Would a 12 Gauge Slug Knock You Over While Wearing Armor?

[RetiredUSNChief]

I'd imagine even with most armor besides maybe the best of the best, a 12 Gauge Slug impact would be horrifying for anybody.

Plate armor is awesome stuff. The ability to spread force over many square inches of area dramatically refuses how one feels an impact.

 

[d2wing]

1/16th pound vs 8 or 9 pounds

This. As well as the force being spread over a larger area.

 

[Elkins45]

Why is there thousands of foot pounds of muzzle energy but only dozens foot pounds of free recoil energy?

The kinetic energy equation has muzzle velocity squared and mass divided by 2, which means that an increase in velocity will increase energy at a much higher rate than an increase in mass would. That’s one of the reasons why high velocity rifle rounds make such horrific wounds. The heavier gun moves much slower from the same input of energy than the much lighter projectile.

One of the basic physics class concepts is that momentum favors mass while energy favors speed.

 

[fastbolt]

This thread topic question was essentially answered back in Post #6. Like with other impacts against someone wearing body armor, it depends on whether the victim is insufficiently balanced (or otherwise ill-prepared) to sustain the particular direction of the blunt force impact experienced, and what degree of blunt force trauma may be experienced (anatomical location), and where on the protecting panel(s) the impact occurs. If the slug slides around a panel and is able to enter the torso, all bets are off.

This is like asking whether a solid body punch will always knock someone over. Depends. On a few things.