This is a guest post and entry in our non-fiction writing contest by Edward R
One of the common sayings in my household is, “The more technology advances the less intelligent people become.” This is not meant to be an insult to anyone in particular, but is rather an observation of fact about our society as a whole.
A few examples:
- Because we now have matches and butane lighters which provide instant fire most people cannot effectively make fire “the old fashioned way”.
- Because we can buy paper (or virtually any other product) at the store very few people remember how to make that item at home.
- Thanks to the many places which offer fast and low-cost oil changes few people know how to change the oil in their cars.
My point in mentioning this is simply to say that many people may no longer practice the old way of doing things, but that doesn’t necessarily mean those old methods failed to work. Rather, we’ve simply forgotten about them thanks to having new, convenient, faster, and better ways of conducting our duties in life.
When the “new and improved” is no longer available or they become too expensive then we naturally feel compelled to return to the old way of doing things. That is assuming we still remember them. Yes, those ways might be cumbersome, slow, and produce less attractive results, but they do work.
Now I could go in a million directions at this point, but the example I’d like to use in this article involves body armor. Combining the two topics into a related theme allows me to convey two different ideas at once.
Body armor is, technically, bullet resistant (there is no such thing as “bullet proof” armor) and it is one of those things which probably should fit into our preps at some point in time, but for most people it doesn’t due to high cost and the low expectation it will be needed.
Besides the fact some states restrict sales to civilians, body armor is just not something most people would assign higher priority over such as food supplies, medicines, water containers, fuel, etc. Besides, body armor is too bulky, heavy, and uncomfortable to wear on a daily basis; plus it draws unwanted attention to ourselves. Would we really wear it very often? Personally, I don’t think so, but some still like the idea of having this kind of protection if only it wasn’t so expensive.
Returning to my opening thought, what did people use for protection from projectiles prior to the invention of expensive modern body armor as we know it today? Of course, we know hard and heavy metals were once used by everyone from noble knights to outlaws like Ned Kelly, but we don’t have to go back in time quite that far. In the late 1800’s Japanese and Korean body armor consisted of 30 layers of silk which could stop the bullets fired from black powder firearms.
Silk is the strongest of natural fibers and has been used in the textile industry since 3500 B.C. It’s an attractive, hypoallergenic, and antibacterial fabric which feels good against the skin. Silk is comfortable to wear in hot weather due to its absorbency and breathability while its tight weave and low conductivity helps keep warm air next to the skin when in cold weather.
At one time the Romans considered silk to be worth its weight in gold and much of it was traded along the infamous Silk Road. In todays’ currency that would amount to about $3200.00 per yard, but thankfully silk prices today range between $12.00 & $30.00 per yard (36”x45” inches wide). It can be found as low as $5.00 per yard on clearance racks while affordable silk in the form of drapes and bed sheets can also be found at thrift stores and garage sales.
Considering that taking a bullet in the arm or leg was usually less serious than being shot in a major organ, bullet resistant body armor has largely centered around the concept of a vest which protects only the torso area. Since the time soft body armor vests were made with 30 layers of silk, the goal of many entrepreneurs has been to produce stronger and thinner material for use in bullet resistant vests.
After learning a special weaving process, a Chicago priest by the name of Casimir Zeglen created a four-ply, one-eighth inch thick, half-pound silk vest which could stop a .44 caliber bullet. Zeglen survived being shot from ten paces away during a public demonstration of the vest. He also offered to give one of those vests to President McKinley who was later shot in the abdomen by an assassin’s .32 caliber bullet just two weeks before he was to receive the vest.
While Zeglen’s vest might have saved President McKinley’s life, it didn’t save the life of Archduke Franz Ferdinand who was shot in the neck while wearing it. I mention this bit of history to emphasize a few specific points. A bullet resistant vest only works if it is strong enough to resist the caliber of bullet being fired, the person is wearing it at the time they are shot, and the bullet hits the vest instead of the person.
Regardless of its composition, a bullet resistant vest can save the life of a person only when all three of these conditions are met. Even so, the protection offered by a bullet resistant vest is better than being without body armor and thousands of soldiers and police officers choose to wear one while on duty.
In 1965, the strong-as-steel synthetic fiber known as Kevlar was developed and since the 1980’s it has become the foundation of most modern body armor products made today. Modern body armor is classified according to the threat level it is designed to protect against. Type I is the weakest form of body armor which offers protection against small .22 and .380 bullets while Type II armor offers additional protection against 9mm and .357 Magnum bullets.
There are several Types of body armor but they all work to protect the user by absorbing and dispersing the energy behind a bullet in order to prevent penetration. Of course, the user can still suffer great pain and bodily injury (e.g. broken bones, bruised organs) from the force of impact, but body armor of every type has saved a great many lives. While expensive Kevlar is the fabric of choice for body armor today, the strong qualities of silk fabric shouldn’t be forgotten.
In 1999 the Rajamangala Institute of Technology tested the bullet-stopping qualities of silk fabric. They found that a vest made from 16 layers of silk was able to stop high velocity rifle and other bullets up to 9mm in caliber size (Source: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/379338.stm). As a result of that study Thai police officers were able to take confidence in wearing silk vests which offered a significant level of protection against armed criminals without being too expensive. When it comes to wearable protection against bullets one would be wise not to take shortcuts, but silk body armor certainly can be respected as the next-best-thing when little else is available or affordable.
Rather than do without simply because Kevlar-based body armor is too expensive, one could back away from technology a single step by taking another look at silk. This is the same material used to make bullet resistant vests prior to the invention of Kevlar, was quite common in the early 1900’s, and is still being used today by Thai police officers.
At this point I must say that I have not tried to make home-made body armor using silk fabric, but the idea intrigues me. I like the idea of having body armor to protect me from some of the bullets strangers might fire at me (especially during a post-SHTF scenario), but I cannot justify the expense for Kevlar body armor. Neither do I want to draw attention to myself when wearing body armor, for I’d like it to be discreet.
Speaking of discreet body armor, some clothing manufacturers now offer fashionable bullet resistant hoodies and jackets which are equivalent to Type II body armor. Unfortunately, they cost hundreds of dollars and, again, I cannot justify that kind of cost. Rather than take my chances without protection, making affordable home-made body armor is certainly something to consider.
To the best of my calculations, one yard of silk fabric measures 36”x45” so eight yards of material could provide sixteen layers of silk measuring 18”x22.5”. This is enough material to create a tank top-style shirt which could fit the average adult. At four ounces per yard for the highest-quality silk the finished product would weigh approximately two pounds, which is about the same as a pair of jeans.
It would cost $40 to make based on clearance prices, an 80% savings over the price of modern Type I body armor. A 16-layer tank top which protects my vital organs better than Type I body armor might be half-inch thick, yet virtually undetectable when worn under a flannel shirt or jacket. Another idea would be to add the 16 layers of silk to the insulation found within an affordable cold-weather vest purchased from a retail outlet. Although this article of clothing would not be worn during Summer months, it could enable the warm vest to discreetly serve a dual purpose.
If a person is extremely concerned about the risks of being shot then paying high prices for commercial body armor which has been fully tested might be the way to go in some cases, but for a person who can’t legally purchase or doesn’t ever intend to buy body armor this idea could provide some additional yet comfortable protection at an affordable price.
Regardless if we’re thinking about something as serious as body armor or as minor as our paper supply or oil changing skills, our survival mindset should take into consideration how we will meet our needs in the absence of modern-day conveniences (due to lack of availability or too expensive to acquire). How did our ancestors make do without the products and technology we have today and do we know how to duplicate their old and outdated efforts?
Yes, many of us are preparing for tough times through the acquisition of things, but the mind will ultimately be our greatest means of survival. Take care to learn from the “old timers” and remember their techniques, methods, and practices just in case we need to return to those ways in the future.
This is an entry in our non-fiction writing contest where you could win:
- First Prize) Winner will receive a gift certificate for $170 worth of Winchester Ammo donated by Lucky Gunner. A Smith & Wesson Heat Treated Collapsible 21″ Baton and a copy of my book Dirt Cheap Survival Retreat.
- Second Prize) Winner will receive a Wise Food Storage meat bucket and 3 dozen Tattler Reusable Canning Lids donated by LPC Survival.
- Third Prize) Winner will receive a LifeStraw water filter system donated by Eartheasy and a copy of the Wolf Pack Cookbook.
{ 45 comments… read them below or add one }
I enjoyed the outside the box thinking but until you build one, test one and wear one I wouldnt put this out there. This hypothetical stuff is folklore at best and dangerous at worst. I would really take a hard look at surviving the impact of a round to the chest area, even without penetration, with silk. It goes along with the reason the bullet resistant ballcap and civilian underwear didnt make it, the skull and stuff still gets crushed from the impact. There’s a reason it isnt common place and impact injuries and internal bleeding are it.
Don’t know if the silk vest would work, but maybe sewing in a pocket for a trauma plate over the heart would help?
Hello wolf pack, just wanted to share something. we all know that the Dollar store can bee a good place to pick up preps like bleach and bandages and such. Dollar Tree has a website and you can order things in bulk quickly. ive also noticed the the site caries more things then my local store does. http://www.dollartree.com
Fascinating. It should be easy enough to test out. Sew up a sample and shoot it a few times. I’d test it set up in a target frame, tight for one test and hanging loose for the next. Might also want to rig using a dummy or sandbags simulating a dummy. Using normal weave silk material might/might not work or it might require more layers. Blunt trauma might be fierce though, but for if expecting a deliberate attack (defending retreat) you might attach a stiff leather jacket over or under the silk armor to dilute the blunt force.
I’m quite convinced that the people that learn how to provide the basics for themselves using old technology i.e., no electricity etc, will be able to profit from it in the long run.
Our manufacturing base is slowly being dismantled. At some point, it will be hard to procure some of the things that we take for granted now… Oil changes were mentioned at the beginning of the article. I think it is a smart move to learn as much as you can about machines, and equipment. It will be the norm to fix old stuff, not replace. It will be way too expensive to replace appliances in the future.
Thanks for the reminder, and I agree that we are losing the ability to do the small things that help make things work. I was camping and a friend was concerned that some might get hurt and we had no cell phone coverage. I told her that I’d get our my 1st aid kit (I have a M3 in the trailer), patch them up, then put them in the truck for a trip to the hospital, just like we used to. She blanched, and said something about that not being very sanitary. I asked which would get them to the doctor’s quicker. She just got a full body shiver and walked off. But now everyone in our camping group knows who has the best 1st aid and where to go if someone does got hurt. I found it interesting.
I also was able to pick up a could of silk jackets a couple of years ago. I like using it with my GI issue wool sweater as the wool is warm and the jacket cuts the wind.
JP in MT,
The only problem with you being the go to guy for first aid, is if you are the one that gets hurt. I would definitely be encouraging my campmates to get at least basic First Aid & CPR training.
Fantastic idea! Thanks. A good reminder that the brain is our greatest asset.
Wyatt Earp is said to be a pioneer in the silk body armor. He wore as a fashion, very thick Chinese made silk vests. It is commonly believed they saved his life in some of his gun fights. Type1, 2 or 3 body armor will not stop a 22 cal or a knife or ice pick, unless it is directed into a trauma plate. Keep your body armor out of sun light (under your clothes is OK). Wet armor is actually more bullet resistant. Keep the panels wiped down and clean so the don’t stink. I wear a silk undershirt under mine year round. If at any time you flex your armor and it is crunchy it is old and may no longer work. Take care of it and it will last 10 years or more beyond the DOJ date stamped inside it. I am a big guy and my vest is 2XLT. A friend gave me his size small vest. I thought what can I do with this? I put the small panels in my vest for extra protection. The silk material will need to be a thick tight weave and then 16 or more layers. Wyatt’s was said to be half inch to three quarters thick. Don’t shoot yourself wearing it to test it. Try it on a block of gel or a watermelon and don’t us a 22.
In Texas, state law allows the sale to civilians as long as they have not been convicted of a crime. Check local jurisdictions though, I’m sure there are a few areas where restrictions are far more stringent.
Isn’t it interesting that most people say the 22 is not powerful enough for a defensive weapon. However, if someone is coming at you in body armor, the 22 is more likely to penetrate than your 9mm, 45acp, etc. When I was young and we raised hogs for the market, my dad always killed the hogs with a single shot from a 22 into the brain of the hogs. The thickness and hardness of a pig skull is legendary. 22 ammo is cheap and has great penetration power. Interesting article Edward.
A .22 more likely to penetrate than a 9mm or .45??? Are you out of your mind?
I’d like to hear a reasonable explanation for that as well. I’m having trouble buying that a .22 will penetrate what a 9mm or .45 ACP won’t.
Josh, smaller bullet with increased velocity and less drag. Same reasoning where when getting a shot at the doctor, the needle goes right in but try pushing a pen or pencil and you would have to use force.
As vests get worn, loss of fabric retention due to age, sweat, rain etc the fabrics don’t hold together as well and makes it easier. Not an exact science but odds are better.
Same principal of an arrow going through a vest or sand bag where a bullet wont.
This makes sense, as the .22 is a smaller diameter and packs a lot power. Walther .22 is my carrier firearm /with hollowpoints. Plus, I can afford to practice with it!
I am no expert but to my knowledge most soft armor vests (sans plates) will stop even a 22 rifle round let alone pistol rounds. Granted there are specialty rounds that can penetrate soft armor but I doubt the typical 22LR fired from a handgun can penetrate. Some folks on another forum have cited a story about a deputy who took his duty vest and penetrated it with various 22 caliber rounds. I doubt that actually happened because I would never have fired a round at my county issued vest. Once penetrated it should not be worn again. And the county would have me buy a new one after disciplining me! Carry a 22 handgun? Aim at the brain box of the armor wearing tango. best bet for success.
I’m gonna throw my 2 cents in here on this. We shot a ballistic panel at 5yds with a 22mag 40gr hp handgun Ruger SingleSix, 22 40gr solid nose rifle Ruger 10-22, 357 125JHP S&W 586 Revolver, 45 185gr hp 1911, 9mm 115+p Glock 17 and the order of layer penetrated was the 22mag, 22, 9mm, 357 and last the 45.
The diameter of the round and speed behind it seems to have alot to do with how many layers it got thru but none actually made it thru.
Not a scientific study or anything and maybe you can’t make conclusive descisions but it’s what we had and what we used. So the 22 fast mover got thru more but still wouldnt want to take the 357 hit to the chest on my ribs over my heart!!!
“More likely”, I think not. Possible, yes.
It is possible to defeat the armor with a small caliber, when fired at an oblique angle to the weave of “soft” body armor, the smaller caliber has more of a tendency to pass between the fibers, than for instance a .45 ACP at a perpendicular angle (i.e., straight at center mass). This is also true for .17 and .223/5.56, but only because of the smaller cross sectional density and the non-perpendicular angle. Wearing most hard shell backer plates behind the armor will eliminate this threat. And if you’re talking about a head on center mass shot, I’ll take the .22 over the 9mm or .35 ACP any day of the week, although avoiding getting shot is always preferred.
If you think if the armor (a woven cloth) as a net or screen, the birds and mosquitoes can’t get through, but the little gnats can because they can slip between the threads. In the case of body armor, this can happen only at very shallow angles.
My dad had an old bolt action 32-20 caliber rifle. The things are basically obsolete now and I’ve had it for 40 years and had never really tried it on anything. I decided one day to see how it compared to a .22. I set up two 2 liter pepsi bottles filled with water and stood about 50 feet from them. I shot one with the .32-20. The round penetrated the front side of the bottle and fell to the bottom. I shot the other with a .22 LR Stinger.
The stinger blew the back side of the bottle completly out, splitting it straight down the back side for most of the height of the bottle.
Dave, my dad used to kill hogs on the farm using a 22 and I’ve done it on pig farms. Nothing new, those are not feral pigs so its easier to walk up on them. Why waste a 30-06 or .357 when a .22 will do.
When I first saw what this article was about, I though it would be a waste of time to read it. I was wrong. As I was reading, I remembered all that I had learned about silk and how it was used as an under garment and even if they were shot by an arrow or whatever even then it was easier to extract the point because the silk would keep the barb from tearing the flesh. (whew… how is that for a long sentence?)
Anyway, this article has some excellent merit.
Depending on when you grew up, some of us think that the “more up to date” ways and items have always been like that. I only recently have began a quest to do things the “old fashioned” way. I never knew any different and didn’t have any mentors in my life to show me the old ways. I find that the information is a lot more accessible now. If the information on how to do provide for your self and make your own things from your own resources is talked about more and broken down for us newbies to it, then it is demystified and less intimidating to attempt. Great article, I really enjoyed this one.
Thanks Edward R.
About two years ago I decided to go to all my local second hand stores and buy all the merino wool, silk, and cashmere clothing they had. I planned on using them for nice natural midweight middle layers to store JIC. I live way up north and it gets cold! I found plenty and even got a lot of them brand new with tags at fill a paper grocery bag for $5.00 sale. A bag full of merino for $5 – one of my best finds. Silk is a great material to contemplate and use even if you’re not trying to stop bullets.
Thanks again.
Just for laughs, I’ll forward this URL to the Mythbusters.
One more thought. I have been the target of a “drive-by” and wanted a bullet resistant piece of clothing to go to the mailbox, etc. I found a black flight jacket from an Israeli company called Mar-omDolphin Ltd. I can wear it anywhere I can wear a jacket, and NO-ONE has EVER known it’s anything more than a Jacket. I wear it with a t-shirt and jeans just about everywhere. It’s also NIJ IV (level 4) which is pretty stout (think .44 magnum). By it’s very nature, a baddie wouldn’t hesitate to shoot me center of mass, because it doesn’t look like a vest. I worry that anything looking like a vest would lead to the old “shoot ‘em in the head!” movie line. I keep it by the front door so i can just throw it on as I head out the door. It was also affordable (compared to my dying), at around $600 for an XL. The armor is Goldflex, which is next generation fiber, light, thinner and stronger than Kevlar. Check them out on the web, or on e-bay (where I found them).
Edward R.,
Thank you for the informative article. Like Hillbilly mom, I find it interesting to learn about how folks used to do things before modern convenience took over. On thing that I think is interesting about the vast majority of young people is that they have no idea how to cook. For the most part, they have been brought up in single parent families and never had sit-down dinners. They grew up eating fast food on the run.
Historically, Mongol warriors wore raw silk undergarments in battle. Even though an arrow would still penetrate the flesh, it usually wouldn’t penetrate the silk, and the silk could be used by doctors to draw the arrow out and allow the wound to be cleaned and bandaged. The survival rate for Mongolian cavalry was pretty amazing — especially for the Middle Ages.
On another weird note, the Chinese are researching spider silk as a possible composition for body armor. Several times stronger than steel, if it can be woven into a cloth and then suitably layered, it should stop just about anything that doesn’t totally destroy the body. Of course, it IS flammable in its basic configuration…. Kind of gives you a mental picture of a bunch of Chinese scientists sitting around trying to coax spider silk from some really PO’d spiders, doesn’t it?
To my mind, however, the best armor is not being in a place where you can get hit in the first place. Paying very careful attention to cover and concealment, and spending that extra time and care when selecting your firing positions really is much more likely to preserve your life than some sort of exotic attempt to make a silk armor suit. Simple precautions, like not skylining yourself and taking the time and exercising the patience (something that most people, even those who “know better” simply won’t do) to observe an area before moving into it are much more important. If you can avoid being observed, you can not only avoid being hit, but you may avoid the entire confrontation to begin with. He who turns and runs away, lives to run another day. I’ll admit it, I’m a self-professed coward; if I see you out there with your 600 round assault shotgun with an RPG strapped on the top, I’m perfectly content to let you go on your merry way without any interference from me! :-)
Jeff, good note on the Mongolians! I’m a huge history buff and had read that as well. Would hate for that to happen to me but if it increased survivability in an age where wounds lke that kill, who can criticize.
Well…here’s your spider silk garment. Though this is a “high fashion” application, it’s still the technology…
http://edition.cnn.com/2012/01/25/world/europe/spider-silk-cape-on-display/?hpt=wo_mid
Don’t ask me how I see these things…………………….
Good article. I do have one question. Is he inferring he would spend hundreds on a firearm but not a couple hundred on a nice set of Level 2-A or 3-A armor? There is plenty of discrete 2-A rated to 357 magnum for $200-$250 that will hide under a shirt (along with a Glock) and give more than a modicum of protection. I doubt a silk vest is going to be any lighter or unobtrusive than the same thickness in kevlar and kevlar is hands down stronger than silk. There is a push to GM spiders and silkworms to start getting the worms to spit out spider silk which is 50% stronger by weight than kevlar. However, that is years away and I promise THAT will be out of reach expensive. As long as it is available, my ass is (and does) getting behind modern vests.
To add: 22 LR WILL penetrate many vests that 9mm will not. The 22 LR has a high sectional density and is more like an ice pick penetrating the weaves in the vest as opposed to a blunt force strike by a 9mm/357/45 ACP.
Body armor is something that I never had or had a reason to have.I always thought nailing someone in the chest with a baseball bat. It will not penitrate but would hurt like hell. Or drilling someone with a 30/06 may pennatrate the vest anyway.Or the teflon coated bullets that at one time went through some types of vests.Body armor is still a valid thing but it does not fit my lifestyle. I am more into the grey man way of thinking.
There is a company that makes a “bulletproof” clipboard. It”s very stout (about 1/2 inch thick) and is stated to be able to stop a .44 mag or.45 acp. I carry it every day in my bookbag style backpack. I can drop my strong arm out of the shoulder strap extract my concealed carry weapon and rotate the bag to cover my center of mass.
Be sure to wash and dry it several times before you cut it as it could shrink. Silk doesn’t shrink like cotton but, depending on the weave, a steam iron could shrink it. There are a number of weaves for silk. I doubt that 16 layers of silk organza would help much. Silk Twill or dupionni might work but those are pretty expensive. Dupionni would probably be cheapest.
Great article! I was stationed in Japan and took Aikido lessons while there. In those times I read and heard of warriors armor made of multiple layers of silk and it worked against black powder rifles and pistols. I own a few vests in II III and IV.
While I won’t chance the silk over a vest it is a viable option and may opt to test it out at the range one day. Its the old “better than nothing” saying.
In prison, inmates use magazines and books for body armor against stabbings from shanks (improvised blades/weapons) and I’ve heard it works or in worst case decreases the injury. At a bank I used to frequent, the teller I dated told me they stacked cases of copy paper inside the booth so if someone shot at them below the armored glass it would stop or slow down the bullets.
Make due with what you have.
We teach the kids in the event of school shooting to use their backpacks full of books as an impro armor when holed up but be willing to drop the weight and run if needed. When we test bullet we use books and phone books alot to “catch” the bullets.
What a world we live in when we have to teach children this! A shame, really. I know it’s necessary, but it’s regrettable.
Busy week for me. Topped off my food preps, set up both my truck and my wife’s car with Get Home Bags including first aid kits, tools, water, fire starting equipment. virus defense (5 N95 masks, gloves and disinfectant spray.
Then on Thursday I found out I am getting a promotion, which should easily help fund the purchase of 10 acres I have been hoping for.
Also, my wife is getting more accepting of firearms and is going to let me get her a new Marlin 60 or 795 to learn. (right now she is better than me with a break barrel pellet gun (Crossman Nitro Dusk)
Doing things the old fashion way? Now that is a wonderful idea! As far as silk body armor goes, I have many old ways of doing things to practice that make bullet resistant clothing the bottom of my priority list. God bless the Wolfpack!
OK a few things on the silk idea as body armor. The suit that McKinnley was supposed to receive was tested by the US military at the request of congress after the assassination. They found that the armor could stop a pistol round traveling at 400 feet per second but not 600 feet per second which meant that most “modern” as of 1901 rounds would blow through it. A modern 38 would go through that old armor. The article on the modern Thai silk armor says 22lr, 38 and a rifle round. A lot of digging found some odd inconsistencies in the various versions of the articles. In some they say it is equivalent to level 1 armor (which doesn’t stop rifle rounds) in others they mention 9mm rounds. I found a Thai site that had a version of the article that google translate worked on. It looks like they tested it with 22lr and 38 rounds at close range and 9mm at longer rifle ranges, which would be about right for level 1 armor and the article also said that they used a special weave done on a custom machine. So please be smart if you decide to build your own armor and look into it very carefully.
http://www.timawa.net/forum/index.php?topic=3205.0;wap2
Learning how to do my own oil change on my truck is on my “skills to learn” list. Also compass/map navigation, and re-learning the stars for direction. Fire-making from scratch as well. Yup…the “old-fashioned” way of doing things keeps it real.
And I’m with whoever said that young people don’t know how to cook! I taught my son how to cook from a young age. I think he was 8 when he could cook porkchops for himself.
I have a co-worker who found out that his new car had a sensor that had to be reset at the dealership to say an oil change had been done, otherwise it would give him warning lights (check engine) and eventually he found he had to take it to the dealership because it kept giving him the engine problem light. I wouldn’t want a vehicle with one of those for a shtf situation.
…but I run into young people all the time who don’t know how to cook.
Their stomachs have never been empty enough to get them interested enough to learn.
Our kids wanted brownies. I gave them the box and said, “learn to read”. Their stomachs took over, they were successful (with monitoring for safety from the next room).
One must also keep in mind that many modern devises are purposely designed to prevent you from fixing them yourselves .
“To add: 22 LR WILL penetrate many vests that 9mm will not. The 22 LR has a high sectional density and is more like an ice pick penetrating the weaves in the vest as opposed to a blunt force strike by a 9mm/357/45 ACP.”
Chris, sorry but not true at all. I have been in on testing modern (1990 on) level II and 3 vests and not even the 7.62×25 (1400 FPS) will punch standard patrol vests at any angle or with even multiple hits in the same area. .22 LR Not enough energy and the “cross weave” problem was addressed long ago. I would like to test some silk “armor” but doubt it would do very well against moder HV pistol rounds….
As to blunt force trama it is highly over rated. I have interviewed several people who have taken 9mm, .40 and .45 rounds to level II vests and they felt the impact but were not stopped or even slowed down. SWAT armor level 3 and above the people didn’t even know they were hit till they took the armor off. Something to do with the “combat high” sure but if the recoil of the gun does not knock you down at your end it will not knock down the person hit on armor.