Handguns vs. Class 3A Ballistic Vest

[32 Magnum]

Recently, a member of our gun club, who is a County DA Detective (also a retired LEO) brought in a "retired" class 3A ballistic vest used by his department as well as other dept.s in the Lehigh Valley. He wanted to run an informal test for his and his fellow officers curiosity - since they were wearing these vests, he wanted to know how effective the vests are.
We fired a variety of handgun ammo at the vest, hung on a backer from a range of approx. 20 FEET. The results were both not-so surprising but also surprising. Here's what we found (standard was to fire three rounds of each type from the same distance (20'):

.38SPL +P, .357 Mag. (125, 158 gr - FMJ and hollow point), 9x19 mm (124, 148 gr. FMJ and hollow point), .44 MAG (240 and 265 FMJ), .45 ACP (165 HP, 185 HP, 200 JHP, 230 FMJ) - all failed to penetrate. Most of the FMJ above .38 +P, showed some deformation of the projectiles when recovered. All of the HPs expanded to some degree.

Next up: My CZ 52 7.62x25mm (85 gr. S&B) - penetrated both sides of vest - clean holes - projectiles not recovered. Regional Small commercial reloader's HOT SD rounds, 85 gr. jacketed hollow points - marked "For CZ52 ONLY - too hot for TOKAREV - penetrated about 1/2 of layers and flattened out with curled lips on same level as base of bullet.
My SIG PRO 2340 w/ .357 SIG 140 gr. S&B TCFMJ - individual rounds didn't penetrate but flattened out to about 3/4 of length - jackets split - 2 of three rounds knocked the vest off of the stand - very heavy impact. He then asked me to do some rapid fire hitting in nearly same spot. I loaded five rounds and fired them rapidly into about a 2" group - first three rounds were stopped and messed up the Kevlar pretty badly - next two rounds worked through but were stopped by back panel. Then fired five more spreading the impacts out in a line about 4" long - all were stopped but vest flapped violently. Several of the projectiles travelled from POI at upper left all the way to the bottom of the vest - tearing up material as they went.
The surprises: We tried firing a bolt action .22lr loaded with CCI STINGERS - no penetration but the recovered projectiles flattened out and looked like bingo markers.
Last up: a Savage M9317 firing .17 HMRF .17 gr Hornady AccuTip (polymer) rounds - three rounds - three penetrations of front panel - all three disintegrated on back panel, that is - left a lead smudge about 3" in diameter.

In the near future, we're going to try some shotgun rounds: 12 ga buck and slugs, 2 3/4 and 3 1/2" cartridges.
What I learned: I wouldn't want to be HIT by any of those rounds, ballistic vest or not.
Jim

[Steve_NEPhila]

One thing to note is that human skin oils are very destructive to just about everything they touch. There is a possibility that the "retired" vest suffered some degradation over years of exposure to human skin. I am not saying that degradation is the reason for the performance, just that it is a factor to consider. The manufacturers usually advise the vests to be replaced every three years.

I am sure we will all patiently wait for the Mythbusters to do an episode on that exact topic.

[Nic]

Interesting... thanks for the post.

[32 Magnum]

This was the Detective's vest - it had 3 years on duty - he wears the replacement.

[fastfive0]

VERY interesting...would have liked to be there to see this! Pics would be awesome!

[32 Magnum]

VERY interesting...would have liked to be there to see this! Pics would be awesome!

This was a test "under the radar" - NO pics allowed - no mention of Agency allowed - certainly not names...I do have a couple of the .357 slugs, and the one 7.62x25mm hollow point the fully mushroomed. I'll have to dig them out and get a pic up on this site.
Jim Hauff

[brownman]

This was a test "under the radar" - NO pics allowed - no mention of Agency allowed - certainly not names..
Jim Hauff

Lets start a pool, Bethlehem Twp. PD, Easton PD, Hellertown PD, mmm, lets see, what else is over that way. Just kidding man.... so... am I close. Cool post, stuff like that is cool to read about.

[Connal]

Proof that "bullet proof" vests, are anything but.

I'm not shocked at those results. I can see most of the "casual" calibers (read .38 spl and the like) being stopped. I can also see the CZ cutting holes into it.

I am a little amazed by the results on the .17. I figured it wouldn't pass cleanly through. But to get that much "penetration" into the layers is astonishing.

Reminds me of that old video where some moron straps a vest on, and lets his buddy shoot him from about five feet.

[Asmodeus6]

Oh lawdy would I have loved to be there. Brass fetcher punched some holes in a IIa vest with a TOK pistol. But I was itching to know what it would do to the IIIa vest.

If your TOK pistol will send a round through both panels and out to oblivion at 20 ft...

I think I could have made some of your friends pretty damn uncomfortable with my "pistol".


Yes, it's TOK.

[ar15jules]

No surprise there. They aren't rated for small blazing fast rounds.
Jules