Dear Jim,
I notice that 5.56 is again getting an unrealistically bad rap. It’s not as powerful as many other rounds, but some online epithets seem to suggest you can hide behind a sheet of paper and be safe.
As a reminder, I’d like to repost the following demonstrations from the fine folks at Box O’ Truth:
- 5.56 will go through four interior walls [1].
- It will shoot a hole into an engine block [2].
- A steel front door may stop shotgun pellets, but WILL NOT stop 5.56mm [3].
- Level IIIA body armor without plates will not stop 5.56mm. [4]
- Car doors will not stop 5.56mm, but the whole car sometimes will [5].
- 5.56mm will not reliably penetrate a sandbag, but, neither will .308. [6]
- 5.56mm will destroy a kevlar helmet and the soft object inside it. [7]
- 5.56m DOES deflect in brush, but isn’t stopped by brush. [8]
There are certainly better rounds for long range and heavy targets (I like 8mm Mauser, myself), but don’t dismiss a threat because he “only” has 5.56mm.
Oh, and off topic, but of interest: How .410 revolvers stink as defensive weapons [9].
– Michael Z. Williamson [10], SurvivalBlog Editor at Large