Being a law enforcement agent or a military officer is a lot of work. You are faced with a lot of threats, both ballistic and non-ballistic. One of the most brutal things to be feared on the combat ground is a rifle shot. They are brutal! One hit and you’re gone. This is why ballistic vest are one of the most essential tactical gears for anyone who is most likely to face rifle threats on an assignment or during combat.
Other levels of ballistic vests offer different level of protection. For instance, the Level II will stop most common handgun rounds including 45 acp, 9mm, .40 s&w, .357 etc. They are majorly made of soft armor. Also, the Level IIIA will protect against nearly all handgun rounds up to .44 magnum, 9mm submachine gun rounds, and even 12-gauge shotgun slugs. They, on the other hand, can either be made of soft armor or hard armor. Then there’s the Level III vests which are largely made of hard armor. Level III armor is designed to withstand 7.62 mm FMJ (US military M80) rounds with a mass of 147 grains and a velocity of 2780 ft/s.
However, only the Level IV will stop armor piercing rifle threats. The device protects against threats of Types I through III at least with a single hit. Body armor of Type IV provides the highest level of protection currently available. These armors are often made from ceramic materials, as they are designed to resist bullets that penetrate armor. Ceramic materials often break up under impact, making them unsuitable for protection against multiple hits. The Type IV armor is clearly meant for tactical situations in which threat warrants such protection, as with Type III armor.
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