Body Armor
- Thread starter ascorb
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Mickey the Dragon
Ultimate Member
Crazy? No. If you're expecting to use your weapon in self defense, you're probably expecting an armed assailant. If you're expecting a confrontation with an armed assailant, it would be prudent to have a way to protect your favorite internal organs.
Practical? It can be if you store your armor correctly, you're fit enough to use it effectively, and you train with it so that it isn't a distraction.
Waste of money? Depends on your budget, needs, and willingness to accept trade-offs. Good body armor is expensive but you get what you pay for. Steel plates are cheaper, but they're cheaper for a reason. They're heavy and they have a tendency to send spalling into your tender meats and cause massive bleeding. There are ways to limit the spalling, but it's still going to be heavier than ceramic. You can also go with soft armor and focus on defense against handguns rather than rifles. Again, that's a trade-off and only you can decide what you want or need.
Is this intended for home use or outside the home in a SHTF-type scenario? Are you expecting bad guys with handguns or rifles?
Answer is it depends, depends on what you are going to use it for.
- Jul 29, 2014
- 49,963
If nothing else, get the carrier. You can get a half decent carrier without breaking the bank. Load it out, then decide if you want to add armor to it.
I agree with this. Its a great way to tip-toe into the possibility to getting armor. The carrier is very practical, and you can buy some cheap, used, but certified good, old police soft body armor and put it in the carrier. Might need some fitting. I once bought a used (not certified) set for next to nothing, I think I gave the gent more than he was asking because he was a shooting friend. It was at a swap meet a few years ago.
Why not, armor is kind of cool.
StantonCree
Watch your beer
- Jan 23, 2011
- 23,932
Yes it's a waste of money for the average Joe
- Aug 17, 2011
- 26,177
But it's fun to test to destruction, after you realize you bought it and it spent more time sitting in a closet than a terrible x-mas sweater.
StantonCree
Watch your beer
- Jan 23, 2011
- 23,932
Hahahaha I can't argue with you when your right sir!
In my experience, plate carriers can be difficult to use without something in them. It may not be the case with all of them (I had a Tactical Tailor carrier), just something to keep in mind. If that turns out to be the case, you can stuff them with something like foam to hold the shape.
StantonCree
Watch your beer
- Jan 23, 2011
- 23,932
Or you can stuff you pockets with the cash you wouldn't have wasted if you bought that
If your not using it daily it's a giant waste.........unless your actually prepping for Mad Max but if that's the case someone has probably wasted way more then the 300+
- Aug 17, 2011
- 26,177
I used to wear a Lvl IIA setup when I was running the rollback, tend to err on the safe side when transporting $60+K cars at night. It got old real quick.
In the winter, it wasn't so bad having another layer of insulation. In the summer, it was downright full of suck. After a year or so of that, it'll make you re-evaluate your position.
Add in ceramic or steel plates, and you'll likely find yourself becoming good friends with a chiropractor in due time. BTDT.
In the winter, it wasn't so bad having another layer of insulation. In the summer, it was downright full of suck. After a year or so of that, it'll make you re-evaluate your position.
Add in ceramic or steel plates, and you'll likely find yourself becoming good friends with a chiropractor in due time. BTDT.
Get a couple AR550 Steel gongs you can shoot at the range.
When not at the range, you can hang one in front of your chest, one on your back. Secure with duct tape. Good to go.
When not at the range, you can hang one in front of your chest, one on your back. Secure with duct tape. Good to go.
- Aug 17, 2011
- 26,177
Buy 2 extras, one more for the back - and one for the groin.
Got to protect the mcnuggets.
Got to protect the mcnuggets.
slybarman
low speed high drag 9-5er
- Feb 10, 2013
- 3,074
Having been flagged with the muzzle of an AR at a class once, i wouldn't rule out wearing a plate carrier for training. It's a stupid idea . . . until it isn't.
Sent from my SM-T800 using Tapatalk
Sent from my SM-T800 using Tapatalk
Biggfoot44
Ultimate Member
- Aug 2, 2009
- 33,108
The *other* question is plate vs kevlar.
Do you want an overt rig for rifle training classes / invasion by the Russians ? Or concealable to wear on frequent basis ?
Do you want an overt rig for rifle training classes / invasion by the Russians ? Or concealable to wear on frequent basis ?
If your still following there are a lot of options out there and new technology is making it better. If your looking for soft armor for pistol rounds there is a lot out there used. For plates there are new composites, FWIW I'd stay away from steel, the spalling is an issue even with coating but the weight is the mitigating factor. If you are going to sit around in them then fine, if your going to move then its an issue. Disregard the nay sayers here, most of them likely have thousands of dollars in safe queens they never touch so they have no standing.
Decide what you want to use it for then go from there. It will be a trade off between, weight, protection, thickness and price. Then practice with it.
http://www.bulletproofme.com/RP-Level-3-PLUS-Ceramic.html
http://www.bulletproofme.com/Body_Armor_Complete_Products_LIST.shtml#Concealable
Until the SHTF....
- Jul 29, 2014
- 49,963
Yup. It's like $hit paper. You only need it when you need it. And oh boy! when you need it...
Out of curiosity, what is the service life of soft armor? I assume it depends in part on the material. Also what exactly does recertified mean for used armor? I assume it is supposedly rated to the same standards as before, but is there an expected service life attached to that? Considering there is a chance your life could be on the line...stay away from things like the recert eBay vests?
At some point I'd like to look in to something like a IIa/II soft vest with front and rear plate pockets. I don't consider myself a prepper, but some AR500 plates aren't that expensive (and if I ever get my many acre property, I can periodically rotate plates through by shooting the shit out of one when I get a new one for fun). For something like a HD situation, I'd really prefer more than just my thoracic cavity protected and I figure I am probably not getting invaded by a SWAT team, so I am mostly worried about the kind of handguns your typical criminal is going to pack, something like a .380, 9mm or .45 with ball or JHP.
Something I can slip on in a hurry while grabbing my 12ga.
Not that I am that worried about HD, but if I were to get armor, that is what it would be for.
At some point I'd like to look in to something like a IIa/II soft vest with front and rear plate pockets. I don't consider myself a prepper, but some AR500 plates aren't that expensive (and if I ever get my many acre property, I can periodically rotate plates through by shooting the shit out of one when I get a new one for fun). For something like a HD situation, I'd really prefer more than just my thoracic cavity protected and I figure I am probably not getting invaded by a SWAT team, so I am mostly worried about the kind of handguns your typical criminal is going to pack, something like a .380, 9mm or .45 with ball or JHP.
Something I can slip on in a hurry while grabbing my 12ga.
Not that I am that worried about HD, but if I were to get armor, that is what it would be for.
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