You're here for the best 223 Remington ammo, but a disclaimer needs to be made first because many believe that 223 Remington and 5.56 NATO are the same.

The two cartridges are *not* the same despite having virtually identical external dimensions.

With that out of the way, let's load up on some of the best .223 ammo for every shooter.

If you can't wait, the best 223 ammo is Federal American Eagle 223 Rem 55 Grain FMJBT. It's reasonably priced and made by a well-known ammo manufacturer.

Category Best Option

Best Plinking Round - Wolf 223 Rem 55 Grain FMJ
Best AR-15 Ammo - Federal American Eagle 223 Rem 55 Grain FMJBT
Best Deer Hunting Round - Winchester Deer Season XP 223 64 Grain Extreme Point
Best 223 Varmint Round - Hornady 223 Rem 55 Grain V-MAX
Best Self-Defense Round - Federal Premium Tactical Bonded 62 Grain BSP
Best Hollow Point Round - Winchester 223 Rem 69 Grain HPBT
Best Cheap 223 Ammo - TulAmmo 223 Rem 55 Grain FMJ

Best 223 Target Ammo

The best target ammo depends on your preferences. If you intend to have a fun day of plinking, then you'll want cheap .223 ammo.

However, suppose you're target shooting competitively. In that case, you'll likely need to handload your rounds to dial them in perfectly for your gun's barrel twist rate. You can alternatively use match-grade ammo that is more consistent than inexpensive rounds, but you give up the control you would have exercised via handloading.

Wolf 223 Rem 55 Grain FMJ

Specs

• Case: Steel
• Bullet Type: Full Metal Jacket (FMJ)
• Bullet Weight: 55 grains
• Muzzle Velocity: 3,241 fps
• Muzzle Energy: 1,283 ft lbs

Pros

• Inexpensive
• Noncorrosive

Cons

• Steel cases hinder reloading
• Prohibited at many commercial ranges

Why I Chose It

These Wolf rounds are a happy compromise between price and reliability, which is why I consider them one of the best for plinking.

Steel-cased ammo like this tends to deposit more fouling inside the firearm. Steel cases are also virtually impossible to reload. Worse yet, they are normally loaded with "magnetic" projectiles which contain steel and are accordingly forbidden at many commercial ranges.

Wolf ammo is for budget-minded shooters who don't mind buying bulk ammo that they can't handload or fire at several gun ranges. It's not the most reliable or accurate, either, but its low price tag can't be beat.

Best AR 15 Ammo

Federal American Eagle 223 Rem 55 Grain FMJBT

Specs

• Case: Brass
• Bullet Type: Full Metal Jacket Boat Tail
• Bullet Weight: 55 grains
• Muzzle Velocity: 3,240 fps
• Muzzle Energy: 1,282 ft-lbs

Pros

• Trusted brand
• Reasonably priced

Cons

• Less than ideal for self-defense

Why I Chose It

You can burn through a lot of 223 Remington ammo when firing an AR. You may not want high-end expensive ammo, but you *do* need a reliable round that will allow your firearm to operate smoothly.

That's this 55 grain brass-cased ammo in a nutshell. It's not terribly expensive, although it's still perfectly fit for target shooting.

This ammo wouldn't be my first choice for home defense. Its FMJBT bullet is not designed to undergo terminal expansion, and is therefore inclined to (A) inflict less damage to the threat, and (B) pass clean through the threat and jeopardize innocent bystanders.

This round's 55 grain bullet has a decent muzzle velocity, but it's too lightweight to reliably smack into targets at the farthest reaches of the rifle range.

Best 223 Hunting Ammo

The 223 is not the most popular hunting round, as it lacks the power to harvest big game ethically. You can use .223 Rem for deer hunting, in some states, however, and it is an indisputably solid varmint round.

Winchester Deer Season XP 223 64 Grain Extreme Point

Specs

• Case: Brass
• Bullet Type: Extreme Point (XP)
• Bullet Weight: 64 grains
• Muzzle Velocity: 3,020 fps
• Muzzle Energy: 1,296 ft-lbs

Pros

• Trusted brand
•Designed for deer hunting

Cons

• Expensive
• 223 Remington is not the best deer hunting cartridge

Why I Chose It

You're not meant to pump magazines full of hunting ammo into plinking targets, which is why you can justify spending more money on it. The most important things you need from your .223 ammo for deer hunting are reliability, consistency, and stopping power. Winchester Deer Season XP 223 64gr offers these in spades.

The 223 Remington is not known for its stopping power, which is why it's banned for deer hunting in some states. However, increasing bullet weight will aid in upping the stopping power to a point.

This round's heavier 64 grain bullet has a lower muzzle velocity relative to lighter bullets, but that trade-off is needed for increased stopping power.

Even though this round is designed for deer hunting, it's effective in other hunting situations.

Best Varmint 223 Round

Hornady 223 Rem 55 Grain V-MAX

Specs

• Case: Brass
• Bullet Type: V-MAX
• Bullet Weight: 55 grains
• Muzzle Velocity: 3,240 fps
• Muzzle Energy: 1,282 ft-lbs

Pros

• Trusted brand
• High velocity

Cons

• Expensive

Why I Chose It

Varmint hunting typically involves firing much more often than deer hunting, so having a dependable, reasonably priced round is critical. Varmints are generally smaller animals, so the knockdown power doesn't have to be as much as when hunting big game.

Lightweight, fast-flying 223 bullets are a solid choice for hunting coyotes, prairie dogs, and other
varmints. The Hornady 55 grain V-MAX is no exception.

For more options, check out our Hornady 223 ammo page.

Best Home Defense Round

AR-15s excel in urban combat areas; however, that doesn't mean they're the best home defense weapon.

That title belongs to the shotgun because projectiles from a shotgun are less likely to over-penetrate.

However, if all you have is a 223 rifle, then, by all means, use it to defend yourself using some of the ammo choices below.

Federal Tactical Bonded 62 Grain BSP

Specs

• Case: Nickel-Plated Brass
• Bullet Type: Bonded Soft Point (BSP)
• Bullet Weight: 62 grain
• Muzzle Velocity: 3,050 fps
• Muzzle Energy: 1,281 ft-lbs

Pros

• Trusted brand
• High muzzle energy
• Designed for tactical use

Cons

• Expensive
• Difficult for civilians to find

Why I Chose It

Federal Tactical Bonded 62 grain BSP is the best home defense round because it's designed for tactical use by a trusted brand.

You can trust that these rounds will go bang every time you pull the trigger. The nickel-plated brass helps ensure the cases cycle smoothly, so you experience fewer malfunctions. I've trusted Federal ammo at the range and in the field for years and see no reason why these rounds wouldn't perform at the level I've come to expect from Federal ammunition.

The biggest drawback is the price and the fact that few places sell it to civilians.

Read the full guide here - Best 223 Ammo: Tested & Ranked By 223 Rem Experts