February 10, 2018

  • Body Armor – if you have it, bring it to show (sources & price paid would also be helpful)
  • Speaker from Tactical Prep
  • AR cleaning Demo (member request)
  • Discussion – Appleseed Project

 

Body Armor Notes

  • BulletProofMe Body Armor – Very helpful in pre-order phone support to make sure you get the size right based on your measurements and how you expect to use the body armor. They emphasize the importance of a comfortable fit – listen to their advice.
  • Infidel Combat Systems – Specializing in rifle grade, military application body armor. Withstands standard military rifle caliber rounds, but at a price in weight and comfort.
  • Everything is a trade-off – Protection against rifle rounds is not a concealable option, and is very heavy and hot.
  • For most preppers, Level III-A soft body armor in a concealable carrier is going to be the best option.
  • You get what you pay for. Higher end body armor is more comfortable and conceals better.
  • Concealability is a major factor. Tactical body armor (worn outside the clothing) tells the assailant to aim for your head or hips. Don’t give away that advantage.
  • All body armor is hot – it does not breathe, and it retains body heat.
  • Making sure it is snug (but not tight) at the bottom makes a big difference in concealability – at the same time, that also reduces ventilation making it hotter to wear. It’s a trade-off.
  • Best way to set it up is to inhale deeply, then adjust straps so they are snug around the body. You should be able to breathe heavily with no constriction from the body armor.
  • Learn the technique of moving your shoulders forward and backward to act as an air pump to ventilate body heat.
  • Experiment with different styles and materials for a T-shirt. A wicking material helps. A crew-neck design prevents chafing around the neck.
  • Be careful about wearing anything on your belt (holster, flashlight, multi-tool, etc.). As you move around, these can cause very uncomfortable pinching between the item and the bottom of the body armor.
  • Florida Law regarding body armor: Like many states, Florida has a law in place that makes it illegal to wear body armor during the commission of a crime (charge stacking). In Florida, any adult can purchase and use a bulletproof vest, unless that adult has been convicted of a felony. Bulletproof vests and all other body armor can be purchased online or face-to-face.
  • Once you are comfortable with the fit, consider replacing some of the velcro with sewn seams. This reduces bulk and adds a small measure of comfort.
  • Consider your typical shooting stance. A right handed person using a modified Weaver position should have the left side either butted together or overlapped, and any gap should be on the right side. If you use an Isosceles stance, then adjust for an equal gap on each side to improve ventilation.
  • Be sure to include a blunt trauma plate or pad to cover the sternum. The body armor stops the round, but bullet impact can still fracture the sternum which is a serious injury.
  • Side protection (regarding rifle fire) – A “Pentagon study has found that as many as 80 percent of the Marines who have been killed in Iraq from wounds to the upper body could have survived if they had had extra body armor” New York Times, Jan. 7th, 2006
  • Yes, soft body armor designed for women is available. It is, however, more expensive and harder to find. A web search for female body armor is the best plan. Here is one example.

 

Tactical Prep

Classes were discussed, and tentative plans made for a group class or classes. See the Tactical Preparation web site for details.

 

AR-15 Notes

  • Cleaning and lubrication, including the gas tube.
  • Importance of having a parts kit for critical but easily lost or broken parts.