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Whats the strongest body armor?

shiznut123shiznut123 Member Posts: 18 ✭✭
edited February 2002 in General Discussion
What is and where can it be purchased?
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Comments

  • Evil ATFEvil ATF Member Posts: 1,195 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    The strongest armor available on the civilian market is Level 4, which will stop repeated hit's from a .308 or 7.62x39mm. I hjear that they will even stop 30.06 AP. However, you'd look like Robocop with something that bulky. The vest that I wear is an ABA Extreme Level IIIA. It can be purchased from www.galls.com. Expect to spend a chunk of change. Buy the name brands, not the crap you see in the back on Guns and Ammo. What's your life worth?
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  • concealedG36concealedG36 Member Posts: 3,566 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Why do you wear one of those Evil? Just asking..G36
    Gun Control Disarms Victims, NOT Criminals
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  • BullzeyeBullzeye Member Posts: 3,560
    edited November -1
    There wre different types of body armor.There's soft armor, (the kind the police usually wear) which only goes up to level IIA but is the most comfortable, and hard armor that goes up to level IIIA (but is impossible to conceal and much bulkier). The rifle trauma plates that go to the top level: IV. They're a really heavy and really expensive Kevlar/Twaron composite honeycomb filled with steel/magnesium/titanium alloy.The hard Level IIIA armor will stop a .308 FMJ round, or a 7.62x39 Russian FMJ round.The level IV trauma plate will stop a .30-06 Teflon-saboted steel-core Armor Piercing (AP) round fired at 20 yards range. I saw the test pictures, and it scarcely made an indent on the other side. Pretty damn amazing. Imagine the force that damn round's got.The thing is heavy, really cumbersome and uncomfortable, and I'm sure the kinetic energy will knock you 5-feet straight back and flat on your * and leave you gasping for air for a while, but hey, it's a small price to pay for a heart that's still got only two holes.Just out of curiousity: In what kind of a situation would you need to stop an AP .30-06 round fired from 30 yrds?I dont know of anywhere you can buy .30-06 AP ammo, and the guy should be long dead before he gets 30 yrds. away.
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  • competentonecompetentone Member Posts: 4,696 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Bullz,You have your levels and protections all mixed-up again.I'm sure there are sources online that will give you the proper info.Your homework (right after you finish your geometry), is to research body armor and correct your post.
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  • BullzeyeBullzeye Member Posts: 3,560
    edited November -1
    No, no actually I'm quite correct.... http://www.bulletproofme.com Look for the big chart showing the test results, and the pictures of the armor afterwards....
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  • TxsTxs Member Posts: 17,809 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Level IIIA is soft, concealable armor and is rated to stop up to .44 mag (240 gr. SWC@1400FPS). I wear this type on a daily basis.Level III resembles a military flak vest and is the type you see SWAT teams wearing. It is rated to M80 7.62X51 FMJ. Many of these have a removable plate which boosts the protection to level IV.Level IV is the hard "turtle shell" looking stuff and is rated to M2 30-06 AP.The full NIJ testing procedures and rating levels can be found at http://www.nlectc.org/txtfiles/BodyArmorStd/NIJSTD010103.html
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  • Evil ATFEvil ATF Member Posts: 1,195 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Sorry Bullzeye, but Txs is right on the money. Your source is wrong.
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  • Evil ATFEvil ATF Member Posts: 1,195 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    G36:Because I'm a paranoid crank, just ask Homer!Seriously, I used to do part-time personal protection work and had a full-time gig as an armored car guy for several years. I just got used to wearing the vest every day. So, why not? Better safe than sorry, eh? I spent the cash on the thing, I'm darn well gonna use it!The way I see it, wearing a vest "some of the time" is like carrying a gun "some of the time". Murphy will prevail 10 times out of 10 and on one of the days you're not packing/wearing your vest is the day you'll get shot.
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  • competentonecompetentone Member Posts: 4,696 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Bullz,As Evil said, Txs has the better info., your sources are wrong. (Edit: Your sources--the link you gave IS right--you just copied the info wrong.)Evil, it's great for keeping you warm too![This message has been edited by competentone (edited 01-30-2002).]
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  • offerorofferor Member Posts: 8,625 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    I believe the original question was why wear body armor. I read something recently that I liked. The gist of it was, if you're really interested enough in personal defense to buy all those guns, instead of buying that next gun why not apply one purchase to body armor instead? That makes a lot of sense to me. I'm just scared of what I've heard about weight and even more scared of what I've heard about how hot it gets. But there's no denying that if you're into concealed carry, armor ain't a bad accessory to have on you. It might give you the chance to shoot back. Which reminds me of a question: At the last gun show there were tables of surplus army clothing which included camo flak jackets. I asked the guy how well a flak jacket worked as body armor for bullets (they're relatively cheap, I'm sure) and he didn't seem to know. Anybody know how good a military flak jacket is for protection against, say, small to medium calibers at typical handgun ranges?
    "The 2nd Amendment is about defense, not hunting. Long live the gun shows, and reasonable access to FFLs. Join the NRA -- I'm a Life Member."
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  • whiteclouderwhiteclouder Member Posts: 10,574 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Oops!Clouder..
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  • PelicanPelican Member Posts: 1,061 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Superman's cape?
    "Audemus jura nostra defendere"- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Don't let yer mouth write a check yer body can't cash!
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  • Evil ATFEvil ATF Member Posts: 1,195 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    It's just second hand hearsay, but I've been told that they do not stop even handgun rounds.Purely for shrapnel.
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  • pops401pops401 Member Posts: 616 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    ARMPIT HAIR! Keeps me away.
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  • competentonecompetentone Member Posts: 4,696 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    offerer,Flak jackets will NOT stop any significant handgun round--especailly the old surplus ones. The bulk of the material in the flak jacket is nylon--with a few layers of kevlar; they are designed for stopping relatively low velocity "fragments" from artillery rounds.The nylon and kevlar in them weaken with age and exposure to the elements (just like ballistic vests); the surplus ones are sold because of this.That said, if I were going to get shot, I'd rather have an old flak jacket on than just a T-shirt! The thick layers of fabric can only help you by slowing down the bullet--it's better than nothing.
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  • offerorofferor Member Posts: 8,625 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    My sincere thanks.
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  • shiznut123shiznut123 Member Posts: 18 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    I heard somewhere that they made vests out of spider webs and they where pretty strong. Does any one know how well they protect?
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  • competentonecompetentone Member Posts: 4,696 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    There is research being done in an attempt to manufacture a man-made material as strong as spider silk.I'm not aware of any significant (commercial) success in the field--but then, I haven't been following it closely. I think somebody was "harvesting" natural spider silk (if memory serves me correctly, it was a Japanese company) and testing it for its ballistic stopping abilities.On a per weight basis, spider silk is many times stronger than kevlar, spectra (a polyethelene), or carbon fiber. But the spiders don't give up their secrets very readily...
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  • Evil ATFEvil ATF Member Posts: 1,195 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Spider silk, eh?I hadn't heard of that. Can you picture it? Spider silk farms?(Evil suppresses and involuntary shudder..)THAT job would suck!"Hey, Bob. Here's your can of .01% pepper spray for the spiders. Go in there and get them thar webs!"Ugh.
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  • the loveable rat...the loveable rat... Member Posts: 969 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    no no no...you have to milk them by hand!...just a few more years and i'll have enough to knit me some underwear(as soon as the swelling goes down in my fingers). i'll be taking orders for vests then as me and judge dred are going into business(he's in charge of the goats)...backlog time may vary due to alien activity and tarantula availiability...be the first on your block with a bullet-proof smoking jacket made of spider webs and goat hair! [This message has been edited by the loveable rat... (edited 02-01-2002).]
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  • hunter280manhunter280man Member Posts: 705 ✭
    edited November -1
    sounds stylish. I'll re-post after I lernstospell
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  • buddybbuddyb Member Posts: 5,370 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I heard Ollie North say there is body armor that will stop a 50BMG round.
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  • REBJrREBJr Member Posts: 1,210 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I think you're all wrong- the best armor I know of is depleted uranium- can be purchased with optional transport unit- M1 abrams seriously- I don't know-Ralph
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  • robsgunsrobsguns Member Posts: 4,581 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    I can tell you the flak jacket will stop a .22lr round, but what are the chances of getting shot by one of those. It wont stop a knife however. I'd tell an embarrassing dumb Marine story, that doesnt involve me, but I dont want someone leaking the story to the press, or the SgtMaj. Its amazing what people will try when drunk, though.
    SSgt Ryan E. Roberts, USMC
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  • jetjet Member Posts: 543 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I did some tests with some old second chancevests:1 ks vest (4layers of kevlar (loose weeve))layed on the ground(mud) would stop 45acp,38 special. two would stop 357,9mm 22lr(20"rifle)but I think you would be hurting.1 l 4 layer (s type)(fine weave) would stop45,38,357 but not 22lr (rifle) or 9mm.sorry I didn't have any other calibers to try.but you should be able to guess the restIts a area/fps thing
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  • Miss. CreantMiss. Creant Member Posts: 300 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I use a tin foil outer shell with a kryptonite inner layer worn next to my warm moist nekkid sweaty skin. Stuff the space between the two layers with wet newspaper and you will be more protected tha the best birth control can provide.
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