Guide

5.56 and .223 Ammo 2026: Varmint, Hunting, Match and Range Loads From the Makers

By Cole Harlan, EditorUpdated Nov 4, 2026How we verifyEditorial standards

We checked 44 current .223 Remington and 5.56x45mm NATO loads on Federal's and Hornady's own product pages on November 4, 2026: 23 from Federal and 21 from Hornady. The bullet weights, velocities, energy figures, test barrels and statuses below are copied from the maker pages. We don't use retailer prices or third-party ballistics. This is a comparison of popular loads from two makers, not every .223 or 5.56 load sold.

Grouping follows each maker's own usage label where it prints one, and the bullet type where it doesn't. Hornady prints no usage label on our capture, so we placed its loads by bullet and product line. The Cartridge column shows the name each maker page uses: "223 Rem," "5.56x45mm" or "5.56 NATO."

Varmint and predator loads

Federal labels these "Predator" or "Predator, Varmint," and the 64 gr Power-Shok "Long Range, Predator."

Download these 44 loads as a CSV: maker, load, item number, bullet, muzzle velocity, muzzle energy, test barrel, box count, maker status and the maker URL for each row. No prices. Free to reuse under CC BY 4.0; more files on our open data page.

Load	Cartridge	Item #	Bullet	Muzzle velocity	Muzzle energy	Test barrel	Box	Maker status (Nov. 4)
Federal Varmint & Predator	223 Rem	AE223G	50 gr Jacketed Hollow Point	3,325 fps	1,227 ft-lb	Not listed on maker page	20	Available
Federal Varmint & Predator	223 Rem	AE22350VP	50 gr Jacketed Hollow Point	3,325 fps	1,227 ft-lb	Not listed on maker page	50	Currently Unavailable
Federal Varmint & Predator	223 Rem	V223VM53	53 gr Hornady® V-Max®	3,400 fps	1,360 ft-lb	Not listed on maker page	20	Available
Federal Varmint & Predator	223 Rem	V223VM53B	53 gr Hornady® V-Max®	3,400 fps	1,360 ft-lb	Not listed on maker page	100	Available
Federal Power-Shok Rifle	223 Rem	223L	64 gr Jacketed Soft Point	3,050 fps	1,322 ft-lb	Not listed on maker page	20	Available

Hunting loads

Federal labels these "Big Game" (Barnes TSX, Trophy Copper, Fusion Rifle, Fusion MSR) or "Small Game" (the 55 gr Power-Shok). Hornady's Superformance, V-MAX and SP Custom loads are placed here by bullet type. Whether a load is legal or suitable for a given animal depends on your state's rules, which we don't cover.

Load	Cartridge	Item #	Bullet	Muzzle velocity	Muzzle energy	Test barrel	Box	Maker status (Nov. 4)
Hornady Superformance	223 Rem	83266	35 gr NTX	4,000 fps	1,243 ft-lb	24 in	20	Not listed on maker page
Hornady Superformance	223 Rem	83292	50 gr CX	3,300 fps	1,209 ft-lb	24 in	20	Not listed on maker page
Hornady Superformance	223 Rem	8025	53 gr V-MAX	3,465 fps	1,413 ft-lb	24 in	20	Not listed on maker page
Hornady V-MAX	223 Rem	8327	55 gr V-MAX	3,240 fps	1,282 ft-lb	24 in	20	Not listed on maker page
Hornady Custom	223 Rem	80255	55 gr SP	3,240 fps	1,282 ft-lb	24 in	50	Not listed on maker page
Federal Power-Shok Rifle	223 Rem	223A	55 gr Jacketed Soft Point	3,240 fps	1,282 ft-lb	Not listed on maker page	20	Available
Federal Barnes TSX	223 Rem	P223S	55 gr Barnes Triple-Shock X Bullet (TSX)	3,200 fps	1,250 ft-lb	Not listed on maker page	20	Available
Federal Trophy Copper	223 Rem	P223TC1	55 gr Trophy Copper	3,240 fps	1,282 ft-lb	Not listed on maker page	20	Available
Federal Fusion Rifle	223 Rem	F223FS1	62 gr Fusion Soft Point	3,000 fps	1,239 ft-lb	Not listed on maker page	20	Currently Unavailable
Federal Fusion MSR	223 Rem	F223MSR1	62 gr Fusion Soft Point	2,750 fps	1,041 ft-lb	Not listed on maker page	20	Available

Match and competition loads

Federal labels its Gold Medal loads "Competition, Long Range, Target Shooting." Hornady's ELD Match, BTHP Match, Superformance Match and HP Match loads are placed here by bullet type.

Load	Cartridge	Item #	Bullet	Muzzle velocity	Muzzle energy	Test barrel	Box	Maker status (Nov. 4)
Hornady Frontier	223 Rem	FR140	55 gr HP Match	3,240 fps	1,282 ft-lb	24 in	20	Not listed on maker page
Hornady Frontier	223 Rem	FR1415	55 gr HP Match	3,240 fps	1,282 ft-lb	24 in	150	Not listed on maker page
Hornady Frontier	223 Rem	FR160	68 gr BTHP Match	2,960 fps	1,323 ft-lb	24 in	20	Not listed on maker page
Federal Gold Medal Sierra MatchKing	223 Rem	GM223M	69 gr Sierra Matchking Boat-Tail Hollow Point	2,950 fps	1,333 ft-lb	Not listed on maker page	20	Available
Hornady ELD Match	223 Rem	80269	73 gr ELD Match	2,790 fps	1,262 ft-lb	24 in	20	Not listed on maker page
Federal Gold Medal Berger	223 Rem	GM223BH73	73 gr Berger BT Target	2,800 fps	1,271 ft-lb	Not listed on maker page	20	Available
Hornady BTHP Match	223 Rem	8026	75 gr BTHP Match	2,790 fps	1,296 ft-lb	24 in	20	Not listed on maker page
Hornady BLACK	223 Rem	80267	75 gr BTHP Match	2,790 fps	1,296 ft-lb	24 in	20	Not listed on maker page
Hornady Superformance Match	223 Rem	80264	75 gr BTHP Match	2,930 fps	1,430 ft-lb	24 in	20	Not listed on maker page
Hornady Superformance Match	5.56 NATO	81264	75 gr BTHP Match	2,910 fps	1,410 ft-lb	20 in	20	Not listed on maker page
Federal Gold Medal Sierra MatchKing	223 Rem	GM223M3	77 gr Sierra Matchking Boat-Tail Hollow Point	2,720 fps	1,265 ft-lb	Not listed on maker page	20	Currently Unavailable
Federal Gold Medal CenterStrike	223 Rem	GM223OTM3	77 gr Centerstrike Open Tipped Match	2,720 fps	1,265 ft-lb	Not listed on maker page	20	Currently Unavailable

Defense loads

These are Hornady's two Critical Defense loads in our set. Hornady prints no usage label on our capture, and Federal has none in this set.

Load	Cartridge	Item #	Bullet	Muzzle velocity	Muzzle energy	Test barrel	Box	Maker status (Nov. 4)
Hornady Critical Defense	223 Rem	80270	55 gr FTX	3,240 fps	1,282 ft-lb	24 in	20	Not listed on maker page
Hornady Critical Defense	223 Rem	80260	73 gr (Critical Defense)	2,790 fps	1,262 ft-lb	24 in	20	Not listed on maker page

FMJ, range and training loads

Federal labels its American Eagle and Training loads "Competition, Target Shooting" or "Target Shooting," and some also "Long Range." The Federal items marked 5.56x45mm (AE193, AE193C and FC556F200) are the ones the maker page lists under that name. Hornady's Frontier, American Gunner, BLACK and FMJ/BT loads are placed here by bullet type.

Load	Cartridge	Item #	Bullet	Muzzle velocity	Muzzle energy	Test barrel	Box	Maker status (Nov. 4)
Federal American Eagle Rifle	223 Rem	AE223	55 gr Full Metal Jacket	3,240 fps	1,282 ft-lb	Not listed on maker page	20	Available
Federal American Eagle Rifle	223 Rem	AE223C	55 gr Full Metal Jacket	3,240 fps	1,282 ft-lb	Not listed on maker page	200	Available
Federal Training	223 Rem	FC223F500	55 gr Full Metal Jacket	3,240 fps	1,282 ft-lb	Not listed on maker page	500	Available
Federal American Eagle Rifle	223 Rem	AE223BLX	55 gr Full Metal Jacket Boat-Tail	3,240 fps	1,282 ft-lb	Not listed on maker page	100	Not listed on maker page
Federal American Eagle Rifle	5.56x45mm	AE193	55 gr Full Metal Jacket Boat-Tail	3,165 fps	1,223 ft-lb	Not listed on maker page	20	Available
Federal American Eagle Rifle	5.56x45mm	AE193C	55 gr Full Metal Jacket Boat-Tail	3,165 fps	1,223 ft-lb	Not listed on maker page	100	Currently Unavailable
Federal Training	5.56x45mm	FC556F200	55 gr Full Metal Jacket Boat-Tail	3,165 fps	1,223 ft-lb	Not listed on maker page	200	Currently Unavailable
Federal American Eagle Rifle	223 Rem	AE223N	62 gr Full Metal Jacket Boat-Tail	3,020 fps	1,255 ft-lb	Not listed on maker page	20	Available
Federal American Eagle Rifle	223 Rem	AE223T75	75 gr Total Metal Jacket	2,775 fps	1,282 ft-lb	Not listed on maker page	20	Available
Hornady Frontier	223 Rem	FR100	55 gr FMJ	3,240 fps	1,282 ft-lb	24 in	20	Not listed on maker page
Hornady Frontier	223 Rem	FR1005	55 gr FMJ	3,240 fps	1,282 ft-lb	24 in	50	Not listed on maker page
Hornady Frontier	223 Rem	FR1015	55 gr FMJ	3,240 fps	1,282 ft-lb	24 in	150	Not listed on maker page
Hornady American Gunner	223 Rem	80237	55 gr HP	3,240 fps	1,282 ft-lb	24 in	50	Not listed on maker page
Hornady FMJ/BT	223 Rem	80275	55 gr FMJ/BT	3,240 fps	1,282 ft-lb	24 in	50	Not listed on maker page
Hornady BLACK	223 Rem	80234	62 gr FMJ	3,100 fps	1,323 ft-lb	24 in	20	Not listed on maker page

Barrel length matters: the test barrels

Muzzle velocity depends on barrel length, so compare loads tested on the same barrel. Hornady lists a 24 inch test barrel for its .223 Remington loads and 20 inches for the 5.56 NATO 75 gr BTHP Superformance Match (81264). Federal's pages don't list a test barrel, so Federal's figures can't be lined up against Hornady's by barrel length. A rifle with a shorter or longer barrel than the one listed will likely give different velocities than the box. For how velocity changes with barrel length in 5.56/.223 AR-15 barrels, see our barrel length vs velocity data for 5.56/.223.

.223 Remington and 5.56 NATO: what SAAMI lists

SAAMI lists the cartridge as "223 REMINGTON [223 REM]" in ANSI/SAAMI Z299.4-2025, its centerfire rifle standard (approved Feb. 10, 2025). The cartridge and chamber drawing was issued 04/21/1980 and revised 09/25/2023. SAAMI lists a maximum average pressure of 55,000 psi, measured by transducer (the table shows 550 in psi/100). Cartridge overall length runs from 2.125 in minimum to 2.260 in maximum. Case length is 1.760 in (−.030), and bullet diameter is .2245 in (−.0030). Bore is .219 in and groove is .224 in.

The standard has no separate 5.56x45mm NATO entry. SAAMI's rifle standard covers 223 Rem but not 5.56 NATO. Before you fire 5.56 NATO ammunition, follow the marking on your barrel and your firearm maker's manual. Read the standard at the SAAMI Z299.4 PDF.

Pressure and test barrel length for other cartridges are in our SAAMI MAP chart.

Not yet verified

These makers and loads are not in the tables.

Hornady: item 832604 (50 gr ECX, listed under Hornady International, an export line) is left out. Item FR1405 (55 gr HP Match Frontier, 50 per box) has no ballistics table on its page. Hornady's new 2027 SBR Suppressed Supersonic 5.56 NATO 73 gr load is not in the tables; see the SHOT Show 2027 new products tracker.
Test barrels and stock status: Federal's pages list no test barrel, and Hornady's pages list no stock status.
Not checked this round: Winchester, Remington, Nosler, Black Hills, Barnes, SIG Sauer, PMC and Sellier & Bellot.

Rifles and SBRs for 5.56/.223

For AR-15 rifles, see new AR-15s of 2026. Short barrels change velocity, as the 5.56/.223 barrel length data shows. For the rules on short-barreled rifles, see SBR rules in 2026.

Where to buy

We link only to maker pages, listed in the sources below. Federal shows availability on its own product pages ("Available" or "Currently Unavailable"). Hornady's pages show none on our capture. We don't track retailer stock or prices. Before you order, check your state's ammunition rules, because some states require a background check or restrict shipping.

For more ammo, see 6.8 SPC ammo, .204 Ruger ammo, 300 Blackout ammo, .308 Win ammo, 22 ARC ammo, 224 Valkyrie ammo, 9mm ammo and all ammo releases.

Compare: 5.56 vs .223 and SAAMI's 5.56 Commercial · 300 Blackout vs 5.56 · 5.56/.223 barrel length vs velocity.

Frequently asked questions

Is .223 the same as 5.56?

Not by name. The maker pages list them separately: Federal labels some loads "223 Rem" and others "5.56x45mm," and Hornady lists item 81264 as "5.56 NATO." SAAMI's rifle standard lists "223 REMINGTON [223 REM]" and has no separate 5.56x45mm NATO entry. Follow the marking on your barrel and your firearm maker's manual before firing 5.56 NATO ammo.

What grain is 5.56 and .223 ammo?

In our tables the bullets run from 35 gr to 77 gr. Federal's loads run 50 to 77 gr and Hornady's run 35 to 75 gr. Check your firearm maker's manual for what your rifle is set up to shoot.

What does test barrel mean?

It is the barrel length the maker used to measure the listed velocity. Hornady lists 24 inches for its .223 Remington loads and 20 inches for its 5.56 NATO item 81264. Federal's pages list none, so compare loads with the same test barrel.

What is the SAAMI maximum pressure for .223 Remington?

SAAMI lists a maximum average pressure of 55,000 psi, measured by transducer, in ANSI/SAAMI Z299.4-2025 (the table shows 550 in psi/100).

How fast is .223 ammo?

In our tables, listed muzzle velocities run from 2,720 fps to 4,000 fps, and muzzle energies from 1,041 ft-lb to 1,430 ft-lb. The fastest is Hornady's 35 gr NTX Superformance (83266), measured in a 24 inch barrel. Federal's pages list no test barrel.

Do you list prices or stock for 5.56 and .223 ammo?

No. We link only to maker pages. Federal's pages show "Available" or "Currently Unavailable," and we copy that status as of Nov. 4, 2026. Hornady's pages show no status.

Sources

Keep exploring

Cite this data

Suggested citation:

GunReleases.com (The Release Desk), “5.56 and .223 factory ammo ballistics: loads from maker pages,” updated Nov 4, 2026. https://gunreleases.com/guides/556-223-ammo/

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