I have a shot (pun intended) at a lightly used WW VEX-SS, SS 20" fluted barrel, in .223. However the receiver is marked .223/5.56mm. Does anyone know for sure if this rifle can safely chamber both?
Thanks.
Thanks.
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Windham Weaponry VEX-SS
- Thread starter FPrice
- Start date
Lowbird
NES Member
No first hand experience with the Windham.
Found this though. It's from Windham newsletters.
CUSTOMER SERVICE CORNER
Cheryl Eliason, Customer Service Manager
We receive a variety of customer service related questions from our customers, and in order to better serve all of you, highlight one question each month.
This month's question is:
I just purchased a new Windham Weaponry rifle. Can I shoot both .223 and 5.56 in my rifle?
Answer:
The basic difference is that 5.56 NATO ammo tends to be hotter than .223 Remington. The leade dimension (freebore before the start of rifling) is longer on a 5.56 chamber, on a .223 chamber it is tighter. Therefore the .223 chamber can develop excessive pressure when a 5.56 NATO round is fired in it.
Our chambers are all safe to fire 5.56 NATO or .223 Remington ammunition in. All our guns have chrome lined chambers with the exception of the VEX rifles which have a stainless steel fluted barrel. These are also marked .223 rather than 5.56. We do this primarily because the chamber is a little tighter and better suited to match grade .223 ammo. While the chamber is tighter than 5.56 in the VEX, the leade is still longer than .223 Remington. We have tested these rifles with 5.56 ammo as well and they are perfectly safe with that ammo too.
There is a section on 5.56 in a VEX here also.
http://www.windhamweaponry.com/newsletters/07172012.asp
Found this though. It's from Windham newsletters.
CUSTOMER SERVICE CORNER
Cheryl Eliason, Customer Service Manager
We receive a variety of customer service related questions from our customers, and in order to better serve all of you, highlight one question each month.
This month's question is:
I just purchased a new Windham Weaponry rifle. Can I shoot both .223 and 5.56 in my rifle?
The basic difference is that 5.56 NATO ammo tends to be hotter than .223 Remington. The leade dimension (freebore before the start of rifling) is longer on a 5.56 chamber, on a .223 chamber it is tighter. Therefore the .223 chamber can develop excessive pressure when a 5.56 NATO round is fired in it.
Our chambers are all safe to fire 5.56 NATO or .223 Remington ammunition in. All our guns have chrome lined chambers with the exception of the VEX rifles which have a stainless steel fluted barrel. These are also marked .223 rather than 5.56. We do this primarily because the chamber is a little tighter and better suited to match grade .223 ammo. While the chamber is tighter than 5.56 in the VEX, the leade is still longer than .223 Remington. We have tested these rifles with 5.56 ammo as well and they are perfectly safe with that ammo too.
There is a section on 5.56 in a VEX here also.
http://www.windhamweaponry.com/newsletters/07172012.asp
The Windham VEX has a "Compass Lake Chamber". It is supposed to be optimized for .223. As the Windham spokesperson said, it is a little tighter than a 5.56 NATO chamber and a little looser than a standard .223. It is not as loose as a Wylde Chamber. Read up on Compass Lake Engineering. You might have issues with the heavier 5.56 rounds.
I have one. I recommend avoiding steel case 5.56, but otherwise I have had no issues with other 5.56. Safely chamber both? Yes, though it may fail to feed crap 5.56.
Great gun- I am able to regularly shoot mine ~0.3 MOA at 100 yds, sometimes better. Won our club benchrest match heavy bbl class with it vs. some pretty nice bolt guns. Once I correct a little vertical stringing, looks like I could regularly cut those groups in half based on the tight horizontal spreads I'm getting.
Better to stick with .223- it's easy enough to find and I doubt you would have any trouble. I've reloaded some cases from pretty hot prior .223 loads with only a neck resizing. Never a problem.
Great gun- I am able to regularly shoot mine ~0.3 MOA at 100 yds, sometimes better. Won our club benchrest match heavy bbl class with it vs. some pretty nice bolt guns. Once I correct a little vertical stringing, looks like I could regularly cut those groups in half based on the tight horizontal spreads I'm getting.
Better to stick with .223- it's easy enough to find and I doubt you would have any trouble. I've reloaded some cases from pretty hot prior .223 loads with only a neck resizing. Never a problem.
After using some steel-cased ammo many years ago I stay away from it. MAYBE if I had an AK but nothing else. I also use reputable 5.56mm.
But I probably will be looking for more .223 in the future, maybe to try to identify one (or two) brands it likes. Use my 5.56 for my other guns.
But I probably will be looking for more .223 in the future, maybe to try to identify one (or two) brands it likes. Use my 5.56 for my other guns.
Here's my first experience with a VEX (also my first .223).
http://www.northeastshooters.com/vb...-Mega-Thread?p=2963736&viewfull=1#post2963736
