Effective Penetration of .223

A

AR-10

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I have read several times that a .223 cal. 55gr. projectile will fragment upon impacting a sheetrock wall. Is this true? Always? Sometimes?

The reason I ask is this. Last summer I was shooting an AR-15 with a 16" barrel(no brake) at 100 yards. Once, out of curiosity, I set up a piece of angle iron 3"X3"x5/16" about 7" long, and shot it three times at 100 yards. All three rounds penetrated completely and cleanly. The holes were cratered outward on both sides of the metal and it is pretty obvious the rounds "melted" their way through the angle iron.

I've never tried shooting through a mock-up of an exterior house wall. Will the bullet fragment upon piercing the sheetrock and fail to penetrate one inch of wood siding? Or will this only happen with "Tactical" rounds?

What I am really interested in is the performance of typical 55gr. Winchester or Milsurp 5.56, as I think this is what most people have lying around. I have no desire to spend twice as much on "Tactical" ammo, nor do I have any plans to use an AR-15 as a "house gun". I do wonder though, if some of the people who say they would use an AR for that purpose realize what their neighbors might be experiencing as a result.

So, what do you think? Will it fragment, or keep on going, or both?
 
Just like the Energizer Bunny...

...they'll keep going and going and...

If you are talking about 55 gr ball, they will penetrate for a while. I had a pistol range set up with a wall of oak ties that was 7" thick and had been there two years (read seasoned). A 20" AR-15 would put 55 gr ball through it EVERY time. Nothing but splinters on the back side.

Mikey
 
Mikey

That is kind of what I figured. I really do wonder about the tactical ammo that is supposed to fragment. I don't remember off hand what it costs,but I know Ammoman and others have it on hand. I may break down and pay the price for a box or two of rounds and try it out on a mock-up wall this Spring. Seeing is believing.

Just about any ammo I can think of will penetrate 1/2" of sheetrock and 1" of wood,except maybe .22 or .25. I know .38 ball or hollowpoint will,although it probably doesn't have much energy left upon exit.

Anyway, thanks for the info.
 
After reading an artical in the march/april American Handgunner about home defense ammo,Clint Smith recommended a short .223 AR-15 rifle.They tested a Colt AR-15A2 with a 16" barrel and fired Federal's 40gr. hollowpoint and it penetrated only 6.7" into a geletin mass with 87% fragmentation.They also shot Winchester 53gr. hollowpoint and it went only 8" into the gelatin with 72.5% fragmentation.All delivered massive cavitation and they said none of these .223 bullets were likely to exit the body of an average male on a frontal torso shot.
 
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