It's a stock statement of the gun control crowd: “No one needs an AR-15 for self-defense.” We hear it during every debate on so-called “assault weapons” bans or other gun control measures. We're told that banning certain types of rifles is not inconsistent with the right to keep and bear arms, because such rifles are unsuitable for civilian use anyway.
For the purposes of this article, let's set aside any Constitutional or legal questions about the matter. Let's focus completely on the pragmatic meat of the question: Is the AR-15, or similar a rifle, well-suited for home defense and personal protection?
Like so many questions, the answer to this one is not a simple yes or no. There are pros and cons to using a rifle for self-defense, and each person must individually assess whether the rifle is the best tool for his or her particular situation.
With this in mind, let's look at some of the arguments for and against using a rifle for self-protection.
Like so many questions, the answer to this one is not a simple yes or no. There are pros and cons to using a rifle for self-defense, and each person must individually assess whether the rifle is the best tool for his or her particular situation.
With this in mind, let's look at some of the arguments for and against using a rifle for self-protection.
Pro #1: Plenty of power
There is a great deal of debate about the relative merits of various calibers, particularly when discussing handguns. The bottom line, however, is that handguns, regardless of the cartridge they fire, are not particularly powerful when compared to a rifle or shotgun.
If we look at the stats of a typical 9MM 124-grain FMJ, we find that the muzzle velocity of a typical round is around 1100 feet per second (fps), delivering energy of around 340 foot-pounds (ft-lbs). That's plenty of punch, but it pales in comparison to an average 55-grain .223 Remington cartridge, typical in an AR-15. That round will leave the muzzle at around 3200 fps, delivering 1250 ft-lbs of energy. That's over 3 times as much punch, and is more than sufficient to deliver fight-stopping hits to an assailant.
There are ample cases of someone being shot multiple times with a 9MM or 45ACP and continuing to fight. While it's possible that someone shot a time or two with a .223 round from an AR will continue to pose a threat, it's far less likely than with a handgun.
If we look at the stats of a typical 9MM 124-grain FMJ, we find that the muzzle velocity of a typical round is around 1100 feet per second (fps), delivering energy of around 340 foot-pounds (ft-lbs). That's plenty of punch, but it pales in comparison to an average 55-grain .223 Remington cartridge, typical in an AR-15. That round will leave the muzzle at around 3200 fps, delivering 1250 ft-lbs of energy. That's over 3 times as much punch, and is more than sufficient to deliver fight-stopping hits to an assailant.
There are ample cases of someone being shot multiple times with a 9MM or 45ACP and continuing to fight. While it's possible that someone shot a time or two with a .223 round from an AR will continue to pose a threat, it's far less likely than with a handgun.
Pro #2: Less over-penetration
At this point, many people will protest “But what about over-penetration? It's just that added speed and power that makes a rifle a bad choice for home defense!” Over-penetration is a possibility, regardless of the round you are firing, which is why it is always so important to observe Universal Firearms Safety Rule #4: Be sure of your target, and what is in line with your target (including behind the target).
Actually, and perhaps counter-intuitively, over-penetration is less of a problem with .223 than it is with a typical handgun round. The reason why is because of the lighter weight of the bullet. Because the 55-grain bullet is so much lighter than the 115- or 124-grain bullets typical of 9MM cartridges, the bullet will lose velocity much faster once it hits a solid or semi-solid object. Real-world testing has corroborated this theory, and in some tests, .223 was even less prone to over-penetration than 12-gauge buckshot. If you are concerned about over-penetration, your AR-15 is actually a better choice than your Glock 22.
This video, while not a perfect test, gives one short example of 9MM penetrating further than .223/5.56.
Actually, and perhaps counter-intuitively, over-penetration is less of a problem with .223 than it is with a typical handgun round. The reason why is because of the lighter weight of the bullet. Because the 55-grain bullet is so much lighter than the 115- or 124-grain bullets typical of 9MM cartridges, the bullet will lose velocity much faster once it hits a solid or semi-solid object. Real-world testing has corroborated this theory, and in some tests, .223 was even less prone to over-penetration than 12-gauge buckshot. If you are concerned about over-penetration, your AR-15 is actually a better choice than your Glock 22.
This video, while not a perfect test, gives one short example of 9MM penetrating further than .223/5.56.
Pro #3: Ammunition capacity
There are two things you can never have enough of in a gunfight: time and ammunition. Load one magazine into your AR-15, and you've got 30 rounds of ammunition at your disposal. (Maybe 29 rounds if you buy cheap magazines.) Compare that to a typical full-sized 9MM handgun at 15 to 17 rounds, and the AR is the clear winner in the ammo capacity department.
| As an added bonus, rifles make it pretty easy to store an extra magazine on the gun itself. There are an endless array of devices that you can fasten to your rifle which allow you to keep a second magazine handy, like the one pictured here. That's a total of 60 rounds, more than you can carry with three or four typical handgun magazines. (If you can't get the job done with 60 rounds, either your marksmanship sucks, or you're in more trouble than you can handle by yourself anyway.) |  |
Pro #4: Easier to hit your target
The longer the sight radius of your gun (that is, the distance between your rear sight and your front sight), the more sight misalignment you can get away with while still hitting your target. A rifle typically has a sight radius three or four times as long as even the longest handguns. This increased radius provides a significant marksmanship advantage in a self-defense situation.
In a gunfight, you will use what is known as a “flash sight picture” (assuming you have trained yourself to use the sights at all). This means you will align the sights just well enough to ensure you hit your adversary, seeing a momentary “flash” of the sights before firing the shot. With a handgun, the short sight radius means that a flash sight picture is only effective for a short distance, perhaps 5 yards or so. With a rifle, you can get away with imperfectly aligned sights as far away as 15 yards and still hit your threat.
In a gunfight, you will use what is known as a “flash sight picture” (assuming you have trained yourself to use the sights at all). This means you will align the sights just well enough to ensure you hit your adversary, seeing a momentary “flash” of the sights before firing the shot. With a handgun, the short sight radius means that a flash sight picture is only effective for a short distance, perhaps 5 yards or so. With a rifle, you can get away with imperfectly aligned sights as far away as 15 yards and still hit your threat.
Pro #5: Easy to control and shoot
When I was in Army basic training, our drill sergeant wanted to demonstrate to the platoon that the M-16 (which is the select-fire version of the AR-15) does not have an appreciable amount of felt recoil. To prove this to us, he placed the flat end of the butt-stock squarely in his crotch and fired a shot. It was a highly effective demonstration of the AR's relatively gentle recoil.
In spite of certain Vice Presidents' assertions to the contrary, the AR-15 is much easier to shoot and control than a shotgun. This works to your advantage by enabling you to fire additional follow-up shots. It also makes training with it fun and painless.
In spite of certain Vice Presidents' assertions to the contrary, the AR-15 is much easier to shoot and control than a shotgun. This works to your advantage by enabling you to fire additional follow-up shots. It also makes training with it fun and painless.
Pro #6: Customization
The AR-15 has been called “Barbie doll for men”. This is not to say that the AR is not suitable for women, but rather speaks to its vast array of available options and accessories. As the most popular rifle in the United States, it has sparked a cottage industry of customization options, including everything from attachment points to zebra stripes.
This means that you can make your AR your own, in virtually every way imaginable, from butt-stock to muzzle brake, and everything in between. There is no shortage of sighting systems, attachable lights, fore-ends, grips, and stocks that allow you to make it both functional and fashionable, in your own particular taste.
This means that you can make your AR your own, in virtually every way imaginable, from butt-stock to muzzle brake, and everything in between. There is no shortage of sighting systems, attachable lights, fore-ends, grips, and stocks that allow you to make it both functional and fashionable, in your own particular taste.
 | Just, please... don't go overboard. |
So far this seems like a lot of positive aspects stacking up in favor of the home-defense AR. So what's the bad news?
Con #1: Storage considerations
It's important to keep your firearms safely stored, particularly if you have small children in the household. While there are many secure storage options for handguns that allow you quick access when needed, there are fewer such options for rifles. And naturally, the larger size of the gun will make it harder to store discreetly.
Con #2: It takes two hands to operate
Rifles are pretty tough to shoot one-handed. This may not be much of a problem if you're barricaded in your bedroom and everyone you care about is in the room with you. It's a much bigger problem if you have to take a small child by the hand to lead her to safety. This is something to consider in light of your home defense plan.
Con #3: Price
A good self-defense handgun can be had for about half the price of a well-made basic AR-15. A quality pump-action shotgun will set you back even less than that. And the rifle ammunition is considerably more expensive as well. Of the three options (handgun, shotgun, or rifle), the rifle is unquestionably the most expensive. If you're on a tight budget, you might want to think about a shotgun.
Con #4: Bulk
Again, the specifics of your home defense plan will determine how big of a problem this is for you. Moving around your house while trying to round up your small children can be more difficult while carrying a rifle, particularly if there are several tight corners that you will need to negotiate. If this is something your situation requires, it will take extra training on your part to ensure you can do it properly with a rifle.
Con #5: Noise
Rifles are loud. Really, really loud. One shot fired indoors can be enough to cause immediate hearing damage.
To be fair, handguns are loud too. Firing a handgun indoors will certainly ring your bell as well. In fact, handguns and rifles are not appreciably different in terms of a straight decibel reading. However, the higher pressure wave and fuller sound spectrum of a rifle shot makes them much harder on your hearing.
This is why it's not a bad idea to keep a pair of electronic hearing protection with your home-defense gun. While there's no guarantee that you'll have the time to put them on in a critical moment, it never hurts to have the option.
To be fair, handguns are loud too. Firing a handgun indoors will certainly ring your bell as well. In fact, handguns and rifles are not appreciably different in terms of a straight decibel reading. However, the higher pressure wave and fuller sound spectrum of a rifle shot makes them much harder on your hearing.
This is why it's not a bad idea to keep a pair of electronic hearing protection with your home-defense gun. While there's no guarantee that you'll have the time to put them on in a critical moment, it never hurts to have the option.
Conclusion
In short, the AR-15 is a fine choice for a home-defense gun. While there are considerations that might lead you to choose a handgun or shotgun instead, there are plenty of qualities to recommend it as well. Don't listen to the people that tell you that you “don't need an AR-15” to protect yourself. Most of them have probably never shot one anyway.
Whichever type of gun you ultimately choose to protect your home and family, make sure you are highly proficient in its use, and well-acquainted with all considerations of self-defense shooting. Our Defensive Rifle Course will make you an expert with your rifle, guaranteed.
Whichever type of gun you ultimately choose to protect your home and family, make sure you are highly proficient in its use, and well-acquainted with all considerations of self-defense shooting. Our Defensive Rifle Course will make you an expert with your rifle, guaranteed.