America loves AR-15s, and it’s no secret why… They are an ideal weapon for home defense.
But an AR-15 can serve a lot more purposes than just home defense.
In fact, in parts of Texas, AR-15s are a popular choice for ranchers who deal with feral hogs.
In some places in Texas, ranchers can no longer plant certain crops because the feral hogs will destroy them.
If the state and ranchers didn’t do some type of feral hog population control it would destroy agriculture production, which is the second biggest commodity in the state.
One hunter in Texas said, “The rifle is probably one of the highest ways to get rid of as many as you can at one time.”
The AR-15 is also used by state wildlife officials who attempt to control the wild hog population.
According to state officials, removing individual pigs signals other pigs that the area is not a safe place.
With an AR-15 they can engage multiple pigs at a time. Plus, the high capacity of the AR-15 means they can fire at many pigs in a short amount of time.
Now, since the AR-15 is America’s rifle, it also fires one of the most popular rounds in the country, the .223 Remington.
But .223 rounds have different load options depending on the task.
So, here are a few of the best .223 rounds for specific tasks you might be doing.
Home defense:
Speer Gold Dot Duty 55 gr .223:
Speer Gold Dot is the gold standard for home defense ammo. It is popular among law enforcement around the country.
The best feature of the round is the jacket and core joint process.
The method used greatly reduces the chance of bullet failure. The jacket thickness also leads to greater accuracy with the round.
The 55-grain cartridge can reach a velocity of 3,220 fps and energy of 1,266 ft-lbs.
Hunting:
Winchester Deer Season XP Extreme Point 64 gr.:
Deer Season XP ammo was specifically designed for hunting. The Extreme Point bullet has an oversize diameter tip that expands quicker in animals.
The bigger impact diameter means that the bullet produces more trauma at the impact point. This means better energy transfer and larger wound cavities.
Target practice:
PMC Bronze .223:
PMC is affordable brass ammo. This makes it easy for reloading as well.
The copper jacket reduces the mushroom effect of lead bullets, and the round has relatively low recoil.
At 1,250 ft-lbs. of energy, it can reach a velocity of 3,200 fps easily.
PMC Bronze sells for about $0.50 per round. So, it is one of the less expensive rounds, which is another good reason to use it for training.
The AR-15 .223 round is one of the most versatile bullets. No matter what your task it can get the job done.
This is why I recommend having different types of .223 ammo for different tasks.
For simple reference, you can put a piece of colored tape on each magazine to signify the different types of ammo in each magazine.
This way you can grab a magazine and be ready to deal with any task.
Now, before I go, here’s another tip that 99% of people overlook when it comes to firearms preparation and training…
Shooting your firearms – especially rifle or pistol – from inside your vehicle.
Trust me, this is a whole different animal, and has its own unique set of skills and tactics…
The good news is, once you know what they are, it’s simple, and you can even practice at the range or dry firing.
