5.56/.223 for EOTWAWKI ?

[Oh Shoot]

So, for various peculiar reasons, I got a Mini 14 rather than an AR.

Just ran the first 100 through it today, yowza!

Anyway, being the pedestrian survivalist, I won't have a weapon unless I have a few thousand rounds stashed in that caliber.

Sooo, for a stash, thinking of human Armageddon mostly, but I guess possibility of varmint up to deer also (no TWRA), what should I mostly stash?

Hollowpoint?

Softpoint?

Balllistic Point?

Plutonium dipped in cyanide?

Or just lots of FMJ like our brave lads in uniform, and figure the "tumble" is as wicked as anything?

- OS

[Tango down]

I'm sure glad to know someone else asks this question. Also what quality to buy? If it's TEOTWAWKI then cheap steel cased HP's gotta be ok.

[Jasongar8]

1000 HP and 1000 FMJ.

[Guest Bronker]

So, for various peculiar reasons, I got a Mini 14 rather than an AR.

Just ran the first 100 through it today, yowza!

Anyway, being the pedestrian survivalist, I won't have a weapon unless I have a few thousand rounds stashed in that caliber.

Sooo, for a stash, thinking of human Armageddon mostly, but I guess possibility of varmint up to deer also (no TWRA), what should I mostly stash?

Hollowpoint?

Softpoint?

Balllistic Point?

Plutonium dipped in cyanide?

Or just lots of FMJ like our brave lads in uniform, and figure the "tumble" is as wicked as anything?

- OS

Chief, i keep about 400 rounds of Hornady VMAX and mixed soft point. Almost never dip into this stash.

The other "several thousand" are various FMJ. I figure if the SHTF situation does occur, I'll use what I got and what I can get. Cheap steel and a few brass. This is my go-to stash for fun and plinking. And I quit counting a long time ago...

[Kegger]

Actually those of us in uniform are prohibited by international law from using HP ammunition. Something about cruel and unusual punishment, whatever.

And they no longer tumble, the rifling is too tight to allow it, so we have a perfectly stabilized 62 gr FMJ flying way too fast.

It's all about shot placement.

[molonlabetn]

For keeping in major bulk... I'd say the 62gr SP Brown Bear ammo would be perfect, as long as it didn't experience much moisture, causing casings to rust.

I plan on stocking up on one of the various 60gr VMAX loads from Hornady, Black Hills or Georgia-Arms...

[Oh Shoot]

...

And they no longer tumble, the rifling is too tight to allow it, so we have a perfectly stabilized 62 gr FMJ flying way too fast...

The tumbling is supposed to happen inside body mass, not in the air.

Certainly, a bullet tumbling in flight would be about as accurate as a bottle rocket?

- OS

[Oh Shoot]

For keeping in major bulk... I'd say the 62gr SP Brown Bear ammo would be perfect, as long as it didn't experience much moisture, causing casings to rust...

I certainly like the price on the Brown Bear stuff, I'll say that.

- OS

[ukerduker]

... what should I mostly stash?

Hollowpoint?

Softpoint?

Balllistic Point?

Plutonium dipped in cyanide?

I want to know the scoop on these plutonium dipped cyanide rounds. Is that something they have in the back room of the Reloader's Bench?

[mikegideon]

So, for various peculiar reasons, I got a Mini 14 rather than an AR.

Just ran the first 100 through it today, yowza!

Anyway, being the pedestrian survivalist, I won't have a weapon unless I have a few thousand rounds stashed in that caliber.

Sooo, for a stash, thinking of human Armageddon mostly, but I guess possibility of varmint up to deer also (no TWRA), what should I mostly stash?

Hollowpoint?

Softpoint?

Balllistic Point?

Plutonium dipped in cyanide?

Or just lots of FMJ like our brave lads in uniform, and figure the "tumble" is as wicked as anything?

- OS

I have a mini as well, and keep 400 FMJ's, enough to fill my mags. Then again, I don't worry as much about a SHTF scenario as some.

[Dolomite_supafly]

Actually those of us in uniform are prohibited by international law from using HP ammunition. Something about cruel and unusual punishment, whatever.

And they no longer tumble, the rifling is too tight to allow it, so we have a perfectly stabilized 62 gr FMJ flying way too fast.

It's all about shot placement.

This is why we are hearing of so many problems with the 5.56 over there now. The spin keeps the bullet so stabilized that at reduced velocities it just makes a nice little hole. The original design using a 12 twist with 55 grain bullets was for the bullets to tumble and by going heavier with a faster twist it negates this. The 12 twist 55 grain setup was on the verge of being unstable and took very little to cause the bullet to loose its stability. Your only hope now is to have enough velocity to cause the bullets to disrupt upon impact and with the reduced velocities of the heavier bullets it makes that hard.

With the shortened barrel of the M4 it makes it even worse, less velocity with more bullet mass only leads to more of the same. There is even talk of going to a 73 grain solid copper bullet which would make things even worse.

The shorter the barrel the more of a problem it is. I have been told by quite a few souces that with a 10.5" barrel anything beyond 75 yards and the bullets will not do anything other than punch a neat little hole in the target. It gets worse with the 7.5" barrels used over there by some. I have been told 25 yards is about the limit on those and after that it too punches a neat little hole without much else damage. This is the reason I would always, if given the cahnce, take the longest barrel I could get when on a "trip" over there. The only thing that would make me take a shorter barrel is weight considerations but most of the short barrels were all decked out in the rails so they were generally heavier than the 16" guns that nobody wanted, except for me that is.

Dolomite

[Guest 70below]

I certainly like the price on the Brown Bear stuff, I'll say that.

- OS

If it were me, I'd keep at least 500 M193 or M855 around. Seems like there have been some fair deals (by recent standards) lately on M193. Then if I had just a bit more to spend, I'd set back a case of silver bear or brown bear. If you've not shot any 5.56 yet, give it a go, it almost feels like you're shooting a real rifle

[robin48]

I use the 5.45x39. I have 7000 in FMJ and 5000 in HP. Trying to find some in krytonite just in case.

[Garufa]

Something to consider....at least for having mass quantities and plinking purposes:

1000 round case $215.00...

Wolf .223 55gn FMJ Performance 20rd Box

[Guest Revelator]

If I had a 5.45 rifle, Robs, I'd have that much too. It's too cheap not to do some major stocking up on, plus it's imported and it's still considered kind of an oddball caliber, least in this country. That it fails the common caliber test is its one big knock as a survival round, to me anyways. But you obviously don't have to worry about running out anytime soon.

For 5.56 and .223 I'm still not sure of the ballistic differences between hollow point, soft point, etc. I'm don't know that it even matters. Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but I think any 55 grain round out of at least a 16-inch barrel within 130 or so yards will be pretty devastating.

So to OhShoot I say get as much of whatever you prefer and your budget allows. Steel, brass, whatever. Ammo's never a bad investment.

[Jasongar8]

The shorter the barrel the more of a problem it is. I have been told by quite a few souces that with a 10.5" barrel anything beyond 75 yards and the bullets will not do anything other than punch a neat little hole in the target. It gets worse with the 7.5" barrels used over there by some. I have been told 25 yards is about the limit on those and after that it too punches a neat little hole without much else damage.

Dolomite

I have never heard of any branch of the military using a 7.5" M4/M16 type rifle over there. Any more info on this?

[robin48]

If I had a 5.45 rifle, Robs, I'd have that much too. It's too cheap not to do some major stocking up on, plus it's imported and it's still considered kind of an oddball caliber, least in this country. That it fails the common caliber test is its one big knock as a survival round, to me anyways. But you obviously don't have to worry about running out anytime soon.

For 5.56 and .223 I'm still not sure of the ballistic differences between hollow point, soft point, etc. I'm don't know that it even matters. Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but I think any 55 grain round out of at least a 16-inch barrel within 130 or so yards will be pretty devastating.

So to OhShoot I say get as much of whatever you prefer and your budget allows. Steel, brass, whatever. Ammo's never a bad investment.

I understand what you are saying, but I read up on the round before I bought the AR. The more I shoot it the more I like it. I like it so much I bought a Saiga in the same caliber. And you do have to love the price. 1080 rounds for 129.00. I am a cheapskate lol

[Hershmeister]

2000 rounds of 75Grain Match Prvi .223 - its also hollow point