My sister is a Sgt. on the local police dept. and I got her old bullet proof vest. I took it out in the backyard and shot it pointblank with my H&K .40 with Corbon's 135 gr. and Hi-Vel 155 gr. Starfires and it amazes me how that kevlar can stop those bullets like that. It is really nice to have something different to shoot every once and a while.
Bullet proof vests
- Thread starter KITT
- Start date
Glockster35
New member
Not to start a flame war, but while I do agree they are fun to shoot at, your terminology is way wrong. They are not bullet proof vests, they are bullet resistant. In the military we refer to then as simply Kevlar vests.
If you doubt me, stick something hard behind it (a wet phone book works well) and then shoot it with a .308. Or better yet bring it to me and I will prove your terminology wrong with several of my guns.
If you doubt me, stick something hard behind it (a wet phone book works well) and then shoot it with a .308. Or better yet bring it to me and I will prove your terminology wrong with several of my guns.
Thought about getting one. Which would you get? Level II used (but looks to be good shape) vest for $150 or new for $250. Saw this at a gunshow yesterday. Does the kevlar breakdown or weaken with age (perhaps oxidizes). Can you wash it in a washing machine? Sorry about the silly questions, but inquiring mind(s) want to know! 
Double Naught Spy
New member
Kitt, cool fun, but too bad you sacrified some potentially good equipment. Even if you just used it for steel plate shooting protection, it would be good to have. Shot vests are not considered reliable as they may not protect if hit in the same spot. Manufacturers suggest replacing them if shot.
Tman, do not wash in the machine unless it says you can. Most ballistic vests are rated for 5 years. Like on milk, some expire by then, some don't. Whether or not they expire has to do with how much they are used. Sweat, moisture, and heat will do a lot of unseen damage to the fibers. Unfortunately, there is no way to test an old vest, that I know of, to determine if it is still properly rated.
A Level III (not IIIa) vest is rated for .308. They are not normally standard issue, but some departments might. I would not want to be in a vest struck by a .308 unless it hit a big ceramic plate first. Even then, blunt force trauma can be hugely painful, better than being dead, but just because the bullet does not penetrate does not mean life is peachy. The Second Chance "saves" book shows a lot of people, mostly guns, showing their vests and bruises that occurred underneath. Funny, several seem to be in hospital beds as I recall. Some people are rendered unconscious by the blunt force trauma of even pistol rounds. Some never know they have been shot. In real life with no vest, some don't know they were shot. It just depends on the hit placement, mind set, and adrenaline. As a result, some collapse AFTER being shot and AFTER the finish chasing down the bad guy.
Tman, do not wash in the machine unless it says you can. Most ballistic vests are rated for 5 years. Like on milk, some expire by then, some don't. Whether or not they expire has to do with how much they are used. Sweat, moisture, and heat will do a lot of unseen damage to the fibers. Unfortunately, there is no way to test an old vest, that I know of, to determine if it is still properly rated.
A Level III (not IIIa) vest is rated for .308. They are not normally standard issue, but some departments might. I would not want to be in a vest struck by a .308 unless it hit a big ceramic plate first. Even then, blunt force trauma can be hugely painful, better than being dead, but just because the bullet does not penetrate does not mean life is peachy. The Second Chance "saves" book shows a lot of people, mostly guns, showing their vests and bruises that occurred underneath. Funny, several seem to be in hospital beds as I recall. Some people are rendered unconscious by the blunt force trauma of even pistol rounds. Some never know they have been shot. In real life with no vest, some don't know they were shot. It just depends on the hit placement, mind set, and adrenaline. As a result, some collapse AFTER being shot and AFTER the finish chasing down the bad guy.
A level 3 vest is a hard vest. And then only the ceramic or titanium panel is rated for rifle fire. Trust me I have worn them they are heavy. We only use them on gun calls. Our daily vests are level 2 and some guys have level 3A. The latter will stop 44 mag rounds and shotgun rounds.
PAT
PAT
sundance43.5
New member
Actually, level II will stop some shotgun loads. I really couldn't see myself wearing body armor that wasn't IIIA. I would just need that extra reassurance.
Another thing. Someone posted about seeing body armor at a gunshow for $250. First of all, don't be cheap, by a good set, like Second Chance, Safariland, etc. You don't know what you're getting at a gunshow. The aforementioned makers will stand by their product.
Second, I can't believe no one told him not to buy used body armor. NEVER BUY USED BODY ARMOR! You have no idea what you're getting. It can look great, but be really ****ty.
Chris
Another thing. Someone posted about seeing body armor at a gunshow for $250. First of all, don't be cheap, by a good set, like Second Chance, Safariland, etc. You don't know what you're getting at a gunshow. The aforementioned makers will stand by their product.
Second, I can't believe no one told him not to buy used body armor. NEVER BUY USED BODY ARMOR! You have no idea what you're getting. It can look great, but be really ****ty.
Chris
I keep a level IIA at the bedside behind the mattress for the wife to throw over her in case of trouble. It is rated to stop .357 mag 158gr JSP@1250fps and 9mm 124gr FMJ's at 1090fps. It also has the K30 insert that will stop the .30 carbine ball and soft point ammo, 12ga Rifled slugs, .44 mag carbine, and 9mm KTW and other steel jacketed AP rounds.
It does say it will NOT stop 5.56 (AR15), 7.62x39 (SKS/AK), and 5.45x39.5 (AK).
We wear pretty much the same vest at work, and I wouldn't want to go any heavier. My main concern is blunt force trauma. OUCH!
I want to take mine out to try shooting, but purchasing a new one can be pretty expensive. Besides, I have to wear something at the local indoor range to protect myself from the idiots. It's a damn shame that people aren't more safety conscious.
Good Shooting
RED
It does say it will NOT stop 5.56 (AR15), 7.62x39 (SKS/AK), and 5.45x39.5 (AK).
We wear pretty much the same vest at work, and I wouldn't want to go any heavier. My main concern is blunt force trauma. OUCH!
I want to take mine out to try shooting, but purchasing a new one can be pretty expensive. Besides, I have to wear something at the local indoor range to protect myself from the idiots. It's a damn shame that people aren't more safety conscious.
Good Shooting
RED
Double naught and sundance:
appreciate the words of wisdom.
Redlg:
was thinking about wearing a vest to the range also. Was at the range when some guy turns around to talk to his friend and kinda of swept the area with his pistol. Though he had his finger off the trigger, still was good enough for a "Depends" moment
appreciate the words of wisdom.
Redlg:
was thinking about wearing a vest to the range also. Was at the range when some guy turns around to talk to his friend and kinda of swept the area with his pistol. Though he had his finger off the trigger, still was good enough for a "Depends" moment
Quakemaster
New member
TMAN, Texas Dept. of Public Safety range officers are required to wear ballistic vests when they do any of their classes including CHL instructor classes. Why? Because they had found through research that a goodly number of military, police, and civilian range officers were getting killed each year in non-homicidal "accidents" sort of like what you described, only when the gun does go off.
I don't worry about getting shot at the range by someone who is trying to kill me. Chances are, something like that is not going to happen there. I worry about getting shot by someone who does exactly what you described. I might be able to defend myself against someone yelling they want to kill me. I will not be able to defend very well against threats that I don't know that exist. That is sort of what makes snipers so effective. Their targets don't know they are about to be shot by the sniper, so they don't defend themselves.
When people act hokey like what Tman described, I leave the range.
I don't worry about getting shot at the range by someone who is trying to kill me. Chances are, something like that is not going to happen there. I worry about getting shot by someone who does exactly what you described. I might be able to defend myself against someone yelling they want to kill me. I will not be able to defend very well against threats that I don't know that exist. That is sort of what makes snipers so effective. Their targets don't know they are about to be shot by the sniper, so they don't defend themselves.
When people act hokey like what Tman described, I leave the range.