I've heard that 7.62x25 pistol rounds are excellent penetrators, and have read from a few sources that they defeat class II (or was it IIa?) bullet-proof vests, but I have yet to see someone actually test this.



If anyone has a link to someone testing these round on bullet-proof vests, by all means please share a link!



The closest I've found was O_P's Box O' Truth #29, where it penetrated a kevlar helmet that stopped .357 Magnum.

Yes.

Rather I was at a Safariland demonstration shoot where their latest NIJ compliant vests stopped them.

Point of order: It's called "body armor".  There is no such animal as a "bullet-proof vest."

I think bullet construction plays a more important role than caliber.  If you give me the right projectile, I mightl penetrate a IIIA with a .38

I guess it would depend on the material and design of the soft panels if it would defeat one. Its not used in the level IIA-IIIA tests so you would have to find if the manufacturer did testing on it.

FWIW, the Impac ST insert lists 3 7.62x25 loads as 'special threats'.

At the department I used to work at a few years ago one of the deputies took a CZ52 and shot a vest full of holes but I believe it was a level II not a level III

http://forums.gunboards.com/showthread.php?83361-Proven-the-7-62x25-Tokarev-Kevlar-Penetration-Issue

Made Hot for You...

I tested some 7.62x25 military surplus ammo on a shoulder insert from a 14 layer Kevlar German flack vest that I folded in half and shot it on a stack of newspapers from 4 yards.

as you can see it flew threw the left side like paper and almost made it threw the next 14 layers of kevlar, it was pushed over an inch into the newspaper.

FYI
a nato 9mm cut threw 10 layers of kevlar and dented the next 14.


I bought two and put them in one shell to have 28 layers of kevlar, just short of level 3A number. then I did this test to see how 28 layers would work.
I since have bought 4 more and will put three sets of inserts in two vests and have more than level 3A for $150 each. so what is 42 layers of kevlar rate on the scale?
german flectar vest

IIRC Level 3A is ~32 layers if just talking about woven Kevlar. Flak vests like the US PASGT used 13 layers of Kevlar 29 (but had no NIJ rating). Not sure what type of Kevlar the German vests used. I think the newer woven panels use Kevlar 149. The PASGT vests were not stitched the same way as rated armor IIRC and can effect how well the Kevlar can "catch" the round. A few more layers might give more protection from loads like 7.62x25 but I would rather pay $250 and get a 3A vest on sale then use panels made for stopping fragmentation.

One of the more creative acronyms I've heard for PASGT vests is

Protects
Against
Spit-wads,
Girl
Thrown

Somebody threw an old kevlar? army helmet away at the range after shooting it on the side with a high power rifle. I set it out to maybe 30 yards and unloaded 3-4 ppsh43 mags out of my AR. There was almost no helmet left. Really fun.