Not sure what to feed your AR for the range and home defense?
We’ll go over caliber, barrel twist, bullet type, and price range to find your perfect fit.
The beginning of 2022 still had some supply issues but now we’re seeing decent stock especially with PMC and AAC brass-cased ammo leading the way.
But we go through every few weeks and update with what’s in stock:
5.56 and .223 Ammo in Stock
PSA has been clutch with having at least some ammo in stock for a good price. Other places to check out:
- True Shot Gun Club has in-stock and bundled deals
- Lucky Gunner with their .223 ammo and 5.56 ammo
- Brownells has an in-stock ammo section
Can’t wait? Here’s some of the best AR-15 ammo:
- American Eagle XM193
- American Eagle XM855
- PMC X-TAC LAP
- PMC Bronze .223
- Wolf Gold .223
- Federal Gold Medal
- Federal LE Tactical
Ready to see why we chose these and the best places to find them?
Table of Contents
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AR-15 Calibers: 5.56 vs .223
Your average AR-15 comes in two popular calibers, the 5.56x45mm NATO and the .223 Remington.
You can double-check what it is by looking at your model specs or physically on your barrel, which should be stamped with the caliber and barrel twist rate.
The two cartridges are physically identical but the 5.56 may be loaded to higher pressures than .223 ammunition.
The .223 is a civilian round and has SAAMI specs (an organization that sets standards for pressure and dimensions) while the 5.56 is a military round that has its own specifications that might require higher pressure for higher velocity.
Therefore, it’s best to follow the advice:
- 5.56 chamber: OK to fire both 5.56 and .223
- .223 Wylde chamber: OK to fire both 5.56 and .223
- .223 Rem chamber: OK to fire only .223
Please note that .223 Rem and .223 Wylde are not the same things. One (Wylde) is perfectly safe to fire either 5.56 or .223; however, a .223 Rem chamber is not safe to fire 5.56 NATO.
Your barrel or rifle probably won’t instantly blow up from shooting a 5.56 in a .223, but why risk it?
Combined with the variance in the machining of the barrel and ammo production standards, it’s best to use the proper ammunition.
AR-15 Barrel Twist
Your barrel stamp should indicate the barrel twist after the caliber.
You should see a ratio of 1:7 all the way up to 1:12, it means that the barrel will spin the bullet one revolution every X inches. Most barrels will be from 1:7 to 1:9 twist, with the most popular being 1:9.
Take a look at the chart below to see the ideal twist rate for your barrel.
The heavier grain bullets are usually reserved for the military and their tracer rounds.
With normal cartridges, you’re most likely to see 55-grain and 62-grain bullets. These are fine to shoot in 1:7 to 1:9 barrels, and you probably won’t even notice a difference up to 300 yards.
Bullet Types
You’ll see two big families of bullet types, the full metal jackets (FMJ) and the hollowpoint/soft-points (HP/SP).
The FMJs are great for plinking, while HP/SP are more for home defense or long-range applications. FMJ is also sometimes called Ball ammo.
Don’t you love multiple names for things…
Other confusing acronyms you might see include (BT), which means boat-tail and indicate the back of the bullet has a more aerodynamic shape than simply cutting off straight.
Lastly, if you’re looking at military 5.56 rounds, you’ll see M193 and M855. The 55-grain M193 is the standard FMJ of the military, while the 62-grain M855 is the “green tip” penetrator round that has a steel rod inside.
Things to keep in mind for M193 vs M855:
- Pricing is similar
- M855 is better at penetration (duh?)
- Some ranges do not allow steel core ammo like the M855
- M193 is better at soft targets under 100 yards
- More info about the differences
- Most of the time, you’ll see XM instead of just M… which means it didn’t quite meet military specifications but still meets commercial specs. Learn more here.
Where to Buy
We’ve selected a couple of our favorite online places to buy ammo. We’ve been buying from them ever since we got started, and they have great live inventory, appropriate shipping charges, and quick service.
And since prices and inventory fluctuate, we recommend looking at all the vendors to see the price differences. Sometimes one will be running free shipping deals!
Finally…the recommendations!
Best AR-15 Ammo
Now we combine the good stuff we learned above and stick to 55/62 grain bullets that are close to military specifications. These are the rounds that we’ve shot tons of and never had a problem.
Our suggestions are also all brass-cased, so you can keep them if you think you might ever start to reload your own ammo in the future.
1. American Eagle XM193
Our Editor’s Pick is currently American Eagle XM193 since it’s never failed to go *boom.*
And the price is almost always one of the lowest.
Prices accurate at time of writing
Prices accurate at time of writing
-
25% off all OAKLEY products - OAKLEY25
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What do you think of American Eagle? Rate it below!
2. PMC X-TAC 55gr
Our second choice is PMC which also has never failed but is often a cent or two more than American Eagle.
Prices accurate at time of writing
Prices accurate at time of writing
-
25% off all OAKLEY products - OAKLEY25
Copied! Visit Merchant
3. PMC X-TAC XM855
PMC’s X-TAC XM855 variant is our go-to for green-tip ammo.
Prices accurate at time of writing
Prices accurate at time of writing
-
25% off all OAKLEY products - OAKLEY25
Copied! Visit Merchant
4. PMC Bronze
If your barrel is .223 or if you want to shoot some slightly lighter loads in your 5.56 barrel.
My personal favorite is PMC Bronze since it’s affordable, and the brass is great for reloading. Plus…it’s on the low end of recoil so I love it for competition.
Prices accurate at time of writing
Prices accurate at time of writing
-
25% off all OAKLEY products - OAKLEY25
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5. Wolf Gold
If you aren’t looking to reload and want the best bang for the buck…all my buddies and I love Wolf Gold. Buy it cheap (1,000 round boxes) and stack it deep!
Wolf Gold is made in Taiwan and not Russia, like other Wolf ammo. However, right now, it’s a little harder to find than its US or South Korean counterparts.
Prices accurate at time of writing
Prices accurate at time of writing
-
25% off all OAKLEY products - OAKLEY25
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And finally…if you’re going for pure accuracy…
6. Federal Gold Match 69gr
Our favorite when we do our accuracy testing.
And the “gold” standard for accurate factory match ammo.
Prices accurate at time of writing
Prices accurate at time of writing
-
25% off all OAKLEY products - OAKLEY25
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7. Tula & Wolf Performance
We don’t readily use these next suggestions in our ARs, but if you’re really trying to save money, you can opt for Russian steel or coated steel cartridges.
Start off with a small batch first since some AR-15s don’t like steel-cased ammo. They can offer pretty good savings sometimes but are dirtier shooting and less accurate…but probably great for the range.
Since the sanctions against Russia and future ammo imports from there, the cost of steel-cased ammo is fluctuating and is generally rising. If you can find brass-case ammo for the same price, we always recommend taking that route.
Prices accurate at time of writing
Prices accurate at time of writing
-
25% off all OAKLEY products - OAKLEY25
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Also, keep in mind that you can’t save these to reload later, and you need to shoot at a range that allows both steel casings and bi-metal bullets.
Prices accurate at time of writing
Prices accurate at time of writing
-
25% off all OAKLEY products - OAKLEY25
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Self-Defense AR-15 Ammo
For self-defense, you want the bullet to put all its energy into the bad guy by breaking apart.
That means FMJ and the penetrator rounds are usually not the best choices.
I recommend going with specific use self-defense ammo that is hollow/soft point and used by law enforcement.
8. Hornady 55gr V-Max Varmint Express
Both Speer and Hornady are great, but I give the edge to Hornady since I love their pistol defensive ammo.
Typically people will lean toward Hornady’s Critical Defense lineup with the 55gr FTX bullet, but these can be very difficult to find in stock.
However, the ultra-popular V-Max round uses the same bullet construction, just with a pointed ballistic polymer tip instead of a flat one. Both rounds deliver extremely similar results.
Prices accurate at time of writing
Prices accurate at time of writing
-
25% off all OAKLEY products - OAKLEY25
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9. Speer Gold Dot Duty 55 gr
Another go-to brand for self-defense rounds…Gold Dot.
Prices accurate at time of writing
Prices accurate at time of writing
-
25% off all OAKLEY products - OAKLEY25
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10. Federal LE Tactical
We really like Federal’s lineup as a whole — they tend to make great, reliable ammo. For self-defense purposes, we prefer Federal’s LE Tactical
It was designed for law enforcement, so it’s kinda meant for defensive purposes.
Prices accurate at time of writing
Prices accurate at time of writing
-
25% off all OAKLEY products - OAKLEY25
Copied! Visit Merchant
Final Thoughts
So there you have it, our recommendations for the best AR-15 ammo in both .223 and 5.56.
Let us know what you went with and how it runs in your AR.
Want more AR-15 guides…check them all out here. Looking for a new AR? Check out our huge Best AR-15s Guide.
124 Leave a Reply
I don't think the .224 Valkyrie deserves to be left for dead - it's still a very new round, and for varminters used to using .223 or 5.56, it has far more capability, and stays supersonic FAR longer.. it may be a niche round, but it does have usefulness to a slice of gunners out there..
For (inside the home) common interior-sheetrock-exterior-brick combination structure home defense with .223/5.56 with an AR go with FMJ XM193 or M193. Its overall less likely (even compared to some frangible and pistol rounds) to penetrate the common interior-sheetrock-exterior-brick combination (enough) to leave the home thus lessens the worry of you accidentally landing rounds in your neighbors home while shooting the bad guy(s) in your own home while still being effective for defense in home defense situations against the bad guy(s).
BTW, just to clarify for the newbie, that's FMJ XM193 or M193 55 gr.
I've been a reloader for over45 years, so I don't even bother with steel cased or Berdan Primed Ammo. I had a brass plated steel case get into my .300 AAC ammo I was reloading that ruined my Decapping/Sizing die (scored the die wall), I must have missed it when sorting. The point though is, if it can score a die wall, then it's not a good thing to be running into my rifles chamber in my opinion. I don't care about the claims it's completely safe, because it only takes once to screw things up.
Since I swapped to a 1:8 twist in my 5.56s, I prefer the 77 gr bullet to the M193 and M855 bullets, and I get good accuracy and performance with IMI's 77gr Sierra Match King BTs. I usually order it from Midway when they put it on sale every other month at $14-$15/20 rounds.
I do have a quite a bit of XM193 & XM855 from American Eagle still on hand. I use it for plinking/Target practice and as I've still got quite a bit of components for each, I reload about 3/4ths in 55gr or 62gr, but about 25% I load up in the 77gr. Trying to hit a goal of 3,000 in each bullet weight. I'm about 2/3rds of the way there.
For my Home Defense Mags (in any calibdr), I keep them loaded with Factory ammo, in case of litigation. It hasn't happened yet in a court case that I'm aware of, but I believe it's just a matter of time before so scum sucking, bottom feeding Lawyer tries to make home reloaded ammo as being designed to kill, and claim it exceeds factory ammo in a court case.
I do keep a Log Book of my ammo, both on my computer, and a hard copy. So without even looking through my ammo cans, I can reference exactly ehatvI have on hand from .22 LR up to .338 Win Mag. Even if you don't reload, I highly recommend doing that for anyone stockpiling ammo. Not only does it help you keep track of what you've used and bought, it also serves as physical evidence in case of loss through firevor theft with your home owner's insurance for recompensation.
Unless you can prove you had it, Insurance companies will deny the claim.
Clarification request:
I thought, in wounding, the 5.56 55 gr FMJ DID fragment, by design.
Is your article statement "NOT THE BEST FOR SELF DEFENSE due to the 55gr being overly stabilized? I'm confused.
Have you ever wondered why most of the ammo available to civilians is 55gr ball M193 but the barrels sold by most manufacturers are 1-in-7 twist? Why is the next most commonly available civilian ammo 62gr M855/SS109 first issued in 1983? Have you ever wondered why it is nearly impossible to find 77gr MK 262 MOD 1-C on the civilian market, and if you do, it is ~$2 to ~$3 per round?
I usually get the IMI 77gr Match King ammo for $14-$15/20 from Midway. Brings it down to $0.75 per round.
Prices have almost doubled for ammo since this article was "updated" which seems like it really wasn't.
As a reloader, it would be helpful to also indicate whether each case is boxer primer, and whether the primers are crimped. Swaging primer pockets is tedious.
I can't use anything lighter than 69 gr. if I expect any kind of accuracy in my barrel due to 1:7 twist. Hornaday Black in 75 gr. so far provides the best accuracy, but I need to test some others including the Federal you recommend above.
I only use 5.56, so what is a good home defense round that's not .223?
I note the chart for bullet weight vs twist assuming one is using a 16" bbl, I presume.
Now........ with a 10.5 - 11 inch AR pistol length bbl, will a 55gr bullet be stabilized but not OVERLY twisted using a 1:7 or 1:8 twist? Anyone experiment with this and know?
Know I'm giving up velocity/energy in the shorter bbl, but perhaps with the light 55gr load to push, maybe not as much as a heavier bullet.
(Know in the 16" bbl using 55gr you are best off with the 1:9 twist so it doesn't cause the jacket to misbehave.)
Thanks guys!
I often wonder what difference it makes if ammo is good, when you can't buy it anywhere anyway...
its always been available online
ammo seek dot com
TONS of it online, just gotta pay a little extra.
the nice thing about an intermediate cartridge carbine vs a pistol caliber carbine:
range ammo and defense ammo = same ammo
No mention of IMI ammo from Israel was a surprise.
By the time this article posted, everything I would have bought at Lucky Gunner was already OUT OF STOCK!!!
I feel you! Ammo makers are still having a tough time meeting the demand. I suggest checking back with your favorite retailers regularly. (That's what I'm doing these days.)
I've got over 3,000 rounds of American Eagle XM193, and 2,000 rounds of PMC’s X-TAC XM855. Had it for a while, got it long before the prices started going up. Both of these are my favorites.
Last Wednesday (5/26/21) I made a random stop at my local sporting goods store and found ALL ammo in stock. I bought PMC XTAC $13.99 per 20 rounds and Blazer 9mm $20.99 per 50 rounds. Three boxes per visit limit. Needless to say me, my wife and oldest daughter made several "visits" that day.
I don't know when you gathered this infomation, but, nothing was in stock when I went to view the details. Nothing! Even with the "OUT OF STOCK" sign out. The price was higher than your article on all
of the offerings. Sorry man . . . it is what it is! So, that said . . . what do you have to offer in real time?
Sorry, the prices and stock were accurate at the time of writing. Things have been changing rapidly in the last year.
In the'last year'? This article JUST POSTED!
Ditto!!!
"The 55 grain M193 is the standard FMJ of the military while the 62 grain M855 is the “green tip” penetrator round that has a steel rod inside."
M193 hasn't been the standard round for ages. M855 was for decades after M193 and now M855A1 is. No steel "rod" in M855, the front of the bullet is steel and the rear lead, it is also not considered armor piercing whereas an all steel core is.
"The heavier grain bullets are usually reserved for the military and their tracer rounds."
No, the M856 tracer is only 63.7 grains and plenty of people shoot 70-80 grain bullets for long range target.
BTW the twist rate for stability has more to do with length of the projectile than mass, see Greenhill's formula.
Accuracy (pun intended) in journalism is, sadly, a thing of the past.
"Craziness from 2020 has spilled into 2021 and our sources say ammo may not return to normal supplies until Summer 2021."
You taking bets on that statement? Put me down for 5 large.
I've had good success with IMI M193 in 55 grain.
I am new gun owner great information.
Three words: OUT OF STOCK.
Have you heard of HORNADY?
I am surprised that I have not seen in the list IMI M855 62 grain
How can you not have Black Hills MK 262 in your top 10? Just curious. Thanks.
i use Frontier 55 grn fmj never a problem and i get great accuracy, i have an AR 18" S.S. 1x7 Wylde (from PSA) that prefers Fiocchi 55 grn i get 1 MOA with both
5.56X45 55gr projectile (original mil-spec flavor) was designed for a 1:12" spin. It will stabilize in the 1:9" but isnt optimal. With the short barrels used on the M4 it probably doesnt matter that much. I like something in the range of a 69gr bullet (when they can be found) for hunting in my 1:9" twist in my old (original) Bushmaster.
I remember my dad talking about 'the Army', he was 'Active Duty' at the time, having to 'change bullets' (it was actually barrel twist rates) after an uproar in the media about the horrible wounds the M16's ammo produced in Vietnam.
Back in the day, when 1-in-12 was the only twist rate available, Massad Ayoob recommended Federal 40 grain Varmint & Predator .223 for home defense. The 40 grain bullet at 3,800 fps was supposed to be devastating on soft targets at household distances but would not penetrate walls, studs, and so forth. Still sounds good to me, but try finding a 1-in-12 barrel these days (unless you order a Brownells retro rifle). With a 1-in-7 barrel you cannot shoot bullets much lighter than 62 grains, 55 at a minimum, so nowadays I'd go with the Black Hills 77 grain OTM SMK.
On the other hand, if you don't care about the cost, and you have a 1:7 barrel... hands down, the best factory load for defense is Black Hills with the 77gr Sierra TMK. I have not seen anything that compares to the 77gr TMK in terminal ballistics. It's brutal. There is a reason why SOCOM loads it in their MK18's. Just saying.
I run the Frontier 68gr OTM in all of my AR-15 rifles 1-7 or 1-9 it is good to go
what's a good home protection gun for a novice
I choose an AR-15, but there are many options. What works best for you depends on your situation. Take a look at our Best Home Defense Gun [Shotgun Vs Pistol Vs Rifle] for details and comparisons!
Dan, I STRONGLY SUGGEST ANY 12 Gauge Shotgun with 00 buck ammo. Also if you are in CA and get raped on ANY gun you choose, I STRONGLY RECOMMEND going by Big5 since a few years ago around Christmas I picked up a Maverick 88 for $185.00! This is UNheard of normally in CA because at the time, the same Manufacturer (Mossberg) was offering almost an IDENTICAL 12GA. for $339.00 for basically the same exact Shotgun. So even if you already picked one up, check their weekly ad between Black Friday and Christmas and I promise that you'll be more than satisfied. Cheers!
Ditto on the Hornady FTX for home defense!!