If the SHTF and you have to defend, which bullet would you want?

[Oohrah]

Wasn't thinking of armor. Some of the very thin jackets or those made of compressed powder can be tricky due to velocities, and what needs to be penetrated doesn't make it. I have see point blank shots with high velocity 22 LR in an attempted suicide, the rifle muzzle held under a left pocket flap, and the bullet followed a rib around and exited from under the left arm pit. Basically, a band aid over each hole, and he was good to go, after some interviews on sanity. Also seen a traveling deer hit with a 22 WRM. The bullet shattered on a rib with a piece clipping the lower heart. It was fatal, but ran a couple of hundred yards before laying down and bleeding out. Twice with a 55Gr Nosler Partition powered by a .223 Remington was instant death. The bullet did not exit, but hydraulically,took out most of the lung and some heart. Is this my deer rifle? Nope, it was all I had at the time, and generally use a 30 caliber that I use a low shoulder/heart that anchors them on the spot.

 

[raindog]

Rifle:

Personally, I'd like to use a rifle that fires a big enough caliber that bullet style is academic ;-) Below .30, JHP vs. FMJ might be important. At .30 or above, it is a lot less important. To take an extreme example, there's no need for a .50 BMG JHP because the pure energy of the round is sufficient.

I'm pretty comfortable with .308, regardless of the bullet. I'd probably shoot 168gr .308 HPBT, just because the ballistics are so well known and I have the windage and drop cards ;-) So, I'd say a big bullet that is extremely accurate, which would be HPBT. Technically it's a "hollowpoint" but it's really not...there is a very tiny HP that is a result of the manufacturing process, but it's not designed to blossom.

Pistol:

JHP, absolutely. The only use for ball is target practice. Considering how limited pistols are for energy, I'd be a lot more specific - e.g., Speer 124gr +P 9mm Gold Dot JHPs, not just "9mm JHP".

Shotgun:

Heck, who'd want to be hit by anything out of a shotgun, no matter what the shot number? ;-) #00 buck is a good choice. I've never done enough research to see if #000 buck would be better.

 

[Randini]

Wasn't thinking of armor. Some of the very thin jackets or those made of compressed powder can be tricky due to velocities, and what needs to be penetrated doesn't make it. I have see point blank shots with high velocity 22 LR in an attempted suicide, the rifle muzzle held under a left pocket flap, and the bullet followed a rib around and exited from under the left arm pit. Basically, a band aid over each hole, and he was good to go, after some interviews on sanity. Also seen a traveling deer hit with a 22 WRM. The bullet shattered on a rib with a piece clipping the lower heart. It was fatal, but ran a couple of hundred yards before laying down and bleeding out. Twice with a 55Gr Nosler Partition powered by a .223 Remington was instant death. The bullet did not exit, but hydraulically,took out most of the lung and some heart. Is this my deer rifle? Nope, it was all I had at the time, and generally use a 30 caliber that I use a low shoulder/heart that anchors them on the spot.

This is a major point of the shock wave a bullet has, and the damage to near by organs as the bullets passes and releases its energy.
BTW the OP asked just about .223 so I keep my posts to that however I will use both the .223 and .30 for a SHTF you may see from the numbers how I look at the .223 compared to the .30

.223 ;
500 rounds JHP
1000 rounds SP
around 1500 to 2000 FMJ

.30 ;
1000 rounds JHP
500 rounds SP
1000 to 2000 FMJ mix with AP

Edit, should have pointed out I use the FMJ for target and general shooting, and SP for game.

 

[zeezee]

I dont think too many "bandits" would be carrying type IIIa or better body armor... Taxpayer-funded 'bandits' might, though....

If SHTF happens, and I for one believe it will, you will see all means of robbing one's neighbors be employed. And if bho uses OUR U.S. Military against the citizens of this country UNCONSTITUTIONALLY and there by illegally, you can bet the fools (Law Enforcement,{to include the whole gambit of alpha-bit organizations} as well as OUR National Guard) who follow those Unconstitutional and illegal orders will be in full gear. Can you say FULL GEAR? Or how about head shots?

 

[raindog]

I think the best thing one can say about "hydrostatic shock" is that there are still some people who believe in it ;-)

 

[glockguy]

One that hits What im pointing it at

 

[Comunistul]

Steel core - which I have plenty of ))

 

[Oohrah]

Raindog, my thoughts exactly. I have used stuff that I don't feel comfortable using, because it isn't 100% all of time. Thus, like you, nothing but a 30 cal and up is in my comfort zone. Just use the same comfort zone with distance. Minute of body at 500 yards, rather than a minute of angle head shots. Yeah I would feel comfortable at up to 100 yard head shots with a steady rest. Especially with a 30 caliber. The question was if I had to use a 223 what type of the three bullets. Probably should have answered none!!! instead of 2 and 3. Mine I consider fun guns for target or varmit. A couple of ARs, a Mini 14, a bolt gun. and a Contender pistol. Serious stuff 30-06 and 308s in Garands or bolt run rifles in those calibers. The 30 Carbines I have, all run on soft nosed jacketed or 100 gr. Half Jacketed ammo. I would maybe trust my 223 rifles for a hundred yard peach sized area at the bridge of the nose. It ends up at the Medula, in the bottom rear of the brain that absolutely shuts down everything in that body, instantly! Not a shot to take unless you can keep your 5 to 10 shot groups in an inch or close to it. Not so much the shooter, as it means the rifle is capable of allowing the shooter to make it happen

 

[Siglvr]

Question. The military uses 55gr FMJ due to the Geneva convention. But, if you were defending your home or bugging out, would you rather have:

1. FMJ

2. PSP

3. JHP

I'm not asking about bullet weight or whether this is the "best" caliber, just type of bullet for self defense. A FMJ will penetrate heavy clothing, helmets, etc. better, but the others "might" have more stopping power?

Which would it be?

Thats a nice list up there Randini! However, no shotgun shells noted?

12 ga shotgun would most likely keep the bad guys away if they just heard you rack the slide once. For home defense or bugging out, this is the weapon of choice and about anything you put in it above #4 shot (and there are stories of pheasant and goose loads killing another if you are close quarters) will put a person down. Like many here, I was in the military and thus my orientation is towards 5.56 rifle and .45 pistols, yet does not the lowly shotgun which even costs much less outperform those? If you were really "bugging out", why carry all that extra weaponry to cover every little extingency when a single shotgun will cover all of it and you can carry tools too build things and food instead. If your goal is not just to survive but to thrive, shotgun is the choice. Using it should be the last thing you have to do, and it's mere presence may keep you out of a fight.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Riot_shotgun

"The multiple projectile ability of a shotgun greatly increases the probability of a hit on an assailant, and the multiple projectiles increase the likelihood of a disabling hit. Though many sizes and configurations of shotshell are used by police, among the most common is the 12-gauge 2 3/4-inch (70 mm) 00 ("double-ought") buckshot shell, which consists of 9 .33 caliber (8.5 mm) round lead balls, each of which is similar in size and velocity to a 9mm/.38 caliber handgun bullet. This shot spreads out to a greater or lesser degree depending on the barrel choke, and can be effective at ranges as far as 75 yards (70 m). The delivery of the large number of projectiles simultaneously makes the shotgun the most effective short range weapon commonly used, with a hit probability 45% greater than a submachine gun, and twice as great as an assault rifle."

Furthermore, the range is huge on these. A quick change of shells and you've got a whole new weapon. If you are really in a survival situation, what else are you going to use to get fast hits on both furry rodents and small birds for your cooking pot?