Best Home Defense Ammo

[CodyK]

Just wondering if y’all could give me some recommendations on ammo to have ready for home defense. I have the Ruger AR556. I have been using some inexpensive Federal rounds at the range, and I’m sure they would do well enough for both range and home, but if my families or my life is on the line, I want the best.


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[jrbfishn]

Personally, I would use a good dear hunting round that is fairly accurate in my rifle. FMJ was not designed to be fatal but to give more humane, less devastating wounds. Hunting rounds are much more effective just like HPs in a pistol. At home defense ranges, anything you can keep in a 2"-3" group at 100 yards would be more than sufficient.
In a pinch, anything that fires and is fairly accurate would be better than nothing.

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[toddnjoyce]

Stay away from steel core/green tips. Otherwise you should be fine.

Hornady Critical Defense 73gr should’ve be considered.

 

[Mikewood]

I would look specifically for a home defense round like Hornady Critical Defense. They are designed to expand at self defense distances and not over penetrate like hunting rounds.

 

[FireInTheWire]

Hornady Tap

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/100199873

 

[oldag]

Any good hollow point.

 

[Charlie]

Personally, I think a .223 is way too much gun for a house/apt. I think a shotgun or a pistol is plenty of firepower and lessens the chance of bullets penetrating walls, etc. Just my two bits.

 

[FireInTheWire]

Personally, I think a .223 is way too much gun for a house/apt. I think a shotgun or a pistol is plenty of firepower and lessens the chance of bullets penetrating walls, etc. Just my two bits.

Cool read; on the opposite end of that spectrum.

https://www.americanrifleman.org/articles/2015/5/26/the-ar-for-home-defense-one-experts-opinion

 

[Charlie]

Although I respect him for his opinion and thank him for his service, I disagree with some of his views. The greater majority of folks are not going to be as trained or have as much experience as he has. I'm sure it works great for him and others that have had the training and experiences he's had, but if we are talking about the average person, I don't think an AR is the best choice.

 

[oldag]

Personally, I think a .223 is way too much gun for a house/apt. I think a shotgun or a pistol is plenty of firepower and lessens the chance of bullets penetrating walls, etc. Just my two bits.

While I agree on a pistol being good for indoor use, pistol rounds (at least any decent round) will penetrate walls as well. The .223 tends to tumble after going through the first barrier, so from the test results I have seen it does not penetrate that much more than handgun rounds.

 

[Charlie]

An AR pistol, preferably in 300 BLK downloaded to or near subsonic would be a nice choice, IMHO. Wall penetration, but not overdone. And a magazine with lots of ammo in it!

 

[mongoose]

Speer Gold Dot seems popular with Law Enforcement.

 

[pronstar]

It’s counter-intuitive but there seems to be quite a bit of info stating:

Big, heavy and slow = more drywall penetration

Fast, light and small = less drywall penetration

00 Buck and 45 or 9mm penetrates more drywall than 5.56

https://www.guns.com/news/2015/09/17/self-defense-inside-the-home-avoiding-over-penetratio

http://preparedgunowners.com/2016/0...for-home-defense-fbi-overpenetration-testing/


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[FireInTheWire]

It’s counter-intuitive but there seems to be quite a bit of info stating:

Big, heavy and slow = more drywall penetration

Fast, light and small = less drywall penetration

00 Buck and 45 or 9mm penetrates more drywall than 5.56

https://www.guns.com/news/2015/09/17/self-defense-inside-the-home-avoiding-over-penetratio

http://preparedgunowners.com/2016/0...for-home-defense-fbi-overpenetration-testing/


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Bingo^^

 

[Bozz10mm]

Federal Fusion MSR 62 gr, Gold Dot 64 gr, Federal 64 gr Power Shok, or Fiocchi 55 gr .223 soft point.

 

[zackmars]

Personally, I think a .223 is way too much gun for a house/apt. I think a shotgun or a pistol is plenty of firepower and lessens the chance of bullets penetrating walls, etc. Just my two bits.

Shotguns and pistols will penetrate more drywall than .223/5.56.

5.56 will still penetrate a lot, but it looses velocity and energy faster than a pistol or shotgun

 

[zackmars]

Speer gold dot, 75gr. Fed fusion is also ok.

If i couldn't use those 2 loads, id go with IWI razor core in either 69gr ot 77gr

 

[Bithabus]

Stay away from steel core/green tips. Otherwise you should be fine.

This
Good old XM193 works great

 

[HKaltwasser]

I keep Hornady Spire Point or similar soft tips in mine. These expand and deform quick for minimal penetration and maximum damage. My neighbors are 2-300 yards away from me.

 

[RSBro]

Are people really comfortable with an AR in situations like this? I guess it just depends on time handling the firearm, whether it's rifle or handgun, I only keep a handgun available for home defense but I should probably look into changing that just for options and just in case... They're pretty much all I shoot, and I could pull my handgun with my eyes closed chamber a round, so it makes sense others are that comfortable/familiar with a rifle as well. I have Remington hollowpoints in mine.