Which is better level 3 or level 3a?

Level III body armor is stronger than Level IIIA because it’s meant to defeat rifle caliber rounds. A 7.62mm FMJ is normally fired from an AK-47 style rifle or a sniper rifle. This ensures Level III armor will stop a 5.56mm bullet fired from the most common AR-15 models.

Are Level 3 plates worth it?

The higher the level, the more types of ammo it protects against. All soft armor is level IIIa (i.e. “3 minus”) or below, and all hard armor is III, III+, or IV. Level III is not good enough because it can’t stop common AR-15 rifle rounds. Level III+ is the sweet spot for most people.

What will a level 3 steel plate stop?

Level III will stop the majority of all 5.56mm and 7.62mm bullets, but will not defeat military-grade armor-piercing ammo. For example, a NATO M855 5.56 x 45mm bullet with a 62-grain steel core will defeat a Level III armor system.

Will Level 3+ stop green tip?

The 5.56×45 M855 green tip round will be defeated by our level III++ rifle plate which weighs 4.1 lbs per plate (10×12).

What is Level 3a body armor?

Level IIIA is a type of soft armor. The level IIIA body armor will provide protection from many small arm weapons. The 9 mm, 44 magnums, and just about any other handgun will not be able to cause serious injury to someone that is shot in the chest, while wearing one of these types of body armor.

What are Level 3 steel plates rated for?

Level III on the NIJ’s level system is where we enter the world of rifle plates, sometimes referred to as hard inserts. Level III plates are designed to stop six spaced hits of 7.62X51MM NATO (Full Metal Jacket) travelling at 2,750 feet per second. This is roughly equivalent to the common .

What is level IIIA?

What is IIIa body armor?

Why issue Level III rifle plates to patrol officers?

In order to provide protection against rifle threats in active shooter incidents and other high risk encounters, a large local LE agency is exploring a trial program of issuing Level III rifle plates; simple plate carriers for uniformed Patrol Officers to quickly don over their uniforms and concealed Level IIIa soft armor.

What is a Level III+ body armor rating?

The body armor industry has stepped up with their own III+ rating, which falls somewhere between the to NIJ Level III and Level IV ratings. Just know that this rating isn’t made by the NIJ and it can differ between companies. Check out more details on body armor levels, common threats, and a huge list of body armor at The Prepared.

What is the most durable level III plates?

Durability: The most durable and robust Level III plate appeared to be the AMI, followed by the DT and TenD; the most fragile plate appeared to be the DBT.

Can A Level II body armor stop a 9mm submachine gun?

For example, Level II body armor would likely stop the III-A test standard, (9 mm submachine gun at 1400 fps) from actually PENETRATING through the Level II vest. But, the Level II vest would fail on blunt trauma impact (the NIJ deems any dent greater than ~1.7″ (~44 mm.) on the soft clay test surface, a FAIL).