Plate carrier, do you have one? Why?

[breakingtime91]

I have been considering getting a plate carrier in my near future. Right now I shoot about 60%concealed practice and 40% rifle with a chest rig and belt pouch for a speed reload pouch. The main reason I got the chest rig was mostly for the ability to carry extra mags on me to feed the belt pouch. The more I shot my rifle the more I missed wearing the plate carrier and the fatigue/pt associated with it (former Marine grunt).

So my question is, who has a plate carrier / why? Also if you think I'm being dumb for making this investment please let me know.



Mods if this is in the wrong area, my apologies.

[Lon]

I have one for SWAT and active shooter response. Not sure I'd have one otherwise.

[JHC]

I recently borrowed my son's Mayflower carrier with Velocity plates to shoot a few drills. OMG I could not believe how challenging that was and the negative affect it had on my performance on known, often measured drills! I've been shooting the Bill Drill #2 a good bit of late and know that I can pretty much come in right at 10 seconds total. Shooting it with the carrier and I shot it about 50% worse! (first time I've ever shot with such equipment) - mostly due to throwing shots, my unconscious index was all off.

I'm an "index" shooter. I wonder if the higher "press out" is more amenable to wearing such gear? IDK

But I can sure see the need to shoot a LOT with one if one might wear one at all.

[Josh Runkle]

I own one from a previous job. I kept it because 'Merica. I own one for EMS.

I used to shoot fairly regularly with one on. Now I shoot 1-2 times a year with one. I have experienced no difference shooting with one on vs off aside from reloads.

[Mike C]

I still have two. The answer as to why is previously it was job related and I happened to get hooked up from some friends in better places. Secondly because I can.

[Maple Syrup Actual]

I don't have one.

I consider one, mainly because I've been on a couple of ranges where I didn't entirely trust the abilities of everyone present.

[NETim]

Not even certain what one is and am too lazy to look it up, so I guess the answer is "no."

[ffhounddog]

I got two. Both setup like my plate carrier for over seas but have looked at going more slick.

Will I buy another, maybe for the wife since she is using my backup and there are better ones for ladies. Also I could shave 2-3 pounds by getting 500D vice my 1000D Paraclete carrier that has 3A sown in some places. I do train with it. I actually shoot better in my Carrier than I do slick standing. Just more use to it.

[Seven_Sicks_Two]

I have one basically because I can. I put one together a couple years ago because I figured it was only a matter of time before they banned them here in CA.

[David Armstrong]

No. I've got my old LE soft armor with a plate insert if I feel the need, but I haven't felt the need in a long time.

[rob_s]

first gen Mayflower concealment vest with soft armor and plates and the nipples to attach a chest rig. Not sure if that means I have a "plate carrier" or not. I can conceal the vest without the plates and nipples easily, with the plates but without the nipples slightly less so (it's Florida, we don't wear a lot of puffy clothes), and can use the armor on top of clothing with the nipples and chest rig when desired.

I bought my setup for two reasons.
1) Because at the time I was running drills nights with a bunch of unknown shooters in front of, and behind, me.
2) I had plans to take a shoot-house class where it would be required and I figured I'd be better off buying something and learning to work with it before I got to a class and relied on borrowed gear.

The armor is a lot like my 5.56 suppressor in that had I known when I bought it what I know now, I wouldn't have bought it and see it as a pretty giant waste of money. However, since I already went and wasted the money on it and the resale is so low relative to what I spent I keep it and keep it staged for SHTFantasy.