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5.56x45 Ammo For Sale

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The 5.56x45mm NATO cartridge was developed in the late 1950s and adopted by the U.S. military in 1963. It allowed soldiers to carry more rounds and provided effective range and accuracy, revolutionizing modern military tactics. Today, it's loved by new and seasoned shooters for its low recoil, incredible accuracy, and it's low bulk ammo prices. Learn More
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  1. Hornady Frontier 5.56x45 Ammo - 500 Rounds of 55 Grain HP Match Ammunition

    $299.99

    80 In stock now

    1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 +10
    Bullet type HP
    Primer Type Boxer
    Casing Type Brass
    Condition New
    Muzzle Velocity 3240 FPS
    Muzzle Energy 1282 ft lbs
    • 500 Rounds
    • 60¢ per round
    • Made by Hornady
  2. Hornady Frontier 5.56x45 Ammo - 500 Rounds of 68 Grain BTHP Match Ammunition

    $339.99

    89 In stock now

    1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 +10
    Bullet type HPBT
    Primer Type Boxer
    Casing Type Brass
    Condition New
    Muzzle Velocity 2960 FPS
    Muzzle Energy 1323 ft lbs
    • 500 Rounds
    • 68¢ per round
    • Made by Hornady
  3. PMC 5.56x45 Ammo - 20 Rounds of 55 Grain FMJ Ammunition

    $13.99

    92 In stock now

    1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 +10
    Bullet type FMJ
    Primer Type Boxer
    Casing Type Brass
    Condition New
    Muzzle Velocity 3120 FPS
    Muzzle Energy 1189 ft lbs
    • 20 Rounds
    • 69.9¢ per round
    • Made by PMC
  4. Federal American Eagle 5.56x45 Ammo - 20 Rounds of 55 Grain FMJ Ammunition

    $13.99

    107 In stock now

    1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 +10
    Bullet type FMJ
    Primer Type Boxer
    Casing Type Brass
    Condition New
    Muzzle Velocity 3165 FPS
    Muzzle Energy 1223 ft lbs
    • 20 Rounds
    • 69.9¢ per round
    • Made by Federal
  5. Hornady Frontier 5.56x45 Ammo - 20 Rounds of 55 Grain HP Match Ammunition

    $14.99

    92 In stock now

    1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 +10
    Bullet type HP
    Primer Type Boxer
    Casing Type Brass
    Condition New
    Muzzle Velocity 3240 FPS
    Muzzle Energy 1282 ft lbs
    • 20 Rounds
    • 74.9¢ per round
    • Made by Hornady
  6. Winchester USA 5.56x45 Ammo - 20 Rounds of 55 Grain FMJ M193 Ammunition

    $14.99

    9 In stock now

    1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 +10
    Bullet type FMJ
    Primer Type Boxer
    Casing Type Brass
    Condition New
    Muzzle Velocity 3180 FPS
    Muzzle Energy 1235 ft lbs
  7. Igman 5.56x45 Ammo - 20 Rounds of 55 Grain FMJ M193 Ammunition

    $14.99

    140 In stock now

    1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 +10
    Bullet type FMJ
    Primer Type Boxer
    Casing Type Brass
    Condition New
    Muzzle Velocity 3180 FPS
    Muzzle Energy 1235 ft lbs
    • 20 Rounds
    • 74.9¢ per round
    • Made by Igman Ammunition
  8. Hornady Frontier 5.56x45 Ammo - 20 Rounds of 68 Grain BTHP Match Ammunition

    $15.99

    130 In stock now

    1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 +10
    Bullet type HPBT
    Primer Type Boxer
    Casing Type Brass
    Condition New
    Muzzle Velocity 2960 FPS
    Muzzle Energy 1323 ft lbs
    • 20 Rounds
    • 79.9¢ per round
    • Made by Hornady

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

Molly Carter
Written by
Molly Carter

Customer Reviews

  • Jim said:

    They shoot well but are dirty rounds.

  • Steve said:

    Perfect results

  • Kevin said:

    Came fast and cheap. Buy bulk and plant freedom seeds.

  • Brink said:

    All good.

  • Brian said:

    There great for price

  • Brian said:

    Worked as described.

  • Christopher M said:

    Great price, solid performance, and Ammo.com has great customer service.

  • Justis said:

    I've used Winchester rounds in other calibers and never been disappointed by them, and I can say the same for these 5.56 rounds. Excellent training rounds, good pricing, and I've had no issues with the first 450 rounds I've used so far.

  • D. said:

    Was very happy with proformance of Winchester 556.no jams with 2 ARs.will be making another purchase very soon.Thanx much AMMO.you have great sales.

  • Jacob said:

    The rounds were dirty, with some having excess powder or some kind of processing oil/grease on them. A few boxes had 18/19 rounds in them. Worked well in my rifle after 500 rounds so far and were a good price.

  • B.S said:

    Shot 250 rounds , no isues.

  • Jona snow said:

    Great rounds , not one miss fire

  • kevinjc73 said:

    I have a Ruger AR556 in which Ive shot 200 rounds of Winchester 193 556 with no problems accurate at 50, 100 and 200 yards

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  • Doug said:

    Shot great, great value.

  • Rm said:

    Shot well

  • Gregory said:

    Good ammo fires all the time

  • Aaron M said:

    Hornady it great ammo.

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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.

  • 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.

  • H.D. said:

    Works great, cycles fine, glad I found your sight.

  • 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

View 1 more
  • Kenny said:

    So far I probably used 100 150 rounds. No problems with the ammo at all.

  • anthgrge said:

    Full metal jacket "brass shells" neatly packed easy to carry in convenient carry canisters. Great shot at the range.

  • Jeremy said:

    Great rounds no defects and great bang for the buck

  • Kirk said:

    Great service!

  • 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.

  • Wiley said:

    Great prices fast shipping on all their ammunition needs

  • Jerry said:

    As above, I was grateful to get quality ammo and at a reliable, fast delivery. I'll buy as much as I can stand in the future. A really great price.

  • CDH said:

    Shipped quickly Haven't had a chance to send some down range. But sure they'll be fine

  • Blake said:

    Excellent ammo. Very accurate from the AR and bolt gun. Will be buying more.

  • Rysio said:

    Very good ammo although it is Russian. Performs as expected no problems.

  • Vance F said:

    I put all 500 rounds through my ar with 0 issues. The groupings are good, and not a single misfire.

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • 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!

  • Sam said:

    This ammo is low cost, performs okay, but will dirty up your bore real quick. Advise cleaning more frequently with this ammo.

  • Chris said:

    No jams or any major malfunctions

  • 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.

  • Mason said:

    Dumped a couple 40rd mags in a brand new ar. No stoppages or failures. Worked perfect.

  • Bobber1123 said:

    Love the stripper clips. I think it took just 2 days to arrive. The price was excellent.

  • Jetson said:

    Goes bang, burns clean, shoots straight no ftf’s or any other issues. I’d trust my life to it. Gonna get more.

  • Christian said:

    Shot 100 rounds through my new AR-15 and everything was flawless. Very happy with the service, delivery time and quality of the Ammo.

  • Capt AR said:

    Spent 30 rounds @ 100 yrs.Fired prefect and only a couple off Mark.

  • Cameron said:

    Great shipping shoot fine at 100 yards could drill dime every shot

  • Pilgrim said:

    No dud rounds , at 200 yards 5 shots inside the bulls eye. Well worth the investment.

  • Chris said:

    I bought 500 rounds of the 556 FMJ out of the first few boxes (60 rounds) 11 have failed to fire. Firing pin struck the bullet but no boom. Will not be purchasing again.

  • Jamms said:

    Price was pretty good. But constant jamming and feeding issues in all 3 of our weapons. Casings seem soft. Not sure about that though. They did stay in decent groupings on the target at 50 yards. Oh and the damn boxes all came apart, had to just dump em all into a bucket. Frustrating because I like to just take one or two boxes to the range. But anyway.

  • Signman said:

    Jammed every other round. Very disappointed.

  • JRL said:

    I got 1000 rounds of this. Just shot it today and it consistently chronos 100fps slower than advertised. NOT HAPPY AT ALL. Order another brand if you want full power ammo.

  • J-Mac said:

    Very reliable ammo and consistent. A little on the pricey side but you get Hornady quality.

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • Mike O said:

    Shot this on my high end Geissele rifle and very, very happy with it ... target practice