Recommendations for armor rated for SS109 M855 green tip...

[TED]

Level IV is too much and not needed and Level III is not enough for SS109. Some places are advertising Level III+ but this is not an official NIJ rating. However it does seem like it is along the lines of what I have in mind and I am looking at those.

Do you have any thoughts, ideas, suggestions on armor that would protect vs. SS109 aka M855 aka Green Tip? Other than Level IV obviously.

Thanks.

TED

[omegajb]

Is there a reason that level IV isn't an option?

Some of the blended poly and ceramic level IV plates are only slightly more weight than level III.



LAPG Level IV can be found for around $100 with discount codes and is 6lbs.

Their level III plate stopped M855 but you only save about 1lbs so it might not be be worth the extra threats you lose over level IV.

Sent from my SM-N986U using Tapatalk

[chamber143]

Skip the steel plates and get some sort of ceramic. Steel is ungodly heavy. Spend the money and save weight here. Or otherwise you will regret it.

[NWshooter]

Hesco l210 special threat plate, would be my choice .6 inches thick and only 5.5 pounds per plate for 10x12 shooters cut

[99cobra2881]

I’ll second NWshooters recomendation

https://www.trex-arms.com/store/Hesc...eat-Plate-Set/

Ive got RMA level IV plates now and have considered switching to these plates many times. Thinner and lighter = more mobility and less fatigue for the most common small caliber threats

[Esq.]

I have the Hesco Special Threats and the Shot Stop GT Durittiums. Haven't been shot in either one so I can't give much of a review of how well they work....Fortunately...

[MegademiC]

Hesco l210 special threat plate, would be my choice .6 inches thick and only 5.5 pounds per plate for 10x12 shooters cut

This. U210 if you want to burn your stimulus check.

[Defaultmp3]

Just be aware that plates that claim to defeat M855 can still be defeated by M193. Read the threats tested carefully, particularly the velocity the rounds are tested at.

[win&legend]

Sounds like your looking for Level III+ Poly's, Cermics or hybrids. Under no circumstance should you ever use AR500 body armor regardless of how much buildup coating is on them. Steel plates are not recommended for anything but target use (ringing steel).

Spall guard does NOTHING to stop ricochets. It only stops fragmentation with a near 90 degree (perpendicular) strike. Considering modern rifle stances (roughly 30 degree torso angle to the threat) or the many other odd body positions that often accompany a real gun fight, the likelihood of ricochet right into your arm or someone next to you is very high because you can't count on a 90 degree bullet strike if you take a round to the chest.

https://www.facebook.com/Bulletsafe/...3575978117618/

By the way, the plate that Bullet Safe tested was AR500's top steel III+ plate with buildup coating.....I've had to educate a lot of people who thought buildup coatings also stop ricochets even including some retired military. Once they understood that reality, the lights clicked on as to why the US Military never issues steel plates. Buildup coatings only stop fragmentation with perpendicular or near perpendicular strikes to the armor.

Kyle Defoor does a great job at explaining the basics behind modern fighting stance for an AR: https://youtu.be/909ZzJYRFJ8

Notice his torso position and consider it relative to a "threat" that he would be facing (or one directly behind him). A while back I had almost bought steel plates until my intuition which had nagged me about what happens with a non-perpendicular strike to steel armor plates got the best of me (as NIJ testing does not test for anything but at 90 degrees), I decided to dig further because the physics didn't make sense to me that the buildup coating would stop a ricochet and I was right, it doesn't take much either.

None of these "AR500" test videos ever try placing the armor at any angle other than "ideal" and lab testing doesn't consider that either which is why they can be lab certified. However that does nothing to change the reality of ricochets which is not an issue with Poly (UHWMPE) or Ceramics as they are sacrificial and imbed the projectile, thus absorbing the energy throughout the plate rather than deflecting it. Doesn't do much good to stop a hit to your torso but sever an artery in your arm, your leg, blow your head off or kill the person next to you...also the threat rating on any plate is only valid up to 1 inch from the edge of the plate, so even with a ceramic or poly plate, if you take a hit say a 1/4in from the edge your likely going to take at least part of the projectile, some are better than others.

I'd suggest Hesco L210's for budget lightweight ceramics, they are single curve, only 1/2 in thick and 5.5lbs per plate, fairly light. I personally run the U210's which are rated for the same threats as the L210's plus the newer M855A1 LAP round which became standard issue with the US Army around 2010. You also shave about 1lb additionally with the U210's over the L210's. I would think it highly likely the U210's would also stop Russian 7N10 and Chinese DBP10 5.8x42mm if SHTF (as in foreign invasion, your fighting along with the US military against the invaders), but the U210's are very spendy at $700 per plate...: https://www.hesco.com/media/2791/thr...x_180111wm.pdf

But can you really place a price tag on your life or the lives of those your trying to protect? I saved up and waited until I could afford U210's (or you could put them on a card or paypal and pay them off over a year). The L210's are rated for XM193, M855, Russian M67, M43 and API. So basically all common Assault Rifle class cartridges sans M855A1 or actual M993 AP etc. However likely due to back face deformation they are not rated for any full power cartridges like M80 ball, 54R etc. even if the bullet may not go through. This is typical for ceramics or poly's in the lightweight 1/2 in thick category. For that you need to step up to the 1" thick plates in the 400, 600 and 800 series.

[utahjeepr]

Not to be a dick, but if your gonna wear plates why would you stop short of level IV esapi? YMMV, but I'm not. What you're willing to die for a dude up for packing a .30 cal, but not for the masses hauling 5.56? I realize "percentage of incidence" and all but yeah I'll take the weight.