RIFLE AMMUNITION :
SELF DEFENSE

Recommendations regarding rifle ammunition for self defense follow:

.22 LR (Long Rifle) Caliber
Recommended Cartridges:

 

CCI "Stinger"	LHP	32 grains
Remington "Yellow Jacket"	LHP	33 grains

Use any high or hyper velocity .22 LR ammunition.  Obtain a good autoloading rifle such as the Ruger 10/22 or the Marlin Model 60, or any of the fine lever ( Marlin 39A) or bolt action action .22 rifles available.  In a self defense situation, shoot repeatedly and with accuracy.  Multiple hits on an assailant are crucial with a .22 LR.

If your rifle is fed from a detachable magazine, use factory magazines only.  Avoid after market plastic magazines that may be unreliable.  Have at hand a few extra loaded magazines.

Attached tubular magazines which characterize the Marlin Model 60, Marlin Model 39A, Remington Models 552 and 572, Winchester Model 9422, and other quality .22 rifles are typically high capacity, allowing for sustained fire power without reloading. 

.22 Magnum Caliber: (.22 Winchester Magnum Rimfire; WMR)
Recommended Cartridges:

 

CCI "Maximag"	LHP	40 grains
CCI "Stinger"	LHP	32 grains
Remington "Yellow Jacket"	LHP	33 grains

Any high velocity hollow point will be fine.

.223 Remington Caliber: (5.56 x 45 mm NATO)
One Shot Stopping Success:  93-100%  (Actual)
Recommended Cartridges:

 

Remington	JHP	60 grains	100%
Winchester "Match"	JHP-BT	69 grains	100%
Federal	JHP	40 grains	99%
Winchester	JSP	55 grains	96%
Winchester	FMJ	55 grains	96%
Federal	JHP	55 grains	95%
Remington	FMJ	55 grains	95%
Federal	JHP	62 grains	94%
Remington	JSP	55 grains	94%
Federal	FMJ-BT	55 grains	93%

The 5.56 x 45 mm  cartridge is a standard NATO rifle round.  It is virtually identical to the .223 cartridge, but is typically loaded to pressures slightly higher than those of its civilian counterpart.  Before shooting surplus military ammo, check to see that your rifle can handle the "hotter" loads.  The barrel should indicate "5.56 x 45 mm" rather than ".223".  

Rifles produced by manufacturers that adhere to general mil specs, such as those from Colt and Bushmaster, will usually digest the military ammo with no problem.  However, if there exists any doubt about a firearm's capability, be sure to contact the rifle's maker for guidance.  

Essentially all configurations of the .223 bullet provide excellent one shot stopping ability.  This round is the best choice for self defense.  

 At relatively close range, a FMJ, 55 grain bullet will easily penetrate 1/4-inch steel plate, but is not capable of piercing steel plate that is 3/8-inches thick.  

Please be aware that Ruger advises against the use of any ammunition of foreign manufacture, such as Wolf (Russia) or Sellier & Belliot (Czech Republic), in its Mini-14. This admonition concerns the potential for damage to the firing pin.  

An AR-15 can handle foreign ammunition, but special attention must be paid to cleaning accumulated varnish associated with the steel cases of some foreign ammo from the breech of the firearm. 

 All things considered, it is best to shoot domestically manufactured ammunition in your AR-15.  Use inexpensive ammunition of foreign manufacture only for practice, and only in a rifle of foreign design, such as an AK-47 or SKS.  You will find domestically produced  ammunition from any of the five leading manufacturers to be much more reliable and trouble free, attributes desirable in any self defense situation.

With .223 caliber ammunition, the twist of the rifling in the gun's barrel plays an important role in stabilizing the bullet for long, accurate shots.  The following table depicts the loads best suited for specific rifles and rifling twists.  

 

NAME	RIFLE	MODEL	TWIST	BARREL LENGTH	BULLET WEIGHT
Colt AR 15	Match Target Lt. Wt.	MT 6530T	1 in 7	16"	55-75 grains
Colt AR 15	Match Target	MT 6551T	1 in 7	20"	55-80 grains
Colt AR 15	Match Target HBAR- Heavy Barrel	MT 6601T	1 in 7	20"  Heavy	55-80 grains
Colt AR 15	Match Target Competition HBAR	MT 6700T	1 in 9	20" Heavy	40-75 grains
Colt AR 15	Match Target Comp. HBAR II	MT 6731T	1 in 9	16"  Heavy	40-69 grains
Colt AR 15	Colt Accurized Rifle	CR 6724T	1 in 9	24"  Heavy	40-75 grains
Ruger		Mini-14	1 in 10	16"	40-64 grains
AR 15	Older Model		1 in 12		40-55 grains

While each is capable of accurately firing most all bullet weights, the 1 in 9 twist tends to favor the mid to heavy side, while the 1 in 10 twist tends  favors the light to mid side.  Note that the 1 in 7 twist is so rapid that it may potentially cause frangible bullets such as JSP to disintegrate.