.223/5.56 ammo for hd with least wall pentration?

[EOC]

Trying to figure out what ammo would be best for lowest wall penetration for home defense in .223/5.56?

Any ideas would be awesome

 

[Manatee]

None.

The Box O' Truth #1 - The Original Box O' Truth - Page 1

 

[EOC]

thanks for link makes me not so comfortable about it now... sad that all of these companies out there like winchester pdx-1 advises there .223 round will be very minimal penetration in homes..

 

[nipprdog]

None.

The Box O' Truth #1 - The Original Box O' Truth - Page 1

That test was done with one brand of FMJ.

 

[netsecurity]

None.

The Box O' Truth #1 - The Original Box O' Truth - Page 1

That doesn't include frangible ammunition. Frangible ammo is meant to not over penetrate. Hornady has a good reputation for making ammunition that does what it is supposed to do.

 

[romad7]

Here's one on Federal frangible 223, only one pic at the bottom but it went through 8 boards of drywall.

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I thought that frangible was the way to go for low wall penetration but the truth is that any ammo that will be effective at stopping a person will also penetrate walls. In all the test that I looked at in my research, frangible ammo was either crap for SD (low power, wouldn't cycle, etc) or penetrated too many walls to be worth it.

Unless your walls are made of wood or block, frangible rounds will go right through. Practice and keep your head under stress by only engaging your target when the probability of making a hit are high. Knowing what is beyond your target is key as well, if there are kids in the house then aim higher and train the adults to get low when they hear gunfire.

 

[netsecurity]

In all fiarness, I think their test is flawed, and rather meaningless. For example. the drywall is too close together. How much force does it take to penetrate drywall? Not much. So how much force energy does the bullet have afer penetrating two pieces of drywall? Enough to penetrate four more sheets of drywall, but is that enough force to penetrate a person? Who knows. That doesn't change the fact that most of the lethal energy could've been expelled on the first sheet of drywall.

 

[U.S. Patriot]

I do not recommend using an AR as a SD tool inside your home. I do have my mag loaded with 55 grain Hornady Tap, as polymer tipped bullets expand more rapidly. If you miss though, it will zip right through any walls. So will most handgun rounds or 00 buck. I'm still going to use my pistol, because it's right beside me 24/7. My shotgun being my second choice. Fragmentation rounds are good for if you want to shot steel at close distance, and that's about it. They will not penetrate as deep as a good HP round, which to me makes them far less affective. Why use a less affective round in SD?

 

[U.S. Patriot]

In all fiarness, I think their test is flawed, and rather meaningless. For example. the drywall is too close together. How much force does it take to penetrate drywall? Not much. So how much force energy does the bullet have afer penetrating two pieces of drywall? Enough to penetrate four more sheets of drywall, but is that enough force to penetrate a person? Who knows. That doesn't change the fact that most of the lethal energy could've been expelled on the first sheet of drywall.

A guy I know had a negligent discharge with his 22 magnum rifle. It went clean through his dresser, the wall behind it, into the next room, and hit a dresser and stopped. Would you want to be hit with it after it penetrated throught the wall. What do you think a heavier and faster .223/5.56 bullet is going to do?

 

[djones]

I'm glad I have two 45-70s. I have shot 18 bhn cast boolits through 8 2x6s at 1400 fps at the muzzle. Hornady 300 grain hollow points penetrated three 2x6 boards. Pure lead may be your best bet for hd rounds but you better shoot it out of an air gun if you don't want holes in your drywall.

 

[HenryWallace]

Interesting find. Makes targeting and directionality all that more important inside the home.

 

[romad7]

This frangible ammo is even promoted as able to go through "stuff" and still kill on the other side. Most of the test that I have seen show that frangible ammo doesn't have an issue retaining energy through drywall but doesn't over penetrate things with more resistance like flesh, water, hardwood.

DRT Ammo .223 Barrier Test with Ballistics Gel - YouTube

 

[netsecurity]

A guy I know had a negligent discharge with his 22 magnum rifle. It went clean through his dresser, the wall behind it, into the next room, and hit a dresser and stopped. Would you want to be hit with it after it penetrated throught the wall. What do you think a heavier and faster .223/5.56 bullet is going to do?

Nope, I would not want to be hit with it. But OP asked for HD ammo that penetrates the least, and I guess I'd rather be hit with (pre-exploded) frangible debris than from a FMJ or hollow point. It isn't perfect, but it is the least penetrating. If it isn't good enough then don't use .223.

 

[Manatee]

To get out of a hole, one must first stop digging, Grasshopper.

 

[dprimm]

And if all you have is an AR for home defense? Some of us do not yet have other options. I too thought of the frangible for my 5.56, but saw the video and thought again. Course, a handgun round that will stop someone will also go through drywall.

so, provide options ...

Thanks

 

[Manatee]

And if all you have is an AR for home defense? Some of us do not yet have other options. I too thought of the frangible for my 5.56, but saw the video and thought again. Course, a handgun round that will stop someone will also go through drywall.

so, provide options ...

Thanks

A lot depends on your particular situation and environment. Obviously, an AR isn't the ideal situation in an apartment or a home with many occupants.

There are low-cost alternatives.

 

[churchmouse]

We did a not so scientific test on an old farm house due for demo on the family farm a few years back.
.223 PMC FMJ at 20 yds. out.

50% of the rounds made it all the way out the other side of the house if they did not hit multiple studs or some other hard object. Many went through multiple walls. This was a plaster and lath interior house.

Green tip 5.56 tore the house to shreds as you would think to happen.

 

[jd4320t]

And if all you have is an AR for home defense? Some of us do not yet have other options. I too thought of the frangible for my 5.56, but saw the video and thought again. Course, a handgun round that will stop someone will also go through drywall.

so, provide options ...

Thanks

Practice and train so your shots are on target. Center of mass hits.

 

[1911ly]

.223/5.56 are way over kill for HD. If you can only afford one gun and you want a house gun you need to sell your AR. You are going to way over penetrate. Dangerously so!

 

[Small's]

I disagree. From my experience or from what ive read and seen is that a 223 even a fmj will in most situations penetrate less than a 9mm through walls "house like structures". Alot of swat teams and police are moving more towards ar15's than small 9mm rifles like the h&k. A 223 is going alot faster and it "fmj" tends to tumble after it hits something and starts fragmenting. Besides going deaf i would be comfortable with a ar15 especially with a 55gr tap ammo. Its kind of the same reason i like using a 17hmr over a 22lr for shooting critters around the house. Almost never does the 17 go completely through a racoon or similiar critters. If you miss and hit a small branch it fragments into pieces. I laid a 20oz bottle of water on its side and shot it with a 17gr hornady and i found all of the lead in the bottle. While a 22lr even though its slower and heavier tends to penetrate more. Here are 3 good terminal ballistic videos from downrange tv with michael bane that bust a few myths and are a good watch. Terminal Ballistics - Part 3 | Down Range TV