Best 5.56 Ammo for Defensive Use...

[SpeedRacer]

If you could only have ONE mag of 5.56, what would you fill it with? I have plenty of M193 and M855 for SHTF duty, but now I'm looking for a couple boxes of the best stuff out there for the HD rifle. I'm totally out of the loop on this, since I've always focused on best bang/buck surplus type ammo.

 

[LouisianaRebel]

I bought some gold dot for mine... Couldn't afford more than one mag of it anyway.

 

[Richard in LA]

Black hills with the Barnes TSX 62 boolits.
http://www.midwayusa.com/viewproduc...urce=froogle&utm_medium=free&utm_campaign=653

 

[Aberdog1]

Black hills with the Barnes TSX 62 boolits.
http://www.midwayusa.com/viewproduc...urce=froogle&utm_medium=free&utm_campaign=653

I agree. I have been shooting Blackhills ammo for years. It's great stuff.
I use 55gr soft points on coyotes and its awsome.

 

[Mr_Willson]

nuclear tungsten polymer ninja bullets....


i'd use hornady TAP probably, i dunno

 

[SpeedRacer]

Black hills with the Barnes TSX 62 boolits.
http://www.midwayusa.com/viewproduc...urce=froogle&utm_medium=free&utm_campaign=653

I think we might have a winner.

 

[spanky]

If you could only have ONE mag of 5.56, what would you fill it with?

5.56

 

[SpeedRacer]

5.56

Sorry, the correct answer was .223

 

[SpeedRacer]

Assuming a home defense role, ranges of say 10-40 feet and worrying about penetration, 55gr or 62gr?

 

[jmcrawf1]

Black hills with the Barnes TSX 62 boolits.
http://www.midwayusa.com/viewproduc...urce=froogle&utm_medium=free&utm_campaign=653

Good god! 71.99???

 

[CloudStrife]

Good god! 71.99???

Box of 50

 

[jmcrawf1]

Box of 50

Yea, I know but that's still over $1 a round. I ain't used to those kind of prices.

 

[CloudStrife]

Yea, I know but that's still over $1 a round. I ain't used to those kind of prices.

Well, we're talking about HD ammo. He said one mag. If you have only one mag, filling it with the best won't set you back much.

 

[SpeedRacer]

Good god! 71.99???

About the same as any other high end HD ammo. Realistically none of us will EVER fire our rifles in self defense. If the day ever does come, I'd rather not be thinking about how I went cheap on the 6 or 7 rounds I may actually fire.

Believe me, I'm NOT looking to stock up on it.

 

[richiespng]

I've used and like the Cor-Bon 53gr DPX.

We have quite a few boxes in stock for anyone looking. $29.50 a box.

 

[tactical723]

Most popular with SWAT teams are 62 gr Hornady .223 REM TAP, bad to the bone, all nickel cased, very good Quality control and accurate as you are going to get, about $18.00 per box of 20, I have used this in the past to play around with for &^%(S and giggles on paper

 

[SpeedRacer]

I personally went with the 55 gr, directly from Barnes - Free shipping if you buy $100 worth - and they were the least expensive as well. 50/$69, IIRC.

Nice. Free shipping is nice, but I really only "need" one box, anyone else looking for one?

 

[Vigilante Sniper]

Hornady TAP works for me, plus it puts a 3 shot cloverleaf at 100 yds form my 20" RR

 

[fastmover]

The first retards though the door win 75grn TAP, after that everyone gets a life time supply of 55grn federal as close to COM as i can manage.

 

[Sin-ster]

Assuming you have a 1:7 twist...

The 75 grain TAP in 5.56 would be my choice for in the home, or anything inside 100 yards where I either desired minimal barrier penetration, or didn't expect to need it.

If a 1:9, you might get lucky and be able to stabilize this stuff (my RR can), but might be better off with something like the 69 grain SMK-- most of the big name companies load it.

The TSX, TBBC, all copper, super-ultra-maxi bonded stuff is a bit more consistent and seems (IMO) to be the best all around choice, if you had to choose one round for everything. Good on naked flesh at all ranges due to reliable expansion and energy transfer, they're also noted as being the best choices against intermediate stuff-- especially the ever problematic auto glass. You can also hunt with it, should the need arise, and they're all known as being incredibly accurate rounds. The most standard offerings are around 62/64 grains, so even a 1:9 should have no problems stabilizing them at range.

While I have a large chunk of M193 and M855, the first thing that gets loaded into my magazines when SHTF are these PSPs. Because I planned on stocking so many, cost honestly became a factor. My research revealed that they were all very similar in performance, and that the difference between certain tactical/combat rounds and hunting loads offered by the same company were a minor 100 fps or less.

Some folks did independent testing on hunting rounds like the Fusion and CorLokt stuff, and found it to perform almost identical to the higher end combat stuff. Depending on where you buy, the cost can be notably less. Basically, any soft point that's got a bonded jacket and boasts a muzzle velocity over 3k fps is going to get the job done. So I went with the Remington CorLokt in 62 grain, and never looked back. Relatively cheap, very accurate, and reportedly effective-- it has become my all purpose choice.

But my 870 carries the home defense duties, so my preparations have taken that for granted.