Clint Smith (wish I had bookmarked the video) said body armor is great, but it requires your enemy to have good aim
The main role I have envisioned for body armor (Iām still deciding what to get) is as part of the home defense plan. IF there is enough warning, we retreat and barricade in place while waiting for the police (assuming they arenāt defunded). There is a clear funnel you must traverse to get to us, and if rounds are incoming the body armor can make sure you survive long enough for EMT to arrive. It is one of the last things Iād don if there was time. 1st is likely pistol (as I 99.9% of the time have it at hand), next would be rifle, then ear pro, then body armor.
I live in an area where (unless riots/purge) ambulance is at most minutes away. So if I can stop an immediately lethal hit I can likely survive almost anything else.
The other role would be if S has REALLY Hit The Fan. Gubment tyranny, the purge, invasion by foreign countries/planets, etc, etc. Basically you are fighting against other armed and likely trained folks.
If you feel body armor has no purpose and application in your life, that is great for you. However, isnāt it true in many cities nationwide, police do not respond to 911 calls? Mayors are officially stating police will not respond to crimes if they are not either rape, or murders. Anything else ranging from domestic violence, missing child, break and entering, assault, and strong arm robbery, are free passes. So much like owning and training with first aid and even a firearm, I hope I never need to use it. However if a situation arises where it can aid me in the survival of myself and my loved ones, I for one rather possess both the skills and tools to increase my chances. Because as we all know when second count, now more than ever, police are MANY minutes away, if they respond whatsoever. Your mileage may vary.
I read it and you only questioned is body armor worth even owning and practicing with it. You do not address/answer the very first question you posed. Yes you raise good points you cannot fully fortify your property, but again, that is not the purpose of body armor it just one of many last tools for self defense.
@momo I believe body armor is a good investment right now. Iām waiting for my kit (plates and vest) to be delivered. As you indicated, every little bit of protection helps. My wife doesnāt understand. She is originally from Europe. Stay safe out there brother.
Wow I did not know that, thank you for letting me know. I just heard from a lot of reputable places that they were good. Iām sorry for my lack of knowledge
Welp, I have AR500 Level 3 plates and that was a very disturbing article. Guess I will be replacing my plates with ones that are certified. Thanks for the info.
I am still on the fence with this. Steelā¦ or no steel? These are the pros/cons as I understand them, any clarification or corrections would be appreciatedā¦
+Steel is the cheapest. This is important because the odds are high this will sit in a closet unused.
+Steel lasts effectively forever. 20 year+ manufacturer warranty, compared to plastic/ceramic which has a typical 5-7year warranty
+Steel is pretty much āedge to edgeā coverage. NIJ allows less coverage within ~2" of the edge for plastic/ceramic
-Steel is heavy af. Especially from a place like AR500 that puts that extra coating (optional, for extra $$$) on it to reduce spall/fragments (not sure if other manufacturers do that)
+Plastic/ceramic can be lighter for the same or greater protection level (III vs III+ or III+ vs IV etc). If I ever actually have to use it, I will appreciate every pound of difference, especially since Iām not getting any younger
+Plastic/ceramic is usually bouyant (floats). I know, I knowā¦ how likely is that? I dunno, but if I need it the S done truly HTF, soā¦ ĀÆ\_(ć)_/ĀÆ
+Plastic/ceramic ācatchesā bullets instead of allowing ricochets like steel does. For, you being shot its not a big deal, but Iāve heard many folks say they dont want to stand next to someone wearing steel armor in a firefight. Steel can mitigate this with extra coatings but it means even more weight and then usually brings the cost up to plastic/ceramic prices
And then there is the choice between III, III+, and IV. III being cheapest, but is susceptible to high speed M193 and M855 which are probably literally the most common rounds out of an AR rifle in this country. Will they be going fast enough to penetrate is decided by how long their barrel is (16"? 18"? 20"?) and how close they are. I donāt know how to qualify this risk level.
@Harvey Good questions, brother. I got to design a plate hangar for my unit back in the early 90ās. Steel plates. The stuff was solid and heavy. It could withstand a five round concentration of 7.62x54R with minimum deformation. I think with a full combat load it weighed around 35 lbs. Spalding wasnāt in our lexicon back then. Very important aspect to consider. On a slick plate a round could bounce up through your chin and into your melon. Coating are supposed to slow that down or redirect the fragments. Coatings do get chipped and peel off. I did keep track of the tech over the years. Ceramic was the next great material. It could slow a round down but you didnāt want to drop it on the ground. Especially when they went to a layered tile. The seams between the tiles would split. Now we have encapsulated ceramic and composites.
If you think you might need extra protection, buy what you can afford. NIJ is the current standard, Most folks will go with IIIA because of the cost/threat consideration. I bought body armor because we are living in interesting times. I bought mine for home use. Stick-built homes provide concealment but no cover. Not planning on Running Jumping and Effing Around (RJFA) out in the woods. Find a company with good reviews. Iāve been waiting nearly two months for my stuff to get shipped.
Star Wars would have been a short saga if the stormtroopers could hit something. Maybe if DV spent more money on training ammo and less on the DeathStarā¦
