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Thread: improvised body armor question

  1. #1
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    improvised body armor question

    I was trying to think if Mythbusters ever did this and I cant remember, and I haven't seen anything on Youtube. Anyways, just curious if anyone has put any thought into improvised body armor that can be produced quick and is effective against a 556 at say 50 feet. The fist thing that comes to my mind is phone books with plate steel as illustrated in the book: 100 deadly skills. Even though I believe that is quite effective, it seems extremely bulky and not "wearable" for extended times- obviously safety before comfort but what if we could have both.

    Anyone ever put much thought into body armor from household supplies? Or could you produce a non bulky, wearable, quality body armor? If you had say.....20 minutes to produce body armor to protect you against you, what would you build and from what common household materials.

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    See the demolition ranch channel on youtube for funny videos on these dumb ideas

  3. #3
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    Interesting only as an academic exercise, but I'd never use anything resulting from it. Hard and soft body armor is cheap and readily available.
    2012 National Zumba Endurance Champion
    الدهون القاع الفتيات لك جعل العالم هزاز جولة الذهاب

  4. #4
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    The first video is fiberglass and doesn’t stop 5.56

    https://youtu.be/_7jiIQOgwtI

    The second is ceramic and stops m193 & m855

    https://youtu.be/DYkl4m3uoOE

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  6. #6
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    I am pretty sure Mythbusters did do a body armor episode. Been a long time since I've watched any.

    Think it was a combo of ceramic tiles and kevlar? Sorry, I forget the results.

    They also tried making a bullet proof car with phone books. Realized it was kind of unrealistic as that many phone books to cover the car would actually put them over the max carry weight of the vehicle.



    Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk

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    I couldn't make it in 20 minutes, but Im thinking a fiberglass laminate with some ceramic up front? Commonly found at all home improvement stores.
    Tactical Nylon Micro Brewery

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    Ar500 targets would be the only thing Id trust.

    Just buy real plates.

  9. #9
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    I get the thought exercise, but if it were me, I’d opt for speed and mobility over trying to fabricate something that would be inefficient, uncomfortable and most likely ineffective. If done for a bug out scenario, I’d use the time for a head start myself.

    Now if it were just for grins and giggles, have at it.

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    In some sort of grid down situation where body armor would even be a conceivable requirement, I'd rather have speed and mobility and sacrifice my bullet resistance, rather than gorilla taping some phone books and a manhole cover to my torso.

    Isn't 100 deadly skills also the book that advocates tampons for gunshots? No thanks.
    Worry less, Train more.

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