BULLET TYPE – M193 Ball, Spitzer-pointed full metal jacket
BULLET DIAMETER – 5.70 mm (0.224 in)
BULLET WEIGHT – 3.56 g (55 grains)
POWDER WEIGHT – 1.85 g (28.5 grains)
CASING WEIGHT – 6.38 g (98.5 grains)
TOTAL ROUND WEIGHT – 11.79 g (182 grains)
MUZZLE VELOCITY – 991 m/s (3,250 fps)
NOMINAL BARREL LENGTH – 50.8 cm (20 in)
MUZZLE ENERGY – 1749 j (1290 ft/lb)
In 1958, Eugene Stoner designed the projectile to be fired from his new rifle, the AR-15. The projectile, and the cartridge that carried it, were loaded by Remington Arms in 1958 as the .222 Remington Special. The following year (1959) the cartridge was renamed the .223 Remington to prevent any confusion with other .222 caliber rounds being produced. That round became the 5.56mm M193 Ball round when it was adopted by the US Army and as the 5.45x45mm round when given its NATO designation.
