HighCom Security makes a Level IV 11x14, I got the 10x12, but the guys over at ROE Tactical had a bunch of different options for the level IV

The coating on the steel does wear out but not until after a LOT of rounds, plus you can makeshift spall coating.  Bed liner, duct tape, and a good  carrier or patching / re-wrapping your carrier could keep you protected from bullet frag.

 


Ceramic plates are wayyyyy tougher than people think, especially with respect to dropping or falling or hitting one with a bat.



You have the right attitude WRT buying plates lol.

Never thought of that. Good idea. Steel backup plates just leap frogged way up my list of things I'm buying lol.

.gov tests at 25' feet. I've been told NIJ standards when updated soon will be inline with that. 10mm your distances were 25' weren't they?
 

It's funny you guys bring that up. I was in the ammo forum and someone was showing velocity results. First set was ten feet from muzzle I believe and they were around 3100fps. But the average dropped down to around 2500fps very quickly. So maybe a positive for steel?  How many suffer rifle hits at around three yards?  Seems like getting hit at 50 yards the projectile would be well under the rating of lvl 3+ even if it's the new whiz bang military stuf. No?

And this stuff is why ARFCOM has the reputation it has gotten.

this is what i think also. and is why i wont use a steel plate. only NIJ certified ceramics.
I wont bet my life on steel armor.

I'm usually at 10 yards.

 

Gotcha. Half way between 45' and 25' :D

Save yourself the trouble and get ceramics. Would you rather trust your life to steel or something that's actually been tested and used?

Steel has been tested a lot. It's not like companies who are putting out steel, are just slapping a label on it and calling it body armor. They do send them to ballistic labs for testing..

The most important thing when considering rifle plates is the triple curve shape. It is more important than weight for comfort. It is like night and day for making the plate work with you and not against you. The second most important thing for a rifle plate is triple curved. It makes all the difference in the world for the user to be able to move, hit what they are shooting at, and wear the armor for long periods. If you are not using a triple curved plate you are doing yourself a HUGE disservice. I moved from 11x14 single curved heavy liner spall AR500 plates to triple curved L SAPI 3+ ceramic/poly plates and the weight difference, while huge, was nothing compared to the SHAPE difference.

Some side benefits to ceramic/poly plates are reduced spall (or spall that has much lower mass ceramic fragments that can be captured by your carrier bag), stops a wider variety of rounds, has built in padding that makes accidental chin contact not cause a chipped tooth or bit tongue, less thermal retention on a hot summer day after being packed into your trunk, not having a non standard 10X12 plate fit poorly compared to a SAPI sized plate, and  last on the list is the 2-3 pounds per plate weight savings.

Note that the weight is not that big a deal... a level IV, 7 or 8 pound plate is 10X more comfortable  than a single curved steel plate. The weight gets distributed over your whole torso and not a few small pressure points and triple curved pulls less on your traps/shoulder pads. If you have the means... don't get steel or any single curved plate... it sucks. If you get a ceramic plate shot up front, duct tape in the fragments and swap it to your back. It will still stop a round or two in your back. Use the fresh plate up front. If you have steel, I would suggest you may be less effective or have opted not to wear a steel plate and be dead before that multi hit advantage gets a chance to become an issue.

My superior opted for steel plates, reasoning that they would only be worn for brief durations, cost less, and the weight was not a big deal. In addition to limiting his ammo load to help curb weight, they were so uncomfortable that he took his carrier off during an extended observation before an arrest sting. If we had ended up in a shoot out he would have been armorless due to the comfort issue.

The only thing worse than a single curved steel plate is a non curved steel plate. Friends don't let friends buy steel plates... or single curved cermaic plates. A fellow officer who also went from the same steel plates to the same 3+ ceramics mirrored my feelings. If I eventually need level IV plates, I will get two and put them up front in my current carrier and a second carrier and keep the level 3+ on the back to curb the weight, but the comfort should be similar.

I'm interested in taking a look at some of the triple curve ceramic plate offerings that will stop M193, M855 and M855A1 for "not much more than the cost of steel."  What plates should I be searching for?

 

Highcom 4SAS7 is the first one that comes to mind.  Not the lightest weight, but cheap and works well.

Man, this thread died.  Thanks Jaqufrost...any others to look at guys or is this the only one that's "just a little more than steel"?



 

I think RMA has a deal going with their #1145 plate and a carrier making the plates about $110 each.  Otherwise they're $140 each standalone.
http://www.rmadefense.com/shop.asp

The RMA plate I tested was tough as hell, the 4SAS7 is as well.

 

That's a single curve plate though.  Per the advice above, only considering triple curve plates.





Other than the HighCom, any other ceramic plates to suggest fellas?  I thought there were a bunch given the responses in this thread.





 

I prefer ceramic. 

It's likely that all the other affordable level IV plates are going to be brand labeled Highcom plates anyway.

 

So Highcom makes the only "slightly more than steel" ceramic triple curve plates?  And it's 7-1/4 #, only about 1# lighter than a steel plate.  I thought the whole point was weight reduction?





There's nothing else to research?





 

A different way to phrase the question...what are you guys running for ceramic plates?

I'm running SKD plates from their group buy this summer.

Eventually I plan to swap to 4lb or less ceramics.


I have spare steel plates to hand out to the family.

That would be 2# with 2 plates.  Yes it is "only" 2#, but trust me that is enough to make a difference if you are using it.  Also remember some sellers are known to be very "generous" on how little their plates weigh.

ETA: I'm running a set of Paraclete plates I got from Tyr Tactical.  I have to wear large plates, so I know what heavy is, but the weight isn't so bad as long as you have a quality carrier.

Can you define what you mean by "slightly more than steel"?  Do you mean slightly more price or protection or what?

 


I wouldn't say the whole point is weight reduction, ceramics stop things that steel couldn't dream of stopping.  But steel is tougher and for the rounds that it can stop it will stop wayyyy more than ceramic.

Guardian 34i1's from Highcom

 

Hesco L210s

Highcom 4SAS7 ceramics.  I got a 10X12 triple curve shooters cut for the front and a 10X12 full cut for the back, together with a basic PC for about $350.  Tough to beat that for bang for the buck.

I also wouldn't sneeze at another 2 lbs heavier, which is 15% more.  When you include a rifle, ammo and whatever else you want to carry, weight can add up quickly.  Obviously if you are in great shape and carry around the weight regularly, like an active duty soldier, it's less of an issue.

Slightly more costly is what I meant.  I have a set of the Spartan AR500 coated plates now.  I know these will not stop the new M855A1.  They are about 8.5# each.  I paid $260ish for the pair.  I've read several times how there are triple curve ceramic plates available for "slightly more than steel" that offer the additional protection from M193, M855, M855A1, etc.  I am interested in researching these plates.



If I could find a triple curve plate that stops all of that stuff, saves 2#+ per plate and comes in at even 50% more money ($400ish for the pair), I'd be interested in that for my next set.  



 

Will those stop M855A1?  They are also shown as $300 per plate, more than double the steels...but they are 2.5# lighter.
Will those stop M855A1 since that seems to be the new standard?  Those are UHMWPE?  Those won't live in my environment...we see too high of temps here in Vegas.




 
 

Those look good
for sure.  Have them been tested against M855A1 yet?  I saw the 3S9 was
and defeated M855A1, but I haven't seen the 4SAS7 tested against it yet.
 Anyone know?

I haven't seen them any demonstrations of this armor vs. M855A1.

Hybrid Ceramic/UHMWPE material.

The Highcom 4SAS7s are great plates as well. That's what I had before I switched to the Hesco plates.

I don't know, but it's probably easiest to shoot Highcom and email and ask.  My view is that it would be difficult to get something dramatically better without spending dramatically more money.  For me, being unlikely to need the armor to begin with, this was the best option.

Easily.

 

I have personally shot an AR500 Level IV plate (that had already been hit with a shotgun slug) with M855A1 and it wasn't even close to going through.  The Wound Channel is my YouTube.  I believe the AR500 Level IV is either a rebranded 4SAS7 or something extremely close.


Any Level IV plate you find will stop M855A1 with ease.


 

I've been told they're Hesco plates..

Thanks for answering all my questions.  So, in the end, it's looking like a LVL IV plate is the way to go to stop this new M855A1 as well as all the older M193, M855, M80 and the common threats.



I was looking at the Highcom plates, and it looks like for the same size plate in 4S17M and 4SAS7 (10x12 multi curve, shooter cut), they are both 7.2#.  The only difference appears to be the 10 year warranty on the 4S17M vs 5 year warranty on the 4SAS7, and a $20 price difference.  Is that right?



 

As the OP, thanks for all of your post guys. I ended up selecting the LevelIV Highcom 4SAS7. I went with the single curve 10x12's. If I do not like them I can always get a set of multi-curves later.

Since it's kind of relevant. Will 855a1 go through a sapi plate? While backed by interceptor soft armor?

Nope, don't even need the interceptor.

 

Thanks.

The GUARDIAN 4S17M and 4S17 are rifle special threat validated and will defeat M855, and M80 since they are NIJ .06. The difference is that the M is multi-curve vs single curve. The guys over at ROE Tactical said to keep checking the plate page they can carry the whole line of HighCom and to email them if you want something you don't see.

I'm getting ready to order a set of their 3s9m, 10x12 multi curve shooters cut plates.  Might get a set of side plates and soft armor as well.

Not true. Highcom does rebrand plates but so do 5 or 6 other manufacturers. You are more likely to find a rebranded Hesco than a rebranded Highcom, and Hesco makes a better plate.



Myth. UHMWPE would survive just fine in the trunk in Vegas.

Are the Hesco rebrands cheap?  Do you know who makes AR500armor.com's Level IV plate?

The one on their website is a budget design level IV made by Tencate.

While it will stop a bullet, it has no certification and has no strike face protection. It would probably pass the older NIJ04 cert if that were still in use. It definitely would not pass the drop test of NIJ06.

To compare, you can get an NIJ06 certified plate with strike face protection and similar weight (basically superior in every way) from several companies for less money.

I want to get a UHMWPE plate to help show this is a myth. Environmental Chambers are fun :) Just need to find a manufacturer willing..

So 170+ temps is no problem?  I had thought anything in that range was a problem.  Good to know.  Any UHMWPE plates that will stop M855A1?