February 2nd, 2025
10:51 runtime
Igot into shooting for self-defense.
In this ammunition test, I simulate a round that went through an attacker and into drywall.
I wanted to test if the bullets would penetrate a common interior wall?
The amount of energy an AR-15 can deliver is impressive. Our test sent three rounds through a 6″ section of gel, two sheets of drywall, and into another 16″ gel block.
If so, does the projectile pose a risk to anyone beyond?
Of course, I dove into getting that rifle ready to rock.
Maybe it was the right choice, but maybe it wasnt.
The SAINT Victor SBR was used as a testing platform for the penetration testing of .223 Rem. and 5.56 NATO ammo.
Id never really done the work to decide what the right ammo was for my rifle.
I reached out to friends in the industry and started conversations.
Eventually, those conversations led to some options that Hornady has available for 5.56x45mm NATO.
Penetration testing was conducted with three different Hornady loads, including one developed specifically for short barrel rifles.
I picked up three different Hornady loads that people might select for home defense.
I took those rounds to the range with my SAINT Victor SBR and tested them with some gel.
I wanted to get answers for myself!
Three Hornady rounds that start out so similar looking perform very differently by design. Each round has its pros and cons.
Thoughts on Home Defense
Home defense amounts to more than just ammunition.
Having a solid plan is the foundation of any success.
Some people call these sectors of fire, which is simply a way to catalog them in your mind.
The 55-gr. Critical Defense slug shed the most mass, dropping to 29 grains.
Where are your sectors of fire?
Do those sectors of fire endanger those that you love?
I think you get the idea of what Im asking here.
Hornady BLACK 75-gr. HD SBR was the heavyweight in our testing and expanded and penetrated well.
Home defense should be set up to deter an invader.
This is not something I can gamble on.
I set up a 6x6x16 block of Clear Ballistics Gelsideways.
I know that the AR is going to push through that 6 cross-section of gel.
I then set up two sheets of drywall fastened to 24 spacers to simulate an interior wall.
Finally, I arranged another Clear Ballistics FBI Block to receive the round after it left the wall.
I dont think I found any definite answers (do we ever?
), but I did discover a lot of new questions to be asking.
Be aware: I got pretty excited in the video and declared a winner.
After more consideration, Im not so sure … .
Again, this is an exercise to start understanding what questions I should be asking.
Frontier ammo from Hornady is a no-frills FMJ round.
It is a .223 Remington cartridge, and it performed exactly how I expected it to.
The Frontier easily penetrated the 6 block and started tumbling.
It proceeded through the two sheets of drywall and into the 16 block.
The round continued to tumble and then exited the block about 10 farther along.
We used that bullet for our mass and expansion.
The polymer tip helps the round to expand reliably when it needs to penetrate the attackers clothing.
.223 load isnt designed to be a deep penetrator especially when barriers are involved.
Our results were impressive.
By far, the Critical Defense penetrated the least in our test.
Last up was Hornady Black HD SBR ammo.
This round stood apart from the other rounds we tested in three ways.
First off, this was the heavyweight in the test.
While the other rounds were both 55-gr.
rounds, this load weighed in at 75 grains.
I expected this to change the performance of the bullet significantly and lead to deeper penetration.
The BLACK HD SBR features the InterLock bullet technology developed by Hornady.
This results in deeper penetration and greater mass retention.
Finally, the SBR in the loads name stands for Short Barreled Rifle.
This round is designed to perform at the appropriate velocity for an SBR or AR pistol.
As I mentioned previously, these kinds of investigations often lead to more questions than answers.
In this case however, the experience has helped me to draw some conclusions.
First off my decision to select an AR, specifically the Springfield SAINT Victor SBR, has been confirmed.
Although there is no perfect solution, this SBR fits my needs well.
I do not have the same confidence with handgun or shotgun rounds.
FMJ can do solid work, but Im convinced that defensive rounds offer serious advantages over ball projectiles.
Next, I am very pleased with the terminal ballistics that the rounds from Hornady displayed in our test.
I am left with two great choices in defensive ammunition.
Finally, I am reminded how important our home defense tactics are.
Yup, we should go for the best hardware combination.
So, make a plan, make it a good one and get your hits.
Go to forum thread
SAINTVictor SBR
Hornady5.56 75 gr.
Interlock HD SBR BLACK
Hornady.223 55 gr.
FMJ Frontier
Hornady.223 55 gr.
FTX Critical Defense
