[adguy]

I have a Ruger Mini 14 as my house rifle.
I bought some Sierra GameKing Boat Tail Hollow Points in 55gr.
I read an article about how well the Federal 55gr. Hollow point performed when used on an armed suspect. The story just said
Federal 55gr. Hollow point. By the way the article said the rounds that missed came apart in the wall and the damage to the suspect was massive.

I'm wondering. Is there a big difference between the Federal Sierra Game King and other self defense or law enforcement rounds.

I read that the Federal TRU is a soft point (I may be wrong).

I hate to get too wrapped up in ammo performance, but I'm really not as familiar with rifle ammunition as I am with pistol.

Also, I don't want anything that will over penetrate since it is primarily for indoor use.

Thanks so much for your views on this matter.

 

[Guest]

adguy.... 55 gr HP's are either target or varmint rounds. This means their jackets are very thin and the rounds essentially explode on impact with almost any medium. This is a good thing when shooting small varmints like crows, prairie dogs, and maybe marmots/chucks. Anything bigger and performance may well be suboptimal. I would not select this round for home defense/antipersonnel purposes.

There was a very good article in Police Marksman a few years ago that showed JSP ammo such as the Winchester 64 gr Power Point round is a devastating antipersonnel round but still breaks up quickly on contact with even fairly flimsy intermediate obstacles such as house walls, etc. Most of the antipersonnel .223 ammo being used by LEA's in the U.S. is 64-75 gr JSP ammo or polymer tip ammo with similar characteristics. Most LE rifles/carbines are AR-15 type platforms with a 1:8 or 1:9 twist so this bullet weight range is suited to their purposes. Rifles with slower twists, 1:12 or 1:14, will not shoot bullets heavier than 60-62 gr well at all. Mini-14's used to be made with 1:12 twists, but Ruger switched to 1:10 twist many years ago.

The Federal TRU round is a JSP round. The 55 gr TRU round is what I have on hand, although most LEA's use the heavier 64 gr TRU offering. Either one would be a good choice for your Mini-14, although I'd go with the 55 gr if you've got a 1:12 twist barrel.

Hornady's 75 gr TAP is one of the most universally accepted CQB rounds in LE circles today. However, it may not be accurate or reliable in your rifle. Most Mini-14's have a 1:10 twist, which while almost certainly suited to most ammo in the 55-65 gr range, is on the edge for a 75 gr bullet. You'd have to try it in your rifle to be sure if it works.

 

[adguy]

Thanks Doc Rocket. I looked at the 65 & 75gr Hornady TAP today.
My Mini 14 has 1:9 twist. The barrel is 18", but I'm sending it off to be customized and they will cut the barrel down to 16".