Iraqveteran8888 Tests Spartan's ATC AR500 Plate
Eric Blandford of Iraqveteran8888 fame on Youtube has done another test, this time of the Spartan Armor Systems ATC AR500 Plate. Spartan’s ATC is specially milled to shape to the wearer’s body without using “crease bends.” Many other companies utilize crease bends, but the process can create stress to that part of the armor and cause failures. Spartan’s ATC AR500 comes in chest, back, and side plates, and they also offer Spartan Trauma Pads to protect against blunt force trauma.
For the purposes of this test, Eric and Chad emptied quite a few rounds into one piece of armor. Since multiple rounds tend to weaken body armor, you’d think this might result in failure.
So, does this armor work? Take a look at Eric’s video to find out. The shooting begins at 2:15.
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"Since multiple rounds tend to weaken body armor, you’d think this might result in failure."
If it were a kevlar insert or a ceramic plate they were shooting at, yes that would be the case. They were shooting a Level 3 plate made of AR500 with handguns. They could have stood there shooting it all day and the rounds wouldn't have gone through. They should have been pumping .308 rounds or M855 in to it if they wanted to see what it took to make it fail. Pretty much the only thing this video tested was how well the spall liner worked.
I talked with a guy once that took a steel core from a 556 to the chest because he was shooting exactly how these guys are. On an AR500 plate, one or two rounds created a dish in the plate, a subsequent round went in and perfectly 180'ed right back at him. He literally shot himself with a carbine.
Not much of the same concern with a pistol, but I wouldn't be doing this without a least a dome piece and a vest myself.