Body Armor
At
present there is a lot of armor out there on the market to choose from. A lot
of it is poor quality and sometimes downright useless crap. Buying used armor
or cheap armor is a false economy and can get you killed. When you buy armor you
must keep in mind these parameters:
Quality.
It must have a high NIJ level of protection. At a minimum get IIA or higher.
Comfort.
It must fit or you won’t want to wear it or be able to employ your long arm in
defense.
Flexibility.
It must be able to move with you or you won’t be able to function in it.
A good vest can be used for more than just a SHTF situation. This author uses
his when hunting and when traveling into unpleasant urban areas. Anecdotally,
there was a criminal in the southern Georgia and northern Florida area a few
years back who would stake out hunters and shoot them in their stands in order
to rob them. While this is an unusual example, anyone who has ever hunted
public lands can tell you that stray bullets are not unusual on the first day
of deer season. This makes it an easy thing to get permission for if you are
married.
Make certain that when you get a vest that the carrier has pockets for armor
plates. At a minimum get a plate rated to stop standard military ball ammo. If
you can afford it, get plates designed to stop armor piercing ammo. They are
heavy, expensive, and will only stand one or two hits, but think of the
alternative. The only armor this author is willing to recommend is Second
Chance and Interceptor. The Interceptor armor made by Point Blank is difficult
to come by, but Second Chance is not. The Interceptor armor is interesting
because it has MOLLE attachment points sewn into the carrier. www.SECONDCHANCE.com and www.DHBT.com/pointblank.asp
NIJ Level Descriptions-
The
National Institute of Justice (NIJ
Standard 01.01.03, and 01.01.04) rates body armor on ballistic protection
levels. As you add layers of a ballistic fiber, such as DuPont Kevlar®, you add
protection.
Vests
are tested not just for stopping penetration, but also for blunt trauma
protection – the blow suffered by the body from the bullet's impact on the
vest. Blunt trauma is measured by the dent suffered by a soft clay backstop to
the vest – a maximum of 1.7" (44 mm) is allowed.
NOTE: The standard NIJ test rounds are listed below – tested vests stop many other comparable rounds, and lesser threats.
|
Level Thickness |
Tested for: |
Comment |
|
I |
.38 Special at 850 fps
(feet per second)
|
NOT RECOMMENDED Early generation ballistic fibers, though bulkier, only stop fragmentation and low velocity pistol ammunition. Sometimes PASGT army surplus flak jackets are passed off as “about Level II-A”, but in our tests 9 mm penetrated. Excellent birdshot protection, riot gear or paintball equipment, but not recommended for pistol ballistic protection. |
|
II-A ~16 -18 layers of Kevlar® 129 |
9 mm FMJ at ~1,090 fps
|
Minimum Recommended... ...for the vast majority of threats encountered on the street, though you would sustain more blunt trauma injury than Level II or III-A. The thinnest and best for concealment and comfort. |
|
II ~ 22 - 24 layers Kevlar® 129 |
9 mm FMJ, at ~1,175
fps
|
A great balance... ...between blunt trauma protection, versus cost, and thickness / comfort / concealment. What we recommend most. |
|
III-A ~30 - 32 layers Kevlar® 129 |
9 mm FMJ at ~1,400 fps
|
1,400 fps is to cover the velocity of 9 mm FMJ from a submachine gun. The highest blunt trauma protection rating in soft body armor. The best for very high-risk situations to cover more of the uncommon or unusual threats. Minimizes blunt trauma injury to allow more effective return fire. |
|
III |
.308 Winchester FMJ =
7.62 X 51 mm NATO |
~1/4"
Ballistic Steel (6 mm) |
|
IV |
.3006 Armor-Piercing |
The highest rating for Body Armor. ~1/2"
Ballistic Steel (12 mm) |
It
is important to note that Level II-A, II and III-A all stop the overwhelming
majority of pistol projectiles you are ever likely to encounter (plus 12 gauge,
OO buckshot), and also to know that NO armor is ever 100% ‘bulletproof’ under
ALL conceivable circumstances.
However,
these ratings often have a safety margin for penetration because blunt trauma
is usually the limiting factor in certification. For example, Level II body
armor would likely stop the III-A test standard, (submachine gun 9 mm, at 1400
fps / ~427
mps) from
actually PENETRATING through the Level II vest. But, the Level II vest
would fail on blunt trauma impact (the NIJ deems any dent greater than
~1.7" (~44
mm.) on
the soft clay test surface, a FAIL).
So,
the advantage in increasing protection Levels from II-A, to II, to III-A, is
NOT so much protection from PENETRATION of pistol fire, but a significant
reduction in the blunt trauma received.
To see with your own eyes
just how effective soft body armor is...
Here are some close ups of the
individual rounds, and their penetration level
Level III Steel Rifle Plates
Shot from ~25 Yards (~23m) with, (Clockwise from 1 o'clock):
.223 (5.56 X 45 mm) • .223 SS-109 • .308 (7.62 X 51
mm) • 7.62 X 39 mm
The .308 is the only round that even showed a slight
dent on the backface!
Front Back
Level IV Ceramic Rifle Plates
Shot from ~25 Yards (~23m)
with:
.3006 Armor Piercing • .223 SS-109 • 7.62 X 39 mm FMJ
(Rounds impacted ~1.5" (~4 cm) apart.)
Only minor dents on the backface!
Front Back
A 'bulletproof'
vest or other armor will protect you from the vast majority of pistol ballistic
threats you are ever likely to face. But there is always a tradeoff between
more protection and more wearability (and the constraint to stay within your
budget). Please know that:
- rifle rounds
- unusual high velocity pistol ammunition
- pistol ammo fired from a rifle barrel
- armor piercing ammunition
- sharp-edged or pointed instruments (e.g.,
knives, icepicks, etc.), and/or
- other unusual ammunition or situations...
CAN defeat body armor.
Also, at some angles projectiles can slide, or
deflect off the edges of Armor, or ricochet. Furthermore, projectiles that are
successfully stopped by armor will always produce some level of injury,
resulting in severe bruising, broken bones, and possibly serious internal
injury or even death. Soft body armor defeats most pistol and shotgun
projectiles, but NO vest on earth makes you invulnerable to all threats. To state the obvious, getting shot ALWAYS carries some risk.
Be aware that your head is
much more susceptible to blunt trauma than your body. ANY impact of a bullet on
a helmet WILL CAUSE INJURY AND CAN CAUSE DEATH. You put the odds more in your
favor with head protection, but, just as with ANY armor, no guarantee of
invulnerability can be made
Previous Section – Main Menu – Next Section
©
2004 BOB-Oracle.com
All Rights Reserved