[SundevilFan]

I'm a relative newbie when it comes to rifles, and was wondering what most people are using in there FS2000s? Since the FS2000 is 1/7 twist, will lighter .223 rounds be ok for range sessions? Is it hard to find 5.56 ammunition in the heavier weights? I've never seen 5.56 at my local stores, only .223 and want to make sure I'm going to be ok using light .223 ammunition. I just want to make sure my knowledge of the following is correct:

Any rifle designated for the 5.56 round can utilize .223 safely, but a rifle chambered in .223 CAN'T/SHOULD NOT shoot 5.56 rounds. Is this right?

 

[sentinel]

The FS2000 is chambered for 5.56x45 so you will not harm the rifle by using .223 ammo though due to the 1:7 rifling your accuracy may be adversely affected by the use of lighter weight ammunition. My FS2000 tends to shoot the heavier weight rounds the best ( specifically Black Hills 69gr Match 223 ) which groups range from 1.5" to 3". The FS2000 does good with the 62gr surplus ball ammo as well, but when shooting the lighter 55gr ammo my groups are in excess of 3.5".

 

[sentinel]

The FS2000 is chambered for 5.56x45 so you will not harm the rifle by using .223 ammo though due to the 1:7 rifling your accuracy may be adversely affected by the use of lighter weight ammunition. My FS2000 tends to shoot the heavier weight rounds the best ( specifically Black Hills 69gr Match 223 ) which groups range from 1.5" to 3". The FS2000 does good with the 62gr surplus ball ammo as well, but when shooting the lighter 55gr ammo my groups are in excess of 3.5".

 

[SundevilFan]

Thanks sentinel. Having a real hard time finding .223/5.56 ammo at anything under .40 cents per round. I'll try the Black Hills match ammo per your recommendation, but still need some bulk range stuff. I've heard ammoman and ammotogo are the two best places to order if one is going the online route. Would you agree?

 

[sentinel]

ordering ammo online is fine if you don't mind paying hazmat charges, I've heard good things about ammoman. Stay away from the Adco or is it Adcom surplus crap, it's suppose to be 62gr surplus from someplace like the UAE or Saudi Arabia. I have experienced several failures to fire even though the primers appear to have been hit hard. Black Hills is great ammo but it is rather expensive.

 

[Xlegionaire]

The FS2000 is chambered for 5.56x45 so you will not harm the rifle by using .223 ammo though due to the 1:7 rifling your accuracy may be adversely affected by the use of lighter weight ammunition. My FS2000 tends to shoot the heavier weight rounds the best ( specifically Black Hills 69gr Match 223 ) which groups range from 1.5" to 3". The FS2000 does good with the 62gr surplus ball ammo as well, but when shooting the lighter 55gr ammo my groups are in excess of 3.5".

Not too change to topic here but I have a question for you Sentinal which you may or may not be able to explain to me: When I carried a FAMAS we were told that it could be loaded with US 5.56 if need be but that the M16's, M4's etc could not be loaded with the french stuff. I know that because of the Minimi the french have gone to different 5.56 now and that the newest versions of the FAMAS now take the standard M16 mags but why would the 16 not have been able to fire the older French 5.56? I am no balistics expert but can tell you that the caseings were not brass but steel could this have made the difference?

 

[sentinel]

It is very possible that the steel cased 5.56 ammo may have been the reason but I do not know for sure. I always thought that the US, English, French, Canadian, and all the other NATO countries were suppose to use the same NATO standard 5.56 round. I have shot some the English Radway Green 5.56 ammo through my Bushmaster AR15 which essentially turned my rifle into a single shot (would not fully cycle the bolt). I have also read that the early R.G. ammo was a little underpowered. Does the FAMAS have a gas regulator??

 

[Xlegionaire]

No the older models I carried did not and I doubt the newer ones do either. as far as I know they only made changes for an m203 style grenade launcer, it now takes M16 mags (LOL I would bet money FN caused that) and they added equipment rails. What I don't Know is if they changed ammunition but I would guess they might have due to the fact I doubt any one started making belt fed ammo for the french useing their 5.56 just for the Minimi