Plates fairly cheap
- dbh
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Plates fairly cheap
Decided I wanted a plate carrier & plates but didn't really want to spend the money. In e-mails back and forth with 325Moutguru, he pointed me to a forum where a couple of guys did some experimentation with various coverings over steel plates to contain bullet fragmentation. There were 40+ pages and it took a long time to read through it! Their goal was to be able to contain the fragmentation from 5 rounds of various calibers. I alreday knew that the plates would withstand thousands of hits from 7.62, 5.56 and .308 as these are what I, as well as RWI shoots at the range.
I ended up buying these plates:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/290750791379
The results of the experiments said that covering the steel plates with approx. 1/4" of herculiner (brush on bed liner) did pretty good but if you then wrapped it with kevlar fabric (obtainable off eBay) it was GTG. They showed taping the edges of the plates with painter's tape and said that if you put it on real slow, you could pour it on. Well, that didn't work for me. I made a hell of a mess !! Ended up just brushing it on with a paint brush in layers, letting each layer dry 6-12 hours.
Once I got the desired thickness, I let it dry for a couple of days. I then used an industrial glue (that came in a caulk tube) and glued 2 layers of kevlar cloth over the front side with around 1 1/2" going around the sides and adhering to the back. Once the glue dried, I covered all the kevlar with a thin coat of the Herculiner. The only downside is that I increased the size of the plates so it would not fit in a normal 10"x12" plate carrier. I had to go with one from Blue Force that has a bigger "pocket" for the plates.
As I was doing the plates, I did the same thing to a steel target I had. When completed, I wanted to be able to shoot it at the range to see what kind of results I got. At the end of RWI's Christmas Shoot we shot it with 9mm, 7.62x39 and .308. You could almost not see where the 9mm even hit it. The 7.62x39 and .308 penetrated the kevlar but all of the bullet fragments were contained. Success!!
Like everything else, products have increased in price since I did this. the steel body armor plates were $105 delivered, the Herculiner was $75 for a gallon (it only takes 1/2 gallon for the 2 plates) and I believe the kevlar fabric was $50. So I had right at $200 in the 2 plates.
I will post pictures of the finished plates when I get home.
I ended up buying these plates:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/290750791379
The results of the experiments said that covering the steel plates with approx. 1/4" of herculiner (brush on bed liner) did pretty good but if you then wrapped it with kevlar fabric (obtainable off eBay) it was GTG. They showed taping the edges of the plates with painter's tape and said that if you put it on real slow, you could pour it on. Well, that didn't work for me. I made a hell of a mess !! Ended up just brushing it on with a paint brush in layers, letting each layer dry 6-12 hours.
Once I got the desired thickness, I let it dry for a couple of days. I then used an industrial glue (that came in a caulk tube) and glued 2 layers of kevlar cloth over the front side with around 1 1/2" going around the sides and adhering to the back. Once the glue dried, I covered all the kevlar with a thin coat of the Herculiner. The only downside is that I increased the size of the plates so it would not fit in a normal 10"x12" plate carrier. I had to go with one from Blue Force that has a bigger "pocket" for the plates.
As I was doing the plates, I did the same thing to a steel target I had. When completed, I wanted to be able to shoot it at the range to see what kind of results I got. At the end of RWI's Christmas Shoot we shot it with 9mm, 7.62x39 and .308. You could almost not see where the 9mm even hit it. The 7.62x39 and .308 penetrated the kevlar but all of the bullet fragments were contained. Success!!
Like everything else, products have increased in price since I did this. the steel body armor plates were $105 delivered, the Herculiner was $75 for a gallon (it only takes 1/2 gallon for the 2 plates) and I believe the kevlar fabric was $50. So I had right at $200 in the 2 plates.
I will post pictures of the finished plates when I get home.
- justang1997
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- ssracer
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Re: Plates fairly cheap
Interesting.
Saw they are offering them coated now.
http://item.mobileweb.ebay.com/viewitem ... 1168222053
Saw they are offering them coated now.
http://item.mobileweb.ebay.com/viewitem ... 1168222053
325MOUTguru wrote:In Soviet Russia instructor shoots you.
Tecumseh wrote:When your time comes to die, be not like those whose hearts are filled with fear of death, so that when their time comes they weep and pray for a little more time to live their lives over again in a different way. Sing your death song, and die like a hero going home.
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Re: Plates fairly cheap
Dave, I thought you were opening a discount dental laboratory! Geno
I know not what the future holds, but I know Who holds the future.
Neither Welfare nor political office were intended to be a career path!
Neither Welfare nor political office were intended to be a career path!
- dbh
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Re: Plates fairly cheap
Finally home and can update:
2 plates in carrier weighs 20 lbs even.
The finished dimension is 10.5" W x 12" H
Front of plate
Back of plate
Detail of overlap on back
Target after multiple hits with 9mm, 7.62x39 and .308
There is a little tear on the lower left edge where I hit it very close to the edge with a 7.62x39.
2 plates in carrier weighs 20 lbs even.
The finished dimension is 10.5" W x 12" H
Front of plate
Back of plate
Detail of overlap on back
Target after multiple hits with 9mm, 7.62x39 and .308
There is a little tear on the lower left edge where I hit it very close to the edge with a 7.62x39.
- GlockRacer
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Re: Plates fairly cheap
I have the same plates. TheTargetMan is a good place to deal with.
Sent from up range, at about 3100 fps
Sent from up range, at about 3100 fps
- Van Zan
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Re: Plates fairly cheap
People sleep peaceably in their beds at night only because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf.
George Orwell
George Orwell
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Re: Plates fairly cheap
Got a full set from him as well. Going to make it a project to cover em with Bedliner.
- Van Zan
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Re: Plates fairly cheap
Nice thing about those AR500 plates is that you have no problem determining if they are serviceable. The SAPI and ESAPI plates need xrays to detect deficiencies.
People sleep peaceably in their beds at night only because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf.
George Orwell
George Orwell