22 Arc vs 223 Remington: Cartridge Breakdown, Pros, & Cons

It seems like the newest fad is to take America’s favorite rifle, the AR-15, and chamber it in some new whizbang cartridge. It’s true we’ve likely drawn every ounce of performance we can from 5.56 and .223 Remington, so all that’s left to do to make better rifles is address the cartridges. Hornady has introduced an entire line of new cartridges called the ARC, or Advanced Rifle Cartridge. This lineup includes three cartridges as of this writing, with the .22 ARC, the 6mm ARC, and the .338 ARC. 

The closest to the classic .223 Remington design is the .22 ARC. Today we are going to take a critical look at both cartridges and contrast and compare their performance, their availability, and the logistics necessary to shoot one, as well as what each caliber works best for. 

What They Have In Common 

Both cartridges use a .224 sized projectile and both share an overall length. Off the bat you might ask why this matters. Remember, America’s Rifle, the AR-15 is the most popular gun in the country. To make sure the .22 ARC would function in the AR-15, they had to ensure a common bullet diameter and overall length. 

Both cartridges are AR compatible but could easily find their way into bolt guns, semi-autos, and whatever else you could dream up. That’s a lot to have in common, but they have even more that separates the two cartridges. Let’s break it down piece by piece.

Projectile Differences 

Both guns use the .224 projectile, but the two cartridges use different weight projectiles. The .223 Rem use projectiles that weigh anywhere from 35 to 77 grain. The most common are 55 and 62 grains. This sticks the .223 Remington in the lighter weight projectile movement. 

The .22 ARC tends to stick to heavier projectiles. It can launch projectiles faster and further and the use of heavier projectiles, like 88 grain .224 creates a better long range cartridge. It has less wind deflection, and carries more energy. 

Case Differences 

The case length remains the same between the two, but it looks like the .22 ARC ate donuts every morning. The .22 ARC uses a 6.5 Grendel case as its parent case. It’s fatter, thicker, and has 17% more case capacity. 

More case capacity means more powder, and more powder means the cartridge can fire heavier rounds further and faster. It also creates a few issues, but they are arguably minor. First, the thicker case creates less magazine capacity in the same space. 

The .22 ARC can only fit 25 rounds in the same space, while the .223 Remington can squeeze 30 rounds. Another minor difference is the thinner bolt head for AR-15 caliber rifles. The bigger case requires the bolt head to be thinner to accommodate it and still fit in an AR-15 platform. A thinner bolt head is a weaker bolt head, but it’s not a huge difference; it comes down to the people making the bolt and its quality. 

Accuracy and Range 

Both the .223 Remington and .22 ARC can be very accurate cartridges. There is a lot to be said for the gun, the shooter, and the environment can contribute to accuracy. With that said, if we were to judge the accuracy by the available cartridges, the .22 ARC would pull ahead. 

In a world where cheap steel case .223 Rem exists, and M855 and M193 5.56 are all over the market the average accuracy of the .223 and 5.56 are lowered. The .22 ARC only comes in premium ammunition lines from what I can tell. 

Additionally, I feel comfortable saying the .22 ARC is more accurate because it is more accurate at longer ranges. It can easily exceed the effective range of .223 Remington and remain accurate. The point of the .22 ARC was to create a cartridge that could replicate the performance of the famed .22-250 cartridge but in an AR platform. 

The .22 ARC can reach out and hit small game with great effect at 400 to 500 yards. Flipping coyotes at 400 is something the round can easily do with the right rifle and skill level. Target shooters can reach out to 1,000 yards, which is a game changer for an AR rifle. 

The drop at 400 yards with a 62-grain ELD-VT is about 64 inches compared to .223 Remington, which is around 118 inches. There are variances depending on zero distance, weather, and more, but this is a decent illustration of the advantage of the .22 ARC. 

Velocity-wise, a 62-grain .22 ARC round moves about 300 feet per second faster than the .223 Remington. 

The .22 ARC achieves this goal and can even do it through shorter barrels than the .22-250. Obviously, the longer 18 to 20, and even 24-inch barrels can generate more velocity, but the .22 ARC can outperform the .223 Rem even from short barrels. 

At the end of the day, the .22 ARC can go further, faster, and straighter than the .223 Remington. 

Recoil 

More case capacity and more powder will translate to more recoil. How much more? In my experience it’s minor. Very minor in fact. When you shoot a .223 Rem side by side with a .22 ARC it’s a noticeable difference, but this isn’t a shoulder thumping cartridge. It doesn’t even reach 7.62x39mm in terms of recoil. 

It’s tough to find an apt comparison. In an AR, which is where all my experience with .22 ARC, the caliber still falls into that soft shooting category. In fact, the difference is most noticeable when you shoot the two calibers side by side. 

If money was on the line the .223 Remington has lighter recoil, but from a practical perspective it doesn’t matter all that much.

Price and Availability 

The .223 Rem has been around for decades now. Its adoption by the military as the 5.56 only made it more popular. It’s the most popular centerfire rifle round. This means it’s cheap, at least cheaper than the .22 ARC. Way cheaper than the .22 ARC. You can find .223 Rem for less than 50 cents a round, which is one of the highest prices we’ve seen in years.

The .22 ARC sells for a little bit more than a dollar a round. It’s twice the price. Admittedly, it doesn’t seem like there is any budget worth .22 ARC. It’s also a premium grade ammunition design for hunting, precision shooting and similar tasks. There isn’t a cheap FMJ meant for plinking with this cartridge. 

The .22 ARC can be harder to find as well. It’s new, so it’s not guaranteed to be at your local gun store or even a big box store. The .223 Remington, on the other hand, is everywhere. It’s popular and common and comes in more configurations and from more companies than you can shake a stick at. 

Luckily, the internet exists! You can get .22 ARC from nearly any online gun store. Sadly, that raises the price because we must then factor in shipping. It’s not a cheap cartridge, and it’s likely not one you’ll be plinking with. 

Logistics 

The cost is only half the battle. Obtaining the ammo is the other. We covered the internet, so it’s obtainable. What about the rest of the logistics? Namely guns and magazines? The .223 Rem’s age and popularity give it a clear victory here/ 

Guns have been produced for the .223 Remington longer than I’ve been alive. The stock standard AR-15 is the most popular rifle in the world, and millions of rifles are produced in .223. The magazines are the same. They’re everywhere and easily available to the end user at low prices and in various configurations. 

The .22 ARC hasn’t quite met that scale yet. Admittedly there are a surprising amount of ARs available. This includes 24-inch bull-barreled beasts designed for long-range precision and stuff like 12.5-inch braced pistols. The options are most certainly out there. 

Additionally, stuff like magazines can be a little tougher to find. The .22 ARC uses 6.5 Grendel mags, so it’s not rare or difficult to find, thanks to the internet, but your options are limited. Those curved magazines are certainly distinct. 

When we compare the logistics of the two, the .223 Remington is more common, more available, and cheaper. 

.223 Remington vs. .22 ARC 

The .22 ARC excels for hunting and long-range shooting. The .22 ARC can reach out to and touch targets, which makes it a great choice for PRS style competitions with a gas gun. The .22 ARC throws that little bullet fast, which translates to excellent energy. The .22 ARC excels at killing deer and smaller game with the right projectile. 

If you want something more affordable and more common, the .223 Remington is the way to go. It’s perfect for action shooting sports like Three Gun, Tactical Games, PCSL, and more. These types of competitions don’t have the same range and accuracy requirements as PRS, and the .223 is cheap enough to shoot a lot of them. 

The .223 Remington, and the 5.56, excel for defensive use. It’s a great home defense cartridge and the relatively low price makes it suitable for lots of training to sharpen those defensive skills. 

The .22 ARC doesn’t replace the .223 Remington entirely. Rather, it offers a better option to extend the range of our ARs and to create a small caliber varmint cartridge that’s not held back by its age. The cartridge flies further, faster, and hits harder. It combines the best features of the .223 Rem and the .22-250. 

Both offer some distinct advantages, and as always, you’ll have to weigh their pros and cons and decide for yourself. 

Top Picks for .223 & .22 Ammo Boxes

Whether you choose the 223 Remington or 22 ARC, be sure to get yourself a case that can hold all of your ammo. See blow for our personal favorites:

Best for .223 Remington Sheffield 12626 Ammo Storage Box		See on Amazon
Best for .22 ARC Frankford Arsenal Hinge-Top Ammo Boxes		See on Amazon