Body Armor

[Screwball]

Originally Posted by Targa

That makes sense. I know a few people that wear them to the public range because common sense isn't very common and people do really goofy things...

That's partly why I picked up my Level III plates... well, that and having a little more protection than our issued IIIA vests at work. It is bulky, but rather have the extra protection when we have to go into a gang house that they are packing drugs in, as you can come up against a little more than just a handgun.

With all the panic buying that occurred in the past few years, EVERYONE has an AR15. I don't really like that (I like more gun owners, but not people that don't take the responsibility seriously), especially being muzzle swept at a public range. I rather not have to deal with a 5.56mm gunshot wound if I had the option.

[leadcounsel]

The OP said:

As to BA, I have no need nor desire to have it.

Well, you have no need for it, until you take a .45 slug to the torso. Then, much like the seatbelt you don't need until you're in an auto accident; much like the fire extinguisher you never need until a fire; much like the gun you never need unless you're life is threatened; much like the compass you don't need until you're hopelessly lost in the forest... and on and on...

Yes, it's true. Newsflash. Body Armor has a very narrow limited useful purpose. But there's probably millions of people who would have lived from a gunshot wound had they been wearing what is now realitively cheap technology.

Don't get it if you don't want it. I have several sets in my home.

[A pause for the COZ]

Yes, it's true. Newsflash. Body Armor has a very narrow limited useful purpose. But there's probably millions of people who would have lived from a gunshot wound had they been wearing what is now realitively cheap technology.

Thats what turned the key for me. Once I started looking into it and found I could get a Good basic set up. Vest, two soft panels and a hard plate all for less than $120.

Thats less than one range trip worth of ammo( at least when I take the boy). I wear mine at the public range too.
Sweeping seems to be a common thing these days. More than once some dunder head gets done loading his pistol, turns and I notice a barrel pointed right at me. grrrrrrrrrr.
Yea $120 is cheap.

[Skans]

If I was ever in a Hurricane Katrina situation, or a riot situation, I'd want a kevlar vest and I'd want my family to have access to kevlar vests. I don't ever see having use for steel plates, but I wouldn't want them outlawed either.

In some of the mass killings, the BGs wore BA.

Can anyone name even one mass killing where the BG got away because he/they were wearing body armor? I can't think of even one.

[Sharkbite]

If I was ever in a Hurricane Katrina situation, or a riot situation, I'd want a kevlar vest and I'd want my family to have access to kevlar vests. I don't ever see having use for steel plates, but I wouldn't want them outlawed either.

I think a major disaster or large scale civil unrest is the PERFECT reason to have a set of hard plates available.

Soft armor is useless against rifle rounds or shotgun slugs.

I was working in LA when the "rodney king" riots broke out. I did not have access to anything more then my everyday level 2 soft armor. The first guys i saw with AK's made me wish for something more protective.

Body armor (of any type and level) is not the end all be all. But if you look at all the Military guys it has saved in the last 10 years, its value is apparent

[silverstang23]

Some of my friends have it. Most of them it's just because and for IG. Who cares, it's America.

One line of thinking from my buddies is a civil unrest situation.

[kilimanjaro]

Per an uncle of mine, the early body armor, flak vests, issued in Korea saved a lot of troops from small-arms fire when the conflict was long-range sniping between trench systems, and grenade and mortar shrapnel when it wasn't. The new armor has got to be several orders of magnitude better.

[Double Naught Spy]

Soft armor is useless against rifle rounds or shotgun slugs.

IIIa will stop some 12 ga slugs and will stop .410 slugs.

Can anyone name even one mass killing where the BG got away because he/they were wearing body armor? I can't think of even one.

Got away? Maybe not, but it has allowed several mass shooters to do additional harm, kill additional people.

David Hernandez Arroyo, Sr actually did get away from the Tyler square after committing a mass shooting as a result of his body armor, though he was later killed by cops.

[Sharkbite]

Soft armor is useless against rifle rounds or shotgun slugs.
IIIa will stop some 12 ga slugs and will stop .410 slugs.

Its not a matter of "stopping" the slug. The problem is backface deformation. The NIJ, who certifies vest ratings, specifies 44mm as the maximium allowed for a vest to pass. Every slug ive seen tested into any level of soft armor has far exceeded that standard.

That is as big a fail as if the slug went thru.