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Article #73: Body Armor, Description and Law

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A bullet-resistant vest (body armor) - is can penetrate into the body. This tends
an article of protective clothes that to deform the bullet, further reducing
works as a form of armor to minimize its ability to penetrate.
injury from projectiles fired from While a vest can prevent bullet wounds,
handguns, shotguns and rifles. They are the wearer still absorbs the bullet's
commonly worn by police forces, the energy, which can cause blunt force
military and private security and trauma. The majority of users experience
civilians where legal. However, they are only bruising, but impacts can cause
sometimes worn illegally, by those that severe internal injuries. This is
the relevant government refuses to allow considered to be unimportant by many, as
body armor. it seems guaranteed any bullets or
The term "bullet-proof" is a misnomer shrapnel with sufficient force to cause
since these vests (depending on their notable injuries would do more damage
armor level, see below) may provide without the vest.
little or no protection against rifle Most vests offer little protection
ammunition or even against handgun against arrows, ice picks, or stabbing
ammunition fired from a pistol-caliber knife blows. As the force is concentrated
carbine. The exception is the common in a relatively small area with such
.22LR ammunition, which can usually be bladed weapons, the tip of the object can
stopped by these vests even when fired push through the weave of most
from a rifle. These vests are usually bullet-resistant fabrics.
protective against handgun ammunition Specially-designed vests are available
fired from handguns (once again, that can provide protection against
depending on their armor level.) bladed weapons, and sharp objects; they
Vests may be augmented with metal (steel are often used in prison-guard vests.
or titanium), ceramic or polyethylene There are a variety of strategies to
plates that provide extra protection to achieve stab and slash protection. Some
vital areas. These hard armor plates have materials like Dyneema do offer
proven effective against all handgun considerable protection against these
bullets and against specific rifles using types of threats. This is important for
specific ammunition. Normally referred to the safety of law enforcement and prison
as tactical body armor, these types of guard personnel.
vests have become standard in military Bulletproof vests are legal in most
use, as soft body armor only vests are countries. One exception is Australia,
ineffective against most military rifle where body armor has been prohibited for
rounds. The CRISAT NATO standard for body some time. This ban may have its origins
armor specifies the use of titanium in the late 19th century, when the iconic
backing. Australian outlaw and folk hero Ned Kelly
A vest does not protect the wearer by used home-made armor with mixed results.
deflecting bullets. Instead, the layers While the steel armor worn by Kelly
of material catch the bullet and spread defeated the soft lead, low velocity
its force over a larger portion of the bullets fired by police Martini Henry
body, absorbing energy more quickly and rifles, it greatly restricted his
hopefully bringing it to a stop before it movement.






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