22 ARC vs. 223 Remington: Comparing .224 Caliber Cartridges

The 22 Advanced Rifle Cartridge (22 ARC) and 223 Remington (223 Rem) are very similar rounds with a few distinct differences that make one the better choice for most applications.

We’ll compare the 22 ARC vs. 223 Rem in terms of real-world performance, including their recoil, trajectory, and suitability for hunting and defense, so you can decide which .22 caliber rifle cartridge better suits your needs.

Let’s start discussing the differences between the 223 Rem and 22 ARC!

What’s the Difference Between 22 ARC and 223?

The most significant difference you’ll notice between these two rounds is between their base diameters. The observant will also see the difference in their projectiles. Yes, both fire 0.224” diameter bullets, but that’s where the bullets’ similarities end.

We’ll begin with the differences in cartridge specs and continue with how they affect performance.

Cartridge Specifications

The 22 ARC is often thought to be based on the 6mm ARC, though its parent case is actually the 6.5 Grendel. It utilizes a 0.224” diameter bullet, and has a case with a neck diameter of 0.221”, base diameter of 0.441”, and length of 1.525”. The overall length is 2.260”, with a case capacity of 34.6 grains H₂O and maximum pressure of 52,000 psi.

The .223 Remington descended from the .222 Remington parent case. It also fires a 0.224” diameter bullet. The case has a 0.253” neck diameter, 0.375” base diameter, 1.760” length, and capacity of 28.8 grains H₂O (slightly less than the 22 ARC). At 55,000 psi, the 223 Rem has a higher max pressure than the 22 ARC.

Recoil: 22 ARC vs. 223 Rem

I always compare recoil because it’s one of the first things a new shooter asks: “How hard does it kick?” A cartridge with more recoil kicks the muzzle farther off the target with each shot, thus slowing follow-up shots. Strong recoil can also cause the shooter to flinch, which further worsens marksmanship. The less recoil you feel, the more accurately you can fire.

Both rounds have virtually non-existent recoil, but we’ll dive in to give you a better idea for each. I base my comparison on free recoil energy because unlike “felt recoil” it is objective. It’s a measure of recoil determined by four variables: projectile weight, propellant weight, muzzle velocity, and firearm weight.

When a 62 grain 223 Rem bullet is fired from an 8-pound rifle at 3,025 fps muzzle velocity, it generates about 4 ft-lbs of recoil energy.

When a 62 grain 22 ARC bullet is fired from an 8-pound rifle at 3,300 fps muzzle velocity, it generates about 2.5 ft-lbs of recoil energy.

While the 22 ARC technically has less recoil, the difference is so minuscule that most shooters won’t notice much difference. This section is a tie.

Trajectory

A bullet’s trajectory is its path to the target. Although we often talk about “flat-shooting guns,” a bullet’s trajectory is rarely flat. Instead, it frequently resembles an arch: rising, plateauing, and ultimately dropping.

When fired at targets within 100 yards, most rifle cartridges exhibit virtually zero bullet drop. As distance increases, bullet drop becomes more pronounced. This is partly because a bullet’s velocity steadily slows throughout its trajectory. A bullet requires more time to cover 100-200 yards than 0-100. As a result, gravity has more time to exert its influence on a bullet as it covers farther distances.

When a 22 ARC 62 grain ELD-VT bullet is sighted in at 200 yards, it will drop -5.6” at 300 yards, -16.4” at 400 yards, and -33.5” at 500 yards. The 22 ARC is a flat-shooting cartridge.

When a 223 Rem 62 grain FMJ bullet is sighted in at 200 yards, it will drop -7.5” at 300 yards, -22.7” at 400 yards, and -48.2” at 500 yards.

While the 223 Rem has a reasonably flat trajectory, the 22 ARC was designed to have a flatter trajectory. It wins this section.

Accuracy: 223 Rem vs. 22 ARC

Shop 22 ARC Ammo

Accuracy is more often a function of the shooting platform and the shooter than of the cartridge itself. The ammo, rifle, environmental conditions, and shooter all affect a cartridge’s accuracy.

For the sake of argument, we’ll only consider the cartridges’ trajectories and recoil energy. Most shooters will find they are more accurate with the 22 ARC because it has slightly less recoil and a flatter trajectory: two characteristics that rarely go together.

The 22 ARC wins this section, but both cartridges are incredibly accurate in the hands of a capable shooter.

Ballistic Coefficient

A bullet’s ballistic coefficient (BC) reflects how effectively it resists wind deflection and frontal air resistance. Put another way, it’s a numeric representation of how aerodynamic a bullet is. A higher BC is preferable for long-distance shooting, as it indicates the bullet will exhibit a more predictable trajectory.

Sleeker, heavier bullets have higher BCs than bulkier, lighter projectiles. The 22 ARC capitalizes on high-BC bullets. Its G1 BC ranges from 0.395 to 0.485, while the 223 Remington’s ranges from 0.100 to 0.252.

The 22 ARC’s higher-BC projectiles win this section.

Stopping Power: 22 ARC vs. 223 Rem

“Stopping power” is a delicate subject amongst shooters. Some believe in getting by with as little power as possible, claiming a well-placed shot is effective regardless of bullet size. Others adhere to the go-big-or-go-home mentality, claiming a more powerful round compensates for less-than-ideal shot placement.

Let’s make things simple and agree that stopping power is determined by penetration depth, wound column diameter, and kinetic energy transfer.

Since both cartridges fire 0.224” diameter bullets in similar weights, they will inflict similarly wide and deep wound columns. However, the 22 ARC achieves higher velocities and conserves more kinetic energy downrange as a result.

A 62 grain ELD-VT 22 ARC bullet will have 1,081 ft-lbs of energy at 200 yards and 636 ft-lbs at 500.

A 68 grain BTHP 223 Rem bullet will have 906 ft-lbs of energy at 200 yards and 482 ft-lbs at 500.

While neither round has tremendous stopping power, the 22 ARC has more than the 223 Rem when firing similarly heavy bullets. It wins this section.

Hunting

Both cartridges can ethically harvest medium game like whitetail deer. However, some states prohibit the use of .22 caliber bullets for deer hunting.

These cartridges excel at varmint hunting. While the .22-250 Remington had been the gold standard for coyote hunting for many years, the 22 ARC now offers varmint hunters better ballistics. It’s certainly better for varmint hunting than the 223 Rem.

The 22 ARC offers hunters a little more stopping power and a flatter trajectory, so it wins this section.

Defense: 223 Remington vs. 22 Advanced Rifle Cartridge

I rarely recommend rifle cartridges for home defense because most of them are more likely to over-penetrate and endanger innocent bystanders than typical handgun cartridges. However, if I were forced to choose between these two cartridges for self-defense, I would use the 223 Remington because it has a few more bullet options (including subsonic rounds).

The 223 Remington wins this section.

Cost/Availability

Shop 223 Rem Ammo

Since the 22 ARC is still a new cartridge (especially compared to the 223 Rem), 22 ARC ammo is less abundant and more expensive. Hornady is currently the only major manufacturer producing it, so you won’t have as many bullet or price options for the foreseeable future. It’s still not expensive by rifle cartridge standards, but it’s costlier than 223 Rem ammo.

In contrast, nearly every ammo manufacturer makes 223 Rem. It’s abundant and relatively inexpensive for rifle ammo.

The 223 Rem wins this section.

Reloadability

Reloading is an excellent way to craft the perfect round for your firearm and save a little money. The initial investment in supplies and equipment deters most from starting to handload. But once upfront costs are behind you, you can create higher-quality ammo for low prices and enjoy total control over most of the process.

Both cartridges are reloadable with plenty of supplies, so this section is a tie.

Continue reading more about 22 ARC vs. 223 Remington: Comparing .224 Caliber Cartridges here.

Source: https://freedombunker.com/2025/03/16/22-arc-vs-223/