Rifle Plates 2023

[S Jenks]

What’s the latest hotness in rifle plates? We have some good threads but they’re a few years old now.

Background: I have a set of 2012-ish Level IV triple-curve plates that weigh 10+ lbs. each. It’s time to replace them.

I have about $850 remaining in my annual clothing allowance that can be used toward armor. I’m not opposed to paying the remainder over the $850 if it’s worth the extra cost.

Use: While newly assigned to investigations, I’ll still have occasion to be on patrol or backing up patrol. Additionally I’m assigned as a cover officer on a regional K9 unit. I’m not going to be wearing them day in and day out, but maybe for a full day on extended scenes. When in the cruiser they’ll be in a pelican case so they’ll be protected from banging around but not from heat, if that’s a concern. I would prefer standalone plates. Almost anything will be lighter than what I’m replacing.

Our issued rifle round is 53gr Hornady TAP Patrol, which has some zip to it.

I’m not worried about a new carrier quite yet, but I will take suggestions if you have them. My Banshee is getting old but is still serviceable.

(and someone please talk me out of the Guard Dog Versa 3+ flexible plates)

[DpdG]

Hesco 3810 are my default suggestion, but I would probably touch base with a Hesco rep to check on the heat part. They usually can be found for about $600/plate and come in around 4lb/plate. Bit thick, but a Banshee should swallow them.

[TGS]

Hesco 3810 is the plate to get if money is a factor, the plate will not be worn concealed, and you don't work an area where M855A1 is considered a relevant threat.

BZ plates if money is not a concern (twice as expensive as the 3810), if they're going to be worn concealed (they're half the thickness), or if you work in an area where M855A1 is a relevant threat (they're rated for it, 3810 isn't). The BZ plates are negligibly heavier, 4.16 vs 4.0lbs for a medium, IIRC.

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Do you care about .308 Win or other heavier calibers, or only smaller caliber threats like 5.56×45mm and 7.62×39mm? If only the latter, you could get away with lighter, thinner special threat plates, such as the Hesco L210 (if you're looking to scrimp and are okay with single curve 10"×12") or M210 (multicurve, SAPI sizing).

You can also check out various ICW plates if you know you'll have IIIA soft armor underneath anytime you throw on the plates, something like the Highcom RSTP, LTC 27919, or LTC 2714x series.

I'm just a civvie that just LARPs, but I personally prefer a thinner and lighter plate for better mobility rather than a thicker and/or heavier plate that provides more coverage.

[TGS]

Do you care about .308 Win or other heavier calibers, or only smaller caliber threats like 5.56×45mm and 7.62×39mm? If only the latter, you could get away with lighter, thinner special threat plates, such as the Hesco L210 (if you're looking to scrimp and are okay with single curve 10"×12") or M210 (multicurve, SAPI sizing).

You can also check out various ICW plates if you know you'll have IIIA soft armor underneath anytime you throw on the plates, something like the Highcom RSTP, LTC 27919, or LTC 2714x series.

I'm just a civvie that just LARPs, but I personally prefer a thinner and lighter plate for better mobility rather than a thicker and/or heavier plate that provides more coverage.

I don't mean to answer on his behalf, but the 5.56 is the most popular rifle caliber in the United States. Plates that are only rated to 7.62x39 are objectively inappropriate for use by LE.

We used to get issued two sets: the Velocity titanium alloys for overseas use which are only rated to 7.62x39 MSC, and a Point Blank Level 4. Issuing us the BZs was a decision made because of the proliferation of 5.56 overseas, and also the realization that everyone was wearing the titaniums domestically instead of the 10 pound Level 4 plates.

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I don't mean to answer on his behalf, but the 5.56 is the most popular rifle caliber in the United States. Plates that are only rated to 7.62x39 are objectively inappropriate for use by LE.

We used to get issued two sets: the Velocity titanium alloys for overseas use which are only rated to 7.62x39 MSC, and a Point Blank Level 4. Issuing us the BZs was a decision made because of the proliferation of 5.56 overseas, and also the realization that everyone was wearing the titaniums domestically instead of the 10 pound Level 4 plates.

Not quite sure what you're answering? I absolutely would agree that 5.56×45mm threat defeat is a must for any kind of plate being used for LE in the USA. However, my question was about .308 Win/7.62×51mm; the L210 and M210 are both rated for M193 and M855 at typical velocities, but are unable to handle the larger rounds (probably due to excessive BFD, due to how thin they are, if I had to guess). I know for some LEOs, being able to defeat the larger calibers are a must, due to the fact that they work primarily in rural areas, where larger hunting calibers are going to be much more likely to be encountered, compared to an urban environment where they are rare enough to be worth the gamble for a lighter and/or thinner plate that aren't officially rated to defeat something that big (though the U210 fails to defeat M80 due to 2mm too much BFD is my understanding, so a IIIA vest underneath could probably be a good enough backstop, and I'm be optimistic that the M210 probably would have similar performance, but simply at a heavier weight, though obviously that's just a SWAG).

[TGS]

Not quite sure what you're answering? I absolutely would agree that 5.56×45mm threat defeat is a must for any kind of plate being used for LE in the USA. However, my question was about .308 Win/7.62×51mm; the L210 and M210 are both rated for M193 and M855 at typical velocities, but are unable to handle the larger rounds (probably due to excessive BFD, due to how thin they are, if I had to guess). I know for some LEOs, being able to defeat the larger calibers are a must, due to the fact that they work primarily in rural areas, where larger hunting calibers are going to be much more likely to be encountered, compared to an urban environment where they are rare enough to be worth the gamble for a lighter and/or thinner plate.

Ok, got it, I misread the question.

Thing is, you can buy the BZ plate for not much more than the 210, and it's rated for M80. In our agency testing, the BZ stopped all the way up to 7.62x54R with very minimal deformation, and that was a plate that had already been shot by all the other rounds. So I'm not sure why you'd buy the 210 instead of the BZ, given they have other similar size and weight characteristics (the BZ being close to a pound lighter, IIRC).

What I thought I was answering was the hypothetical of choosing a plate that can only stop 7.62x39, as that category of special threat plates can get pretty damn light. Thanks for clarifying, though.

My vote: BZ all the things. It's a truly incredible plate.

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Ok, got it, I misread the question.

Thing is, you can buy the BZ plate for not much more than the 210, and it's rated for M80. In our agency testing, the BZ stopped all the way up to 7.62x54R with very minimal deformation, and that was a plate that had already been shot by all the other rounds. So I'm not sure why you'd buy the 210 instead of the BZ, given they have other similar size and weight characteristics (the BZ being close to a pound lighter, IIRC).

What I thought I was answering was the hypothetical of choosing a plate that can only stop 7.62x39, as that category of special threat plates can get pretty damn light. Thanks for clarifying, though.

My vote: BZ all the things. It's a truly incredible plate.

What are the BZs you're talking about? Is this the VS API-BZ (which I believe is the same as the AT Armor STOP-BZ(IP)/TenCate Cratus 6450)? If so, they certainly brief well (and makes me sad, because I sprung for the 6400 before the 6450 was released), but they're also far more expensive than the M210, hence the weight differential (the U210 is actually lighter than the 6450). Assuming you're talking about the VS API-BZ/6450, the M210 is roughly half the price per plate, so a pair of M210s would be around the stated budget of 850 USD. Now, if budget no object... absolutely, the 6450 or U210 would be my top two choices, leaning a little more toward the 6450 due to some of the issues that Hesco has had, though admittedly not on the U210 (nor the L210, M210, or 3810) AFAIK, just gives me a bit more pause.

If it's a different BZ, I'd be very interested in hearing more about it.

[TGS]

What are the BZs you're talking about? Is this the VS API-BZ (which I believe is the same as the AT Armor STOP-BZ(IP)/TenCate Cratus 6450)? If so, they certainly brief well (and makes me sad, because I sprung for the 6400 before the 6450 was released), but they're also far more expensive than the M210, hence the weight differential (the U210 is actually lighter than the 6450). Assuming you're talking about the VS API-BZ/6450, the M210 is roughly half the price per plate, so a pair of M210s would be around the stated budget of 850 USD. Now, if budget no object... absolutely, the 6450 or U210 would be my top two choices, leaning a little more toward the 6450 due to some of the issues that Hesco has had, though not on the U210 line specifically AFAIK.

If it's a different BZ, I'd be very interested in hearing more about it.

Same BZ plate. We get the VS ULV profile ones.

Why is the M210 significantly cheaper than the U210? I thought the U/L/M were just different cuts/profiles. What I looked up is listed at $800 per plate: https://store.atarmor.com/Hesco_U210..._p/hs-u210.htm

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Same BZ plate. We get the VS ULV profile ones.

Why is the M210 significantly cheaper than the U210? I thought the U/L/M were just different cuts/profiles. What I looked up is listed at $800 per plate: https://store.atarmor.com/Hesco_U210..._p/hs-u210.htm

Ah, cool. The VS API-BZ's claiming defeat of M80 surprised me, when I first saw it, but seems like it's fairly credible, given what you said and the other stuff I've heard and extrapolating from the known performance of the U210.

Nah, the L210 is single curve 10"×12" and not rated for M855A1. M210 is a newer model, has the same threat defeat and cuts as the U210, but is heavier (5.8 lb vs 4.4 lb for a large SAPI size) and slightly thicker (0.61" versus 0.5").

AT Armor's page for the M210: https://store.atarmor.com/Hesco_M210..._p/hs-m210.htm