Plates for civilian

[Outlander Systems]

It's not about being High Speed.

It's about squaring your needs for your applications.

If things are so nasty as a .civ that you're breaking out plates, you need, at that point, a plan, more than anything.

If you decide you have a viable application for armor, ie, you live on a ranch and generally have run ins with Cartelitos, why would you willingly forego mobility, while willingly accepting further encumberances? I can't even envision the viability of steel armor insofar as riding around a ranch on an ATV.

There's no meritous reason for owning steel over ceramics, if you absolutely, positively, 100% must have armor, other than they're cheap.

[VARIABLE9]

There's no meritous reason for owning steel over ceramics, if you absolutely, positively, 100% must have armor, other than they're cheap.

That’s the point I’m making.
HSLD needs dictate mobility, cutting fatigue, and reducing kit weight. LSHD may not need the same considerations, maybe just a rig in the trunk or just to wear for one class a year. And price certainly can matter - $250 versus $850? (Even ceramic / poly is about $500 right?) That’s a big gap. These were my points.

[Firefly]

Before you buy plates



Most people who think they need plates really don't.

[jpmuscle]

That’s the point I’m making.
HSLD needs dictate mobility, cutting fatigue, and reducing kit weight. LSHD may not need the same considerations, maybe just a rig in the trunk or just to wear for one class a year. And price certainly can matter - $250 versus $850? (Even ceramic / poly is about $500 right?) That’s a big gap. These were my points.

The cost of quality plates is actually inconsequential relative to general training expenditures like ammo, if you actually shoot.


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[Defaultmp3]

That’s the point I’m making.
HSLD needs dictate mobility, cutting fatigue, and reducing kit weight. LSHD may not need the same considerations, maybe just a rig in the trunk or just to wear for one class a year. And price certainly can matter - $250 versus $850? (Even ceramic / poly is about $500 right?) That’s a big gap. These were my points.

You can buy NIJ certified Level IV multicurve ceramic plates for under 200 USD easy. Sometimes you can even find deals so that it's under 200 USD for a pair. They'll be bulky, thick, and heavy, but they'll stop the rated rounds without issue and have minimal spalling.

[kaltesherz]

Friends don't let friend's buy AR500.

AR500 sucks. Frequently M193 will zip through it out of a 20" barrel, M855A1 will go through it all day long, it's heavy and since it's not true multicurve it's not as comfortable. It's the Hi Point of armor.

Ceramic is much more durable than people realize. Even beat to shit cracked armor (btw it's a lot harder to crack than you think) will stop most threats. I've shot "defective" ceramic plates at close range with multiple rounds of 5.56, 7.62x39, and 7.62x51 with nothing getting through. Also the spall issue is pretty much nil. It's good stuff and the reason why everyone in the military uses the stuff. And we don't baby it either.

There's deals out there, Tyr had a long running special of 2 ESAPI's for something like $250 which is where I picked up my extra set.

[Turnkey11]

There's no meritous reason for owning steel over ceramics, if you absolutely, positively, 100% must have armor, other than they're cheap.

Steel belongs on my vehicle, not my body. If Im uparmoring my Escalade, the S has truly HTF.

[Jellybean]

Friends don't let friend's buy AR500.

AR500 sucks. Frequently M193 will zip through it out of a 20" barrel, M855A1 will go through it all day long, it's heavy and since it's not true multicurve it's not as comfortable. It's the Hi Point of armor.

Ceramic is much more durable than people realize. Even beat to shit cracked armor (btw it's a lot harder to crack than you think) will stop most threats. I've shot "defective" ceramic plates at close range with multiple rounds of 5.56, 7.62x39, and 7.62x51 with nothing getting through. Also the spall issue is pretty much nil. It's good stuff and the reason why everyone in the military uses the stuff. And we don't baby it either.

There's deals out there, Tyr had a long running special of 2 ESAPI's for something like $250 which is where I picked up my extra set.

That.
If ceramics needed to be babied and X-rayed every time you sneezed on them, the .mil would NOT be using them, as the operational costs would be through the roof due to endlessly needing replacement...
Not saying one should throw a set around intentionally roughly, but they're also not going to self destruct if you're running around constantly flopping prone on them...

[VARIABLE9]

You can buy NIJ certified Level IV multicurve ceramic plates for under 200 USD easy. Sometimes you can even find deals so that it's under 200 USD for a pair. They'll be bulky, thick, and heavy, but they'll stop the rated rounds without issue and have minimal spalling.

I hear what everyone is saying, however the average guy may not have the time, energy, ability, wherewithal to think through like the M4C’ers you all are. The hero in TX had a rifle and a handful of bullets, and no shoes. Not everyone will research to the n’th degree, blow their Christmas Fund, and think it through about all these points. They’ll say “hey my steel Plates are still here in my trunk, I’m GTG”.

[GTF425]

Never cracked a ceramic plate from mishandling. Have been shot in an ESAPI. It worked. And it sucked.

The average Joe Blow buying armor to play dress up at an annual class would be better spent using those funds on a gym membership and more time on the range. Both will dramatically increase survivability and overall quality of life.

If you're going to do it, do it right. Having lived (yes, lived) in plates for 3 years of my life, I want thin, light, and contoured plates. AR500 is just thin and does a piss poor job against even basic M193. Armor is one of those things that if you need it, YOU NEED IT to work. Why would you cut corners on something you may well depend on to save your life?

If you've done a realistic threat assessment and determined you need plates, the next question to answer is "how much is my life worth" and go from there.