Knight armor vs todays handgun.

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Puncha

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There's this documentary style programme on Spike TV called the deadliest warrior where they pit two different types of historical fighter against each other in computer simulations. I've just seen the one below where they pit a 1700s pirate vs a 1400s knight.

http://www.spike.com/full-episode/pirate-vs-knight/31860

According to the simulation, the pirate won because plate armor cannot stand up to developed blackpowder weapons.

But seriously, how would full plate armor (plate backed up with chainmaille and padded cloth) stand up to:

1) A 4" barrelled K-frame S&W .38 special revolver firing 158gr LRN impacting at 800ft/s.

2) A 4" barrelled 9mm pistol firing 115gr FMJ impacting at 1000ft/s.

3) A 6" barrelled .357 magnum firing 158gr JSP impacting at 1200ft/s.

Please assume that all the projectiles are aimed at and hit the chest area.
 
I'm pretty sure in case 3, it would not be a fail but a success.

Keep in mind it's easy to outrun the guy wearing 50 lbs of plate armor.... and longbows destroyed knights on horseback.
 
From what I understand the term "Bullet Proof" came from the armor that was made shortly after the invention of the gun. The blacksmith that made armor would shoot the armor in the left Brest plate with a black power pistol, it would leave a dent in high quality metal armor. While it would penetrate some of the lower quality armor. So when the 'gun' started becoming common the soldiers buying armor would only buy the armor with the dent in it showing that it was "Bullet Proof"

As I understand, a certain technological advancement called the "Musket" was invented and it would easily penetrate all available armor, even the "Bullet Proof" armor. Thus the death of plate armor and chainmaille was swift after that.


That said I would imagine nearly all modern calibers would easily penetrate plate armor and chainmaille.




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The blacksmith that made armor would shoot the armor in the left Brest plate with a black power pistol, it would leave a dent in high quality metal armor. While it would penetrate some of the lower quality armor.
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I've heard of this as well and alway thought the blacksmith would probably load the BP pistol with the lightest charge of power he could get away with. Hardly bulletproof in most real world cases.

Now if the blacksmith let the gunsmith test his armor and vice versa, then you've got a fairer test...
 
Depends on the quality of steel in the plate armour.

15th century metallurgy would dictate poor quality steel by modern standards, even if forged by the finest armour smith of the day. If you were to construct a suit of plate armour today, and used only the highest quality of armour-rated steel and other assorted alloys, you could probably make a suit that would withstand most pistol rounds and some rifle rounds, while still being light enough to wear and maneuver in (75lbs or less).
 
My guess....

The .38 and 9mm would probably not be effective enough to make a kill.


3) A 6" barrelled .357 magnum firing 158gr JSP impacting at 1200ft/s.

Result: one dead knight.
 
Now swap it around again, since we're playing what if - make the armor out of titanium. :)

BTW, the guy narrating, isn't that the same guy who narrated "300"?
 
I have to wonder why the fight ended with a bullet through the visor when the same end could have been met with a pointy stick through the visor. It doesn't take a pistol under those circumstances. I understand these shows are a lot of armchair conjecture but it seems to me that a knight, trained from childhood to master the arts of war (martial arts), would be bested by a rogue merchant sailor. There is much more than technology separating their abilities.
 
I saw the same show and the 'blunderbus" (shotgun) of the pirate penetrated the armor with one of its pellets... If a black powder shotgun can get through then I am pretty sure any of the above mentioned cartriges would get through without issue.
 
Now swap it around again, since we're playing what if - make the armor out of titanium.
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Titanium, on a specific basis, is weaker in both strengh, and stiffness than steels, alloy steels to be specific.

However, let's talk about some ceramics. Those are good stuff. A little more than 6mm (about a quarter inch) can stop a .308 round, and it's lighter than steel.
 
Let's put it this way. Plate armor was basically relegated to ceremonial use by about the 17th century.
 
Any of those rounds would penetrate with little problem. Now a .45 May or may not. Big and slow is a determent in this case.
 
If a ball from a blackpowder smooth bore pistol could do it, pretty sure all the rounds in the OP would have no problems.
 
So, if you were able to go back in time and carry your own armor with you - to the 15th century period - what would you bring?

What would be the lightest and strongest armor capable of dealing with blackpowder and conventional arms of the period?
 
dragon skin.. stop any projectile weapons of the time and project against bladed weapons..
 
Let's put it this way. Plate armor was basically relegated to ceremonial use by about the 17th century.
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that's all that needs to be said on this topic, i think :D
 
In England, in the 1600s, the law required breastplates be "proved" with a musket shot. In fact, you can tell a real breastplate of that era from a modern fake by the presense or absense of a dent, where the musket ball hit it.
 
If you were to construct a suit of plate armour today, and used only the highest quality of armour-rated steel and other assorted alloys, you could probably make a suit that would withstand most pistol rounds and some rifle rounds, while still being light enough to wear and maneuver in (75lbs or less).
Click to expand...
That must be why we see all those soldiers wearing that stuff today.
 
Yeah, because ultra-expensive super alloys are quite pervasive on the battlefield, especially when they'd burn skin from how hot it'd get in a desert environment, not to mention the physical strain of wearing a full suit of metal for hours at a time.

it's the sort of thing that would make no sense for any kind of extended wear/use.
 
Until quite recently, they did wear and use steel armor -- the M1 helmet was steel, and that was worn into the late '80s. The early "chicken plates" worn with soft body armor was steel. Pilots' seats were armored with steel.

We don't use steel nowadays, not because it won't stop bullets, but because kevlar and ceramic plates are lighter and easier to fabricate.
 
Okay, first thing that I needed to hear was 'documentary on Spike TV.' I mean for real.
dragon skin.. stop any projectile weapons of the time and project against bladed weapons..
Click to expand...
Dragon skin wouldn't work for the same reason that they ditched scale armor. And upward thrust into the little plates can defeat it.
 
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