Any one know much about the USGI PASGT Kevlar vests ?

I saw some at the local gunshow.  They look very cool, but I was curious to know what threat level of protection they give and if that neck/collar thing really protects your neck.  

They are heavy as heck.

Some enterprising experimenters up here decided to find the answer to that question.  So, one of them put the vest on and the other one shot him with a 22lr.  The vest stopped the 22lr.  Next they decided to try a 12 gauge at contact distance, first placing a telephone book under the vest.  The 12 gauge pellets penetrated the vest but not the telephone book, though there was some blunt force injury to the ribs.

Don't try this at home. :)

Aren't those vests for fragmentation protection only? They have a butt-load of them at the local Army surplus store, and they're label "fragmentation vest". You might want to check that out before you buy.

You're better off spending the money on a vest actually designed to stop bullets. PASGT is only designed to stop penetration of grenade fragments, etc.

I have read somewhere's that the PASGT vests are either level 2 or 2a in protection.  The military says they're for fragmentation, not small arms protection, but the military considers 7.62NATO small arms......  

The main problem with the PASGT vests is they aren't very concealable, anyone shooting at you will know you're wearing armor & aim for the head if they have a pistol, shotgun or pistol cal carbine.

yep. Even the M2 is now considered "small arms."

the way i understand it. its only rated for fragemnts but can stop small arms depending upon placemnt of the round. the NIJ wont rate it becasue its front opening

I believe the PASGT is rated IIA - but given the choice I'd take a "go to hell" hat ( boonie cap, BDU hat, etc.) anyday over the PASGT P.O.S. The only reason I wear mine is the Army requires it. I shoot a lot better without a Kevlar and to me - it just gets in the way.I can see justification for quality modern body armor if you need it - but the standard issue Kevlar is useless to me personally.    

If it has a legitimate NIJ rating, it will be labeled as such on the inside.  This is an NIJ requirement.

NIJ ratings are given after carefully controlled tests given by a lab such as H.P. White.  This is not something the average user has either the equipment or expertise to do at a range.  Admittedly, NIJ ratings are somewhat artificial anyway.

Conventional wisdom puts these vests at a IIA, but it appears to me that this rating may be a little high.  The only way to tell for sure is have an NIJ approved lab do the test.  My recollection is that this costs over $1000, plus you have to supply two identical vests that are both destroyed during the test.

The PASGT is made from 13 layers of kevlar 29.

It provides the same protection as anything made of 13 layers of said type Kevlar.  You cannot go to Dupount and ask for the Kevlar 29 that only works against Frag and not other projectiles.