Box of 20 Cartridges. 5.56x45mm NATO by Federal Cartridge Company. Loaded with the 64 grain Tracer, grain projectiles and older but new Lake City brass with “LC 12″ NATOsymbol Head-Stamp for 2016. Some tarnish on brass, still shots or clears up for collectible. This is what our USA armed forces uses. Not for .223 Remington firearms. Please note: Single cartridges available, please see related items below.Please Note: The .223 Remington and 5.56x45mm NATO are not actually identical, although, the outside case dimensions are approximately the same, the 5.56 x45mm NATO has a thicker walled case and is usually loaded to higher pressures. Because of the higher NATO pressures, it is best not to use the 5.56x45mm NATO cartridge in a rifle chambered for the lower pressured .223 Remington. History of the 5.56x45mm NATO: The 223 Remington was introduced in 1957 as an experimental cartridge for use United States forces were looking to replace the 7.62x51mm NATO (308 Winchester) with a lighter recoil cartridge with less range for closer combat situations.In 1964 it was adopted by the United Stated Army as the 5.6x45mm Ball cartridge: M193.Shortly after the United States Army adopted the cartridge, Remington introduced the 223 Remingtonto the general public for the sporting and hunting industry.In 1977 NATO countries signed an agreement to select the 5.56x45mm NATO cartridge to replace the 7.62x51mm NATO cartridge; however, due to the devastating wound damage of the 55 grain M193, it was decided to use the Belgian 62 grain SS109 projectile, which was soon standardized as the official NATO cartridge.
