For those of you running home defense ARs do you use hollow point 5.56/.223?

[georgeib]

I've got a couple hundred rounds of older TAP 75gr (not the T2) loaded in my house mags now, and am wondering if I should leave it in there, or switch those mags over to either 70gr TSX or GMX. Which I also have a bunch of.

[Todd.K]

The TAP isn’t bad, it doesn’t fully come apart, but it is still fragmenting. Fragmentation is less consistent than the good expanding designs, mono or bonded.

I don’t think I’d worry about it either way.

[HKGuns]

I don’t obsess over HD rifle rounds. If it is pointy and filled with powder I figure it will work.

Most of my reloads are 77gr SMK’s and all of my rifles are zeroed for that round.

I bet nobody here would stand in front of one.

[Defaultmp3]

I don’t obsess over HD rifle rounds. If it is pointy and filled with powder I figure it will work.

Most of my reloads are 77gr SMK’s and all of my rifles are zeroed for that round.

I bet nobody here would stand in front of one.

I mean, I wouldn't want to stand in front of a .22 LR or a piss-filled water gun, but neither are exactly known for their terminal ballistics performance.

77 gr SMK is perfectly fine if you don't care about barrier blind performance, so some might deem it acceptable purely in a home defense role, but I would rather have a barrier blind round for general purpose serious use.

[markm]

77 gr SMK is perfectly fine if you don't care about barrier blind performance, so some might deem it acceptable purely in a home defense role, but I would rather have a barrier blind round for general purpose serious use.

I agree. My problem is EVERYTHING I shoot is OTM 69 or 77 gr. So it's psychologically tough to jump over to a bonded when I get home. I just need to stick a mag full of Gold Dot in my carbine and get over it.

[HKGuns]

77 gr SMK is perfectly fine if you don't care about barrier blind performance, so some might deem it acceptable purely in a home defense role, but I would rather have a barrier blind round for general purpose serious use.

This thread specifically calls out home defense.

In the unlikely event the ATF try’s to drive their RV through my house, I’ll grab one of my shotguns with slugs.

[Defaultmp3]

This thread specifically calls out home defense.

In the unlikely event the ATF try’s to drive their RV through my house, I’ll grab one of my shotguns with slugs.

I mean, I would still want barrier blind in my personal home defense plan, as I live alone, and own my house, so I would be comfortable dumping rounds through barriers. With SMK, that would mean much poorer terminal performance, even in a pure home defense role. For other folks, firing through walls and doors is a much dicier proposition if they live with others and can't confirm they they have a safe backstop, so SMK can make sense there. Add in the ability to hunt, better performance against vehicles (for a travel gun), etc., and I think barrier blind is the way to go.

[Todd.K]

The “barrier” that you may need to shoot through can also be an outstretched arm. Like if someone was pointing a weapon at you.

Why does everyone always assume a SD situation will present a straight on, unobstructed, COM target?

[vicious_cb]

I mean, I would still want barrier blind in my personal home defense plan, as I live alone, and own my house, so I would be comfortable dumping rounds through barriers. With SMK, that would mean much poorer terminal performance, even in a pure home defense role. For other folks, firing through walls and doors is a much dicier proposition if they live with others and can't confirm they they have a safe backstop, so SMK can make sense there. Add in the ability to hunt, better performance against vehicles (for a travel gun), etc., and I think barrier blind is the way to go.

I bet people who say that have never seen those clown car home invasion videos where 6 dudes pile out of a car and kick your door down. Or this guy, I bet he was glad his 300 blkout had enough ass to get through auto glass when they start taking cover in your front yard.

[HKGuns]

Why does everyone always assume a SD situation will present a straight on, unobstructed, COM target?

Because home invaders are generally stupid and unarmed, unless they’re coming at you with malice and I live my life such that I don’t create that kind of malice.

Why do people obsess over the minutia of a situation with an extremely low probability of happening?

Simply having access to a gun puts me way ahead the normal distribution.

Having access to a rifle, pistol or shotgun puts me on the extreme tail of the curve.

I’m not clearing houses with ST6 against armed insurgents, I’m sweeping out the trash.

Given the level of fitness of the general population, I could probably handle it with my fists, a knife or ole hickory. The sort that would invade a home are generally pussies who who find life too difficult to manage properly.

I’m not a pussy.