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  • outrider58

    Eats Bacon Raw
    MDS Supporter
    Jul 29, 2014
    49,818
    https://andersonmanufacturing.com/all-products/barrels.html?caliber_1=32

    From what I can see all 556/223 barrels are good with 556, even the .223 Wylde.

    223 barrels ARE NOT good with 5.56.

    5.56 barrels ARE good with .223
    Correct

    Seeing as all the barrels in that link are clearly marked "5.56", I'm not sure where that comment came from.

    We still have no clue what barrel the OP was asking about. For all we know, he could be laid up in a snow bank somewhere, with the engine still running...:shrug:
     

    Blaster229

    God loves you, I don't.
    MDS Supporter
    Sep 14, 2010
    46,410
    Glen Burnie
    Correct

    Seeing as all the barrels in that link are clearly marked "5.56", I'm not sure where that comment came from.

    We still have no clue what barrel the OP was asking about. For all we know, he could be laid up in a snow bank somewhere, with the engine still running...:shrug:

    "Somewhere" is the Cul de sac.
     
    Clearly most of the responders to my question are far more experienced than I am. I am looking for expert opinions/advice. I accidentally ordered 100 rounds of 556 ammo. I live in MD and legally own an Anderson AR 15 with the Heavy Barrel as required by our state. I have tried looking through the hand guard slots with a flashlight in an attempt to see barrel markings with no luck. There are 8 "screws" holding the hand guard in place and apparently there is a better tool than a hex wrench because they are difficult to remove. I also see the gas port tube and i don't want to break anything. So, once again, with so many experienced shooters out there I thought someone might know if it's generally true that an Hbar can handle both 223 and 556?
     

    mranaya

    Task Force Sunny, 2009
    Jun 19, 2011
    996
    Hanover MD
    PopPop. From your last post, it looks like you suspect "HBAR" is a specific ammo-type barrel. It is not. HBAR only represents that it has a "heavy barrel" contour, which is the only legal purchase currently in Maryland for a complete AR built or sold/traded after 2013.

    - A 5.56-marked barrel (HBAR or otherwise): Can accept 5.56 and .223 ammunition, as other ops explained. It fires 5.56 more accurately than it fires .223 (ops, please correct me if I'm wrong)
    - A 223-marked barrel (HBAR or otherwise): Can accept ONLY .223 ammunition pressures; it CANNOT safely fire 5.56 ammo. It fires .223 accurately.
    - A Wylde-marked barrel (HBAR or otherwise): Can fire 5.56 and .223 ammunition with similar/equal accuracy. It fires .223 more accurately than a 5.56-marked barrel can fire .223 (again, ops please correct me if I'm wrong). And it fires .223 equally well. However, it will not fire .223 as well as a .223-marked OR 5.56 as well as a 5.56-marked barrel will.

    So, we'd need to know more about your AR upper. Or, did you buy it as a complete Anderson AR, built by the Anderson manufacturer and not built by some random guy like me? If so, Anderson can probably help. Does the lower receiver have a model number marked on it?
     

    outrider58

    Eats Bacon Raw
    MDS Supporter
    Jul 29, 2014
    49,818
    PopPop. From your last post, it looks like you suspect "HBAR" is a specific ammo-type barrel. It is not. HBAR only represents that it has a "heavy barrel" contour, which is the only legal purchase currently in Maryland for a complete AR built or sold/traded after 2013.

    - A 5.56-marked barrel (HBAR or otherwise): Can accept 5.56 and .223 ammunition, as other ops explained. It fires 5.56 more accurately safely than it fires .223 (ops, please correct me if I'm wrong)
    - A 223-marked barrel (HBAR or otherwise): Can accept ONLY .223 ammunition pressures; it CANNOT safely fire 5.56 ammo. It fires .223 accurately only.
    - A Wylde-marked barrel (HBAR or otherwise): Can fire 5.56 and .223 ammunition with similar/equal accuracy safely. It fires .223 more accurately than a 5.56-marked barrel can fire .223 (again, ops please correct me if I'm wrong). And it fires .223 equally well. However, it will not fire .223 as well as a .223-marked OR 5.56 as well as a 5.56-marked barrel will. All depends on the barrel.:)

    So, we'd need to know more about your AR upper. Or, did you buy it as a complete Anderson AR, built by the Anderson manufacturer and not built by some random guy like me? If so, Anderson can probably help. Does the lower receiver have a model number marked on it?

    To the OP. Usually, the caliber on most AR barrels is marked up towards the muzzle. If you can provide a link to what you bought and from where you bought it, we should be able to determine the caliber of the barrel without removing the hand guard.
     

    rbird7282

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Dec 6, 2012
    18,538
    Columbia
    OP if you bought it new as a complete rifle and there are no markings on the barrel, look at the lower and see if there is a caliber printed on there.
     
    For anyone still interested I finally found the barrel marking. After shining a flashlight through the hand guard holes numerous times and not seeing any markings I removed it. The barrel marking was underneath the gas tube. It was marked 5.56 NATO. So I'm happy I can use both 223 and 5.56. Thanks for all the responses!
     

    outrider58

    Eats Bacon Raw
    MDS Supporter
    Jul 29, 2014
    49,818
    For anyone still interested I finally found the barrel marking. After shining a flashlight through the hand guard holes numerous times and not seeing any markings I removed it. The barrel marking was underneath the gas tube. It was marked 5.56 NATO. So I'm happy I can use both 223 and 5.56. Thanks for all the responses!
    Thanks for the update! :thumbsup:
     

    omegared24

    Ultimate Member
    Dec 23, 2011
    4,747
    Ijamsville, MD
    For anyone still interested I finally found the barrel marking. After shining a flashlight through the hand guard holes numerous times and not seeing any markings I removed it. The barrel marking was underneath the gas tube. It was marked 5.56 NATO. So I'm happy I can use both 223 and 5.56. Thanks for all the responses!

    That's good news but keep in mind that you should have headspace checked to confirm.
     

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