View Full Version : Shelf life of body armor questions
GLP Standard
09-03-11, 11:22
I recently aquired (for free) an OLD American Body Armor (I think thats the make) vest from a guy at work that he aquired when our work was throwing them away a couple years ago. The manufacture date on it is in 1992. Yes, its extremely old.
My questions are: I know armor expires, and I know why manufacturers put an expiration date on it. Its for liability/sales purposes. I dont doubt over time it will become less effective, and that this effectiveness with decrease quicker with repeated use/misuse. If I was to get shot wearing this armor, would it be as if its not even there, or is it better than nothing? I wouldnt never pay for it, but body armor is expensive, and I figure something for free that COULD save my life is better than nothing for free that wont. Are there any safety hazards in using old body armor like that? (I dont see why there would be, but thats the only reason I can think of to not use it until I can buy some new armor).
What do you guys think? How necessary is it to discard old body armor? Does it really become ineffective over time, or is it just for liability/marketing reasons? How ineffective can I expect 20 year old body armor to be?
The condition of the armor (cosmetically) is decent to good Id say. A little dirty around the neck area, but it hasnt been used at all in the passed 7 to 10 years, I gaurentee it. Before that, I know nothing of its use. It may have been stored in a nonclimate controlled shed, and/or direct sunlight over the years.
Call me crazy, but I would actually TEST it! Fire a round into the back panel (not in the middle, but towards the bottom) and see if it stops it. Its free, so even if it perforates, at least you won't be carrying around the extra weight (for whatever your application of the armor will be) and you'll be back at square one...which is no armor. If it does stop the round, then you have shot a good piece of armor in a spot that isn't really crucial...and you'll have the peace of mind knowing that it is effective.
Information that impacts your decision...
Reliability of manufacturer when new?
What is your vest made of, specifically?
How many layers of material?
Was it worn, or stored?
Temps it was exposed to? Other environmentals?
Level of care by the user?
Degradation of material should be expected. The extent to which it has been degraded depends on materials its made from and use conditions. I've shot old kevlar panels that were 10-25 years old that stopped rated bullets.
Manufacturer warranties should be heeded, especially when you're betting your life. Best use of old panels is last-resort/contingency use, or to bolster/supplement other things. I like using old panels in gear bags and backpacks.
I'm with ironman on this. Test it. It was free, so if it doesn't stop a bullet, nothing lost. You don't want to find out it won't stop a bullet while you are wearing it. Plus, while wearing it, it will always be on your mind whether it is going to work or not. That's not good.
If you need body armory, buy known-good. Everything else is a gamble.
Shooting it to test it is of minimal value, and is likely to produce false results if done outside of scientifically validated protocols.
If you need body armory, buy known-good. Everything else is a gamble.
Shooting it to test it is of minimal value, and is likely to produce false results if done outside of scientifically validated protocols.
I have a couple questions regarding this post:
1. How would shooting the vest produce false results?
2. What do you mean by false results?
3. What are these scientifically validated procedures?
DeltaSierra
09-05-11, 15:37
If you need body armory, buy known-good. Everything else is a gamble.
I agree with this on principle.
Shooting it to test it is of minimal value, and is likely to produce false results if done outside of scientifically validated protocols.
I hope that the crook that might shoot at you doesn't violate any of these "scientifically validated protocols" that you mention.
I don't know a whole lot about this subject (body armor), but I am well aware of the fact that tests in a controlled environment often times return VERY different results than field tests. Since I don't often hang out in science labs, where it is a controlled environment, I generally use those tests as a sort of baseline so that I have a sort of "control" to compare field tests with.
Useful reading: https://www.m4carbine.net/showthread.php?t=19912
Bubba-tested armor may pass or fail outside of its ratings, as seen by plenty of folks who shot their zylon during that fiasco. Most folks will hang the armor on a board, shoot it, and make decisions. That's a fail. Proper test procedures more closely resemble expected performance in the field.
If I thought I needed armor, I'd buy known-good. Period. Otherwise, when in doubt, throw it out. Or put it to a non-critical use.
I hope that the crook that might shoot at you doesn't violate any of these "scientifically validated protocols" that you mention.
I don't know a whole lot about this subject (body armor), but I am well aware of the fact that tests in a controlled environment often times return VERY different results than field tests. Since I don't often hang out in science labs, where it is a controlled environment, I generally use those tests as a sort of baseline so that I have a sort of "control" to compare field tests with.
What is the difference between a field test and a controlled test in this case?
GLP Standard
09-06-11, 20:59
Sorry for the late response. I think Ill definitely keep it, and will probably try and clean it up some and see how it works. I may even try and shoot it just for the heck of it.
Someone asked, but I cant remember who, its level 3A armor. Im very curious as to how well it would work with that kind of age and wear and tear on it. Thanks for the opinions anywho. I was actually very surprised with the results of the poll.
I wouldn't really be surprised if it stopped a 7.62 5 or 6 times center plate.
my buddies dad(ex-swcc) had a bunch of old plates from his river days so we took them out and shot them to test them(he had alot) and 3/5 worked properly and stopped the 7.62.
worse case scenario you wasted 4 or 5 shots and your plate looks like this :suicide2:.
i think you have it right in your first post. old armor is better than no armor.
it does breakdown. i would have no problem keeping it on hand j.i.c. but if i still wore armor everyday after ~10ys i'd pony up and buy new
i have some 3a i used for work when i ran armored trucks i bought it new in 03 and i still trust it.
but i know where its been and how its been stored
It's better than nothing, but check it for MOLD/MILDEW. If it has it, ditch it. If you can't see it, you can usually smell it.
No mold/mildew...hold onto it...better to have it and not need it, than the other way around....
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