Level 3 Body Armor VS Rifle Rounds

Published on March 14, 2025
Duration: 1:30

This video demonstrates the performance of Level 3 body armor against common rifle rounds. It tests 5.56x45mm FMJ, 7.62x39mm FMJ, and 7.62x51mm NATO (.308 Winchester) rounds. The armor shows significant backface deformation with the 7.62x39mm and 308 rounds, indicating substantial force transfer, though it successfully stops all tested rounds.

Quick Summary

Level 3 body armor was tested against 5.56x45mm, 7.62x39mm, and 7.62x51mm NATO (.308 Winchester) rifle rounds. While it stopped all rounds, significant backface deformation was observed with the 7.62x39mm and .308 impacts, indicating substantial force transfer.

Chapters

  1. 00:00Testing 5.56x45mm FMJ
  2. 00:27Testing 7.62x39mm FMJ
  3. 00:54Testing 7.62x51mm NATO (.308)
  4. 01:08Results and Deformation Analysis

Frequently Asked Questions

How does Level 3 body armor perform against common rifle rounds like 5.56x45mm and 7.62x39mm?

Level 3 body armor successfully stopped a 62-grain 5.56x45mm FMJ round with minimal deformation. However, it showed significant backface deformation when hit by a 7.62x39mm FMJ round, indicating substantial force transfer that could cause injury.

What is the effect of a .308 Winchester (7.62x51mm NATO) round on Level 3 body armor?

A 7.62x51mm NATO (.308 Winchester) round was stopped by Level 3 body armor, but it resulted in a very large bulge, demonstrating extreme force transfer. This level of deformation would likely cause significant blunt force trauma.

What is backface deformation in body armor testing?

Backface deformation refers to the inward displacement of the armor material on the wearer's side after impact. Significant backface deformation, as seen with the 7.62x39mm and .308 rounds, indicates that a considerable amount of kinetic energy was transferred, potentially causing blunt force trauma and bone fractures.

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