Bullet Proof Vest

[brando]

Dragonskin is in use by more than several division commanders, though they won't let the troops use it. The jury isn't out, the tests were skewed. Do your research.

Yep, all of the weird irregularities and the ongoing Pinacle vs DoD testing standards conflict makes me think the jury is still out.

[gn3hz3ku1*]

funny how we hear people say how CA is anti body armor when OC has a huge manafacture.. ceradyne

[brando]

Ceradyne makes some very good plates.

[M. Sage]

If you're just looking for a cheaper SHTF armor, get a plate carrier and a stand-alone level III, or maybe two, one front and one rear.

[MARK1]

Also remember with the soft body armor (kevlar/spectre/etc.), it is recommended that you replace it every 5 years due to enviromental effects (sweet/sunlight/etc) on the body armor degrading it's effectiveness.

Where can I find more reading to support that a 5 year old vest is no good.
What if the vest was bought brand new and never worn,.. its just laying flat in the shelf. Is it still good? thanks

[grammaton76]

Where can I find more reading to support that a 5 year old vest is no good.
What if the vest was bought brand new and never worn,.. its just laying flat in the shelf. Is it still good? thanks

Well, the big question isn't "is it no good", but "does it still pass the NIJ ratings?" If it was bought brand new and never worn and not shuffled around frequently, and (this is really the more important thing) NOT exposed to sunlight or heat, it's probably fine.

What'll happen over time is that the vest's stop ability will degrade... so that level IIIA vest might not stop a 44 magnum anymore, but it'll probably take a LONG time to degrade below, say, II performance.

[Surveyor]

You know, back in my mall patrol swat spec ops days, I would duct tape trauma plates to my body. That way I could absorb several .308 rounds with no injury.

I'm actually a level IV mall ninja, (of the first order). (Shhhh!
don't tell anyone.)

[JPN6336]

Leaving Active Duty was the worst thing for my SHTF rig. They made me turn in the Interceptor vest, ESAPI plates, Helmet, basically everything cool.

[Dont Tread on Me]

I bought a Level II Second Chance Featherlight vest from Galls.com for around $400.

It is very comforting while at the range/matches but I do get the odd comment from others. I have it setup so if things go bump in the night it is the second thing I grab after my G17+X200.

I did a first aid course which included some limited gunshoot wound treatment. You really don't want to get hit in the trunk of your body....

Rifle plates are next on my list. There are some trumor platest that claim to stop rifle rounds but even if they do they cover far too small an area.

[pnkssbtz]

Looking in the bullet proof me link posted I have a question.

It has the pistol calibers in one section and the rifle plates in another... Do the rifle plates also come with kevlar, or is it just a plate carrier for the rifle plate?

Or should you use a rifle plate in conjunction with regular pistol caliber vests?

Whats to stop me from buying a molle vest with inserts for plates and then buying plates?

[brando]

You know, back in my mall patrol swat spec ops days, I would duct tape trauma plates to my body. That way I could absorb several .308 rounds with no injury.

I'm actually a level IV mall ninja, (of the first order). (Shhhh!
don't tell anyone.)

hahaha...I remember that one.

[rksimple]

To those worrying about Kevlar and it's longevity:

My father was an LEO back in the late 70's to early 80's. He bought a Point Blank vest early on in those years. I don't know what level classification system they had back then, but it looked to be like a level IIA, as it was thinner than a Level II vest I have. A couple years ago we decided to test its bullet "stopping" ability. It was worn for about 7 years and then put into a drawer were it stayed, laying down (ie. not hung), until we decided to put it through the paces. We removed the back panel, wrapped it it a towel, and placed it on some wet sand. Fired from point blank range, we tried a .38 158grain +p LSWCHP (FBI load) from a 2 in. model 10, and a 9mm 124gr FMJ from a Glock 19. The backface deformation wasn't able to be measured, but the NIJ testing standards are piss-poor at best. So that really didn't concern me. The .38 was peeled right off of the top of the first layer of Kevlar. The 9mm penetrated about half way through and flattened. We had to dig that one out, but many layers of Kevlar under it were left in good shape.

After performing this less-than-scientific test, I conlcluded that:

A) I don't ever want to be shot, even with 2 vests on. The concussion and blunt force trauma that would be associated with that will do damage.

and B) I think vest manufacturers put a lifespan of 5 years on their product to stay in business.

YMMV.

[Dont Tread on Me]

Legal, yes. But if you're committing a crime of ANY sort, including infractions (i.e. speeding!) while wearing it, you're looking at a felony conviction plus 5 year mandatory sentence.

Can you point to the penal code for this? You've got me worried as i tend to wear it when drive to/from the range.

[Surveyor]

california is not body armor friendly ... i got a earful from some guy at the Glendale gun show on how fienstein is trying to eliminate vests ...i then saw him at the costa mesa gun show pitching the same thing...i came home and looked it up and its true CA is not body armor friendly...please advise

It's all because of that damn North Hollywood bank robbery, way back when. The cops were totaly outgunned by a couple of crazy Russians in Kevlar. Luckily for the police, a local gun shop supplied them with appropriate weapons.

[Surveyor]

now cause of these stupid laws those same guns shops probably dont have those weapons to compete with what the robbers were using

That's what I was thinking . The robbers had real F/A assault weapons, not wannabe semi-autos like the cops.

That's weird though, how did they get machine guns when they're illegal to possess or buy in Ca .

Good thing we banned semi-auto M-16 clones!