Testing Rifle Plates

[John Hearne]

We picked up new hard armor at the end of FY16. I ordered an odd number in order to have one plate for destructive testing. I wanted to see how the plates would perform against unrated threats such as 308 ball to simulate common hunting rounds. My Google Fu turned up one article: https://www.nap.edu/read/13390/chapter/4#28 on the "official" process.

My cursory scan didn't reveal a distance to conduct the testing or what to do if one doesn't have cool laser scanning tools to measure backface deformation. Does anyone have any experience with this. I don't need NIJ level testing but would like the assurance that our findings are reasonable.

[Erick Gelhaus]

Hopefully DocGKR will see this. I'd imagine he'd have the answer or can point to it. I don't have the hard plate testing info handy.

[voodoo_man]

Would be nice if PF can come to a consensus on what rifle plate to buy....cheap, med and preferred beat

[JF1]

Page 21. 15 m for distance.

https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/223054.pdf

For measuring backface in clay, a straight edge to hold a flattened level reference point at the surface of the clay and a thin ruler/measuring tape to reach the deepest apex without the edges of the device coming into contact with the shallower points of the deformation.