Just ordered body armor. Overreacting?

[Hanzo581]

There is a lot going on right now in this country as we all can see. Anytime anywhere unrest can erupt. I don't live in a terrible neighborhood but my job is to protect my family, and I can't do that if I'm taken out of the fight.

But then I thought, maybe I'm being too paranoid.

Thoughts?

 

[W.E.G.]

Have you ever worn armor?

Were do you plan to go where there is more than 0.00001% chance of you needing armor?

 

[Jeff White]

Depends.....

Do you have training? How much and how recent?

How about an alarm system?

Steel clad doors, dead bolt locks, 3 inch screws into the framing of the house?

An emergency plan in place, everyone in the family understands it and has practiced it?

Exterior lighting at your house?

We all have to prioritize our preparations. There is a lot of things most people should spend their preparation budget on that will produce more security then body armor.

Body armor only does one any good if they are wearing it. Having had to wear body armor 8+ hours a day for years I will attest to how uncomfortable it is.

I haven't worn it since I retired except when training in a shoot house.

I still have body armor, but the only reason I still have it is because I occasionally instruct. If it wasn't for that I would sell it.

It's packed away, not handy. If it gets bad enough that I think I need to wear it again, I'll move to a safer place.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[scaatylobo]

VERY uncomfortable,but

I wore it every day for 26 years as an LEO, and prior while working an armored truck.

Unless you would rather use your body to stop rounds,I think it is a good idea.

BUT remember to actually wear it PRIOR to needing to do so,otherwise you wont "fit" it and it wont fit you.

Find all the chaffing spots and the really bad sweat locations.

Learn how to dry it and how to wipe it so it don't STINK in hot weather.They make deodorant for clothing that comes in spray cans / bottles.

Also find the best undergarments for it [ VERY important].

 

[Mainsail]

Overreacting to the minor threat (sniper) while under-reacting to the major threat (obesity) is the American way.

 

[Om]

Good to have while you're hunting.

But for self-defense...are you going to wear it 24/7? Do you see yourself wearing it to work? Do you see yourself putting your armor on every day as you go to a store?

If not, then yes, you wasted your money.

 

[Om]

Any relation to 'halfsail' the D&D player?

 

[Mayvik]

Soft or hard? Worse things to spend your money on, I guess.

 

[Jim K]

I am not sure comparing the danger of criminal action to the danger of over-eating is valid, but many millions more people will die this year from stuffing their faces than will die from being shot. Maybe we need body armor that will fit over the mouth.

My reaction is "to each his own" but things will have to get a whole lot worse before I put on my old "flak jacket" to go to the grocery store. There is a line between reasonable caution and paranoia, and that crosses the line.

Jim

 

[Predator55]

Hey if it makes you feel better than do it. It's really hot stuff and not real comfortable. You add in ballistic plates and it's really uncomfortable. Maybe having it might not be a bad idea in case things really go bad but hopefully the wont happen. I remember a company out there selling Kevlar clothing that suppose to be bullet proof but not sur e if it was. It was every day jacket that was loose fitting, not sure that will stop a bullet. Your the one who had to wear it so go for it u may haut save your life.

 

[Sebastian the Ibis]

I've thought about getting it for going to the public range -- the folks there can be nuts. However, I'd rather just stay away.

 

[Old Dog]

I dunno. Things are to the point where I recommend to anyone concerned that they invest (if they can afford to) in a good Level III vest with soft armor or a decent Level IV plate-carrier just to throw on if the stuff ever hits the fan ... You know the saying, better to have it and not need it than to not have it and need it. It's just another component of one's "layers of security."

Just get yourself a good biocide/antimicrobial spray cleaner such as "Sniper" spray to clean your carrier and the panels off after each wearing (with a good air drying).

 

[old lady new shooter]

If you are regularly somewhere where you plan to be responding in case of an incident (for example you are a member of your church volunteer security team) then I think it would be good to wear when you go there, because by firing you will make yourself a target.

 

[lemaymiami]

Like poster #4, I wore armor darned nearly every day in my career (and had to buy my first vest, long before my department issued them - it was a first generation Second Chance model - when that was all that was available..). As most have noted, they're not fun to wear and take some getting used to. I've known more than a few career officers that could never wear armor - it was just too uncomfortable (particularly big guys...). My last vest has been hanging in the closet now since I retired out in 1995 (I was allowed to retain it since it couldn't be re-issued and was headed for the trashcan). It's a threat level III with an added metal plate and I've never once thought it might be a good idea to wear....

Now for a bit of cold water... standard vests wouldn't have changed the casualty numbers in Dallas.... They're simply not meant to stop high power rifle rounds. Yes, there are vests that will stop that kind of threat - but ask a current combat vet about them and know that they're bulky, and you wouldn't wear one unless you knew you were going into a possible firefight (current vets chime in here since my service -Vietnam era, the state of the art for body armor was so poor that we mostly sat on our vests if in the air...).

It's your money, spend it the way you want but don't think that most vests protect you from the kind of threat that those officers faced in Dallas....

 

[david58]

"I've thought about getting it for going to the public range -- the folks there can be nuts. However, I'd rather just stay away."

I think I'd find a different range.

 

[Om]

There is a lot going on right now in this country as we all can see. Anytime anywhere unrest can erupt. I don't live in a terrible neighborhood but my job is to protect my family, and I can't do that if I'm taken out of the fight.

But then I thought, maybe I'm being too paranoid.

Thoughts?

You may be interested in motorcycle armor in place of tacticool armor (as if you need another reason to buy a motorcycle ).

For example: Bulletblocker.com or Compacc.com

Pros:
> You look like a normal guy who rode his motorcycle to the grocery store, not a mall-ninja looking for attention.
> More cost effective than military armor kits.
> Far less likely to cause chronic back and hip injury like military armor will.
> Higher degree of maneuverability.

Cons:
< Lower protection than ballistic trauma plates.

 

[Sav .250]

Whole waiting for the "unknown" to happen, you`ll have to wear that body armor 24/7.

Plus, your carry weapon. Extra clips. Like you said... at any time things can happen.

Hope you don`t get an ulcer waiting for the unknown.

 

[Screwball]

It's your money, spend it the way you want but don't think that most vests protect you from the kind of threat that those officers faced in Dallas....

Just have to get Level III or better... IIIA will be defeated by rifle rounds.

I'm issued IIIA vests from work, but I personally purchased a III setup for myself (front, rear, and side plates; were a little pricey, but not that heavy and worth the protection to me). My main concern was executing a warrant on a drug house, as we have found 7.62x39mm rifles at times. Get the wrong individual in control of it, going to be a bad day.

However, I would not have any issue using a vest at a public range. Since that Sandy Hook shooting, everyone has purchased an AR. I'm sorry, but when someone who has no experience with guns decides he is going to learn at the range, which results in sweeping me with a loaded AR, I rather have the option to toss it on. Have I ever needed to use armor at the range? No, but I also take a few minutes as I'm getting ready to shoot to see how the other people are handling their firearms. Five minutes of observation usually can show you who you might need to keep an eye on. New people come out, when they are getting ready to start shooting is a perfect time for me to reload magazines.

 

[Om]

Whole waiting for the "unknown" to happen, you`ll have to wear that body armor 24/7.

Plus, your carry weapon. Extra clips. Like you said... at any time things can happen.

Hope you don`t get an ulcer waiting for the unknown.

Or magazines if it's not a revolver

 

[shootstraight57]

Screwball is correct ! It won't defeat a rifle round so what's the point?
Just my opinion.
Situation awareness is the key to being prepared.

 

[Om]

Screwball is correct ! It won't defeat a rifle round so what's the point?
Just my opinion.
Situation awareness is the key to being prepared.

You don't know you'll be facing a rifle round.

You could be facing friendly fire from CCW citizens trying to fight back. You could be facing shrapnel such as broken windows or ricochet.

 

[HKGuns]

Get level 4 ceramic plates before they ban them.

 

[GBExpat]

Just ordered body armor. Overreacting?

It sure sounds like it to me ... but ... if you have decided upon that course of action, the folks here can certainly give you some very good, experience-derived advice.

 

[Screwball]

You don't know you'll be facing a rifle round.

You could be facing friendly fire from CCW citizens trying to fight back. You could be facing shrapnel such as broken windows or ricochet.

It is costs verses capability...

The higher you go up in regards to protect, the price goes higher. You want lighter options, more costly than heavier ones (in the same level). You might not face a rifle round, but those Level III plates will stop handgun ammo just the same. Same with other projectiles... just not going to protect anymore than what the vest is covering. If you take a round in the head, a Level IV won't help. But for a shot in the chest, it will stop AP .30-06. My Level III plates are rated for M2 ball (DKX, for those interested).

You really don't want a hard armor plate, as your ricochet aspect comes into place. A round hitting a hard plate will spall (chunks of the bullet split apart and travel along the plate; if you run your hand from your chest upwards along your body, you have an idea where those pieces will end up heading if they go upwards). Personally, I don't trust some armor companies that take hard plate, put an "anti-spall" coating (pretty much, Rhino Liner), and act like it is safe. I've seen tests done where spall travels underneath the coating, stripping it from the plate, and continue out of it.

Now, I'm not saying everyone should carry armor, wearing it at all times. It is a good idea to have it for your home, for defensive situations. If you are issued it for work, definitely wear it. If you can purchase better armor (have the money without missing mortgage payments), I'd suggest that, as well.

 

[danez71]

There is a lot going on right now in this country as we all can see. Anytime anywhere unrest can erupt. I don't live in a terrible neighborhood but my job is to protect my family, and I can't do that if I'm taken out of the fight.

But then I thought, maybe I'm being too paranoid.

Thoughts?

You could buy everyone in your family body armor .... or would that too paranoid?



I'm getting a little more concerned myself, but personally, I think its a little over the edge for Joe Average citizen.


I think there's a lot of other ways to spend the money if you're looking to protect your family.

Heck, just making plans with them and going over a few emergency shooting and non-shooting scenarios is free and more effective in the 'probable' sense because you're armor only might be effective in limited situations and only IF you are with them.


Do they know what to do if they're at the store and not with you?

Do they know what to do if they're at home and you're not?

Do they know what to do if there is a house fire? Can they get out of an upstairs bedroom (if you have a 2 story house).

Do they know what to do if a mob of protestors shows up at the mall or 'down town' and you're not there?