss a few sites. From time to time, Academy has some deals as well.


----------



## Boardfeet (Sep 27, 2007)

Thanks for the responses guys. 
I'm on the email list at PSA and will keep a lookout for a deal.
Looks like all the cheap ammo is 62 grain


----------



## Boardfeet (Sep 27, 2007)

Is the Wolf Ammo pretty clean burning??


----------



## chaps (Aug 31, 2009)

I buy bulk federal 55g fmj I’m very pleased clean burning


----------



## Catchemall (May 8, 2018)

Wolf is better than Tulammo but most of it has a bi-metal (copper over steel) jacket and can be hard on barrels. I understand that the Wolf Gold has an all copper jacket and is decent ammo but I haven't tried it.


----------



## kanaka (Oct 3, 2007)

What twist on your barrel? 1-12 1-9 1-8 1-7????? Its gonna be on your barrel or owners manual.
And since when is 62gr cheaper then 55gr? Not bashing, haven't looked at ammo prices since I built up the ammo fort.

Vegas Battlefield uses Wolf Gold. They rent guns with the fun switch.


----------



## SouthernAngler (Oct 5, 2007)

https://www.targetsportsusa.com/tar...metal-jacket-1000-rounds-m193bk-p-110074.aspx

I just bought 1000rds of these at $289 although the price has gone down since. They came recommended from a reputable source.


----------



## ChileRelleno (Jul 7, 2012)

SGAmmo is my go to for bulk ammo online.
Palmetto State Armory if the sale is good with Free S/H.

PMC and Wolf Gold are my main brands for plinking ammo in 55gr.

PMC XTAC M855 and Federal Lake City M855 for penetrators.

I also buy a lot of Federal Lake City XM193 for general purpose stocking.

For match grade you can't beat the IMI Razor Core for price, but Federal Gold Medal sets the bar.

For home defense I like both Speer Gold For SP and Winchester Ranger SP in 69gr.


----------



## Cynical (Apr 26, 2008)

$.30 per round delivered for 55gr 5.56 is the gold standard these days for a great deal. I’m talking brass case, domestic manufacture, reloadable. Not steel case or imported (although some imported brass case stuff is decent or good).

This is below dealer cost through distributors. They’re able to do it using buying groups where they buy millions of rounds together, factory direct. https://ammoempire.com/node/4086


----------



## Boardfeet (Sep 27, 2007)

Barrel is a 1:7 twist.
Thanks guys for all the info. 
Think I’m gonna get Federal. Always had good luck with their shotgun ammo.


----------



## Boardfeet (Sep 27, 2007)

Cynical said:


> $.30 per round delivered for 55gr 5.56 is the gold standard these days for a great deal. I’m talking brass case, domestic manufacture, reloadable. Not steel case or imported (although some imported brass case stuff is decent or good).
> 
> This is below dealer cost through distributors. They’re able to do it using buying groups where they buy millions of rounds together, factory direct. https://ammoempire.com/node/4086


Thanks, I just ordered two of these.
Been looking for the free shipping. 
.30 a round is a great deal.


----------



## Boardfeet (Sep 27, 2007)

kanaka said:


> What twist on your barrel? 1-12 1-9 1-8 1-7????? Its gonna be on your barrel or owners manual.
> And since when is 62gr cheaper then 55gr? Not bashing, haven't looked at ammo prices since I built up the ammo fort.
> 
> Vegas Battlefield uses Wolf Gold. They rent guns with the fun switch.[/https://ammoseek.com/ammo/5.56x45mm-nato?ikw=xm855
> https://www.pensacolafishingforum.c...://ammoseek.com/ammo/5.56x45mm-nato?ikw=xm855


----------



## kanaka (Oct 3, 2007)

I'd get a couple boxes of 62gr and compare accuracy against the 55gr at 100 yards.
On my 20" AR w 1:7 twist, 62 stayed at 1 MOA, 55 opened up to 3 MOA.


----------



## Boardfeet (Sep 27, 2007)

kanaka said:


> I'd get a couple boxes of 62gr and compare accuracy against the 55gr at 100 yards.
> On my 20" AR w 1:7 twist, 62 stayed at 1 MOA, 55 opened up to 3 MOA.


Thanks,
I'll check that out before I buy more.


----------



## ChileRelleno (Jul 7, 2012)

Oops


----------



## ChileRelleno (Jul 7, 2012)

1/7
When it comes to general plinking, and minute of man or paper plate at 100 yards is fully acceptable then 55gr should do just fine.

If you want consistent rifleman accuracy of 3 MOA or better then you'll need to find out which bullet weight and/or type your barrel shoots best.

Buy one or two 20rd boxes of each and find out what yields the tightest groups, if thats your thing.
55, 62, 69, 75 or 77..
FMJ, SP, HP/HPBT, SMK/OTM.

Note: 77gr may need to be chambered by hand due to OAL

Note: Most 62gr will be M855 penetrator which is steel core, some ranges won't let you shoot it.


----------



## kanaka (Oct 3, 2007)

Gotta add that the results were thru a scoped AR. I can accept MOM with iron/red dot. 
With a scope, if I'm doing my job right and it looks like a shotgun pattern (XM193), I'll blame the ammo. Especially when I switch back to previous ammo (XM855)and stay in the 10 ring.
Anyways, have fun with your new rifle. If you do a lot of bench rest shooting, you'll find out real fast that 20 rd mags rule.


----------



## ChileRelleno (Jul 7, 2012)

kanaka said:


> On my 20" AR w 1:7 twist, 62 stayed at 1 MOA, 55 opened up to 3 MOA.


A rifle and shooter capable of shooting 3 MOA or better at 100 yards is fully capable of shooting rifleman scores out to 600 yards with iron sights, vision allowing.

3 MOA at 100 yards is hardly a shotgun pattern, it is the capability of aimed center of mass shots at 600 yards and head shots at 200 yards with reasonable success.

A 3 MOA rifle is a battle capable rifle.
And a 3 MOA shooter is a man to be feared, cause if you give him a chance to fire an aimed shot out to 600 yards, odds are the enemy is now a casualty of war and no longer an immediate threat.

No it won't win or even place in a accuracy competition or qualify as a designated marksman rifle much less a sniper rifle.
But make no mistake, the ammo, rifle and shooter are good to go.

Just my $0.02 as an Appleseed IIT/Rifleman and amateur Service Rifle Competitor.


----------



## Cynical (Apr 26, 2008)

kanaka said:


> I'd get a couple boxes of 62gr and compare accuracy against the 55gr at 100 yards.
> On my 20" AR w 1:7 twist, 62 stayed at 1 MOA, 55 opened up to 3 MOA.


What kind of 20” barrel we talking about here that’s 1 MOA? Surely not a chrome lined milspec barrel right?

I mean, I have a compass lake/bartlein (1:7.7) that can rock 1 moa on a very tuned carbine, but I find it hard to believe your barrel goes from 1 MOA to 3 moa between 62 and 55 grain rounds. There has to be something else involved like lower quality ammo. It just doesn’t add up to have that much degradation between two not overly dissimilar rounds.


----------



## kanaka (Oct 3, 2007)

Old PSA premium upper Govt profile barrel free floated. Believe they were FN's, phosphate coated. 
You might be right about the ammo. Went thru many XM 193 manufacturers and was always less than impressed with results.
Found some Fiocchi green tip on sale and all of a sudden, the rifle became a consistent tack driver.
Still have to open up a case of Federal green tip and see what happens.


----------



## Catchemall (May 8, 2018)

Boardfeet said:


> Just ordered my first AR-15 and I am ignorant about these rifles.


You're going to have a blast (literally) with your AR. Here's my prediction; you'll soon have to start adding accessories like optics, rails, lights, and fore grips. You'll tinker with and/or upgrade your trigger. Then you'll buy a second rifle with a longer or shorter barrel for target, home defense or just because you can. You'll have stacks of magazines from five to thirty rounds and you will start buying and storing ammo in mass quantities. It's inevitable.


----------



## Catchemall (May 8, 2018)

PSA has the Federal .223 55 gr FMJ on sale again for less than 27 cents a round.


----------



## ChileRelleno (Jul 7, 2012)

Damn, this thread demands some Black Rifle porn.










You got me thinking I need some range time, went to SGAmmo and ordered some extra ammo for my RRA A4 NM.
Gonna run up to CMP Marksmanship Park Talladega for some 600 yard time.



100 rds - 5.56mm 69gr Match SMK OTM Razorcore IMI
100 rds - 5.56mm 77gr Match SMK OTM LR MOD-1 Razorcore IMI


----------



## Catchemall (May 8, 2018)

You might've started sumpin'. Fine looking weapons! Heck with those empty chamber indicators though, I believe in keeping 'em loaded. All of 'em!


----------



## Boardfeet (Sep 27, 2007)

Got my upper receiver and barrel assembly yesterday. Gonna change the handguard to a FDE same brand to match the butt stock.


----------



## ChileRelleno (Jul 7, 2012)

Catchemall said:


> You might've started sumpin'. Fine looking weapons! Heck with those empty chamber indicators though, I believe in keeping 'em loaded. All of 'em!


LOL, how many guns can I handle at once? Plenty of loaded mags for them if needs dictate.
A select few are kept loaded and at hand or nearly so, enough for most anything. :whistling:


----------

