Performance 5.56 v .223

[Fargo]

Not "any" round, and that's based on real shooting scenes.
.

What round didn't penetrate an interior wall? I'm not trying to argue with you, I honestly want to know for my own edification. Thanks.

 

[gmcttr]

FWIW, for those concerned with accuracy, 3 moa across a 20' room is only 0.2".

 

[Jimb]

One other point against using something along the lines of M855 type ammo is lack of soft tissue damage. Those types of bullets have a tendency to basically poke a hole through and through, and unless they directly hit something critical, wounds are not usually immediately incapacitating. Almost any good controlled expansion bullet will do a better job at incapacitating while at the same time easily penetrating walls and other light barriers. Heck, even a frangible 223 bullet can penetrate multiple walls so there is no need for special enhanced penetration bullets just for that.
Also M855 ammo is not noted for its accuracy, in my experience (my rifles and witnessing friend's rifles) at best it is 3-4 MOA ammo. Unless the rifle is really crappy it seems to be fairly easy to find hunting type ammo that is significantly more accurate, in the 1.5 MOA area. That may not be much at across the room range but it could be enough to turn a solid hit into a minor wound or a wounding shot into a clean miss.
If I ever have to use a firearm in self defense, and I hope I never have to, I want everything possible to be in my favor. That includes bullets that will inflict the most damage with the most accuracy.

I understand what you are saying. What brand/type would be a good suggestion in your opinion? Cost really not an issue, because I would only keep a couple mags loaded up with this anyway?

 

[Jimb]

First AR?

Buy the cheapest ammo you can find. Buy a lot of it. Practice shooting. Practice running through your house at night (with no ammo). Shoot stuff. Shoot other ammo at other stuff. Shoot some more. Run around your house some more.

Somewhere along the way you'll find your answer. All this internet debate over which ammo is the best for _____ is just debate because nobody knows what _____ will be for you. All the guys above are right with their technical information. But it's just technical information. Do those 13-year-old kids in Africa with tires on their feet and beat up old AKs care which bullet is best? They seem to do OK at war fighting. I bet they don't waste much time on which load is best.

How realistic should my running around the house at night be......is clothing required. lol
Just kidding....seriously, I get what you are saying.

 

[johntheplinker]

I understand what you are saying. What brand/type would be a good suggestion in your opinion? Cost really not an issue, because I would only keep a couple mags loaded up with this anyway?

Currently I'm using a Federal 64 gr. Power Shok loading. I have shot a bunch of it at a bunch of stuff and for a HD load it has done well in my testing. However, next time I order ammo I'm going to replace the Federal with Speer 64 gr. Gold Dot load. What I've shot has been very impressive. Plus the bonded bullet gives me added insurance against any sort of bullet failure.

 

[natdscott]

Ya'll ever seen what a 65 GameKing can do in front of...oh...25-26 grains of AA 2520?


I know. It's not flashy. It doesn't come in an expensive glossy box. It doesn't even have any plastic.

But when you see how it performs, you too will know that THAT is self defense ammo.


-Nate

 

[BehindBlueI's]

What round didn't penetrate an interior wall? I'm not trying to argue with you, I honestly want to know for my own edification. Thanks.

One, or one to three? That's a different fish kettle.

The 55gr softpoint tend to start breaking up and tumbling on the first one. The second wall looks more sandblasted than shot. The issue with things like the box o' truth is the sheets of dry wall are very close together, do not let the fragments spread, tumble, and decelerate as much as they would in real rooms. I've also seen some fmj that did really, really, poorly with jacket separation and lack of penetration through light barriers like an aluminum window frame, but I don't know what brand it was.

 

[LPMan59]

So if we want to avoid over penetration through walls, what's the best round for .223?

conversely, what is preferred for all out shtf? Hornady 75gr TAP?

 

[Fargo]

So if we want to avoid over penetration through walls, what's the best round for .223?

conversely, what is preferred for all out shtf? Hornady 75gr TAP?

I dunno on the over penetration. All out shtf I would say the bonded federal tactical.

 

[johntheplinker]

So if we want to avoid over penetration through walls, what's the best round for .223?

conversely, what is preferred for all out shtf? Hornady 75gr TAP?

I'd say a light weight, thin jacketed varmint bullet would be the least likely to over penetrate.

 

[BehindBlueI's]

So if we want to avoid over penetration through walls, what's the best round for .223?

conversely, what is preferred for all out shtf? Hornady 75gr TAP?

https://pistol-forum.com/showthread.php?4344-5-56-mm-Duty-Loads breaks down loads that are good for when intermediate barriers are a concern vs when they aren't.

We use 55 gr Federal Bonded Softpoint, and they've had trouble getting through cars and dealing any real damage. The FBI Spec cartridge as listed in the link above, per a contact of mine who's investigated several OIS using them, do quite well through auto glass or door panels.

 

[Fargo]

https://pistol-forum.com/showthread.php?4344-5-56-mm-Duty-Loads breaks down loads that are good for when intermediate barriers are a concern vs when they aren't.

We use 55 gr Federal Bonded Softpoint, and they've had trouble getting through cars and dealing any real damage. The FBI Spec cartridge as listed in the link above, per a contact of mine who's investigated several OIS using them, do quite well through auto glass or door panels.

You guys use the 55 grain TRU not the 62 grain TBBC FBI load?

 

[Greyson]

Yah, thats what I was going to say... even a well thrown sandbag can penetrate drywall. If a round won't penetrate several layers of wall, do ya really want to trust it to stop bad guys?

 

[oldpink]

Yah, thats what I was going to say... even a well thrown sandbag can penetrate drywall. If a round won't penetrate several layers of wall, do ya really want to trust it to stop bad guys?

If a round penetrates several layers of wall, do you trust it not to kill your neighbor, someone walking past your house, or one of your family members?

 

[Jimb]

If a round penetrates several layers of wall, do you trust it not to kill your neighbor, someone walking past your house, or one of your family members?

See what you are shooting at....standard, common sense firearms practice that eliminates this issue in most cases.

 

[Leo]

I would think soft point hunting ammo would be the logical choice when using a rifle at pistol distances against a mammal

 

[45Guy]

223 is fine for training and plinking, but only to a point. When you have gotten comfortable with your new rifle you then need to drill with whatever ammo you plan to use for defense. What you will find is that your point of impact will be different than with your plinking ammo. Also study the ballistic charts for 223 and 556 because it has a very interesting climb which makes the point of impact very different at 25 yards verses 100 or 200 yards.

 

[natdscott]

What are you talking about 45Guy?

It's the same round. Really, only the load's pressure characteristics in a given chamber make it one or the other.

And bullets don't appreciably climb. Ever.

-Nate

 

[indyjohn]

Also study the ballistic charts for 223 and 556 because it has a very interesting climb which makes the point of impact very different at 25 yards verses 100 or 200 yards.

Do you have a link for that?

 

[Jerryboy]

What are you talking about 45Guy?It's the same round. Really, only the load's pressure characteristics in a given chamber make it one or the other.And bullets don't appreciably climb. Ever.-Nate

Thank you. I try to explain that to shooters almost every day. None of them ever get it. The difference between the two is less than the tolerance of each. Its the same round. There's no other way to put it. Sometimes this helps guys understand.; if 5.56 has a higher psi cup than 223 rem. Why are all the chamber thickness identical? That should flick the light on. Buy 50 ar15 bbls. 25 in 223 and 25 in 5.56. The chamber walls thickness are identical. Otherwise they would not insert into the upper. Iv never even heard of a problem firing either in either. The leads are the same too. Every one iv measured anyways. 223 and 5.56 loves a jump anyways.