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Quoted: Awesome explanation, thank you View Quote Quoted:
Is highcom still well regarded? View Quote |
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I go for the head or femoral artery shots so chest armor is a waste of time, money and weight.
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I've picked up a few sets that way. BamaJr and BamaJrSr both have soft body armor now. BamaJr has a concealable and an EMS vest with soft armor. I have a set in the trunk of my car, bedroom, man cave. All but one of my plate carriers has the ceramic plates backed up by soft armor. So those plate carriers are good to go as standalone units. View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted:
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I picked these PACA vests up new, never worn, out of date for $80 shipped for the pair. https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v492/Bamashooter/ARFCOM/20181213_195017_zpsm1bva0st.jpg I have a set in the trunk of my car, bedroom, man cave. All but one of my plate carriers has the ceramic plates backed up by soft armor. So those plate carriers are good to go as standalone units. Were those local deals? I looked at our CL and there was one used set of armor for $350 I'd be better off spending that at bulletproofme.com. If you keep running into sub $100 armor, you should buy them and put them in the EE for a 50% profit and we all end up ahead. |
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@Bama-Shooter Were those local deals? I looked at our CL and there was one used set of armor for $350 I'd be better off spending that at bulletproofme.com. If you keep running into sub $100 armor, you should buy them and put them in the EE for a 50% profit and we all end up ahead. View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted:
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I picked these PACA vests up new, never worn, out of date for $80 shipped for the pair. https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v492/Bamashooter/ARFCOM/20181213_195017_zpsm1bva0st.jpg I have a set in the trunk of my car, bedroom, man cave. All but one of my plate carriers has the ceramic plates backed up by soft armor. So those plate carriers are good to go as standalone units. Were those local deals? I looked at our CL and there was one used set of armor for $350 I'd be better off spending that at bulletproofme.com. If you keep running into sub $100 armor, you should buy them and put them in the EE for a 50% profit and we all end up ahead. I doubt anyone is actually buying used vests in that price range. I same some locally the other day, asking price was $150 each. I have plenty but will buy in the sub $100 range. You just have to look and be patient. |
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Crunching the suggestions from the thread, it seems the best budget plates right now are:
RMA III+ @ 4.4lb, Single/Multi Curve ~$225 HighCom IV @ 7.2 lb, Multi curve $176 w/discount With a bonus budget option of RMA IV @ 8.3 lb, One Size Only, Single Curve $135 Questions: -Weight vs Protection seems to be the only difference between the HighCom and RMA, right? -For those with experience, would you rather have the weight or the extra caliber protection? -What if you did a Lvl IV back plate and a Lvl III+ front plate, with your mags balancing the weight in the front? Dumb idea? |
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I have a few sets. One set is what I wear under my uniform. The rest of it is kind of silly. I keep a set of AR500 plates in my office. Nobody thinks that's weird for some reason. The rest of it hangs in a closet. I have a set that sometimes rides around in the back of my car, depending on the social occasion.
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Crunching the suggestions from the thread, it seems the best budget plates right now are: RMA III+ @ 4.4lb, Single/Multi Curve ~$225 HighCom IV @ 7.2 lb, Multi curve $176 w/discount With a bonus budget option of RMA IV @ 8.3 lb, One Size Only, Single Curve $135 Questions: -Weight vs Protection seems to be the only difference between the HighCom and RMA, right? -For those with experience, would you rather have the weight or the extra caliber protection? -What if you did a Lvl IV back plate and a Lvl III+ front plate, with your mags balancing the weight in the front? Dumb idea? View Quote What that means is that the level III or III+/Special Threat plates will typically be better performers against multiple hits, especially ones that are spaced close together. My personal choice for plates is the TenCate 2000SA. Rated against multiple hits of M193 or M855 at 3050 FPS, 7.62x39 MSC, and one hit against 7.62x39 API (hardened, shaped steel core with incendiary pellet at the base). Also tested against IIIA threats. Picked it because it provides multi hit protection across the common CONUS threat spectrum and they're thin enough to be concealed while also being light weight. In terms of putting a heavier plate in the back to balance weight I don't really know. I run a slick carrier myself. I'll say that that it's not something I see being done by others. |
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FED LEO here. I am issued (I hope) pretty decent soft armor. Smallish hard armor is available at work for checkout (maybe 6" X 10"?). I bought my own ceramic stand alone level 4 large plates and carrier, as well as a IIIA ballistic helmet (more as an NVG mount, but I could have just bought a bump helmet). I hope I'll never need them, but I'm glad I have them.
ESSTAC Daeodon carrier and HESCO plates. HHV helmet. |
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https://www.AR15.Com/media/mediaFiles/3064/shield_front_JPG-882327.JPG https://www.AR15.Com/media/mediaFiles/3064/shield_back_JPG-882328.JPG This is rated for .308 stoppage |
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I need one of these because reasons...
Attached File This is a very interesting and educational thread. Guess I need to add armor to my bucket list. |
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https://www.AR15.Com/media/mediaFiles/3064/shield_front_JPG-882327.JPG https://www.AR15.Com/media/mediaFiles/3064/shield_back_JPG-882328.JPG This is rated for .308 stoppage View Quote Asking for a friend. |
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I’m not going to lace one up mid home invasion due to time, .... View Quote For home invasion it takes 2 seconds maybe to put it on while grabbing the firearm. These are inexpensive, lightweight and quick to put on for a home invasion. https://bulletsafe.com/products/bullet-proof-vest https://www.safeguardclothing.com/15-bullet-proof-vests/coolmax-carriers-black/coolmax-iiia-bullet-black/?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIwbjY-f-X4QIVHCCtBh3HWQU4EAQYBCABEgIgH_D_BwE |
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Not just you op, but what is with all the apologist, worry what others think bull shit? Don’t fall into this pc bullshit, live you life how you want. If you do or don’t want to be a commando or wanna be, who gives a shit. Do what you want. If you want something whether you can use it or not, fucking buy it. It’s no worse than other collectibles. All kinds of people collect weird shit. If this offends anyone, oh well. Won’t change my day. View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted:
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Help a guy that’s on the fence. I’m no wanna be commando, I respect actual commando’s too much to dress up like one without having earned it. I’m disciplined with my money, but am not afraid to spend good money where it’s worth it. Im having trouble seeing the use case for myself. I don’t work in LE or the armed services, I work a desk job and lead what is ultimately a boring traditional lifestyle (4 young kids, 40 hours a week, 1 vacation a year, etc). I understand the value of armor if I ever found myself being shot at, I just can’t imagine a scenario where I’d actually use it short of a Red Dawn event, which is impossible. I’m not going to lace one up mid home invasion due to time, and I’m not going to run out to my car to grab it and head back into the office to stop a shooting spree as I’d likely just get lumped in with the actual shooter. Help me see how I’m justified spending $400 or more on a decent setup. Don’t fall into this pc bullshit, live you life how you want. If you do or don’t want to be a commando or wanna be, who gives a shit. Do what you want. If you want something whether you can use it or not, fucking buy it. It’s no worse than other collectibles. All kinds of people collect weird shit. If this offends anyone, oh well. Won’t change my day. I have no regrets. I work hard for what I want. |
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I work in armed services and wear body armor daily.
Level III+ Steel, front and back, and a really nice carrier cost me $380 from Spartan Armor. I don't wear the back steel though. It is very uncomfortable to ride in a truck with clapped out suspension. I need to find a soft armor insert for the rear. Pistols are the main threat, anyway. |
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I am wondering if body armor (may be colored in bright red/yellow) would be good and accepted use for things like shooting range, may be even hunting?
I am thinking that it could prevent injuries from accidental discharges when in those situations. Would that be an acceptable use case, would range officers support that ? Quoted:
It's going to sit in a closet or under the bed in reality. But from an insurance perspective I'm thinking SHTF urban/suburban protection. Price would not be a primary issue. View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted:
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I've skimmed the first two pages of this thread and haven't got to the GD recommendations with link to purchase???? What the hell is wrong with this place. Am I supposed to research this all myself? |
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Conversely, you could argue percentages aren't as important as the stakes. I carry a pistol but live in an area with very little violent crime. Percentage wise, it's just needless weight. However the stakes are very high if I stumble someday into a violent confrontation View Quote If I thought I was going some place I might actually need my gun, I'm bringing a rifle, not a ccw. If I'm actually bringing a rifle, I'd put my armor on. |
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I run an Esstac Daeodon pc with mesh cummerbund and Highcom level IV plates.
I am not a professional, but I have donned for real it once. Fortunately I didn't have to "use" it. Our neighborhood turned into an island during Harvey, and they brought folks from the absolute worst area of Houston here by the boatload/helicopter load (literally, I was watching USCG rescue helos touch down in a small green space about 1/4 mi from my backyard). We had no police, so someone broke into the liquor store just down the street. That's when the armor went on. Is it worth it? I don't know. Is car insurance worth it? Is your life worth a few hundred $? I don't have operator delusions. I stay in my lane, I just like to be prepared. |
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Another tid bit is I could see them wanting to ban armor down the road View Quote Attached File |
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Size and weight? Asking for a friend. View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted:
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https://www.AR15.Com/media/mediaFiles/3064/shield_front_JPG-882327.JPG https://www.AR15.Com/media/mediaFiles/3064/shield_back_JPG-882328.JPG This is rated for .308 stoppage Asking for a friend. Just enough to protect my heart and inner lungs while mag dumping until i can get to cover. Or enough to protect my head in an o shit moment. Faster in the dark to grab it and a gun then putting a vest on. Not ment to replace traditional body armor just meant as an additional protection. there is a state police force that uses a store bought version for traffic stops to protect there face and neck from a gun shot from the interior of a car. Its dyneema armor used for ballistic protection projects cost was about three bills. |
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I work in armed services and wear body armor daily. Level III+ Steel, front and back, and a really nice carrier cost me $380 from Spartan Armor. I don't wear the back steel though. It is very uncomfortable to ride in a truck with clapped out suspension. I need to find a soft armor insert for the rear. Pistols are the main threat, anyway. View Quote If you want to get that soft insert just get a IIIA insert in the appropriate size from Spartan Armor themselves or AR500. |
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Another tid bit is I could see them wanting to ban armor down the road https://www.AR15.Com/media/mediaFiles/185965/3463_jpeg-887248.JPG |
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Crunching the suggestions from the thread, it seems the best budget plates right now are: RMA III+ @ 4.4lb, Single/Multi Curve ~$225 HighCom IV @ 7.2 lb, Multi curve $176 w/discount With a bonus budget option of RMA IV @ 8.3 lb, One Size Only, Single Curve $135 Questions: -Weight vs Protection seems to be the only difference between the HighCom and RMA, right? -For those with experience, would you rather have the weight or the extra caliber protection? -What if you did a Lvl IV back plate and a Lvl III+ front plate, with your mags balancing the weight in the front? Dumb idea? View Quote |
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I have no idea as the quality of this rig but $99 is cheap for a set of new soft body armor. Pretty sure it is made in China.
https://gun.deals/product/battle-steel-emergency-ballistic-armor-package-low-12995?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=newsletter-1371 |
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Sew your own https://www.AR15.Com/media/mediaFiles/181959/A5166C62-35F8-4082-B2AD-4E5A7D3F364A-892148.jpg View Quote |
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I am wondering if body armor (may be colored in bright red/yellow) would be good and accepted use for things like shooting range, may be even hunting? I am thinking that it could prevent injuries from accidental discharges when in those situations. Would that be an acceptable use case, would range officers support that ? View Quote Mine is the generic level IV highcom plates so 7-8 lbs per and the whole rig weighs about 37 lbs with full loadout and water. I’d love to shed those 6 lbs at this point. |
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I have no idea as the quality of this rig but $99 is cheap for a set of new soft body armor. Pretty sure it is made in China. https://gun.deals/product/battle-steel-emergency-ballistic-armor-package-low-12995?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=newsletter-1371 View Quote |
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I view having body armor the same as having a home defense gun.
If someone tries to force entry into our home while we are in bed. I would rather have both defensive and offensive layers in place.... |
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