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Encyclopedia > Bulletproof vest
Man in body armor
Man in body armor

A bullet-proof vest (also known as body armor) is a protective torso covering that absorbs the impact from gun-fired projectiles and explosive fragments. Soft vests made from layers of tightly-woven fibres protect wearers from projectiles fired from handguns, shotguns, and shrapnel from explosives such as hand grenades. When titanium or ceramic plates are used with a soft vest, it can also protect wearers from shots fired from rifles and automatic rifles. Soft vests are commonly worn by police forces and private security guards, and hard-plate reinforced vests are worn by combat soldiers in the armies of the major industrialized nations. Many countries restrict civilian ownership of body armor to security-related employees. Image File history File links Information_icon. ... Abbreviation (from Latin brevis short) is strictly a shortening, but more particularly, an abbreviation is a letter or group of letters, taken from a word or words, and employed to represent them for the sake of brevity. ... ImageMetadata File history File links Bodyarmor. ... ImageMetadata File history File links Bodyarmor. ... Armor or armour (see spelling differences) is protective clothing intended to defend its wearer from intentional harm in combat and military engagements, typically associated with soldiers. ... Protective clothing is clothing designed to protect either the wearers body or other items of clothing from hazards such as heat, chemicals and infection. ... A projectile is any object sent through space by the application of a force. ... A Browning 9 millimeter Hi-Power Ordnance pistol of the French Navy, 19th century, using a Percussion cap mechanism Derringers were small and easily hidden. ... A pump-action and two semi-automatic action Remington 1100 shotguns, 20 boxes of shotgun shells, a clay trap, and three boxes of clay pigeons. ... A sectioned Shrapnel shell displayed at the Canadian War Museum, Ottawa For other uses, see Shrapnel (disambiguation). ... For the alcoholic beverage sold in New Orleans, see hand grenade (drink). ... A rifle is a firearm with a barrel that has a helical groove or pattern of grooves (rifling) cut into the barrel walls. ...

Contents

Overview

The term "bullet-proof" is a misnomer since these vests, depending on the armor level (see below) may provide little or no protection against rifle ammunition or even against handgun ammunition fired from a pistol-caliber carbine. The exception is the common .22 LR ammunition, which can usually be stopped by these vests even when fired from a rifle. These vests are usually protective against handgun ammunition fired from handguns, depending on the armor level of the vest. An editor has expressed a concern that the topic of this article may be unencyclopedic. ... Boxes of ammunition clog a warehouse in Baghdad Ammunition is a generic military term meaning (the assembly of) a projectile and its propellant. ... A carbine is a firearm similar to, but generally shorter and less powerful than, a rifle or musket of a given period. ... The . ...


Vests may be augmented with metal (steel or titanium), ceramic or polyethylene plates that provide extra protection to vital areas. These hard armor plates have proven effective against all handgun bullets and a range of rifles. These "tactical body armor" vests have become standard in military use, as soft body armor vests are ineffective against most military rifle rounds. The CRISAT NATO(Collaborative Research Into Small Arms Technology-North Atlantic Treaty Organization) standard for body armor specifies the use of titanium backing. This titanium plate may be removable or sewn in. The steel cable of a colliery winding tower. ... General Name, Symbol, Number titanium, Ti, 22 Chemical series transition metals Group, Period, Block 4, 4, d Appearance silvery metallic Standard atomic weight 47. ... Fixed Partial Denture, or Bridge The word ceramic is derived from the Greek word κεραμικός (keramikos). ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... CRISAT is The EU-Nato Standard in the manufacture of Non-U.S. Military Helmets. ... NATO 2002 Summit in Prague. ...


A vest does not protect the wearer by deflecting bullets. Instead, the layers of material catch the bullet and spread its force over a larger portion of the body, absorbing energy more quickly and hopefully bringing it to a stop before it can penetrate into the body. This tends to deform the bullet, further reducing its ability to penetrate. While a vest can prevent bullet wounds, the wearer still absorbs the bullet's energy, which can cause blunt force trauma. The majority of users experience only bruising, but impacts can still cause severe internal injuries. In physics, the force experienced by a body is defined as the rate of change of momentum with time. ... In medicine, blunt force trauma is a type of physical trauma caused by impact from a blunt object. ...


Most vests offer little protection against arrows, ice picks, stabbing knife blows, bullets with their points sharpened or armor-piercing rounds. As the force is concentrated in a relatively small area with bladed weapons and armor-piercing rounds, they can push through the weave of most bullet-resistant fabrics. Specially-designed vests which protect against bladed weapons and sharp objects are often used in vests for prison guards and other law enforcement officers. Some materials like Dyneema offer considerable protection against bladed weapons and slash attacks. Dyneema or Spectra is a synthetic fiber based on ultra high molecular weight polyethylene which is 15 times stronger than steel and up to 40% stronger than Kevlar. ...


History

Silk vests

The oldest bullet-resistant fabric vests were made from silk and they resembled medieval padded jacks, which used 18 to 30 layers of cloth to protect wearers from arrow penetration. In 1881 Dr. George Emery Goodfellow of Arizona witnessed a gunfight between two people. When he examined one man who had been shot through his breast pocket, he found that the bullet had been slowed by the layers of the man's silk handkerchief. Dr. Goodfellow documented various other cases of silk fabric protecting people from gunshot wounds, including a noted case where a man's bandanna saved his carotid artery from being severed. Silk is a natural protein fiber, some forms of which can be woven into textiles. ... Depiction of a 13th century Gambeson (Morgan Bible, fol. ... Year 1881 (MDCCCLXXXI) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar). ... Official language(s) English Capital Phoenix Largest city Phoenix Area  Ranked 6th  - Total 113,998 sq mi (295,254 km²)  - Width 310 miles (500 km)  - Length 400 miles (645 km)  - % water 0. ... Silk is a natural protein fiber, some forms of which can be woven into textiles. ... Raymond W. Kelly is seen here wearing a handkerchief in his left-breast pocket. ... Silk is a natural protein fiber, some forms of which can be woven into textiles. ...


Casimir Zeglen of Chicago, Illinois used Goodfellow's findings to develop a bulletproof vest made of silk fabric at the end of the 1800s. Zeglen's expensive vests could stop the relatively slow rounds from black powder handguns. The vests cost $800 USD each in 1914, which is equivalent to about $15,000 in 2005 dollars. On June 28, 1914, Franz Ferdinand, Archduke of Austria, heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne was wearing a silk bulletproof vest. However, the vest did not protect him, because he was shot in the neck above the vest with a .32 ACP bullet fired by Gavrilo Princip using a handgun. The Rev. ... Black powder was the original gunpowder and practically the only known propellant and explosive until the middle of the 19th century. ... June 28 is the 179th day of the year (180th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 186 days remaining. ... 1914 (MCMXIV) was a common year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). ... Franz Ferdinand links to here. ... Austria-Hungary, also known as the Dual monarchy (or: the k. ... The . ... Gavrilo Princip in prison cell at Theresienstadt Gavrilo Princip (Serbian Cyrillic: Гаврило Принцип, IPA: ) (July 25, 1894 – April 28, 1918) was a Bosnian Serb member of a secret society organization named Black Hand (Млада Босна/Mlada Bosna), who assassinated Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria and his wife Sophie, Duchess of Hohenberg in Sarajevo on... A Browning 9 millimeter Hi-Power Ordnance pistol of the French Navy, 19th century, using a Percussion cap mechanism Derringers were small and easily hidden. ...


Steel breastplates

World War I german Infantrie-Panzer, 1918
World War I german Infantrie-Panzer, 1918

During World War I, the United States developed several types of body armor, including the chrome nickel steel Brewster Body Shield, which consisted of a breastplate and a headpiece and could withstand Lewis Gun bullets at 2,700 ft/s (820 m/s), but was clumsy and heavy at 40 pounds (18 kg). Another type of body armor was designed in February 1918 by the Metropolitan Museum of Art. This breastplate was based on armor of the 1400s, weighed 27 pounds (12 kg), and was considered too noisy and restricting. A scaled waistcoat of overlapping steel scales fixed to a leather lining was also designed; this armor weighed 11 pounds (5 kg), fit close to the body, and was considered more comfortable. Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (1064x1864, 246 KB) Description: World War I german Infantrie-Panzer, 1918. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (1064x1864, 246 KB) Description: World War I german Infantrie-Panzer, 1918. ... Combatants Allied Powers: Russian Empire France British Empire Italy United States Central Powers: Austria-Hungary German Empire Ottoman Empire Bulgaria Commanders Nikolay II Aleksey Brusilov Georges Clemenceau Joseph Joffre Ferdinand Foch Robert Nivelle Herbert H. Asquith D. Lloyd George Sir Douglas Haig Sir John Jellicoe Victor Emmanuel III Luigi Cadorna... The Lewis Gun is a pre-World War I era squad automatic weapon/machine gun of American design that was most widely used by the forces of the British Empire. ... Metropolitan Museum of Art New York Elevation The Metropolitan Museum of Art, often referred to simply as The Met, is one of the worlds largest and most important art museums. ... A traditional waistcoat, to be worn with a two-piece suit or separate jacket and trousers A waistcoat (sometimes called a vest in Canada and the US) is a sleeveless upper-body garment worn over a dress shirt and necktie (if applicable) and below a coat as a part of...

Padded vests

During the late 1920s through the early 1930s, gunmen from criminal gangs in the United States began wearing less-expensive vests made from thick layers of cotton padding and cloth. These early vests could absorb the impact of handgun rounds such as .22, .25, S&W .32 Long, S&W .32, .380 ACP, and .45 ACP traveling at slower speeds of up to approximately 1000 ft/s (300 m/s). To overcome these vests, law enforcement agents such as the FBI developed a more powerful type of handgun cartridge called the .357 Magnum cartridge. This article or section is in need of attention from an expert on the subject. ... (Redirected from . ... Yugoslavian 9 mm Kratak (9 mm Short) cartridges, FMJ. The . ... .45 ACP cartridges .45 redirects here. ... The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is a federal criminal investigative, intelligence agency, and the primary investigative arm of the United States Department of Justice (DOJ). ... .357 Magnum Colt Python revolver .357 Magnum ammunition. ...


World War II

In the early stages of World War II, the United States designed body armor for infantrymen, but most models were too heavy and mobility-restricting. As well, these armor vests were often incompatible with existing equipment. The military diverted its research efforts to developing "flak jackets" for aircraft crews. These flak jackets were made of nylon fabric and only capable of stopping flak and shrapnel, but not bullets. Combatants Allied powers: China France Great Britain Soviet Union United States and others Axis powers: Germany Italy Japan and others Commanders Chiang Kai-shek Charles de Gaulle Winston Churchill Joseph Stalin Franklin Roosevelt Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini Hideki Tōjō Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead: 33,000... Infantry of the Royal Irish Rifles during the Battle of the Somme in World War I. Infantry are soldiers who fight primarily on foot with small arms in organized military units, though they may be transported to the battlefield by horses, ships, automobiles, skis, or other means. ... A flak jacket is a MILSPEC jacket used by troops in wartime conditions. ... Nylon is a generic designation for a family of synthetic polymers first produced on February 28, 1935 by Gerard J. Berchet of Wallace Carothers research group at DuPont. ... A sectioned Shrapnel shell displayed at the Canadian War Museum, Ottawa For other uses, see Shrapnel (disambiguation). ...


The Japanese army produced a few types of infantry body armor during World War II, but they did not see much use. Near the middle of 1944, development of infantry body armor in the United States restarted. Several vests were produced for the US military, including but not limited to the T34, the T39, the T62E1, and the M12.

Sn-42 Body Armor
Sn-42 Body Armor

There were several models of body armor in the Red Army, called SN-38, SN-39, SN-40, SN-40A, and SN-42. The number denotes the design year. All were combat tested, but only the SN-42 (in Russian, "Stalynoi Nagrudnik", which is shortened to SN, meaning a steel vest or СН-42) was put in production. It consisted of two pressed steel plates that protected the front torso and groin. The plates were 2 mm and weighed 3.5 kg. This armor was supplied to SHISBr (assault engineers) and to Tankodesantniki (infantry that rode on tanks) of some tank brigades. The SN armor protected wearers from the German MP-40 9 mm bullet at around 100-125 meters, which made it useful in urban battles (Stalingrad). However, the SN's weight made it impractical for infantry soldiers on foot in an open outdoor setting, and the 7.92x57 bullets fired by the Mauser Karabiner 98k and MG42 easily penetrated it. Image File history File links Sn-42b. ... Image File history File links Sn-42b. ... Red Army flag The Workers and Peasants Red Army (Russian: Рабоче-Крестьянская Красная Армия, Raboche-Krestyanskaya Krasnaya Armiya; RKKA or usually simply the Red Army) were the armed forces first organized by the Bolsheviks during the Russian Civil War in 1918 and that in 1922 became the army of the Soviet Union. ... SN-42 Soviet Body Armor Sn-42 Body Armor There were several models of body armor in the Red Army, called SN-38, SN-39, SN-40, SN-40A, and SN-42. ... Soviet tank desant drill, on a BT-7 Model 1935 Tank desant is a military combined arms tactic, where infantry soldiers would ride into an attack on tanks. ... The MP40 was the standard German submachine gun for most of WWII. It was descended from the virtually identical MP38, the only differences being cost-saving alterations to some of the components. ... Combatants Germany Italy Hungary Romania Slovakia Soviet Union Commanders Maximilian von Weichs Friedrich Paulus # Erich von Manstein Hermann Hoth Italo Garibaldi Gusztav Jany Petre Dumitrescu Constantin Constantinescu Vasiliy Chuikov Aleksandr Vasilyevskiy Georgiy Zhukov Semyon Timoshenko Konstantin Rokossovsky Rodion Malinovsky Strength German Sixth Army German Fourth Panzer Army Romanian Third Army... The Karabiner 98 Kurz (often abbreviated Kar98k or K98k) was a bolt-action rifle adopted as the standard infantry rifle in 1935 by the Wehrmacht,[3] and was one of the final developments in the long line of Mauser military rifles. ... The MG42 (shortened from German: Maschinengewehr 42, or Machine rifle 42) was a machine gun that was developed for and entered service with Germany in 1942, during World War II. The 7. ...


1960s-1970s

During the Korean War several new vests were produced for the United States military, including the M-1951 (Chriss Body, 2002), "a vast improvement on weight, but the armor failed to stop bullets and fragments very successfully" (Military, 2004). The Vietnam war era vests were simply various combinations of the nylon, new ceramics capable of stopping rifle rounds, fiberglass and steel armor raw materials used within WWII and Korean war military armor designs. Combatants United Nations:  Republic of Korea,  Australia,  Belgium,  Luxembourg,  Canada,  Colombia,  Ethiopia,  France,  Greece,  Luxembourg,  Netherlands,  New Zealand,  Philippines,  South Africa,  Thailand,  Turkey,  United Kingdom,  United States Medical staff:  Denmark,  Australia,  Italy,  Norway,  Sweden Communist states:  Democratic People’s Republic of Korea,  Peoples Republic of China,  Soviet Union Commanders...


In 1968, American Body Armor was founded and produced a patented combination of quilted nylon faced with multiple steel plates. This armor configuration was marketed to American law enforcment agencies by the Smith & Wesson gun company under the trade name "Barrier Vest". The "Barrier Vest" was the first police vest to gain wide use during high threat police operations.


In the mid-1970s, the DuPont Corporation introduced Kevlar synthetic fiber, when woven into a fabric and layered, immediately was incorporated into a National Institute of Justice (NIJ) evaluation program to provide lightweight, concealable body armor to a test pool of American law enforcement officers to ascertain if everyday concealable wearing was possible. Lester Shubin, a program manager at the NIJ, managed this law enforcement feasiblity study within a few selected large police agencies, and quickly determined that Kevlar body armor could be comfortably worn by police daily, and would save lives.

In 1975 Richard A. Armellino, the founder of American Body Armor marketed an all Kevlar vest called the K-15, comprised of 15 layers of Kevlar that also included a 5" X 8" ballistic steel "Shok Plate" positioned vertically over the heart and was issued U.S Patent #3,971,072 for this ballistic vest innovation. Similarily sized and positioned "trauma plates" are still used today on the front ballistic panels of most concealable vests, reducing blunt trauma and increasing ballistic capability to the center-mass heart/sternum area. Image File history File links Gnome-globe. ...


In 1976, Richard Davis, founder of Second Chance Body Armor designed this company's first all-Kevlar vest, named the Model Y. The lightweight, concealable vest industry was launched and a new form of daily protection for the modern police officer was quickly adapted. By the mid to late 1980s, an estimated 1/3 to 1/2 of police patrol officers wore concealable vests daily. By the year 2006, more than 2,000 documented police vest "saves" were recorded, validating the success and efficiency of lightweight concealable body armor as a standard piece of everyday police equipment. Chemical structure of Kevlar. ...


1990s-2000s

Kevlar soft armor had its shortcomings because if "large fragments or high velocity bullets hit the vest, the energy could cause life-threatening, blunt trauma injuries" in selected, vital areas (Military, 2004). So the Ranger Body Armor was developed for the American military in 1994. Although it was the second modern US body armor that was able to stop rifle caliber rounds and still be light enough to be worn by infantry soldiers in the field, it still had its flaws: "it was still heavier than the concurrently issued PASGT (Personal Armor System for Ground Troops) anti-fragmentation armor worn by regular infantry and ... did not have the same degree of ballistic protection around the neck and shoulders" (Military, 2004). The Ranger Body Armor is a body armor vest that was used by the 75th Ranger Regiment in the 90. It has been replaced by Ranger Armor Vest, as well as CIRAS and other special operations vests. ...


The newer armor issued by the United States military to large numbers of troops is known as Interceptor Multi-Threat Body Armor System. The Kevlar Interceptor vest is intended mainly to provide shrapnel protection, but is rated for threats up to and including 9mm submachine gun fire. Small Arms Protective Insert (SAPI) plates, made of ceramic materials, are worn front and back and protect the vital organs from threats up to and including 7.62x51mm NATO rifle rounds. The armed forces of the United States of America consist of the United States Army United States Navy United States Air Force United States Marine Corps United States Coast Guard Note: The United States Coast Guard has both military and law enforcement functions. ... Interceptor body armor in woodland camouflage with groin and neck protector. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged into Ceramic plate. ...


Since the 1970s, several new fibers and construction methods for bulletproof fabric have been developed besides woven Kevlar, such as DSM's Dyneema, Honeywell's GoldFlex and Spectra, Teijin Twaron's Twaron, and Toyobo's Zylon (now controversial, as new studies report that it degrades rapidly, leaving wearers with significantly less protection than expected). These newer materials are advertised as being lighter, thinner and more resistant than Kevlar, although they are much more expensive. Chemical structure of Kevlar. ... Dyneema or Spectra is a synthetic fiber based on ultra high molecular weight polyethylene which is 15 times stronger than steel and up to 40% stronger than Kevlar. ... GoldFlex® is a fibre often used in bulletproof vests and body armor. ... Spectra are conditions or values that vary over a continuum. ... Chemical structure of Kevlar. ... poly(p-phenylene-2,6-benzobisoxazole) Zylon is a trademarked name for a range of thermoset polyurethane materials manufactured by the Toyobo Corporation. ... Chemical structure of Kevlar. ...


Performance standards

Both the Underwriters Laboratories (UL Standard 752) and the United States National Institute of Justice (NIJ Standard 0101.04) have specific performance standards for bullet resistant vests used by law enforcement. The US NIJ rates vests on the following scale against penetration and also blunt trauma protection (deformation) (Table from NIJ Standard 0101.04): The UL Mark Underwriters Laboratories Inc. ... The National Institute of Justice (NIJ) is the research, development and evaluation agency of the United States Department of Justice. ... Standardization, in the context related to technologies and industries, is the process of establishing a technical standard among competing entities in a market, where this will bring benefits without hurting competition. ...

Armor Level Protects Against
Type I
(.22 LR; .380 ACP)
This armor protects against .22 caliber Long Rifle Lead Round Nose (LR LRN) bullets, with nominal masses of 2.6 g (40 gr) at a reference velocity of 329 m/s (1080 ft/s ± 30 ft/s) and .380 ACP Full Metal Jacketed Round Nose (FMJ RN) bullets, with nominal masses of 6.2 g (95 gr) at a reference velocity of 322 m/s (1055 ft/s ± 30 ft/s).
Type IIA
(9 mm; .40 S&W)
This armor protects against 9 mm Full Metal Jacketed Round Nose (FMJ RN) bullets, with nominal masses of 8.0 g (124 gr) at a reference velocity of 341 m/s (1120 ft/s ± 30 ft/s) and .40 S&W caliber Full Metal Jacketed (FMJ) bullets, with nominal masses of 11.7 g (180 gr) at a reference velocity of 322 m/s (1055 ft/s ± 30 ft/s). It also provides protection against the threats mentioned in [Type I].
Type II
(9 mm; .357 Magnum)
This armor protects against 9 mm Full Metal Jacketed Round Nose (FMJ RN) bullets, with nominal masses of 8.0 g (124 gr) at a reference velocity of 367 m/s (1205 ft/s ± 30 ft/s) and 357 Magnum Jacketed Soft Point (JSP) bullets, with nominal masses of 10.2 g (158 gr) at a reference velocity of 436 m/s (1430 ft/s ± 30 ft/s). It also provides protection against the threats mentioned in [Types I and IIA].
Type IIIA
(High Velocity 9 mm; .44 Magnum)
This armor protects against 9 mm Full Metal Jacketed Round Nose (FMJ RN) bullets, with nominal masses of 8.0 g (124 gr) at a reference velocity of 436 m/s (1430 ft/s ± 30 ft/s) and .44 Magnum Semi Jacketed Hollow Point (SJHP) bullets, with nominal masses of 15.6 g (240 gr) at a reference velocity of 436 m/s (1430 ft/s ± 30 ft/s). It also provides protection against most handgun threats, as well as the threats mentioned in [Types I, IIA, and II].
Type III
(Rifles)
This armor protects against 7.62 mm Full Metal Jacketed (FMJ) bullets (U.S. Military designation M80), with nominal masses of 9.6 g (148 gr) at a reference velocity of 847 m/s (2780 ft/s ± 30 ft/s) or less. It also provides protection against the threats mentioned in [Types I, IIA, II, and IIIA].
Type IV
(Armor Piercing Rifle)
This armor protects against .30 caliber armor piercing (AP) bullets (U.S. Military designation M2 AP), with nominal masses of 10.8 g (166 gr) at a reference velocity of 878 m/s (2880 ft/s ± 30 ft/s). It also provides at least single hit protection against the threats mentioned in [Types I, IIA, II, IIIA, and III].

Bomb disposal officers often wear heavy armor designed to protect against most effects of a moderate sized explosion, such as bombs encountered in terror threats. Full head helmet, covering the face and some degree of protection for limbs is mandatory in addition to very strong armor for the torso. An insert to protect the spine is usually applied to the back, in case an explosion blasts the wearer. Visibility and mobility of the wearer may be severely limited. BIC pen cap, about 1 gram. ... A grain is a unit of mass equal to 0. ... It has been suggested that Improvised Explosive Device Disposal be merged into this article or section. ...


In terms of Kevlar, a IIA vest has around sixteen layers and a IIIA vest around thirty layers. Chemical structure of Kevlar. ...


German standards allow for bullet impact depression of 20 millimeters on the mannequin's wax body under the vest; US standards allow for more than twice that (44 millimeters), which can be potentially lethal.[citation needed]


In addition, there are vests available for police dogs which offer a measure of protection for the animals. Police dog getting ready to search a vehicle for drugs A police dog is a dog that is trained specifically to assist police and similar law-enforcement personnel with their work. ...


An Aramid vest's material must not get wet, because it will lose its protective capability until dry again, or in some cases be permanently degraded (water acts as a lubricant, helping the bullet slip through between the fibres; it may also weaken the structure of the fiber by breaking hydrogen bonds, see Kevlar for details). Most bulletproof vests have panels in sealed enclosures, but waterproofing is usually not perfect. Dyneema and Spectra based vests do not have the same difficulties with water. Aramid fiber (1961) is a fire-resistant and strong synthetic fiber. ... Chemical structure of Kevlar. ... Dyneema or Spectra is a synthetic fiber based on ultra high molecular weight polyethylene which is 15 times stronger than steel and up to 40% stronger than Kevlar. ... Spectra are conditions or values that vary over a continuum. ...


The future of bulletproof vests

In recent years advances in material science have opened the door to the old idea of a literal "bulletproof vest" that will be able to stop handgun and rifle bullets without the assistance of heavy and cumbersome extra metal or ceramic plating. Current soft body armor can stop most handgun rounds. Plates are currently needed to stop rifle rounds and unique handgun rounds such as 7.62x25. Research aims to develop artificial spider silk which could be super strong, yet light and flexible. Other research has been done to harness nanotechnology to help create super strong materials that could be used in future bulletproof vests. Side-by-side comparison to other cartridges. ... Spider silk is a fibre secreted by spiders. ... Buckminsterfullerene C60, also known as the buckyball, is the simplest of the carbon structures known as fullerenes. ...


Currently, there are two methods by which nanomaterials are being implemented into body armor production. The first is based on nanoparticles within the suit that become rigid enough to protect the wearer as soon as a pressure threshold is surpassed, which the impact of a bullet would register. These nano-infused suits are significantly lighter than alternative forms of body armor because of the properties that govern them. Very Basic Description A nanoparticle is a microscopic particle whose size is measured in nanometers. ...


The second was introduced in 2005 by American company ApNano. They developed a material that was always rigid, and announced[1] that this nanocomposite based on Tungsten Disulfide was able to withstand shocks generated by a steel projectile traveling at velocities of up to 1.5 km/second. The material was also reportedly able to withstand shock pressures generated by the impacts of up to 250 tons per square centimeter. During the tests, the material proved to be so strong that after the impact the samples remained essentially unmarred. Additionally, a recent study in France tested the material under isostatic pressure and found it to be stable up to at least 350 tons/cm². As of mid-2006, spider silk bulletproof vests and nano-based armors are being developed for potential market release. The current version of the article or section reads like an advertisement. ... Nanocomposites are materials that are created by introducing nanoparticulates into a macroscopic sample material. ... Spider silk is a fibre secreted by spiders. ...


There is also a more "futuristic" way of research, consisting in deviating the bullets by a strong magnetic field around the wearer.


Legality

Bulletproof vests are legal in most countries. One exception is Australia, where body armor has been prohibited for some time. This ban may have its origins in the late 19th century, when the iconic Australian outlaw and folk hero Ned Kelly used home-made armor with mixed results. While the steel armor worn by Kelly defeated the soft lead, low velocity bullets fired by police Martini-Henry rifles, it greatly restricted his movement. Ned Kelly the day before his execution Edward Ned Kelly (c. ... The Martini-Henry (also known as the Peabody-Martini-Henry) was a breech-loading lever-actuated rifle adopted by the British, combining an action worked on by Friedrich von Martini (based on the Peabody rifle developed by Henry Peabody), with the rifled barrel designed by Scotsman Alexander Henry. ...


United States law restricts bulletproof vests for convicted criminals. Many US states also have penalties for possession or use of body armor. In February of 1999, the late Russell Jones a.k.a. "Ol' Dirty Bastard" was arrested in California for possession of body armor by a convicted felon. In other states, such as Kentucky, they do not prohibit possession, but deny probation or parole for a person convicted of certain violent crimes while wearing body armor and carrying a deadly weapon. Russell Tyrone Jones (November 15, 1968 – November 13, 2004) was an American rapper known by the stage name Ol Dirty Bastard (often shortened to ODB). ... Official language(s) English Capital  Sacramento Largest city  Los Angeles Area  Ranked 3rd  - Total 158,302 sq mi (410,000 km²)  - Width 250 miles (400 km)  - Length 770 miles (1,240 km)  - % water 4. ... Official language(s) English[1] Capital Frankfort Largest city Louisville Area  Ranked 37th  - Total 40,444 sq mi (104,749 km²)  - Width 140 miles (225 km)  - Length 379 miles (610 km)  - % water 1. ...


Canadian legislation makes it legal to wear and to purchase body armor such as bullet proof vests. However, there are current proposals to the legislation to make it illegal to wear such body armor during the commission of a criminal offence.


External links


  Results from FactBites:
 
Bulletproof Vest - Background, Raw Materials, The Manufacturing (2131 words)
Bulletproof vests are modern light armor specifically designed to protect the wearer's vital organs from injury caused by firearm projectiles.
The vests of the time were made of ballistic nylon and supplemented by plates of fiber-glass, steel, ceramic, titanium, Doron, and composites of ceramic and fiberglass, the last being the most effective.
For bulletproof vests intended to be worn in especially dangerous situations, built-in pouches are provided to hold plates made from either metal or ceramic bonded to fiberglass.
Bulletproof vest - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (2462 words)
A bullet-proof vest also known as body armour is an article of protective clothing that works as a form of armor to minimize injury from projectiles fired from handguns, shotguns and rifles.
Vests may be augmented with metal (steel or titanium), ceramic or polyethylene plates that provide extra protection to vital areas.
As of mid 2006, spider silk bulletproof vests and nano-based armors are to be released to the market in the very near future.
  More results at FactBites »


 

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