How many Riot Shields does it take to stop Arrows ?

Published on August 14, 2019
Duration: 13:28

This video tests the ballistic resistance of budget riot shields against various archery projectiles. While a single shield can stop a basic recurve bow arrow, higher-velocity compound bows and crossbows easily penetrate. The experiment concludes that at least three layers of these $50 shields are needed to stop high-powered crossbow bolts.

Quick Summary

Budget riot shields, costing about $50, are designed for crowd control, not ballistic protection. While they can stop basic recurve arrows, high-velocity compound bows (300-350 fps) and crossbows (470 fps) penetrate easily. At least three layers are needed to stop powerful crossbow bolts.

Chapters

  1. 00:00Intro: Budget Riot Shields vs Arrows
  2. 01:14Recurve Bow Test Results
  3. 03:37Compound Bow Penetration Test
  4. 07:04Fastest Crossbow (470 FPS) Test
  5. 10:12Crossbow Broadhead Test & Conclusion

Frequently Asked Questions

Can a single riot shield stop an arrow?

A single budget riot shield can stop a basic recurve bow arrow with minimal penetration. However, higher-velocity compound bows and crossbows can easily penetrate one or even two layers of these shields.

How many riot shields are needed to stop a crossbow bolt?

Based on testing with a 470 fps crossbow, at least three layers of budget riot shields are recommended to effectively stop a broadhead-tipped bolt, as two layers were fully penetrated.

What are budget riot shields designed for?

These budget riot shields, costing around $50, are primarily intended for crowd control and riot suppression. They are not designed or rated for significant ballistic protection against high-speed projectiles.

What bow speeds were tested against the riot shields?

The test included a recurve bow, a PSE Stinger compound bow shooting 300-350 fps, and a TenPoint Nitro XRT crossbow achieving 470 fps, demonstrating a wide range of projectile velocities.

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