What is a preferred home defense round for 5.56 or .223 AR?

[Andrew]

I have 5 mags next to my bed of the black hills 77grain for bump in the night noises

I checked at AimSurplus and cheaperthendirt, but didn't see those on the site.

Here's a source http://www.oldvirginia.net/products.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Andrew]

Although my "go to war" ammo is mostly either M855 or M193 ball, for home defense believe it or not I just buy the inexpensive Monarch 55 grain soft points with the brass case. I figure that the soft point will help prevent over-penetration and will be less likely to transit heavier walls and such. I'm not too worried about going through an inner wall and hitting a family member.....there's just the two us these days, and we sleep in the same room/bed.....but I'd like to be assured that my outer walls contain whatever I shoot so that my neighbors don't have to worry.

Before the Great Panic of 2012, that Monarch 55 grain soft point ammo sold for about $9.95/20 round box. I keep two 20 round mags stocked with it and handy, on a bedside table along with some other goodies.

Unless you have a brick home,cinder block(which will cause light bullets to fragment) or in some cases frame with brick siding you cannot reasonably expect to contain any non-frangible round fired within your building envelope.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lprGoEpDXJQ" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; Marine Corp real world penetration tests.
http://www.theboxotruth.com/docs/bot2.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; M855(ss-109) and M193 will split most of the lightly fired brick used in home construction as will 12 gauge slugs. I have duplicated the BOT test on 4 sheets of 1/2 inch sheet rock, 1 gal. jug with water, 1 sheet 1/2 exterior grade plywood and a standing mortared wall without the second sheet of pine(I know, if you don't have pictures it never happened)with Q3131 Winchester white box and had 8 of 10 rounds fired penetrated all barriers. YMMV

[cajunautoxer]

http://usarmorment.com/federal-mk318-mo ... -1701.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[punkndisorderly]

For penetration in walls, the box of truth website can suck hours out of your life.

Key take away, don't use 45-70 for home defense. If I remember, it went through 8 or 10 walls, a jug of water, a cinderblock and kept on trucking.

[JSThane]

I use 64 grain Speer Gold Dot softnose.