5.56 NATO Ammo Prices

Which 5.56 NATO Product Lines Are Most Common?

Current observed prices are in the 30-day price summary at the top of this page, recomputed from tracked retailer listings. The table below lists common product lines by type, grain, and use.

What 5.56 NATO Ammo Types Are Available?

• 5.56 FMJ / Range ammo — M193 ball and standard training loads
• 5.56 Green Tip / M855 — 62gr steel-core penetrator for barrier performance
• 5.56 Match Grade — 69—77gr OTM/BTHP for precision and competition
• Bulk 5.56 (500+ rounds) — Case quantity deals and ammo cans

How Much Does 5.56 NATO Ammo Cost Per Round in 2026?

5.56 NATO is the highest-volume rifle cartridge in the U.S. market, driven by the enormous installed base of AR-15 platform rifles — see AR-15 ammo cost per round across 5.56, .223 and .300 BLK for the three chamberings side by side. The two standard military loads — M193 (55gr FMJ) and M855 (62gr green tip) — anchor the price floor for the caliber.

M193-spec ammunition from PMC, Wolf Gold, and Federal American Eagle varies in price by manufacturer and quantity, and the lowest per-round prices usually come from bulk purchases of 500—1,000 rounds. As of November 11, 2026, 5.56 NATO ammunition shows a median observed price of $0.799 per round across 30 tracked retailers (30-day window, 17,760 daily-best observations across 873 products). By purpose, range/practice (FMJ-class) ammunition has a median of $0.564 per round and premium/defensive (JHP, hunting, match) has a median of $1.20 per round. M855 green tip usually carries a small premium over M193 due to the steel penetrator core and slightly more complex manufacturing.

Chamber compatibility: 5.56 NATO is loaded to higher pressure than .223 Remington. A rifle marked .223 Remington only is not rated for 5.56 ammunition — verify the barrel chamber marking before firing 5.56. Check the barrel marking and the firearm manufacturer's manual.

5.56 Match-Grade and Precision Loads

The match-grade segment costs considerably more per round than FMJ. The standard competition and precision loads are 69gr, 75gr, and 77gr OTM/BTHP bullets — Sierra MatchKing and Hornady ELD Match are the dominant bullet choices. Federal Gold Medal Match 77gr SMK is a widely used reference load for AR-15 precision at distance; Hornady Black 75gr BTHP is another common heavy-bullet load, typically at a lower price point.

For shooters building an AR for both home defense and range use, the 75gr—77gr OTM loads serve double duty: they are an alternative to M193 or M855 for that dual use.

Ballistics data for M193, M855, and 77gr OTM: For velocity, energy, bullet drop, and wind drift across all three standard 5.56 loads — including 16" vs 20" barrel velocity differences and 600-yard energy retention — see the 5.56 ballistics chart.

5.56 vs .223 Remington — Price Comparison

The price summary at the top of this page covers ammunition labeled .223 Remington and ammunition labeled 5.56 NATO together, as one .223/5.56 comparison family. It does not price the two labels separately.

5.56 NATO Market Trends

The 5.56 NATO market is well-supplied as of early 2026, with domestic production from Federal, Winchester, and Hornady supplemented by imports from PMC (South Korea), IMI (Israel), and various Eastern European producers. For current brass-cased FMJ pricing, see the observed price summary at the top of this page.

5.56 NATO Guides & Buying Advice

• 5.56 ballistics data and terminal performance — Velocity, energy, drop, and wind drift for M193, M855, and 77gr OTM from 16" and 20" barrels
• 5.56 home defense loads compared — Top defensive picks with over-penetration analysis
• 5.56 vs .223 — what's the difference? — Pressure specs, chamber compatibility, and what's safe to shoot
• 5.56 ammo types explained: M193 vs M855 vs soft point — Which military and civilian loads to buy for each use case
• .300 Blackout vs 5.56 for home defense — Suppressor, barrel length, and over-penetration tradeoffs
• Steel case vs brass case ammo — Is cheap steel-cased 5.56 safe to shoot?
• Ammo shortage 2026 — Live look at which calibers are tightening, which are softening, and where 5.56 sits

Related Calibers — .223 Rem, .308 Win, .300 BLK

• .223 Remington — Lower pressure spec, same dimensions. Often interchangeable in practice.
• .308 Winchester — Full-power rifle cartridge for longer range and larger game.
• .300 Blackout — Same AR-15 lower, optimized for short barrels and suppressors.
• 6.5 Creedmoor — Purpose-built long-range precision cartridge.
• .350 Legend — Straight-wall AR-15 option for Midwest deer hunting regulations.

5.56 NATO Ammo Brands — Federal, Hornady, PMC & More

• Federal — American Eagle, Gold Medal Match, XM193. Range through precision.
• Winchester — M855 green tip and bulk FMJ. Major military contract producer.
• Hornady — Frontier, Black, and ELD Match. Wide price range from budget to precision.
• CCI — Blazer Brass .223. Budget training option.
• Remington — UMC .223.
• Fiocchi — Italian-made .223 FMJ. Competitive bulk pricing.
• Prvi Partizan — Serbian mil-spec M193. Budget brass-cased option.

Where to Buy 5.56 NATO Ammo Online

• Lucky Gunner
• Palmetto State Armory — Frequent sales and case deals on M193/M855
• Target Sports USA — Free shipping on case quantities for members
• MidwayUSA — Wide selection from budget to match-grade
• Sportsman's Warehouse — Online and in-store pickup options