5.56x45 Ammo For Sale
Overview of 5.56x45 Ammo
Eugene Stoner developed the 5.56 NATO in the 1950s for the AR-15 platform, officially adopted by the U.S. Military in 1963 as the standard infantry cartridge. Its lightweight, high-velocity rounds allowed soldiers to carry more ammo without sacrificing effective range or accuracy.
Today, it's one of the most popular cartridges because of its low recoil, cost, and excellent accuracy, even in the hands of a relatively new shooter.
During the Cold War, the Soviet Union developed their own lightweight intermediate cartridge in response to the 5.56 NATO. The 5.45x39mm was designed with similar goals in mind: reduced recoil, higher capacity, and improved accuracy.
What are the most popular 5.56x45 brands you sell?
You can filter our entire selection using the left sidebar to see which brands we currently have in-stock and available using the Manufacturers filter. You can also filter by attributes such as Bullet Type, Bullet Weight, Casing Type, and Primer Type to find what you need.
Popular 5.56x45 Ammo Options
Best 5.56x45 Ammo for Specific Uses
| Use Case | Details |
|---|---|
| Best 5.56 Ammo For Home Defense | Best Overall: Black Hills 5.56x45 62 Grain Dual Performance. Runner-Up: Hornady Black 5.56 62 Grain. |
| Best 5.56 Coyote Ammo | Best Overall: Hornady Superformance Varmint 53 Grain V-MAX. Runner-up: Hornady Superformance 55 Grain CX. |
For range training and high-volume plinking, Winchester USA 5.56 (commonly called "White Box") offers dependable performance at a budget-friendly price. This brass-cased training ammunition has earned a reputation for reliability and reasonable accuracy, making it a go-to choice for AR-15 owners who shoot regularly. Read our Winchester 5.56 White Box review for detailed testing results and performance data from the range. If you buy training ammo by the case, our 5.56 price history shows how the cheapest rounds have moved month by month since 2009.
You can also check out our in-depth look at 5.56 NATO ballistics from all of the popular ammo manufacturers if you're in search of ballistics data for your favorite factory 5.56 NATO load.
For more details on choosing the best grain for 5.56 ammunition based on your shooting needs, check out our comprehensive guide to help you select the ideal bullet weight for your 5.56 rifle.
How Does The 5.56 Compare To Other Calibers?
| 5.56 vs. | Recoil | Pros | Cons |
|---|---|---|---|
| 223 Remington | Nearly identical | 223 can be fired in 5.56 chambers (not vice versa), slightly higher pressure for better performance | 5.56 ammo is sometimes slightly more expensive |
| 277 Fury | 5.56 has less | 5.56 has less recoil, cheaper ammo, and better availability | 5.56 has less stopping power and shorter effective range |
| 300 Blackout | 5.56 has less | 5.56 has flatter trajectory, higher velocity, and less expensive ammo | 5.56 has less stopping power at close range and isn't suppressor-optimized |
| 308 Winchester | 5.56 has less | 5.56 has less recoil, cheaper ammo, lighter rifles, and higher capacity | 5.56 has less stopping power and shorter effective range |
| 30-06 Springfield | 5.56 has significantly less | 5.56 has minimal recoil, lighter rifles, cheaper ammo, and higher capacity | 5.56 has substantially less stopping power and limited hunting effectiveness on large game |
| 30 Carbine | 5.56 has slightly more | 5.56 has better ballistics, flatter trajectory, and more modern bullet designs | 5.56 has slightly more recoil and more expensive ammo |
| 350 Legend | 5.56 has less | 5.56 has less recoil, flatter trajectory, and better long-range accuracy | 5.56 has less stopping power for deer hunting |
| 458 SOCOM | 5.56 has significantly less | 5.56 has less recoil, flatter trajectory, cheaper ammo, and better availability | 5.56 has less stopping power and limited effectiveness on large game |
| 50 Beowulf | 5.56 has significantly less | 5.56 has minimal recoil, flatter trajectory, cheaper ammo, and better availability | 5.56 has substantially less stopping power and poor performance on large game |
| 5.45x39 | Nearly identical | 5.56 has better availability in the US and more bullet variety | 5.56 ammo is generally more expensive |
| 5.7x28 | 5.56 has more | 5.56 has significantly more stopping power and better effective range | 5.56 has more recoil and requires larger rifle platforms |
| 6mm ARC | 5.56 has less | 5.56 has less recoil, cheaper ammo, longer barrel life, and better availability | 5.56 has steeper trajectory, less stopping power, and worse long-range performance beyond 300 yards |
| 6.5 Grendel | 5.56 has less | 5.56 has less recoil, cheaper ammo, and better availability | 5.56 has steeper trajectory, less stopping power, and worse performance for medium game hunting |
| 6.8 SPC | 5.56 has less | 5.56 has less recoil, cheaper ammo, and better availability | 5.56 has steeper trajectory and less stopping power |
| 7.62x39 | 5.56 has less | 5.56 has flatter trajectory, better long-range accuracy, and more available ammo types | 5.56 has less stopping power at close range |
| 9mm | 5.56 has more | 5.56 has much higher velocity, better range, and superior ballistics | 5.56 has more recoil, more expensive ammo, and requires rifle platforms |
Customer Reviews
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Joe said:
I am very pleased with their service, quick delivery and product. I have not experienced any issue with their product at the range. I highly recommend this website for all the above mentioned reasons.
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A65impalla said:
I was glad to find that Ammo.com had plenty of stock of this ammo. I searched the net of a lot of places, their prices are very competitive.
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twolazy said:
I have not shot any of this batch or the batch prior, I haven’t even opened the boxes. I’m in high hopes I never have to open these boxes. I’ve used Federal 5.56 before and it is good stuff. Price is stiff, not as stiff as some I’ve seen. But then everything gun related is more expensive, isn’t it. Get it while the getting is good.
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Doc said:
I guess a shortage in the ammo supply has driven the price up, as I found your ammo to be a bit more expensive than I had anticipated.. Regardless, the delivery time was exceptional & the ammo itself came in good condition and preformed well.
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Tommy said:
I have already recommended it, that being said, it is a bit pricey. But considering that there is such a shortage, I was happy to have it. I get a small disability check once a month, so, I'll have to save more money.
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CJ said:
The order was handled quickly and efficiently. I would recommend Ammo.com to anyone who has stood in line trying to find ammo.
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Adam said:
Good, Clean, ammo....pricey but what can ya do....fast delivery too I cant even find a die set to reload let alone the bullets or primers so this ammo will do untill times are better....if ever
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deaves1 said:
5 stars
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Don said:
Nice to know where to locate ammo after this BS of low production and high demand.
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Joe-we-had-a-baby-it's-a-boy said:
Ammo was well packed, but the tins came in a bit banged up. Ammo was clean in good shape but stripper clips showed moisture damage with minor rust making it hard to load with the speed loader. The cost was deffently high and go figure right after I ordered I found 1000rnds of loose pack 62gr lake city for the same price as one tin of 420rnds, but finding 556 ammo these days is deffently a gamble of finding it and its price! Hopefully all this Bull will be over soon!
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mrob6868 said:
Good and clean, but a little pricey.
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nikpac said:
good clean ammo and a great overall value
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trooper said:
This ammo package is over twice as expensive as it should be. If you don't reload your own .223 just go with Wolf...
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jj said:
a good qalityt shell cida
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Gilbert said:
good
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Gilbert said:
good clean ammo sum what pricey but good over all
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gokart04 said:
Finally got to shoot some of this the other day. Worked well and shot consistant/accurate. No feeding or fire failures out of about 100 rounds in my BCM AR-15. I feel the price is a bit too high at this time.
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J.W. said:
These were the first rounds shot through my ar. I have no complaints, it cycles fine even through rapid firing. I would definitely buy these again.
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H.D. said:
Works great, cycles fine, glad I found your sight.
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Pat said:
This is excellent ammo. Velocity is up there, at least in my 20" barrel DTI ar 15. Kinda lucky to buy this cheap ammo and get it to shoot the way this stuff did. I love being able to buy metal cases as well as brass cases. The metal are non-reloadable and it's nice to just shoot these and not worry about looking after shooting. I worry about the future of buying ammo over the 'net in the future. Here in Illinois our great governor Quinn moves on every front to close the avenues to get ammo. Good Shooting to All
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Kenny said:
So far I probably used 100 150 rounds. No problems with the ammo at all.
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anthgrge said:
Full metal jacket "brass shells" neatly packed easy to carry in convenient carry canisters. Great shot at the range.
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Jeremy said:
Great rounds no defects and great bang for the buck
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Kirk said:
Great service!
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Jaden said:
Shot 30 rounds and it works well. It's nothing fancy but it's great for range shooting. Very pleased with it considering how cheap the price per round was. Definitely recommend for anyone wanting to practice some drills with an AR.
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Wiley said:
Great prices fast shipping on all their ammunition needs
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murdock said:
62 grain shoots just fine. no jams. but that old vietnam ak will fire, even when dropped in mud, and water. thanks Im just glad you had the ammo, and the price was right.
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Mikey A said:
As usual very prompt customer service and worry free shipping, love these guys & gals @ ammo.com. Well I am no expert about ammo, but I will say that this ammo was performing better than some more expensive products. fresh and snappy, good penetration and groupings 2"-3" @ 200-300 yds, mini-14 1-9 twist , similar to SS109 m855 but heavier Gr.
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Blake said:
Excellent ammo. Very accurate from the AR and bolt gun. Will be buying more.
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Rysio said:
Very good ammo although it is Russian. Performs as expected no problems.
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Lu said:
Glad I got it
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Chrisp280 said:
Super impressed with this company
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Bill said:
I have tried different ammo with Sig 556. Its eats everything but I find Lake City 5.56 62gr --- No failures, Accurate @ 100 to 300 yards ( my club limits ) I have the feeling of complete depenability.
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Russ said:
This is great ammo for the hybrid AR's.The brass is good for reloading and the 62 grain bullets stabilize well. Russ
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Vance F said:
I put all 500 rounds through my ar with 0 issues. The groupings are good, and not a single misfire.
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August said:
I bought 2 of these boxes and haven’t had any problems. Goes bang every time. No misfires, no jams. I will continue using 55 grain for shooting ranges, as well as home defense situations.
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Karl said:
For the price I'd say a good purchase. Out of 200 rounds maybe around 15-20 rounds that I'd assume had bad primers and didn't fire.
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BWalter82 said:
This ammo is clean firing, accurate to 2 moa, and I never had a problem in any of my rifles; probably the "best bang" for the buck out there!
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Sam said:
This ammo is low cost, performs okay, but will dirty up your bore real quick. Advise cleaning more frequently with this ammo.
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Chris said:
No jams or any major malfunctions
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Jiaxi said:
Very disappointing performance. In my AR-15, this ammo caused constant malfunctions — almost one failure per magazine. Frequent failure to eject and failure to feed made it extremely frustrating to shoot. The rifle runs flawlessly with other 5.56 ammunition, so the issue appears to be weak or inconsistent loading. This ammo may work in some platforms, but it was completely unreliable in mine. I would not recommend it for semi-auto AR use.
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Mason said:
Dumped a couple 40rd mags in a brand new ar. No stoppages or failures. Worked perfect.
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Bobber1123 said:
Love the stripper clips. I think it took just 2 days to arrive. The price was excellent.
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Bear Patrol said:
Ammo comes in 5 plastic mini ammo boxes that look really neat! I wish the carry handles were real but they’re still worth holding onto for future use. So far I’ve put about 360 of these through my Windham HBC with no issues. As for accuracy I’ve only fired at targets from 100 yards or less from a standing position, so I’m not sure how they do at longer ranges but they always hit where I aim at those distances. The only downside for me so far is that I have to use paper targets or improvised targets (milk jugs, cans, etc.) Because these were leaving some SERIOUS dents in my 1/2 inch thick ar500 steel target. Overall I’d definitely recommend these to someone looking for decent 5.56 ammo at a good price.
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edward said:
We fired over 300 rds on the range from 15 to 100 yards. The Black Hills 556 and 223 is absolutely the finest rifle ammo our agency ever used. It will save your life if ever in a gun battle with bad guys.
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ROLAND said:
Not a lot of gas blow back. Nice and smooth out the barrel and suppressor. Over all highly impressed
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Ernest said:
Great price good rounds straight A across the board
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Bru said:
It's Hornady Black. Goes down range well, gives decent groups at 50 & 100 Yards through a Hellion. It's not Match grade but it is consistent for my usage. Good prices and quick shipping is always a bonus too! Thanks Ammo.com
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Private citizen said:
This is a great self defense ammo at a great price.
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CAP said:
Great ammo, Accurate, shot 11/2” Group at 300yrds
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Alan said:
Product was shiped in a timely mannner was well packaged and performed perfectly
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Carl said:
Will be ordering more I am very satisfied with the delivery and price ammo shoots good
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AZ SHOTGUN said:
Great ammo for the price.
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Nate said:
The ammo itself LOOKS beautiful compared to Lake City penetrators but I have not shot it yet so I can't comment on that. I paid more per round, but that is just the market, not Ammo.com.
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Bigthiss said:
Great ammunition for the price. I used to buy the federal loose bulk ammo in 500 and 1000 but there were always at least 10-20 that were either faulty loads or misfired. This ammo is hands down the best for the price that I have purchased and shot. Highly recommend!!
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Darrell said:
Man this ammo can in, in a matter of days nice quality
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Zachary said:
Works great out of my 11.5" bcm and my 18" 1:8 twist barrel consistent groups and no issues.
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jerry said:
great ammo
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Def said:
This stuff is cheap, and I value that. The last 4 boxes I bought are super dirty and not polished like it is 40 year old military surplus. You can see the annealing, and it looks like it came out of an ammo can 40 yrs ago . The consistency is all over the place and I wonder why.
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Jack said:
I have always put M193 as offensive/defensive ammo, which is why I purchased it in the first place. I tested 80 rounds at 25, 50, 100, and 300 yards with a Sig M400, it was dead on accurate.
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Mike O said:
Shot this on my high end Geissele rifle and very, very happy with it ... target practice
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Head hunter said:
Shoots amazing accurate and plenty of knock down power for plucking down rodents such as ground hogs . You can reach out and touch something with accuracy and confidence .
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primerak said:
I actually like these rounds better than the winchester boxes. seems to fly flatter.
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Jim said:
None
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Chris said:
Arrived pretty quick, packaged up pretty good, I haven't opened them to use any yet just stocking ammo.
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Joey said:
No issues!
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Joe said:
Really good on the range. haven't had a problem yet
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Houston_Texas said:
Love it!!
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Mr honest...!! said:
I used to 556 boat tail full metal jackets to practice and hone my skills...!! If and when I have to rely on my ammo to save my life , my 30 round mags will hold the Fiocchi fmghp brand in a 69 grain....!! Thank you Fiocchi for producing a superior quality of ammunition at a reasonable price...!! Sincerely Mr Honest P.S. I am a real person , a 50 year old single father with three daughters living at home... This is no BS review , I'm as real as you...!!
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Gav said:
They do not run very good in a AR
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RONALD said:
No surprise here but the price per round shows as 63.8 cents. With shipping and sales tax, that easily went to about 85 cents. I did receive it in a timely fashion and it was well-padded in a cardboard box but would have preferred different packing from the factory. My error. A range pack means loose rounds inside a box. The ammo itself is so-so for its intended purpose. I also purchased Belom 7.62x39 (no longer available here) and cannot address ammo quality yet, but the factory packaging (20 rounds per PLASTIC case) was phenomenal.
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anthgrge said:
Subtle and accurate aim and shot , great point of contact at the target. Very effective at the range.
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Ben said:
I got good ammo at a good price and yes this is a real review I highly recommend it
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John said:
Outstanding job, I will use this company and tell my friends.