Federal American Eagle .223 makes a great high-volume target ammo. Whether you have an AR-style sporting rifle in this chambering or shoot a bolt-action, it’s a great choice. Here’s a high-level view of what you should know.
What Are the Basic Specifications?
Federal American Eagle .223 is loaded with reliable, dependable primer and propellant, in high-quality brass cases, with 55-grain full-metal jacket boat-tailed bullets. They achieve muzzle velocities of 3240 FPS and deliver 1282 ft-lbs of energy at the muzzle.
What About the Ballistic Coefficient?
This round delivers a ballistic coefficient of .269. The higher the ballistic coefficient of a bullet, the less it will drop and the less it will be affected by wind deflection.
Can You Reload It?
These Federal American Eagle .223 rounds are loaded into high-quality brass casings that can be reloaded several times.
Also, unlike some 5.56 ammunition, the primer pocket is not crimped, which makes reloading much easier. If you have a rifle in 5.56, are looking for a high-quality ammo for target practice, and you reload, this might be a good alternative.
Note: never shoot 5.56 in a rifle chambered for .223.
Is It Corrosive?
American Eagle ammunition is not corrosive, nor are the majority of ammunition lines that are commonly available.
One area in which you will need to be cautious, however, is whenever you buy surplus ammunition. Some old surplus is loaded with primers that use potassium chlorate.
This is the problem component, as when left in a bore, this can quickly cause barrel degradation and pitting.
But with the majority of new ammunition it’s not a concern.
Is It Suitable for Target Practice?
Federal American Eagle .223 ammo is highly suitable for high volume target practice and is designed for reliability in autoloading platforms.
It is reliable, consistent under a wide range of climatic conditions, accurate, and on top of that, affordable, making it perfect for target practice.
It is also loaded with high-quality jacketed boat-tail bullets which are optimized for stability even at great ranges, making it a suitable ammo if you practice long-range disciplines, too.
This design, with a bullet base that looks like a boat’s stern in cross-section, is much more aerodynamically stable and resists wind deflection, even at greater ranges.
(For reference, according to Federal Premium, this ammunition drops 2.7” at 200 yards and 10.9” at 300 yards.)
Is It Suitable for Hunting or Defensive Applications?
This is not suitable ammunition either for hunting or defensive applications.
This ammo is loaded with jacketed bullets that are designed for stability and penetration, not energy transfer characteristics.
In fact, though the caliber may be suitable for your target species, it may even be illegal to use fully-jacketed bullets. Consult the hunting regulations in your state.
As for defensive applications, a jacketed bullet is likely to overpenetrate, resulting in sub-optimal energy transfer and creating a risk to others in the area.
Instead, for hunting and defensive applications, consider a soft-point or a hollow-point alternative in .223 and save this one for training or target practice.
Can You Get Federal American Eagle .223 Online?
Yes, you can get Federal American Eagle .223 ammunition online and if you shop wisely you can even get a deal on it.
Consider a supplier like Bucking Horse Outpost. Their American Eagle .223 is only $11.25 per 20 cartridges, delivering a per-round cost of only a little more than 50 cents, which is fairly competitive.
The same company also offers a wide range of different deals on .223 bulk ammo, so if low cost is your objective, make sure you check them out.