Police Riot gear

[BeardyMan]

(8 September 2013, 00:49)Timelord Wrote: Close range, against a supported hard thin wooden backing. What did you expect at that? Typical non scientific test with poor parameters. Any slug impact to the main torso or head at close range will be terminal. Obviously..
Interesting result, Is similar to musket shot at cast iron breastplates in the English Civil war, where the iron deformed into a bulging tunnel to the inside of the wearers torso to a depth of maybe 6 inches. Although the cast iron did not rupture and the lead musket ball did not break through, the depth of breastplate deformity must have been pretty uncomfortable!! Buff coats were reputed to be able to "turn" a musket ball. The evidence shows that this was possible some of the time. I have fired .45cal lead ball and also bullet at an old yellow leather rigger boot and much to my surprise some of the projectiles did indeed deflect off - BUT many didn't. I would need to conduct a more numerous test to get any meaningful data, but the initial tests did show the deflective properties of soft armours. That is why "Brigandines" became much more common at the end of the 15th and into the 16th Century due to the vast increased prevalence of large calibre lead ball hand held firearms. TL

Well, they're American - what did you expect??

Was just to illustrate the point that although the slug may not pierce through the kevlar it'll push it straight through your insides. The kinetic energy imparted won't be used to penetrate, but it's spread out over a larger area. With some calibres this actually makes the injuries worse than if the round went straight into the flesh then out the other side.