Two significant rifle rounds of the U.S. military are the 30 Carbine and 223 Remington, both of which were employed in many overseas battles. Despite being cartridges from two separate times, they have both managed to make their mark in the civilian sector as well.
The 30 Carbine Ammo was first utilized during WWII and stayed in service until the Korean War. On the other hand, the 223 Remington was introduced to the U.S. military in Vietnam, and is still their main ammunition of choice up to this day.
The 223 Remington cartridge has allowed for an advancement in rifle cartridge technology during the 20th Century. Its lighter bullet makes it superior to the 30 Carbine in all ballistic categories, highlighting its capabilities even further.
This article will analyze both the 30 Carbine and 223 cartridges to help you recognize the differences between them and decide which one is better suited for your shooting or large game hunting requirements.
What is the difference between the 30 Carbine and the 223?
The difference between Surplus 30 Carbine vs 223 Remington is that the 30 Carbine round fires a heavier 30-caliber bullet while the 223 Rem fires a lighter 0.224” diameter bullet. Furthermore, the 223 is a more powerful modern bottle-necked cartridge while the 30 Carbine is less powerful and utilizes an older slightly tapered straight-wall cartridge design.
A Note on Nomenclature
This article discusses both the 223 Remington (223 Rem) and 5.56x45mm NATO rounds. While there are differences between the two, we recommend reading our post on ‘223 vs 5.56’ to learn more about them in detail.
Summarizing, it is possible and safe to fire a 223 Rem ammunition from a 5.56 rifle or handgun, but the same cannot be done with 5.56 in building a gun designed to chamber 223 Rem ammunition.
30 Cal Cartridge Specs
Investigating the characteristics of a centerfire cartridge is a great way to get an insight into it. By examining its specs, you can become more familiar with it.
