The NRA Claims the AR-15 Is Useful for Hunting and Home Defense. Not Exactly.

[former-republican]

41. This is false

In terms of repelling a home invasion—which is what most people mean when they talk about home defense—an AR-15-style rifle is probably less useful than a handgun. The AR-15 is a long gun, and can be tough to maneuver in tight quarters. When you shoot it, it’ll over penetrate—sending bullets through the walls of your house and possibly into the walls of your neighbor’s house—unless you purchase the sort of ammunition that fragments on impact. (This is true for other guns, as well, but, again, the thing with the AR-15 is that it lets you fire more rounds faster.)




The .223 will not over penetrate at close distances like other rifle or pistol rounds.

It becomes most effective at longer ranges not up close.
Up close in a home defensive situation chances are it will fragment even using FMJ ( which you wouldn't want to use for home defense anyways)through a 2 x 4 or even a couple of pieces of sheet rock.