Thanks to all who contributed to the .223 in combat thread! I can't say I'm convinced, but many excellent points were made and I can sure see it from both sides now. What I'm now wondering is, what's the point of the .223 for non-military home-defense use? As far as I can see (and I'm no expert), if you take away the impressive rate of fire of the M-16 and other .223-based platforms and take away their impressive capacity, you've taken away most of the reason to have one. It's still good for varmits and maybe medium-size game, of course, but if you've got the magazine cap and semi-auto only restrictions to consider, isn't it better to have more bang for your buck? You're not limited to FMJ in the civilian world, after all.
What about the .223 for civilian use?
- Thread starter Cosmoline
- Start date
WalterGAII
Moderator
Per your parens, I agree.
If you limit the scope of consideration to only "home-defense", then many people agree that you are suited well-enough with handguns and a 12 or 20 gauge pump shotgun (loaded with some shot, not slugs) for most home self-defense scenarios.
If we are talking about an invasion of marauding zombies, or aliens, then you have a distinctly different problem.
On a serious note, many have said that .223/5.56 is devastating when the terminal velocity is high.. high enough to basically shatter the bullet on impact. This is more likely to be the case the shorter the range. Another thing to consider is that a .223 will penetrate much less sheetrock than a more massy projectile like a 150gr .308.
-z
At short range (under 100 yards, where it's still putting up stratospheric velocity numbers) and with lightweight soft- or hollowpoint bullets (as opposed to steelcore) 5.56x45mm yields horrific wounds with less chance of penetrating multiple walls than 9x19mm or .45 ACP. Hence the increasing popularity of M4 carbines in civil situations that used to be the sole preserve of 9mm subguns.
I bought my AR-15 to cover my bases on the Zombie issue. For in the house I prefer other options. The ability to carry thirty rounds in the rifle and thirty rounds in each back pocket make Zombies seem a little less scary. The fact that they walk slow and don't duck is a big plus.
Art Eatman
Staff in Memoriam
I recall the first time I shot a jackrabbit with a GI-type bullet from a .223. Spread bunny-guts over a significant area. Don't be fooled by that so-very-thin full metal jacketed 50- or 55-grain or whatever it is; at close range it comes all apart as happily as a hollow-point.
At around-the-house distances, any center-fire rifle cartridge much above a GI Carbine will be as effective as any other. People have lived through a body-hit from an expanding bullet, but they didn't do much running and jumping after being wounded.
Doesn't matter. The only thing that counts is being able to hit with whatever rifle, pistol or shotgun you happen to have with you...
, Art
At around-the-house distances, any center-fire rifle cartridge much above a GI Carbine will be as effective as any other. People have lived through a body-hit from an expanding bullet, but they didn't do much running and jumping after being wounded.
Doesn't matter. The only thing that counts is being able to hit with whatever rifle, pistol or shotgun you happen to have with you...
, Art
P
PreserveFreedom
Guest
Some varmints have kevlar hides. Punch Through.
My AR15 wouldn't typically be my first choice of gun for home defense, but it would be my first choice in rifles for home defense. My shorty is shorter than my slug gun, light, accurate, and has the rare combination of devistating stopping power with almost no recoil. With a competition trigger, two or three follow up shots are so quick, that people at the range always ask me if it is full auto. High cap mags are avialable by the millions, and ammo of all types can be found everywhere. Twenty nine possible follow up shots is a comforting thought also. If I had reason to expect trouble (i.e. had been threatened)it would quickly become my first choice for home defense. Overkill, yeah probably, but there is only one winner in the home invasion scenerio and I want it to be me.