Light bullets
Many varmint-oriented loads use light bullets designed for rapid expansion. Their high muzzle velocity should not be confused with the behavior of a heavier match or hunting bullet.
THE CARTRIDGE LIBRARY · SMALL-BORE CENTERFIRE
.223 Remington
A .22-caliber bottleneck centerfire used in both bolt-action and semiautomatic sporting rifles. Its factory offerings include light varmint bullets and heavier match designs.
2A Ledger reference desk · Sources checked October 18, 2026
Read the dimensions
- Overall · min–max
- 2.125–2.260 in
53.975–57.404 mm - Case length · max
- 1.760 in
44.704 mm - Bullet maximum
- 0.2245 in
5.702 mm - Rim diameter · max
- 0.378 in
9.601 mm
Know the exact name
At a glance
- Cartridge family
- Small-bore centerfire
- Bullet specification
- 0.2245 in / 5.702 mmBullet maximum
- Factory examples
- 31 loadsSelected, sourced examples below
- Weight in cited examples
- 50–77 grGrains measure mass, not powder charge
.223 Remington is identified by its complete cartridge designation. The resource-table alternative is 223 Rem. A caliber number, bullet diameter, or family resemblance on its own does not identify ammunition compatibility.
Do not treat the .223 Remington name as automatic authorization for 5.56 NATO ammunition. Check the firearm manufacturer's chamber and ammunition guidance.
Dimensions: open the exact dimensional drawing ↗. The displayed number is bullet maximum, rather than an assertion that every manufactured projectile or barrel has this exact diameter.
Origins & evolution
Background & development
The .223 Remington’s origins are tied to the small-caliber military-rifle development that produced the AR-15 and M16. It belongs to the broader case family that followed Remington’s .222, but its design was shaped by a military rifle requirement rather than only by the benchrest and varmint uses associated with the earlier cartridge.
Its civilian career soon became much broader than that origin. Sporting bolt actions, self-loading rifles and a wide range of factory bullets made it an established small centerfire for target shooting and varmint use. That combination of military-scale familiarity and extensive sporting development explains its unusually large ammunition ecosystem. The closely related 5.56 NATO designation records a separate military standards history; it is not a substitute for identifying the exact chamber and ammunition specification. The .223’s story is the movement of a service-rifle design into a very large and varied civilian market.
Historical sources: Sierra: .223 Remington cartridge history ↗
Construction changes the story
Loads, variations & specialty offerings
Longer bullets
Streamlined match bullets can retain velocity differently downrange. Bullet length, construction, rifling twist, and magazine constraints are product-specific; grain weight alone does not describe them.
Specialty construction
Monolithic, bonded, tipped, and subsonic products are distinct load types when offered. A match label describes a target role and does not automatically establish a hunting application.
In the cited .223 Remington examples, bullet weights are 50, 53, 55, 62, 64, 69, 73, 75, 77 grains. These are the weights actually present in this source selection, not a claim that every possible loading is listed.
Bullet construction background: Hornady: anatomy of a bullet ↗. Exact product descriptions and velocities are cited in the factory table.
From the factory catalog
50 grains
3,325 fps
JHP
62 grains
3,020 fps
FMJ BT
73 grains
2,800 fps
BERGER BT TARGET
Compare all 31 cited factory load records
| Maker / product | Bullet mass | Published construction | Muzzle velocity | Test barrel | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FederalAE22350VP | 50 gr 3.24 g | JHP | 3,325 fps 1,013 m/s | 24 in | Federal · PDF pp. 56–57 ↗ |
| FederalAE223G | 50 gr 3.24 g | JHP | 3,325 fps 1,013 m/s | 24 in | Federal · PDF pp. 58–59 ↗ |
| Hornady83292 | 50 gr 3.24 g | CX® | 3,300 fps 1,006 m/s | Not stated here; see source | Hornady · PDF p. 182 ↗ |
| FederalV223VM53 | 53 gr 3.43 g | HORNADY V-MAX | 3,400 fps 1,036 m/s | 24 in | Federal · PDF pp. 56–57 ↗ |
| Hornady8025 | 53 gr 3.43 g | V-MAX® | 3,465 fps 1,056 m/s | Not stated here; see source | Hornady · PDF p. 182 ↗ |
| Federal223A | 55 gr 3.56 g | SP | 3,240 fps 988 m/s | 24 in | Federal · PDF pp. 56–57 ↗ |
| FederalAE223 | 55 gr 3.56 g | FMJ BT | 3,240 fps 988 m/s | 24 in | Federal · PDF pp. 58–59 ↗ |
| FederalAE223C | 55 gr 3.56 g | FMJ BT | 3,240 fps 988 m/s | 24 in | Federal · PDF pp. 58–59 ↗ |
| FederalP223S | 55 gr 3.56 g | BARNES TRIPLE-SHOCK | 3,200 fps 975 m/s | 24 in | Federal · PDF pp. 52–53 ↗ |
| FederalP223TC1 | 55 gr 3.56 g | TROPHY COPPER | 3,240 fps 988 m/s | 24 in | Federal · PDF pp. 52–53 ↗ |
| Hornady80237 | 55 gr 3.56 g | HP Match | 3,240 fps 988 m/s | Not stated here; see source | Hornady · PDF p. 182 ↗ |
| Hornady80255 | 55 gr 3.56 g | SP | 3,240 fps 988 m/s | Not stated here; see source | Hornady · PDF p. 182 ↗ |
| Hornady80270 | 55 gr 3.56 g | FTX® | 3,240 fps 988 m/s | Not stated here; see source | Hornady · PDF p. 182 ↗ |
| Hornady80275 | 55 gr 3.56 g | FMJ | 3,240 fps 988 m/s | Not stated here; see source | Hornady · PDF p. 182 ↗ |
| Hornady8327 | 55 gr 3.56 g | V-MAX® | 3,240 fps 988 m/s | Not stated here; see source | Hornady · PDF p. 182 ↗ |
| Hornady832744 | 55 gr 3.56 g | CX® | 3,250 fps 991 m/s | Not stated here; see source | Hornady · PDF p. 182 ↗ |
| FederalAE223N | 62 gr 4.02 g | FMJ BT | 3,020 fps 920 m/s | 24 in | Federal · PDF pp. 58–59 ↗ |
| FederalF223FS1 | 62 gr 4.02 g | FUSION | 3,000 fps 914 m/s | 24 in | Federal · PDF pp. 58–59 ↗ |
| FederalF223MSR1 | 62 gr 4.02 g | FUSION | 2,750 fps 838 m/s | 16 in | Federal · PDF pp. 58–59 ↗ |
| Hornady80234 | 62 gr 4.02 g | FMJ | 3,100 fps 945 m/s | Not stated here; see source | Hornady · PDF p. 183 ↗ |
| Federal223L | 64 gr 4.15 g | SP | 3,050 fps 930 m/s | 24 in | Federal · PDF pp. 56–57 ↗ |
| FederalGM223M | 69 gr 4.47 g | SIERRA MATCHKING BTHP | 2,950 fps 899 m/s | 24 in | Federal · PDF pp. 54–55 ↗ |
| FederalGM223BH73 | 73 gr 4.73 g | BERGER BT TARGET | 2,800 fps 853 m/s | 24 in | Federal · PDF pp. 54–55 ↗ |
| Hornady80260 | 73 gr 4.73 g | FTX® | 2,790 fps 850 m/s | Not stated here; see source | Hornady · PDF p. 183 ↗ |
| Hornady80269 | 73 gr 4.73 g | ELD® Match | 2,790 fps 850 m/s | Not stated here; see source | Hornady · PDF p. 183 ↗ |
| FederalAE223T75 | 75 gr 4.86 g | TMJ | 2,775 fps 846 m/s | 24 in | Federal · PDF pp. 58–59 ↗ |
| Hornady8026 | 75 gr 4.86 g | BTHP Match™ | 2,790 fps 850 m/s | Not stated here; see source | Hornady · PDF p. 183 ↗ |
| Hornady80264 | 75 gr 4.86 g | BTHP | 2,930 fps 893 m/s | Not stated here; see source | Hornady · PDF p. 183 ↗ |
| Hornady80267 | 75 gr 4.86 g | BTHP | 2,790 fps 850 m/s | Not stated here; see source | Hornady · PDF p. 183 ↗ |
| FederalGM223M3 | 77 gr 4.99 g | SIERRA MATCHKING BTHP | 2,720 fps 829 m/s | 24 in | Federal · PDF pp. 54–55 ↗ |
| FederalGM223OTM3 | 77 gr 4.99 g | CENTERSTRIKE OTM | 2,720 fps 829 m/s | 24 in | Federal · PDF pp. 54–55 ↗ |
Explore the published data
Ballistics you can inspect
Select a legend entry to add or remove its line. Hover or tap a plotted point, or use the position slider. With the graph focused, arrow keys move the inspector. Solid dots identify source points; dashed connectors show estimates between them. Load construction, pressure category, and test setup can differ even at the same grain weight.
Read the original values as accessible tables
.223 Remington: velocity by barrel length
| Exact load | Source / publisher | Published points |
|---|---|---|
| Remington UMC 45 gr. JHP | BBTI | 3: 1,277; 4: 1,709; 5: 1,939; 6: 2,189; 8: 2,536; 10: 2,776; 12: 2,943; 14: 3,099; 16: 3,257; 18: 3,354 |
| Remington UMC 50 gr. JHP | BBTI | 3: 1,276; 4: 1,674; 5: 1,921; 6: 2,153; 8: 2,478; 10: 2,682; 12: 2,964; 14: 2,901; 16: 3,076; 18: 3,179 |
| Remington UMC 55 gr. MC | BBTI | 3: 1,147; 4: 1,564; 5: 1,861; 6: 2,041; 8: 2,380; 10: 2,616; 12: 2,724; 14: 2,878; 16: 2,943; 18: 2,983 |
.223 Remington: factory velocity downrange
| Exact load | Source / publisher | Published points |
|---|---|---|
| 50 gr Federal JHP | Federal | 0: 3,325; 100: 2,839; 200: 2,402; 300: 2,006; 400: 1,653; 500: 1,355 |
| 53 gr Federal HORNADY V-MAX | Federal | 0: 3,400; 100: 3,046; 200: 2,720; 300: 2,416; 400: 2,132; 500: 1,868 |
| 55 gr Federal SP | Federal | 0: 3,240; 100: 2,800; 200: 2,400; 300: 2,035; 400: 1,705; 500: 1,420 |
| 62 gr Federal FMJ BT | Federal | 0: 3,020; 100: 2,713; 200: 2,426; 300: 2,156; 400: 1,904; 500: 1,674 |
| 64 gr Federal SP | Federal | 0: 3,050; 100: 2,682; 200: 2,342; 300: 2,027; 400: 1,740; 500: 1,485 |
| 69 gr Federal SIERRA MATCHKING BTHP | Federal | 0: 2,950; 100: 2,642; 200: 2,353; 300: 2,084; 400: 1,832; 500: 1,604 |
| 73 gr Federal BERGER BT TARGET | Federal | 0: 2,800; 100: 2,541; 200: 2,296; 300: 2,065; 400: 1,847; 500: 1,648 |
| 75 gr Federal TMJ | Federal | 0: 2,775; 100: 2,550; 200: 2,336; 300: 2,132; 400: 1,938; 500: 1,756 |
| 77 gr Federal SIERRA MATCHKING BTHP | Federal | 0: 2,720; 100: 2,481; 200: 2,255; 300: 2,041; 400: 1,838; 500: 1,652 |
| 50 gr Federal JHP | Federal | 0: 3,325; 100: 2,839; 200: 2,402; 300: 2,006; 400: 1,653; 500: 1,355 |
| 50 gr Hornady CX® | Hornady | 0: 3,300; 100: 2,707; 200: 2,186; 300: 1,729; 400: 1,352; 500: 1,095 |
| 53 gr Hornady V-MAX® | Hornady | 0: 3,465; 100: 3,106; 200: 2,776; 300: 2,470; 400: 2,183; 500: 1,916 |
| 55 gr Federal FMJ BT | Federal | 0: 3,240; 100: 2,874; 200: 2,536; 300: 2,222; 400: 1,931; 500: 1,667 |
| 55 gr Federal FMJ BT | Federal | 0: 3,240; 100: 2,874; 200: 2,536; 300: 2,222; 400: 1,931; 500: 1,667 |
| 55 gr Federal BARNES TRIPLE-SHOCK | Federal | 0: 3,200; 100: 2,738; 200: 2,320; 300: 1,940; 400: 1,604; 500: 1,323 |
| 55 gr Federal TROPHY COPPER | Federal | 0: 3,240; 100: 2,915; 200: 2,613; 300: 2,330; 400: 2,066; 500: 1,819 |
| 55 gr Hornady HP Match | Hornady | 0: 3,240; 100: 2,802; 200: 2,405; 300: 2,042; 400: 1,713; 500: 1,429 |
| 55 gr Hornady SP | Hornady | 0: 3,240; 100: 2,824; 200: 2,444; 300: 2,095; 400: 1,777; 500: 1,497 |
| 55 gr Hornady FTX® | Hornady | 0: 3,240; 100: 2,690; 200: 2,201; 300: 1,768 |
| 55 gr Hornady FMJ | Hornady | 0: 3,240; 100: 2,837; 200: 2,468; 300: 2,128; 400: 1,817; 500: 1,540 |
| 55 gr Hornady V-MAX® | Hornady | 0: 3,240; 100: 2,855; 200: 2,502; 300: 2,175; 400: 1,873; 500: 1,602 |
| 55 gr Hornady CX® | Hornady | 0: 3,250; 100: 2,849; 200: 2,482; 300: 2,144; 400: 1,834; 500: 1,557 |
| 62 gr Federal FUSION | Federal | 0: 3,000; 100: 2,697; 200: 2,413; 300: 2,148; 400: 1,898; 500: 1,671 |
| 62 gr Federal FUSION | Federal | 0: 2,750; 100: 2,463; 200: 2,194; 300: 1,942; 400: 1,710; 500: 1,500 |
| 62 gr Hornady FMJ | Hornady | 0: 3,100; 100: 2,751; 200: 2,428; 300: 2,127; 400: 1,849; 500: 1,597 |
| 73 gr Hornady FTX® | Hornady | 0: 2,790; 100: 2,448; 200: 2,131; 300: 1,839 |
| 73 gr Hornady ELD® Match | Hornady | 0: 2,790; 100: 2,563; 200: 2,348; 300: 2,143; 400: 1,949; 500: 1,766 |
| 75 gr Hornady BTHP Match™ | Hornady | 0: 2,790; 100: 2,562; 200: 2,345; 300: 2,139; 400: 1,943; 500: 1,759 |
| 75 gr Hornady BTHP | Hornady | 0: 2,930; 100: 2,695; 200: 2,471; 300: 2,259; 400: 2,057; 500: 1,866 |
| 75 gr Hornady BTHP | Hornady | 0: 2,790; 100: 2,562; 200: 2,345; 300: 2,139; 400: 1,943; 500: 1,759 |
| 77 gr Federal CENTERSTRIKE OTM | Federal | 0: 2,720; 100: 2,471; 200: 2,235; 300: 2,012; 400: 1,803; 500: 1,612 |
How to interpret the comparison
Changing bullet weight also often changes bullet design and propellant choice. Two curves are comparisons of the listed products, not a controlled experiment proving that bullet weight alone caused the difference. Catalog downrange points are projections under the maker’s conditions; barrel-study points are recorded observations in the study firearm.
Direct answers
Common questions
What is .223 Remington?
A .22-caliber bottleneck centerfire used in both bolt-action and semiautomatic sporting rifles. Its factory offerings include light varmint bullets and heavier match designs.
What diameter does .223 Remington use?
The cited dimensional standard lists 0.2245 inches (5.702 mm), bullet maximum. This drawing convention is different from a casual caliber nickname.
Are similarly named cartridges interchangeable?
Do not treat the .223 Remington name as automatic authorization for 5.56 NATO ammunition. Check the firearm manufacturer's chamber and ammunition guidance.
Are the graph values measured or estimated?
Factory datasets show manufacturer specifications and any published downrange projections. Chronograph and barrel-study datasets identify recorded measurements and the original test source. Dashed connectors and intermediate inspector values are labeled linear estimates; single source points are not extended into invented curves. Energy is calculated from bullet mass and velocity.
Does higher energy mean the best load?
Energy is calculated from mass and velocity. It does not establish accuracy, expansion, penetration, pattern density, recoil, or suitability for a particular firearm. Use the exact product documentation and firearm manual.
Trace the facts
Sources & methodology
Compiled by 2A Ledger from the linked standards, manufacturer publications, and identified test records. Checked October 18, 2026. Historical tests and older catalogs retain their original dates; a listing here does not establish current availability.
- SAAMI: dimensional drawing · PDF p. 84 ↗
- Sierra: .223 Remington cartridge background ↗
- Federal · PDF pp. 56–57 ↗
- Federal · PDF pp. 58–59 ↗
- Hornady · PDF p. 182 ↗
- Federal · PDF pp. 52–53 ↗
- Hornady · PDF p. 183 ↗
- Federal · PDF pp. 54–55 ↗
- Ballistics by the Inch: archived measured barrel data (2020 archive) ↗
- BBTI: study index and source records ↗
Diameter figures preserve the cited drawing convention. Inch–millimeter conversion uses exactly 25.4 mm per inch. Factory specifications describe the maker’s test setup; your firearm, ammunition lot, temperature, and measuring method can produce different results. This is an educational factory-ammunition reference, not a reloading manual.