FMJ vs. BTHP for general offense/defense

[ChCx2744]

If you discounted all mitigating circumstances of people possibly being in your background, blah blah blah, which of these 2 rounds would you rather have in your AR for an all around defensive/offensive round?

If you see over penetration as a GOOD thing and don't care about extreme trauma to organs and whatnot, I could see FMJ as a good round, as it may go through things like thick wooden doors, auto metal, etc. a bit more effectively than a BTHP round...

If you think more bodily damage is important and do not find a need for more penetration, I guess you would opt for a BTHP round...

I, personally, carry BTHP rounds in my initial SHTF magazines, but the rest are loaded with good quality (Federal brand) FMJ ammo...I think I should be good to go...

Anyone else?

I made this as a general thread instead of a poll because I actually read the replies to apply a decision in real life, rather than just looking at the overall poll numbers and going off that...

-edit-

CRAP I just noticed that I put JHP instead of FMJ hahaha Yea, I meant to put FMJ vs. BTHP sorry...Fixed.

 

[rcmodel]

I like heavier plastic-tip Varmint bullets, be they Hornady V-Max, or Nosler Ballistic Tip.
Think home-rolled TAP ammo.
They give devastating expansion & good penetration.

There is no doubt that any good SP, HP, or BT is a much better stopper / killer then FMJ.

If you don't think so, go hunting some time with a .223.

rc

 

[ElToro]

i keep a few mags of Hornady 155 AMAX TAP ready to roll for my SOCOM.... in case the need ever arises.
cycles reliably and if necessary i could shoot a deer or pig or coyote.

.308 rifle definitely not my first choice for bump in the night home defense, i use a handgun for that, becuase i live in suburbia. now i just got back from a week in Tennesee on my father in laws place. he has 50 acres, bordered by a wide river and VERY long distances between structures. you can not even visually see his next neighbors houses from his land. its about a 3/4 mile walk to the paved road from his house site.. now at his place i would feel okay with a rifle. he occasionaly pops rabbits in his field with a .22 from his porch.

 

[SaxonPig]

If you are talking about center fire rifle calibers then any bullet type will kill a man deader than crap... and blow through several walls and kill your neighbor.

 

[ChCx2744]

I said AR..I SHOULD HAVE said in .223 Rem...lol...but I do understand not all ARs are opted for in .223 Rem...

 

[Al Thompson]

The only reason to carry FMJ would be reliability issues. (or regulations) As far as a boat tail, not needed until your over 200 yards and you could make a good argument for 300 yards. Only thing a boat tail does is help ballistics.

 

[ChCx2744]

I keep hearing that soft points are the best for defense and proper expansion...

 

[C-grunt]

For home defense I prefer the HP/SP rounds to maximize damage and minimize over penetration. That being said for the offense, ie.. SHTF or we get invaded, Ill take the extra penetration of the FMJ. In battle people tend to hide behind things. Also from personal experience the FMJ 5.56 still does some impressive amounts of damage.

 

[RyanM]

75 gr BTHPs are the only type of .223 bullet in my entire house.

 

[Tim the student]

I have a really low opinion of 5.56 FMJ on people. I have experience with that, but none with other types of bullets.

 

[Matrix187]

Did you use m193 or SS109/M855 ball?

 

[WardenWolf]

The way I look at it: FMJ will always get through unless it hits something very solid. The "other" rounds may be stopped by a vest or a solid object. So it's guaranteed lesser damage vs. potential greater damage. Take your pick. Of course, you can always stack your magazine. Not normally recommended, but it has its merits. If you do this, put the FMJ on top. That way you've got a more guaranteed first shot.

 

[TexasRifleman]

75 gr BTHPs are the only type of .223 bullet in my entire house.

For any "real" use that's all I will have as well.

Either Hornady TAP or, when I can get them, Black Hills Mk262Mod1.

I wouldn't use anything else for defensive purposes in an AR/223 whatever.

 

[highorder]

I use 62gr. HP from Silver Bear. Say what you will.

It's accurate and burns clean in my carbine.

 

[Art Eatman]

Whatever cartridge I use, I figure that whatever load makes a double-handful of mush inside of Wily Coyote or Bambi oughta be good enough for Mr. Bad Guy.

Penetration? I know that a 52-grain HPBT from a .22-250 will go through the wall of a double-wide and then on an angle through two inches of hard-rock maple before the pieces are stopped by clothing inside the drawer. Probably would do Really Bad Things inside a fella...