body armor test #1

[rancherman]

My  son  has  been  out of the  Marine Corps. now for  4 years...   He was   infantry..   His  main job  was  manning the 50  cal.  mounted on top of the  Humvee  on  patrol.    Did  2  tours  in  Iraq,  and  1 in  Afghanistan.

His  passion for   weapons,  systems,  and  other  warfare  is  strong.

 

He  found  an outfit  a  little  ways  from here  that  sells  body armor,    in   Iowa.     The  plates  he  bought  are  shaped  identical  to the  ceramic  plates  issued to him  in the  Corps...  but are  made out of  steel instead.   The  ceramic plates  were  a  full inch thick,  and  very heavy.   These  steel plates  are   0.27  (with paint)   He  is  thinking  these  steels  are going to be  slightly lighter in weight.

He has  the  harness  to    slip these  plates into,  there are 4  pieces  to  cover the  vitals;    chest,  back,  and  under each armpit

 

 

The companies  claim that these  plates  are   'bullet proof'    is  something  one  shouldn't  take for granted.. and testing  seemed  prudent!   After all,     blind faith   in a  claim  isn't very  smart!

 

So,   last night,   we    took one of the small   plates  (cheaper to replace)  to  sacrifice   in   a  test  firing.

 

We  also   grabbed  a   scrap of  3/8ths   mild steel  plate  for  comparison...

Test  ammo;     Russian   7.62X54,    220 grain.  Soft tip,   FPS:   2700      Figure    this   round  was going to be  somewhere between a  .308   and  .30-06

Range from  rifle;    about  100 feet

 

I  put a coin ( quarter) and a  3/8ths  bolt  on the  plate  for  size comparison...     Amazing  the  1/2 inch hole a  .308  bullet  made!        7,62mm  and  .308   is  the  same  diameter

 

 

Conclusion:   The test was  successful.      The  armor plating   resisted  puncturing,  it only  showed  a  little  'center punch'  type  ding,  and  the chipped paint!

Granted,    getting hit  with  a  large rifle round  such as  this   (you might  not want to be alive  afterward)   is  going to  knock you end over end...

But for  small  cal   (AK47,  and  pistol)    I  think these would be perfect

Edited June 26, 2014 by rancherman

[MnTom]

So, exactly what do you and your son have planned to require body armor?

[flagmanruss]

I still have my Safariland Kevlar vest...  had to buy it myself (because I was part time).  1/2" thick Rated to stop any handgun.  I wonder if it would be any good all these years later?   I remember the sample pieces...  6" squares...  we test fired.  It was great fun & interesting to see the mushroomed slugs falloff the material. 

[mulcher812]

So, exactly what do you and your son have planned to require body armor?

Maybe he is expecting company??

[rancherman]

So, exactly what do you and your son have planned to require body armor?

LOL<    There  really is no reason to have it, other  than  'having it'.      Conversation piece??

 

not really  planning  anything,  this  was more of  a  'hoot'..     But  on the other hand,   body armor is still  available to general public. (for now)

All the seller needs to know, is  if  we are a 'bad guy' or not...  (felon)   all  we had to do was  say 'no' to that question!   (and  pay  $160 bucks)

 

All four  plates  add up to 23#'s    Imagine  wearing that  PLUS  your  pack,  in 120 degree heat!

Edited June 26, 2014 by rancherman

[dorkweed]

So where are you exactly "running" your cattle, RM??

[rancherman]

So where are you exactly "running" your cattle, RM??

Well,  'DW',

5 weight calves  hit   3 bucks  this week.   I saw  some   dollar up to  $1610  yesterday  up  at  Valentine....      and     rustling  gotta  be on a lot of   potlickers  minds  these days....

[LiveOak]

My  son  has  been  out of the  Marine Corps. now for  4 years...   He was   infantry..   His  main job  was  manning the 50  cal.  mounted on top of the  Humvee  on  patrol.    Did  2  tours  in  Iraq,  and  1 in  Afghanistan.

His  passion for   weapons,  systems,  and  other  warfare  is  strong.

 

He  found  an outfit  a  little  ways  from here  that  sells  body armor,    in   Iowa.     The  plates  he  bought  are  shaped  identical  to the  ceramic  plates  issued to him  in the  Corps...  but are  made out of  steel instead.   The  ceramic plates  were  a  full inch thick,  and  very heavy.   These  steel plates  are   0.27  (with paint)   He  is  thinking  these  steels  are going to be  slightly lighter in weight.

He has  the  harness  to    slip these  plates into,  there are 4  pieces  to  cover the  vitals;    chest,  back,  and  under each armpit

 

 

The companies  claim that these  plates  are   'bullet proof'    is  something  one  shouldn't  take for granted.. and testing  seemed  prudent!   After all,     blind faith   in a  claim  isn't very  smart!

 

So,   last night,   we    took one of the small   plates  (cheaper to replace)  to  sacrifice   in   a  test  firing.

 

We  also   grabbed  a   scrap of  3/8ths   mild steel  plate  for  comparison...

Test  ammo;     Russian   7.62X54,    220 grain.  Soft tip,   FPS:   2700      Figure    this   round  was going to be  somewhere between a  .308   and  .30-06

Range from  rifle;    about  100 feet

 

I  put a coin ( quarter) and a  3/8ths  bolt  on the  plate  for  size comparison...     Amazing  the  1/2 inch hole a  .308  bullet  made!        7,62mm  and  .308   is  the  same  diameter

 

 

Conclusion:   The test was  successful.      The  armor plating   resisted  puncturing,  it only  showed  a  little  'center punch'  type  ding,  and  the chipped paint!

Granted,    getting hit  with  a  large rifle round  such as  this   (you might  not want to be alive  afterward)   is  going to  knock you end over end...

But for  small  cal   (AK47,  and  pistol)    I  think these would be perfect

 

I would caution you on this type of body armor plate.  Yes INDEED they will stop most non-armor piercing rounds and some of the smaller AP rounds well. 

 

The problem is bullet "spawl" or "spatter".  The bare armor plate may stop the round but the bullet spawl WILL injure if not fatally injure the wearer. 

 

This can easily be avoided by spray coating the plates with a coating of Linex or Rino Liner special compounds designed for absorb bullet spawl and shrapnel. 

 

You can order armor plate sets already treated with a spawl/shrapnel absorbing coating

 

http://www.ar500armor.com/ar500-armor-body-armor.html

 

or you can buy a kit to coat the armor yourself. 

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/U-Pol-Raptor-Truck-Black-Bed-Liner-Kit-with-Applicator-Gun-ME-820-/271524735872?hash=item3f3822ab80&item=271524735872&pt=Motors_Automotive_Tools&vxp=mtr

 

You will need to spray a layer about 3/8 of an inch thick.  The cost of doing just a few plates may not be economical and buying a set already coated may be the more cost effective route. 

[rancherman]

I would caution you on this type of body armor plate.  Yes INDEED they will stop most non-armor piercing rounds and some of the smaller AP rounds well. 

 

The problem is bullet "spawl" or "spatter".  The bare armor plate may stop the round but the bullet spawl WILL injure if not fatally injure the wearer. 

 

This can easily be avoided by spray coating the plates with a coating of Linex or Rino Liner special compounds designed for absorb bullet spawl and shrapnel. 

 

You can order armor plate sets already treated with a spawl/shrapnel absorbing coating

 

http://www.ar500armor.com/ar500-armor-body-armor.html

 

or you can buy a kit to coat the armor yourself. 

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/U-Pol-Raptor-Truck-Black-Bed-Liner-Kit-with-Applicator-Gun-ME-820-/271524735872?hash=item3f3822ab80&item=271524735872&pt=Motors_Automotive_Tools&vxp=mtr

 

You will need to spray a layer about 3/8 of an inch thick.  The cost of doing just a few plates may not be economical and buying a set already coated may be the more cost effective route. 

yep,  already in 'the works'!     I think we'll  build it up  at least  3/8ths...  the  pre coated sets  came  with  only1/4 inch thick coating  

I got  several gallons   awaiting to be   applied on various  parts of my project truck too.

[Mopar1973Man]

Man... This crazy to listen to but real. Sad to say our country is turning this way but you have to defend your property and stock any way you can. Can't rely on police enforcement. Average response time for 911 calls in some areas can be quite alarming.

 

I was just talking to MoparMom about the fact I've got to finish fencing the front of the property off. Most people don't want to try to climb over a bared wired fence in a hurry when there is a Doberman Pincher hot on his tail. Not to mention when the land owner happens to be packing as well.

[rancherman]

So True  on the  response time,  and  it's only going to get worse.

Counties across the  nation are  broke,  and  hiring  more and more  lawmen/deputies   for patrol  is   out of the question...         It's  what  we are  stuck with.   Varmints  know  they have time to  do-the-crime.  

 

I see  the  1st quarter of this fiscal year is  down  5%   nationally,   GNP and  consumer spending..    go figure!    higher  deductibles,  inflation,  tough winter to heat the house...yada yada...   the lowlifes  are   going to be  on-the-lurk..    We may be on the  verge of  the  biggest  inflationary spike  in history.   

We were taught   a loaf of  bread cost  160 marks  in  pre WWII  Germany?   in one year  it  leaped to  1 BILLION  marks.  Sure, there were  a little different  circumstances  in play then    ...  but still!    What  amount of  desperation will it take to  have  a  whole class of  people  on-the-lam  in this country?

I hope to God I never need to  strap on this  system,   but  having it  'just in case'  is  maybe  something  to help me  sleep at night.

Nothing is  certain,  and  body armor is  only as  good  as long  as the shooter  hits IT  !    there are a lot of   other parts of me that can easily bleed out  that aren't  covered!

 

One thing  I've  been debating over and over:   whether to 'bunker down',  or  get totally mobile?   That  would  be  a whole  'nother thread!

[flagmanruss]

I second the barbed wire...  several strands... 

[flagmanruss]

Some barbed wire, fresh off the coil...  strung loose...  is like tangling with a squirming snake.  I hated cutting down old wire because it was so nasty when it would spring back.  Then again, you could electrify it with a solar charger!      

I had a mini-horse stud that was an escape artist / fence buster.  He would climb fences or charge through them...  I ran an electric fence with a battery charger...  intended for 6v dry cells.  I put a gromet in the case & ran it off an old 12v car battery.  Stud walked up & put his nose on it...  put him on his arse.  He did it 3 times while I was watching.  Never got out again... 

[rancherman]

I take it you've never been introduced to  the 'new' high tensile  barbed, or  smooth  wire...     That  crap  is  dangerous to work with!    It's so  brittle that   you can't  do the  simple  'Bell wire'  type  splice,  you have to use  a  crimper sleeve.    Hang on it  for dear life,  cause it'll chase you clear  back to the  first post..

[dennhop]

LOL<    There  really is no reason to have it, other  than  'having it'.      Conversation piece??

 

not really  planning  anything,  this  was more of  a  'hoot'..     But  on the other hand,   body armor is still  available to general public. (for now)

All the seller needs to know, is  if  we are a 'bad guy' or not...  (felon)   all  we had to do was  say 'no' to that question!   (and  pay  $160 bucks)

 

All four  plates  add up to 23#'s    Imagine  wearing that  PLUS  your  pack,  in 120 degree heat!

My last deployment, with just clothes and boots, I weighed 185.  With my full combat load, (and I carried light, compared to some-kept it down the the bare minimum) I weighed in at 257-72 lbs in armor, water, and ammo.