357mag block killer

[mcwoodduck]

I thought the same thing, but was thinking about the 60's versions that were using metal and ballistic nylon.
The current vests are level 3 and will almost stop rifle fire.
But clearly if you are wearing a flack jacket / Body armor you show everyone you are wearing body armor.
With a bullet proof vest - no one may know and it will only really stop handgun rounds out of a handgun.

[Dee]

What is the threat level on the flak jacket now. It used to be about 1. My Barrier vests for my SWAT team was mult-level depending on the number of plates we elected to use, and were front and back only. No plates, 44mag or 12 guage slug, but probably broken bones, and heaven forbid a chest hit. 1 plate, 223, 3030 ect. 2 plates 50 caliber machine gun at any range, but you were now 70 lbs heavier, and the plates most likely would allow your family and friends to have an open casket funeral, and say: Don't he look natchal.

[teamnelson]

I don't know the threat level but our SAAPI plates will stop 7.62x39 at PBR, I don't know steelcore though. More than one of my guys on point wanted prayer after taking one on the plate. Plates cracked with a 7mm or 8mm. Smaller bore at an angle glanced so we have side SAAPI, this is all inside ballistic cloth of several layers. Very heavy but saves lives.

[Dee]

Our Barrier Vests were kevlar, and another material, and ballisitically good for pistol rounds but the plate inserts severely cut down on mobility, and were mainly for hard entries where ambush or engagement was likely. After inserting the first plates front and back, it really wall in material when the second layer went in other than weight. The vest itself had splash collars in case of ricochet off the platets, but the sides were kevlar only.

[teamnelson]

I did my first OIF with the old-new style wraparound PPE, and the 2nd with new-new style, and it was hotly debated which was better. The older ones are easier to do battlefield trauma care (in my opinion as a combat life saver), but the newer ones rode better once you adjusted. Both use the same SAAPI plates. Throat and neck cover, and a dangling groin protector with plate pocket, but they didn't issue plates for those. The cloth itself stopped alot of shrapnel (ESS ICE eyepro is awesome - upgunner took a faceful from a projectile IED angled to hit upgunners, lots of scars, but kept his eyes). There are also shoulderpad and sleeves for gunners. But plates are all only for centermass protection. Tourniquets are for everything else, or so the story goes.

I know its drifting off subject a bit to talk about PPE, but I think it you're talking about shooting a vehicle you're moving towards the subject of shooting a driver, and what a round could penetrate. I don't know what a 357 would do to a SAAPI plate - sure it would hurt, doubt it'd be fatal.

[Dee]

I think mechanic got us side tracked in this direction.

[mechanic]

Sometimes my one remaining brain cell shorts out and my mind wanders......

[Dee]

Sometimes my one remaining brain cell shorts out and my mind wanders......

You caused OUR minds to short out. Or maybe we're just easily led.

[teamnelson]

I resemble that remark ... perhaps we should talk about helmets.

[Dee]

No experience with helmets.