.223 / 5.56 hollow points for SD use?

[KCJones]

Okay, this may be a stupid question (though I did search the forum without finding anything), but for an AR do 'hollow point' rounds have any additional "damage" impact on a target like, say, 9mm handgun HP?

I'm wondering/asking for a couple reasons:

1) Unlike handgun rounds, the HP .223 seems to be not more expensive like-for-like.
2) The "hollow point" is truly tiny, not like the big "open sore" types HP I see with my 9mm
3) My understanding is the AR's destructive force is about high velocity more than size of the bullet.
4) Given that one would typically expect to be shooting at longer distances with an AR than a handgun, are there accuracy/ballistic problems brought on by the HP?

I really should have taken/tried some of the HP .223 I have when I was shooting melons and cabbages the other week to observe any difference, but regrettably didn't (and won't have a chance to shoot non-paper targets any time soon again).

FWIW, I only own a few boxes of .223 HP bought on a 'WTH?' basis, and only shot maybe a couple dozen rounds through my guns (at paper) to ensure they cycled properly.

Thanks,

KC

[Delkal]

Most of the .223 hollow points you see out there are match bullets. They are very accurate and have a low BC but they are not designed for terminal performance on game (except small varmints that explode on impact).

Whether or not that is good in a home defense situation is up for debate. But they will make a mess and probably not overpenetrate.

[KCJones]

Most of the .223 hollow points you see out there are match bullets. They are very accurate and have a low BC but they are not designed for terminal performance on game (except small varmints that explode on impact).

Whether or not that is good in a home defense situation is up for debate. But they will make a mess and probably not overpenetrate.

Thanks, Delkal.

I should probably make clear for IN-HOME defense I would typically be using a pistol. The AR for 'self defense' would, I expect be more a SHTF scenario where it was more like "get off my land" and used at 25-50 yards out. Having said that, not over-penetrating is certainly still an issue, as is maximizing damage vs. "just passing through".

In the end, it may be just be me talking. I certainly know that shooting cabbages at 50 yards last weekend convinced me that a regular old FMJ .223 hitting a head at that range would pretty much end the issue: i.e. we weren't putting neat little holes in the cabbages and melons we were carving giant chunks out of them.

[raxar]

If I was going with "expandng" 5.56/.223 rounds I'd probably use hornady TAP. I doubt any of it is going to mushroom, more than likely they will fragment pretty badly. As you said it is a velocity dependent cartridge. FMJ rounds wound by yawing and then breaking apart at the cannelure and sending pieces off in different directions. The slower its going the less it breaks apart, at lower speeds generally it only squeezes a bit of lead out of the base of the bullet.

[mbinpa]

When I first got my AR I picked up a couple of boxes of Hornady Soft Point - along with a case of the FMJ. My thinking is similar to yours - over penetration - and that if I have to use it in a suburban setting I would like it to break up rather then go through 4-5 houses. I haven't seen any articles or info regarding HP or SP as a self-defense round.

[scruff]

When I first got my AR I picked up a couple of boxes of Hornady Soft Point - along with a case of the FMJ. My thinking is similar to yours - over penetration - and that if I have to use it in a suburban setting I would like it to break up rather then go through 4-5 houses. I haven't seen any articles or info regarding HP or SP as a self-defense round.

I also have a mag full of Hornady 55 gr soft point in my safe for home defense. I don't know that there's much in the way of conclusive evidence, though, showing that SP rounds are less likely to over-penetrate in real-life home situations.

[MD66948]

Just give it some thought as to who is in the next room sleeping when you cut loose with a few rounds of FMJs. A hollow point should expand quicker when going through drywall and wood studs causing it to slow down. You want to keep collateral damage to a minimum.

When I had kids at home I liked something that would expand quickly, ( Pistol & Rifle ammunition) as soon as it hits something. Just my thoughts on this.

After saying all of that I do have an AR for home defense. It does have FMJs in it but my wife is next to me and my kids are at their house.

If someone gets past Chaos, (my Rednose Pitbull) then I will have my AR charged and ready with a handgun as backup.

Dane

[KCJones]

Just give it some thought as to who is in the next room sleeping when you cut loose with a few rounds of FMJs. A hollow point should expand quicker when going through drywall and wood studs causing it to slow down. You want to keep collateral damage to a minimum.

When I had kids at home I liked something that would expand quickly, ( Pistol & Rifle ammunition) as soon as it hits something. Just my thoughts on this.

After saying all of that I do have an AR for home defense. It does have FMJs in it but my wife is next to me and my kids are at their house.

If someone gets past Chaos, (my Rednose Pitbull) then I will have my AR charged and ready with a handgun as backup.

Dane

Very much agree, Dane. But as I said, my 9 (with HP rounds loaded) is my go-to for in-home defense. The AR would be more a SHTF defense weapon, probably used outdoors at longer range.

But as you say... unless you're at 'seal team sniper' ranges, over-penetration is always a concern.

Regrettably, can't depend on the dog as a line of defense. He's a meagle (mini-pinscher/beagle cross breed, i.e. smaller). He's a great noise-maker, but not really a rip-their-throats out pup.

[Tim Ault]

Okay, this may be a stupid question (though I did search the forum without finding anything), but for an AR do 'hollow point' rounds have any additional "damage" impact on a target like, say, 9mm handgun HP

Thanks,

KC

Yes a 223 hp is gonna have a larger but shallower damage area be it in human or animal. Same with bullets like ballistic tips and the like they are still hollow points which have thinner jackets for the most part and are designed for limited penetration , all depends what you wanna kill with them if it's ground hogs and the like just about any HP will work same for most lighter 55 gr soft points same thin jacket . For humans I wouldn't use them except the heavier 75-77 gr match type a better choice would be a 60 gr and up softpoint or bonded bullet something not designed for varmits. Just like any other round match the bullet with use .

[Hib]

My two cents...
If your twist is up to it then the heavy weight hollow point is a good thing because I'd want expansion at range, weight to retain energy and weight of bullet in target. At close range it will be going fast enough any way. And if you can get sufficient accuracy at longer range with a heavier bullet that is only marginally stabilized then that's good too.