What kinds of rifle rounds can Level 3 stop?
By definition, all Level 3 body armor is tested to reliably defeat 7.62x51mm NATO M80 ball and 5.56x45mm M193 ball rifle ammunition. This covers common rifle calibers like .308 Winchester, .223 Remington, and military 5.56 NATO rounds. Level 3 will stop rounds from popular rifles like the AR-15, AK-47, M1A, and FN FAL. However, Level 3 armor is not rated to stop armor piercing (AP) rifle rounds like M2 AP or M855/SS109 ammunition with penetrator cores. It also may not protect against higher powered magnum rounds like .300 Win Mag or .338 Lapua traveling over 2,800 ft/s. For AP and magnum rifle threats, Level 4 armor plates are required.Understanding body armor protection levels
Body armor protection levels are rated and certified by the National Institute of Justice (NIJ), the research and standards agency of the U.S. Department of Justice. The NIJ ballistic resistance standards rank body armor from Level 1 for small caliber handguns up to Level 4 for armor piercing rifle rounds:Armor Level | Protects Against |
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Level IIA | 9mm FMJ and .40 S&W |
Level II | 9mm FMJ and .357 Magnum |
Level IIIA | .44 Magnum and submachine guns |
Level III | High-powered rifles up to 7.62x51mm NATO |
Level IV | Armor piercing rifle rounds |