To the "AR15 for HD" Crowd

[Waywatcher]

55 grain Nosler Ballistic Tips.

Would feel comfortable with almost anything, but these are scary accurate and reliable in mine.

 

[sgtstryker]

I keep the carbine loaded with 55 gr ball ammo, Federal 193. At HD range, no reason to not make an accurate double tap.

 

[dldbrandon]

Here is a great article that goes into great detail about what works and why, in several calibers.

http://ammo.ar15.com/project/Self_Defense_Ammo_FAQ/index.htm

 

[kfgk14]

55 grain FMJ. If the 60 rounds of it in the Surefire mag doesn't take care of them, I don't know what will.

On the general subject of AR's for home defense:

Call me paranoid, but I don't want to find myself pumping 9mm's into some meth head in a ballistic vest and him still stumbling onward. I'd rather hit him with a wall of 55 grain FMJ that will make it through his vest and kill him. I don't worry about over penetration, I'm out in the middle of nowhere. Anyone within range of getting killed by my rounds going through my walls is up to no good anyway. My home is a concrete block construction, I.E. cinderblocks filled with concrete, then there's wood stacked 6 feet high around the whole house. The likelihood of over penetration is almost nullified and if the rifle over penetrates, the guy is probably in my yard anyway, so he's up to no good. Also, I'm a faster, better shot with an AR-15 than I am with a handgun. The AR can engage someone at longer ranges, which where I am is valuable.

 

[taliv]

remember that what you post on the internet isn't anonymous and may come back to haunt you in the unlikely event you are involved in a shooting

 

[sixgunner455]

I use Winchester Ranger 64gr PowerPoint, because I have several boxes of it that I got an excellent deal on. My friends in the BP tell me that's the load they use as well.

Why the AR over the shotgun? More compact, for one thing. 30 round magazine vs. 3-9. Semi-auto vs. pump (for most defensive shotguns). Low recoil. Accurate way further. Yeah, most defensive shootings are up close and personal, they are in the military, too, and the accuracy is there for if you need it - just in case your shooting isn't the norm. Fast reload back to 30 rounds, or 60 if you got a Surefire mag. Least worry of overpenetration in household building materials of all common defensive firearms.

Reasons to pick a shotgun? If you already have one, or if you can't afford an AR, you can get into a perfectly functional gun for a couple hundred bucks. Or, if you just like them better.

 

[Quaamik]

Zach S and Helotaxi,

You misinterperted my statement.

I'm not asking "why" you choose a AR (or any rifle) for HD. I'm suggesting that the reason why it is being used has a large bearing on what ammo is best for it.

For example: Lets say your home is remote, with several hundred yards between you and a nieghbor (or completely out of sight of nieghbors) and you run a risk where repelling a home invasion may require you to be able to respond to people firing on you from outside your home, possibly from cover. The best ammo for you may not be the best ammo for someone who lives in a 1000 square foot home that is seperated from his nieghbor by 8 feet. In one situation penetration is an asset. In the other its a liability.

 

[jad0110]

Lake City M855

And Lake City XM193 for me. Will it penetrate more than a Hornady TAP? Probably, but likely no worse than your typical slow, heavy 45 ACP slug.

The most popular .223/5.56mm bullets, 55- and 62-grain FMJ, rely on yawing/fragmentation in soft tissue to maximize stopping power. Yawing/fragmentation only occurs above a certain velocity, hence some concerns being raised over downrange stopping power particularly when fired from carbine-length barrels.

While that is true, even carbine length barrels will generate enough velocity at up to 100 yards (maybe even 200 for 55 grain M193) to result in yawing/fragmentation that make many 5.56 rounds such nasty buggers in the anti BG roll. The absolute furthest distance inside my home is about 20 yards (my home is very open) with a realistic distance of 7 to 10 yds, and the drop in velocity at that range is negligible. And as another poster said, if you are shooting much beyond that, most likely you'd better have a heck of a lawyer at your side.

TAP is still the best option though, if you can afford to shoot enough of it through your rifle (and each mag you are going to rely on) to verify reliability. I may switch one day, at least in my primary mag, but for now I'm comfortable with 193s.

 

[Aiko492]

Hornady TAP 75 gr BTHP x 4 mags, always kept loaded-one in my Daniel Defense.

 

[Onmilo]

Usually 52 grain hollowpoint handloads in the 1-9 rifles or 64 grain softpoints in the 1-7 guns because that is what I have the most of.

 

[Sidian]

Priorities when deciding which round to use in an AR for HD:

1. Training
2. Training
3. Training
4. Shot placement.
5. Know what's behind the target
6. Training
7. Type of ammo.

If and when you get to type of ammo for HD, read this thread for opinions, keeping in mind they are not necessarily fact or real world experience.

 

[68wj]

Hornady 110 VMax

 

[762gunr]

TAP but in the lightest bullet you can find. The whole point with home protection is being resonsible for overpenetration. A lighter hollow point will have more FPS and will frag faster than the slower heavier hollow point. Ideally you want a round that explodes on hard contact not drive thru it. People are ass backwards buying heavy for caliber in TAP. My SCAR 7.62 holds 110 grain TAP right now.

 

[browningguy]

Currently my AR for HD has a magazine filled with Black Hills 55 gr. SP. Although honestly I would be happy using any of the SP loads from 55-75 gr.

 

[taliv]

good grief people. if you're going to bump a year old thread, have a good reason