I have a S&W AR-15 Sport and Ruger Mini 14 Tactical...love 'em both and as you know they both shoot the .223/5.56 ammo.
Question is this: In your opinion is the .223/55gr/FMJ target ammo, like the Wolf Gold, adequate as a defense round if ammo becomes scares and expensive?
I mean, you could kill someone w/ that round if TSHTF right??
I know it's not the best defense round one can buy, but looking at cost on target ammo and stocking up for the zombies I'm thinking about getting more of this round.
Your feedback is appreciated.

Buy the most ammo you can get for the best price. If you can hit a target with it, it will do. Military has been using FMJ for over 65 years. Good luck.

I'm certainly no expert, but my guess is it will do the job quite well.

Here's what I've seen it spec'd at:
Muzzle Velocity: 3248 feet per second
Muzzle Energy: 1283 ft. lbs.

That will kill you just as dead.

We're talking a rifle caliber here, not debating the difference between 9mm 115 gr range loads and 127 gr JHP +P.

My first concern with any ammo that would be used for personal defense would be reliability. Once you are 100% satisfied with the reliability then I would use it.

I was a combat soldier in Vietnam and with the M-16 we shot 55 Grain FMJ ammo and it definitely killed people

Agreed. Welcome aboard FWP.
Waltonwarrior , as the old saying goes ....There are no stupid questions ! You may however get the occasional stupid answer !!
Eddie

__________________
Grumpy Old Man With a Gun

It will work but there are better options. A cigarette butt traveling 800mph will do the job too but no one is loading those. Stock up on practice ammo but have a supply of self defense rounds. You'll use practice ammo way more anyways. A case or half case of self defense ammo isn't a bad idea

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As long as M193 ball falls within a certain velocity envelope, it will exhibit adequate terminal effectiveness so long as intermediate barriers such as automobile steel and glass aren't involved.

Notice I said M193 ball and not just any 55 gr. FMJ ammo. They may exhibit the same behavior, but I can't say for certain they will.

With either of those rounds, I would still have the same worry about what is behind your intended target because they will both go through your intended.

Sorry, but that statement is not completely correct. Look at the below photo and you'll see what I mean.



Further Reading

These persistent myths surrounding 5.56mm ball, particularly in M193 form, really need to go the way of John Barleycorn...

The M193 55 grain FMJ bullet is designed to yaw and break up (fragment) in body tissue, and it is a very effective manstopper. The current M855/M855A1 round was actually designed for use in the M249 SAW, and uses a 63 grain bullet of a much different design. The only reason it has been used for the M16/M4 is for ammunition commonality among various 5.56mm weapons. It requires a considerably tighter rifling twist to stabilize it as compared to the M193 bullet (i.e., you can use the M193 in any twist rate barrel, but the M855 requires at least a 1-9" barrel twist). Personally, I'd prefer to use the M193 in any 5.56mm rifle at typical engagement distances.

Almost all police patrol cars today have a mounted AR-15 in it besides the proverbial 12 gauge 18"bbl shotgun.
Most Sergeants carry in their trunk support ammo and a scoped rifle.
Patrols today live in a different world from mine of old.