Compared to other forms of Carbide, armor level iv must be significantly stronger and more brittle to dissipate enough kinetic power. The common belief that armor level IV is useless against standard anti-personnel ammunition is unfounded. However, even if it can withstand a few more bullets than usual, you still shouldn’t count on being hit repeatedly by a rifle. The NIJ uses the.30 M2 armor Piercing round to test battle armor to ensure it meets the requirements for NIJ Level IV.
Armor level iv is impenetrable to all but the largest and fastest projectiles, and even pistol bullets have little effect on the wearer. You may also have noticed the large disparity in round weights, with the lowest weighing in at 31 grains and the heaviest, the AP485, coming in at a staggering 248. In Level IV, it is not the bullet’s caliber but its speed that matters most. The.30-06 has a top velocity of 2880 feet per second (877 meters per second), fast enough to penetrate steel an inch thick without bending the bullet’s core. But a protective plate across your chest will deflect it.
You would likely be aware of the armor level iv plate if you worked in a field that required one. You won’t find many weapons lying around that require this level of ballistic protection because it is so high-tech. Since AP rounds are not widely available in the United States, a typical criminal would never have access to one, let alone be able to steal one. If you’re part of a private security firm (rather than the military) and your duties include, for example, following armored trucks or patrolling metropolitan bases, you might want to keep a few of them on hand. But its weight and price make it impractical for everyday use.
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