.223 / 5.56 ammo for home defense...

[armedpolak]

Can you please recommend good (the best) ammo for home defense out of a 16" AR-15?
A friend asked me about it and I didn't really have a good answer... but over penetration was my first, perhaps unfounded, consideration.
HP? SP? Frangible?

Asking for a friend...

[Chigger]

Over penetration is not unfounded and use frangible ammo.

Also tell the friend when no one else is home and its dark or low light and bolt is locked back to clear his house room to room without hitting door jams
going side to side to get visuals or other things and practice taking cover behind objects to prevent being shot holding the long gun.
After that's done, get his adrenaline running and do the same again to simulate someone shooting back.

[P5 Guy]

Urban setting with lots of stick built homes 10 feet apart is not a place I'd want to be shooting an AR-15 in 5.56 or any other of the calibers they are built for.
Plus I'd like to hear soon after firing one of those in a building, they are loud enough on an outdoor firing line wearing plugs and muffs. Pretty much any firearm discharged in a small room will deafen one for several minutes without hearing protection.
Think of the wife, kids and dog's hearing too.

[REDinFL]

^^ Yes, correct.

To answer the question, M-193. That's the original design, made to destabilize. I recall a guy had a website called "The box o' truth" in which he created sets to test theories and old wives' tales. Basically, he'd build a wall section - 2x4s, a couple sheets of wall board - and test rounds against them. A lot of "certainties" went by the wayside. Some pistol bullets would go right through. The round mentioned would go sideways and stop at the second "wall" or go through with very little remaining energy. Some rounds, including some shotgun loads would go through and still be effective. As the OP indicated, "effective" is not what one wants in the next room.

[rug357]

I keep my 16” carbine loaded with Speer Gold Dot 62 grain JSP.

My second choice is Winchester White Box 45 gr JHP

[Wulfmann]

I do not consider an AR as inside the home SD.
If you do not have hearing protection on, you and everyone in the same room will never hear again. Plus as mentioned over penetration (Not to mention if all the windows are shut some may blow out)

I keep Speer GD 64gr LE barrier ammo in my SD mags but they are intended for front door to street, back door to fence

If someone breaks in a pump SG is enough with a 9MM/15 rounds as follow up.
AR? When you may be in more danger than the bad guy(s) it may not be the best choice

IMO

[tector]

I do not consider an AR as inside the home SD.
If you do not have hearing protection on, you and everyone in the same room will never hear again. Plus as mentioned over penetration (Not to mention if all the windows are shut some may blow out)

I keep Speer GD 64gr LE barrier ammo in my SD mags but they are intended for front door to street, back door to fence

If someone breaks in a pump SG is enough with a 9MM/15 rounds as follow up.
AR? When you may be in more danger than the bad guy(s) it may not be the best choice

IMO

This.

Inside the home, nope.

In the yard, OK. Best suited to civil unrest (nah, that will never happen!) or some post-Cat 5 hellscape.

[Ricordo]

home defense out of a 16" AR-15

Please don't. Especially if you are my next door neighbor.

[armedpolak]

Thank you all for great advice. I’ll share and advise my friend accordingly…

AP

[P5 Guy]

Thank you all for great advice. I’ll share and advise my friend accordingly…

AP

A carbine lever gun in 357 or 44MAG would be a better fit. With practice a lever carbine with a 16-inch barrel will run about as fast as a semi-auto. And it will be perceived as less threatening. Plus teamed with a revolver of the same caliber most convenient. A plus is the Special of either caliber should work too. A little less shock to the ears is good.