Would you use an AR 5.56/.223 for home defense

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Id say use what ever you have and are comfortable with. Me I have a Remington 870 loaded with 00 buck and a pair of 357 magnums (Loaded with 38 specials for less muzzle blast and flash)

This is only my opinion but I think a rifle would be my 3rd choice for home defense behind a Shot gun and a pistol.
 
I keep a BCM 14.5 middy under my bed with 4 loaded mags.

I live alone.. in the country.. where the police will take 30-45 mins (on a good night) and I don't need to worry about over penetration.
 
If you really believe someone is in your home call the police and let them clear it. Don't go looking for the threat around dark corners, in closets, under beds, etc. That's a dangerous job and can easily go south in a hurry. That's a job for a team.
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When seconds count, the police are only 15 minutes away.

If you want to entrust your life and that of your family to some guy 5-10 miles away while there is a ne'erdoer within your home, then I wish you the best. I'll be defending my family.
 
My first home defense choice would be my 12 gauge pump shotgun.

Would I hesitate to use my AR or SKS? Nope. My plan is to be the aggressor. I won't wait for backup that's likely to be too late.

Someone once said that a handgun is what you use to fight your way to a rifle or something to that effect. I guess I kind of agree, but in a home defense situation they can be quick and handle well in tight quarters.

I guess it depends on what the homeowner is most comfortable with.
 
If you really believe someone is in your home call the police and let them clear it. Don't go looking for the threat around dark corners, in closets, under beds, etc. That's a dangerous job and can easily go south in a hurry. That's a job for a team.
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I expect this bit of good advice to be ignored.
 
If you really believe someone is in your home call the police and let them clear it. Don't go looking for the threat around dark corners, in closets, under beds, etc. That's a dangerous job and can easily go south in a hurry. That's a job for a team.
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The whole family has to train to kill the threat then...
 
When these threads come up I have to suggest dogs as the first line of defense. The will give you extra time to react, before some one in your house becomes a hostage. I can tell you for fact that you will know if some nears the door step.
 
Would you use an AR 5.56/.223 for home defense​
Sure, but it's far from my first choice, you know what they say: Any port in a storm. Typically I like a revolver on the nightstand. If the sheriff's helicopter is orbiting the neighborhood, I'll break out a shotgun -- they might flush the BG my way.
 
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Sure if the above situation ever occurred and I had access to a rifle (223 would be my choice) I have all the confidence in my rifle shooting to make that shot in the distance provided in the house.
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The odds are very high that you'd miss or slot your child hostage by aiming an inch and a half too far to the left or right.

This is NOT what you want to do.

Good Lord.
 
Dogs are a good line of home defense. I like big ones. They make a lot of noise and would put off the vast majority of opportunists.
 
1st line-110lb Akita
2nd line-14.5"AR15
3rd line-CW9.....soon to be replaced with a FiveseveN with EA Protector 50gr.

My little town lost its Police Dept last year and we now depend on the next town over for anything. :eek:
 
The odds are very high that you'd miss or slot your child hostage by aiming an inch and a half too far to the left or right.

This is NOT what you want to do.

Good Lord.
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The odds are gone when you train and practice. Like I said, its confidence in your abilities that eliminate the odds of something going south.

I will guarantee you the odds of someone getting out of my sight with my granddaughter are about as close to zero as you can get.

People have doubts of making such a shot because they arn't willing to put in the time, effert, and expense to make the shot. I'm not one of those.
 
I wouldn't.

A good .45 with hollow points loaded to 850 fps will almost always remain in the "target" even at close range. Even standard fmj .45's tend to stay in the target more often than not.

I couldn't see a .223 round, hollow point or not, staying in the target at under 5 yards. I've seen these things punch through thick mud walls (yes hollow points). My biggest concern is the other people in the house. Are you willing to risk that a .223 might hit the target, go through a wall into your daughter's room? This is he same reason if i were to use a shotgun for home defense I'd load it VERY light. Think 12 .32 caliber balls going 800-900 fps. In that situation, you've essentially put a whole magazine of .380 into your target with one pull of the trigger. this would also allow for minimal over penetration.

For home defense, fat slow hollow points are a great place to start. You can always have the big brother slung in case your intruder turns out to be a whole squad of former KGB.
 
When seconds count, the police are only 15 minutes away.

If you want to entrust your life and that of your family to some guy 5-10 miles away while there is a ne'erdoer within your home, then I wish you the best. I'll be defending my family.
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Better to get your family together and hunker down in one spot and keep everyone safe. Find a room to defend from and forget the ninja search stuff. Unless you have trained, as a team, to accomplish a room to room search you'll just get people killed. Even trained professionals know that a room to room search is one of the most dangerous things you can do. The bad guy(s) can be anywhere and have the element of surprise as you turn corners and peer into dark spots. I advocate that you get your family together and hunker down. The goal is to survive.
 
These threads are so annoying....
A simple question about using an AR is asked.
" I'd use a shot gun"
I'd use a 45"
"223 will penetrate your wall and kill somebody a mile away."

Must have been 10 threads like this in the last month. Mellow out, already.
 
If you really believe someone is in your home call the police and let them clear it. Don't go looking for the threat around dark corners, in closets, under beds, etc. That's a dangerous job and can easily go south in a hurry. That's a job for a team.
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I expect this bit of good advice to be ignored.
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Some here are advocating room to room searches while I assume their family hides in another room or worse yet, follows them. Conducting room to room searches is not a plan, it's madness. Getting everyone together, defending from one location and surviving the ordeal is a plan. From your room, call 911 and wait with the dispatcher on the line. If you hear noises outside the room, announce LOUDLY that you are armed and will defend yourself. Tell them you will shoot if they try to enter the room. SHOUT IT so everyone, including the dispatcher on the phone can hear it. I know it's your home, but leaving a secure location, when you don't have to, in order to find the threat is madness.
 
As for protecting home and family,go to ground with weapon and cell phone and stay put in a defensive area.,crooks always look to get the drop on people who are totally unprepared. Any crook attempting an home invasion and hears a pump shotgun being racked and keeps coming is either on drugs or just plain insane,either way it is not a good situation. as for the police, they usually show up when the shooting is over one way or the other. Their cars say "to serve and protect" around my neck of the woods? they should say is "pick up the pieces". No disrespect but its the truth, i have been close to this situation involving a g-son would owed a drug dealer $$$ and messed with my family, so please do not blow no sunshine up my backside. In a crisis situation you will do what you have to in order to win and survive and you WILL go thru a huge investigation with your local law enforcement to the point they will make you feel like the crook., not fun. Have a very good lawyer along with your gun or ball bat for that matter. Gang Bangers come in tribes, and G-sons dont always tell g-pa the truth?
 
bk688 said:
I couldn't see a .223 round, hollow point or not, staying in the target at under 5 yards. I've seen these things punch through thick mud walls (yes hollow points).
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Based on that chart, there are two rounds that wouldn't exit the average male torso on a front-to-back shot, even if he was made totally of jello. There are four rounds that don't meet the FBI minimum criteria for penetration in ballistics gel, and NONE that exceed the 18" maximum.

My biggest concern is the other people in the house. Are you willing to risk that a .223 might hit the target, go through a wall into your daughter's room?
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If you are using a firearm/ammo that meets the FBI minimum criteria inside a traditional house with two sheets of 5/8" drywall for interior walls, then you are taking this risk regardless of what you use. However, .223 will reduce this risk more than most alternatives.

This is he same reason if i were to use a shotgun for home defense I'd load it VERY light. Think 12 .32 caliber balls going 800-900 fps. In that situation, you've essentially put a whole magazine of .380 into your target with one pull of the trigger. this would also allow for minimal over penetration.
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12 pieces of buckshot through a wall is better than a single 55gr round for bystanders?

Here is a thread you may find interesting regarding drywall penetration tests with various calibers: http://thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=436765
 
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