Police officers, soldiers, and security guards frequently use body armor, but citizens can also purchase it. As a result, we're going to talk about the best body armor for home defense today because it can successfully shield you from knife attacks or gunfire from an intruder with ill intentions.
Let's get going.
WHY IS BODY ARMOR REQUIRED FOR HOME DEFENSE?
The fact that property crime has declined in the US over the past ten years is promising, but that doesn't mean that self-defense is any less necessary. In fact, according to the FBI's most recent figures, a burglary occurs in the United States every 22.6 seconds, with residences accounting for around 88% of all burglaries.
As a result, you must be equipped to defend your house. A police officer cannot be totally trusted to keep you safe since it might be too late by the time they arrive.
This is why many people purchase weapons and other equipment to protect their homes. In fact, more than 5 million Americans bought their first firearm in 2020.
Body armor is one of the most underappreciated components of a home defense kit. Before last year's riots and chaos, I would have said no if someone had asked me if they needed body armor for home defense. Now, however, it doesn't seem so unlikely that they might need a bulletproof vest.
WHERE SHOULD I BUY BODY ARMOR FOR HOME DEFENSE?
Let's talk about the best body armor for home defense now that we are aware of the various sorts.
Under pressure, you need something that is lightweight, simple to put on, doesn't restrict your movement, and provides protection from projectiles in close-quarters battle.
The most common weapons used by house invaders are pistols and knives, thus I advise wearing Level IIIA+ body armor that provides both Ballistic and Stab protection. These soft armor vests are portable and simple to wear under stressful circumstances.
They are easy to wear and give you the most mobility possible, allowing you to clear your home, get your family into a safe room, or use any other home defense tactics you may have.
All of the most popular pistol rounds in the US, including the 9mm.45 ACP.40 S&W,.38 Special, and.380 ACP, can be stopped by Level IIIA+ body armor vests. These ballistic vests will also stop buckshot and birdshot, but high-powered shotgun rounds can cause devastating impact trauma. Such a vest will deflect threats of impact energy up to 36 joules and stop spikes.
DO ARMOR PLATES WORK WELL FOR HOUSEHOLD DEFENSE?
Although steel body armor plates offer protection against rifle rounds, they are heavy, and it is extremely uncommon for regular home invaders and burglars to use rifles or shotguns, so using steel body armor plates for home defense has some drawbacks. Additionally, steel body armor plates are too hefty to be helpful as shields or cover, thus you cannot employ them in these capacities. They cannot be worn for long periods of time without making you tired. Furthermore, due to their propensity to heat up significantly during the summer, steel body armor plates can be very uncomfortable and hot.
Therefore, Level III body armor plates are the next choice. They do provide defense against the majority of common calibers, but it's quite rare that a typical burglar or home intruder will be firing an AK-47 or an AR-15 at you. However, ceramic or PE armor plates are the best choice if you believe that threat to be one you will encounter.
Because of spalling, which occurs when the bullet's fragments can be redirected into the shooter or those nearby after striking the plate, steel armor plates have a bad reputation.
Therefore, level IIIA+ ballistic vests are the best kind for home defense, but if you think you might be in danger from someone other than common home invaders and robbers who might be using rifle rounds, you should choose level III armor plates, which will stop up to.308 wins (7.62 x 51) rounds, level 3+ Special Threat Plates, or even level IV armor plates - this is simply because they will stop various rifle rounds, but the weight is an issue.
You will require one of the plate carriers in order to transport hard plates. There are several different plate carriers on the market. You can choose a more affordable option like the Quadrelease Plate Carrier or a more sophisticated one like the Zennison Plate Carrier depending on your specific needs. Visit our blog post for more information on setting up your plate carrier.
Having armor can mean the difference between life and death in a home defense scenario because it is good to have as many advantages as you can. Additionally, it might enhance your capacity to protect your loved ones and your belongings.
Taking everything into consideration, we advise level IIIA or level IIIA+ body armor as the best option for home defense; however, if you'd rather, you can also use a rifle armor plate.