ok guys what are the choices.....have been looking at steel plates would like the lightest(under 6lbs) and the most thin I can find(with a operator cut...not squared off).....looked at the link above and saw people posting on Trojan plates and DBT plates but tried to look them up and found nothing.....need your help fellas

Quoted: ok guys what are the choices.....have been looking at steel plates would like the lightest(under 6lbs) and the most thin I can find(with a operator cut...not squared off).....looked at the link above and saw people posting on Trojan plates and DBT plates but tried to look them up and found nothing.....need your help fellas

The DBT "Ultra-Concealable" steel plates have been discontinued.

The Armor Express "Trojan" plates are 7.5 lbs, which is one of the lighter steel plates I've seen.
www.mypolicestore.com/store/product/17582/Trojan-Level-III-Plate-10x12--/
www.armorexpress.com

Here's some required reading from DocGKR:

Currently there are four main options for Level III plates:

5-6 mm AR500/R50c steel plates: Steel plates offer a very thin profile, but are a bit heavier than some other options. They are very durable and offer inexpensive multi-hit capability against non-AP 7.62 x 39 mm and 7.62 x 51 mm, as well as for heavier 5.56 mm loads. If you face lightweight (55 gr or less) hot loaded 5.56 mm, they will go right through steel plates. It is a good idea to wear soft armor underneath steel plates.

Hard polyethelene (Dyneema/Spectra) plates: These are very lightweight multi-hit capable plates that will stop the hot loaded, lightweight 5.56 mm ammo that defeats steel, along with the 7.62 mm threats stopped by steel. Unfortunately, they are often perforated by current military issue 62 gr M855 FMJ “green-tip” ammunition. Most of these are in-conjunctions plates, requiring soft armor underneath to be effective.

Hybrid plates: These combine both steel and hard polyethelene layers and appear to offer the best protection of any current Level III plates. They are very durable and stop multiple hits of almost all non-AP ammo, including high velocity 5.56 mm threats. These are NIJ stand-alone capable, so soft armor is not required underneath. These plates are currently available from Armored Mobility Incorporated.

Ceramic plates: These plates are relatively lightweight for the protection provided, but are often more expensive, can be fragile in day-to-day use, and usually cannot withstand as many closely spaced hits as other plate types. Ceramic plates need to be x-rayed each year to ensure that hidden cracks are not present. Ceramic plates are available in both in-conjunction and stand-alone configurations. Almost all Level IV plates use ceramic elements in order to stop AP rounds.

That AMI plate is impressive. At least from the video on their site. They have a price of $585 is that per plate?

Quoted: They have a price of $585 is that per plate?

Yes, and they were only doing sales to LE agencies, last I checked.

The AMI plate might combine the best features of steel and HDPE (will stop high-speed 5.56 as well as "improved penetration" threats, is durable and multi-hit capable), but it also combines the worst features of the two (heavy, thick AND expensive). When it comes to armor, there's no such thing as a free lunch.

My $.02.

Steel plates and "light" shouldn't go in the same sentence.

Quoted: Steel plates and "light" shouldn't go in the same sentence.

Yep. From what I've seen, most ICW steel plates run ~6.5 lbs. and up, while stand-alones run 7.5 lbs. and up. Most ceramic plates are in that range, as well.

The only real lightweight options are the HDPE and HDPE/ceramic designs. They are .75" to 1.15" thick, but I don't find that thickness bothers me nearly as much as weight does. They also tend to be expensive (there's that "no free lunch" thing again), but having plates that are actually light enough to comfortably move in and train with is worth the price, IMO.

I also wanted something that would be durable enough to leave in my rig all the time, and capable of stopping multiple hits of M193 (probably the most common threat round in my particular environment). Those criteria pretty much ruled out the ceramic and steel types for me.