
![]() This page dedicated to All those who protect and serve All of our Bulletproof jackets/Vests have been designed with the lightest,highest quality, most comfortable,and rigerously tested to the meet and or exceed the highest levels or standards required by the nij for certification to provide you with the confidence in knowing you have the best protection money can buy. A ballistic Jacket/vest, bulletproof Jacket/vest or bullet-resistant Jacket/vest is an item of protective clothing that absorbs the impact from firearm-fired projectiles and shrapnel fragments from explosions. This protection is for the torso. Soft BulletProof Jackets/vests are made from many layers of woven or laminated fibers and protect wearers from projectiles fired from certain handguns, shotguns, and small fragments from explosives such as hand grenades. When metal or ceramic plates are used with a soft bulletproof jackets/vests, it can also protect wearers from shots fired from rifles. In combination with metallic components or tightly-woven fiber layers, soft armor can offer some protection to the wearer from stab and slash from a knife. Soft bulletproof jackets/vests are commonly worn by police forces, private citizens and private security guards or bodyguards, and hard-plate reinforced bulletproof jackets/vests are mainly worn by combat soldiers in the armies of various nations as well as police tactical units and hostage rescue teams. Modern body armor may combine a ballistic bulletproof jacket/vest with other items of protective clothing, such as a helmet. Bulletproof Jackets/vests intended for police and military use may also include ballistic shoulder, and side protection armor components. Bomb disposal officers wear heavy armor and helmets with face visors and spine protection. Bulletproof jackets/vests undergo many of the same tests a regular piece of clothing does. The fiber manufacturer tests the fiber and yarn tensile strength, and the fabric weavers test the tensile strength of the resultant cloth. Nonwoven Spectra is also tested for tensile strength by the manufacturer. Vest manufacturers test the panel material (whether Kevlar or Spectra) for strength, and production quality control requires that trained observers inspect the bulletproof jackets/vests after the panels are sewn and the jackets/vests completed. Bulletproof vests, unlike regular clothing, must undergo stringent protection testing as required by the National Institute of Justice (NIJ). Not all bulletproof vests are alike. Some protect against lead bullets at low velocity, and some protect against full metal jacketed bullets at high velocity. Vests are classified numerically from lowest to highest protection: I, II-A, II, III-A, III, IV, and special cases (those for which the customer specifies the protection needed). Each classification specifies which type of bullet at what velocity will not penetrate the vest. While it seems logical to choose the highest-rated vests (such as III or IV), such vests are heavy, and the needs of a person wearing one might deem a lighter vest more appropriate. For police use, a general rule suggested by experts is to purchase a vest that protects against the type of firearm the officer normally carries. The size label on a vest is very important. Not only does it include size, model, style, manufacturer's logo, and care instructions as regular clothing does, it must also include the protection rating, lot number, date of issue, an indication of which side should face out, a serial number, a note indicating it meets NIJ approval standards, and—for type I through type III-A vests—a large warning that the vest will not protect the wearer from sharp instruments or rifle fire. Bulletproof jackets/vests are tested both wet and dry. This is done because the fibers used to make a vest perform differently when wet. Testing (wet or dry) a bulletproof jacket/vest entails wrapping it around a modeling clay dummy. A firearm of the correct type with a bullet of the correct type is then shot at a velocity suitable for the classification of the bulletproof jacket/vest. Each shot should be three inches (7.6 centimeters) away from the edge of the bulletproof jacket/vest and almost two inches from (five centimeters) away from previous shots. Six shots are fired, two at a 30-degree angle of incidence, and four at a 0-degree angle of incidence. One shot should fall on a seam. This method of shooting forms a wide triangle of bullet holes. The vest is then turned upside down and shot the same way, this time making a narrow triangle of bullet holes. To pass the test, the bulletproof jacket/vest should show no sign of penetration. That is, the clay dummy should have no holes or pieces of the bulletproof jacket/vest or bullet in it. Though the bullet will leave a dent, it should be no deeper than 1.7 inches (4.4 centimeters). When a jacket/vest passes inspections, the model number is certified and the manufacturer can then make exact duplicates of the bulletproof jacket/vest. After the bulletproof jacket/vest has been tested, it is placed in an archive so that in the future bulletproof jackets/vests with the same model number can be easily checked against the prototype. Rigged field testing is not feasible for bulletproof jackets/vests, but in a sense, wearers (such as police officers) test them everyday. Studies of wounded police officers have shown that bulletproof jackets/vests save hundreds of lives each year. |
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