5.56 Headstamps

**Stonesriver1862** · April 3rd, 2009, 09:45 PM

I purchased some ammo online advertised as .223. When it arrived, the ammo is packaged in cardboard boxes labeled "5.56mm Ball XM193A"

OK, this is not .223 Rem that I thought I was getting for my Mini-14. Have read enough to know that it is unwise to put 5.56 through a rifle chambered for .223 even though the cartridges are nearly identical.

So, I want to give it to a friend that owns a Rock River Arms rifle chambered for both 5.56 and .223. Here is the rub. I won't even give ammo away to a friend if I don't know who made it. Here are the headstamp markings:

Headstamp (reading from top and going clockwise) "C", "7", "0", "L"

Can anyone identify the manufacturer from that headstamp?

**Pa. Patriot** · April 3rd, 2009, 09:58 PM

More like... "LC 07"?

Lake city, 2007

The throat in a Mini-14 is sufficiently long enough to safely shoot 5.56

**panzermk2** · April 3rd, 2009, 10:01 PM

It's fine for his rifle. His type has a Hybrid (Wildye) chamber that will fire both without any issues what so ever with safety or accuracy.

**Stonesriver1862** · April 3rd, 2009, 10:14 PM

Originally Posted by Pa. Patriot

More like... "LC 07"?

Lake city, 2007

The throat in a Mini-14 is sufficiently long enough to safely shoot 5.56

Thanks. Each of the four markings are at 12, 3 , 6 & 9 o'clock on the headstamp. If that's Lake City great. Haven't seen one of their headstamps so don't know if there is a separation between the "L" and the "C". Everytime I see someone write about a Lake City headstamp it's "LC" as if the two letters were right next to each other.

BTW, if it's true that the Ruger Mini-14 can handle the 5.56, my friend, though I do like him a lot, won't be seeing any of this ammo. :-)

**Pa. Patriot** · April 3rd, 2009, 10:25 PM

Originally Posted by Stonesriver1862

Thanks. Each of the four markings are at 12, 3 , 6 & 9 o'clock on the headstamp. If that's Lake City great. Haven't seen one of their headstamps so don't know if there is a separation between the "L" and the "C". Everytime I see someone write about a Lake City headstamp it's "LC" as if the two letters were right next to each other.

BTW, if it's true that the Ruger Mini-14 can handle the 5.56, my friend, though I do like him a lot, won't be seeing any of this ammo. :-)

Heh - yeah, LC is good as it gets. The mini-14 chamber is definitely good to go (I'm an armorer

)

Yes, the HS is spaced out equidistant ("L C 0 7"). Not grouped together like we write it ("LC 07")

...L
0....C
...7

**Stonesriver1862** · April 3rd, 2009, 10:50 PM

Pa. Patriot,

Thanks for the prompt and helpful answers.

**mauser** · April 4th, 2009, 01:22 AM

You can trust Pa. Patriot. (I wish I knew even a fraction of what he knows.)

For your reassurance, this is from the online manual that can be found on www.ruger.com
Look under Product Service to find manuals.
There's a lot more info there about your rifle, you might want to bookmark it or print it.

AMMUNITION
The RUGER® MINI-14® RIFLES are chambered for the .223 Remington
(5.56mm) cartridge. The Mini-14 Rifle is designed to use either standardized U.S.
military, or factory loaded sporting .223 (5.56mm) cartridges manufactured in
accordance with U.S. industry practice. See “Ammunition Notice” & “Ammunition
Warning”, below.