Does body armor "stack" - Page 1

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Does body armor "stack"

Posted: 1/24/2013 10:06:34 AM EDT

For example: I have a IIIa soft vest. I purchase a plate carrier with stand alone lvl III plates. I put on vest and plate carrier over it.

What does that give me? Other than a heavier load to carry?

Posted: 1/24/2013 10:09:56 AM EDT

[#1]

Back ache

Posted: 1/24/2013 10:10:09 AM EDT

[#2]

Spall protection from a rifle round if you get hit in the plates, and pistol protection if you get hit in soft armor. Duh.

If a rifle round will go through the plates, that soft armor isn't gonna slow it down much.

Posted: 1/24/2013 10:11:10 AM EDT

[#3]

You'll get more protection.

And back pain, knee pain, ankle pain, and if you do anything, a really bad case of body odor.

Posted: 1/24/2013 10:11:11 AM EDT

[#4]

Yes it stacks. Added weight, more restricted movement, probably the same coverage issues.

No, we are not playing Magic the Gathering.

Get one good set that you can afford and call it a day.

Or, get dragonskin if you are really worried about it.

Posted: 1/24/2013 10:11:38 AM EDT

[#5]

What if I just wear 1,000 t-shirts, all at once?

But yeah, what Pistol sez.

Posted: 1/24/2013 10:12:01 AM EDT

[#6]

A ghetto IBA

Posted: 1/24/2013 10:13:41 AM EDT

[#7]

Protection buffs do not stack, however the weight debuffs do.

Posted: 1/24/2013 10:13:55 AM EDT

[#8]

Obviously that would be level VIa, which will stop a tactical nuclear strike. Assuming you have a spall guard and some sunscreen, of course.

Posted: 1/24/2013 10:14:06 AM EDT

[#9]

answer: it depends

for example, ESAPI plates are to be used with soft armor and are the equivalent (close enough) to NIJ Level IV. now if you wear an ESAPI without a soft armor backing, you still get the protection of the earlier SAPI plate (Level III equivalent). the main difference is in back-face deformation and catching bullet fragments that may get through in the soft armor

Posted: 1/24/2013 10:18:04 AM EDT

[#10]

That is pretty common. A lot of rifle plates as I understand it are made with the idea that there will be soft armor backing it. They even sell soft armor pieces in the same sizes as rifle plates for that purpose. The idea is that the soft armor may catch anything that gets through the plate but has expended most of it's energy. Also it gives you more coverage against non rifle threats, rifle plates on your front and back don't help if you get shot with a pistol from the side.

Posted: 1/24/2013 10:19:16 AM EDT

[#11]

If I'm not mistaken, there was a bank robber who was shot in the chest with a rifle while wearing three IIIA vests and together they stopped the bullet. Someone on this board didn't believe it so they actually purchased a few vests, piled them over each other and shot them.

Posted: 1/24/2013 10:29:29 AM EDT

[#12]

It does "stack" as you would say, however without testing who knows what a level 3 vest and a level 3 plate would give you? Somewhere between level 3 and level 4.... The question then becomes how close to level 4 will it be... I'm guessing not that close.

I say this because if you see tests of rifle rounds on level 3 vests... they go through the vest, through the manikin and through the vest in the back. If 2 layers of level 3 can't stop these rounds, why would your double layered level 3 stop it? It likely wouldn't.

Posted: 1/24/2013 10:30:34 AM EDT

[#13]

Quoted:

It does "stack" as you would say, however without testing who knows what a level 3 vest and a level 3 plate would give you? Somewhere between level 3 and level 4.... The question then becomes how close to level 4 will it be... I'm guessing not that close.

I say this because if you see tests of rifle rounds on level 3 vests... they go through the vest, through the manikin and through the vest in the back. If 2 layers of level 3 can't stop these rounds, why would your double layered level 3 stop it? It likely wouldn't.

i think you mean Level IIIA, not Level III

Posted: 1/24/2013 10:32:05 AM EDT

[#14]

Quoted:
If I'm not mistaken, there was a bank robber who was shot in the chest with a rifle while wearing three IIIA vests and together they stopped the bullet. Someone on this board didn't believe it so they actually purchased a few vests, piled them over each other and shot them.

Do you have a link?

Posted: 1/24/2013 10:32:29 AM EDT

[#15]

You'll stop any bullet, but some jackass will bash the back of your skull in with a tire iron because it takes you 10 minutes to turn around and look behind you.

Posted: 1/24/2013 10:35:14 AM EDT

[#16]

Quoted:
If I'm not mistaken, there was a bank robber who was shot in the chest with a rifle while wearing three IIIA vests and together they stopped the bullet. Someone on this board didn't believe it so they actually purchased a few vests, piled them over each other and shot them.

That's not what happened. But something similar.

Posted: 1/24/2013 10:38:12 AM EDT

[#17]

Ah, my memory was a little garbled. In the actual incident he was shot in the head but the police sniper involved contacted Old Painless to see if the three vests would have stopped a rifle round had a body shot been taken:

http://www.theboxotruth.com/docs/bot24.htm

Posted: 1/24/2013 10:40:59 AM EDT

[#18]

Are you planning on taking multiple 338 lapua rounds to the back?

Posted: 1/24/2013 10:44:32 AM EDT

[#19]

Quoted:
What if I just wear 1,000 t-shirts, all at once?

But yeah, what Pistol sez.

I might pay to see that.

Posted: 1/24/2013 10:44:39 AM EDT

[#20]

Quoted:
Yes it stacks. Added weight, more restricted movement, probably the same coverage issues.

No, we are not playing Magic the Gathering.

Get one good set that you can afford and call it a day.

Or, get dragonskin if you are really worried about it.

Can you even buy dragonskin anywhere?

Posted: 1/24/2013 10:47:05 AM EDT

[#21]

Quoted:

Quoted:
Yes it stacks. Added weight, more restricted movement, probably the same coverage issues.

No, we are not playing Magic the Gathering.

Get one good set that you can afford and call it a day.

Or, get dragonskin if you are really worried about it.

Can you even buy dragonskin anywhere?

You have to buy it direct and be LE or .mil

Posted: 1/24/2013 10:48:27 AM EDT

[#22]

Body armor is less important than rounds on target.

Posted: 1/24/2013 10:58:51 AM EDT

[#23]

Where is that mall ninja thing again where the guy talks about stacking two plates as his standard load out??

Could this be his triumphant return???

ETA found it! http://lonelymachines.org/mall-ninjas/

Posted: 1/24/2013 11:12:57 AM EDT

[#24]

Heatstroke.
You can become a heat casualty in 40 degree weather.
Some idiots at MCT in my platoon decided because it was cold, they would wear poly pro and a sweater on a forced march in 40 degree weather. that did not end well.

Even a vietnamn era flack jacket will keep you nice and toasty when it is cold out.

Posted: 1/24/2013 11:14:08 AM EDT

[#25]

Level III-A + Level III = Level VI-B armor.

You're now a wizard.

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Does body armor "stack"

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