Best Ammo for Home Defense: Handgun, Shotgun, and Rifle

Handgun

Use a quality jacketed hollow point, not FMJ — JHP expands and is less likely to over-penetrate. For 9mm, 124gr/147gr JHP is the standard recommendation. See our best 9mm self-defense ammo guide.

Shotgun (12 gauge)

Reduced-recoil 00 buckshot is the classic home-defense load — hard-hitting at across-the-room distances and easier to control. Pattern your specific shotgun to confirm. Compare 12 gauge prices.

AR-15 / rifle

Counterintuitively, lightweight 5.56 rounds can fragment in drywall and sometimes over-penetrate less than a handgun round — but this depends heavily on the load, and every common defensive round will pass through multiple interior walls, so knowing your backstop still matters. Choose a proven defensive load and verify reliability.