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Levels of Body Armor

Know your weapon and ammunition, know your armor level.

Important Notice!

Law enforcement and corrections officers who are looking for information about the levels of protection of ballistic body armor can find specific information regarding NIJ compliant body armors in a new, downloadable fact sheet here.

Stories like “Correctional Officer Shot at Kern State Prison” and “NC Suspect Attacks Deputy With a Knife” make great headlines, but while the officers in these cases were fortunate, these outcomes are not the norm nor should they be expected. Ballistic-resistant flexible body armor is generally designed to protect the wearer from handgun threats and is not intended to protect against edged or spike type weapons. Stab-resistant flexible body armor is designed to protect only against edged or spike type weapons and is not intended to protect the wearer against handgun threats. There are a small number of NIJ compliant combination armors that do provide protection against both handgun and edged/spike type of weapons, but the wearer must be sure this is the type of protection the armor provides. The best way to determine the type of protection the armor provides is to look at the armor panel label that will identify the type of protection the armor provides. If the label does not say it provides a specific type of protection, then it does not provide that type of protection. For more information on labeling, please refer to https://www.justnet.org/body_armor/body_armor_labels.html (Selection and Application Guide to Ballistic-Resistant Body Armor for Law Enforcement, Corrections and Public Safety, NIJ Selection and Application Guide-0101.06, p. 7.)

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Caliber of Weapon (Selection of body armor should at least provide  protection against the officer’s own weapon)

Using This Ammunition

NIJ Body Armor Classification to Wear

Handgun/Pistol Ammunition:
9 mm FMJ RN or .40 S &W FMJ

Type IIA armor that is new and unworn shall be tested against two types of ammunition:

  • 9 mm Full Metal Jacketed Round Nose (FMJ RN) ammunition with a specified mass of 124 grains and a velocity of 1,225 ft./s ± 30 ft.
  • .40 S&W Full Metal Jacketed (FMJ) ammunition with a specified mass of 180 grains and a velocity of 1,155 ft./s ± 30 ft./s

IIA

Handgun/Pistol Ammunition:
9 mm FMJ RN or .357 JSP Magnum

Type II armor that is new and unworn shall be tested against two types of ammunition:

  • 9 mm FMJ RN ammunition with a specified mass of 124 grains and a velocity of 1305 ft/s ± 30 ft/s.
  • .357 Magnum Jacketed Soft Point (JSP) ammunition with a specified mass of 158 grains and a velocity of 1,430 ft/s ± 30 ft/s.

II

Handgun/Pistol Ammunition:
.357 SIG FMJ FN or .44 SJHP Magnum

Type IIIA armor that is new and unworn shall be tested against two types of ammunition:

  • .357 SIG FMJ Flat Nose (FN) ammunition with a specified mass of 125 grains and a velocity of 1,470 ft/s ± 30 ft/s)
  • .44 Magnum Semi Jacketed Hollow Point (SJHP) ammunition with a specified mass of 240 grains and a velocity of 1,430 ft/s ± 30 ft/s.

IIIA

Rifle Ammunition:
7.62 NATO FMJ

Type III hard armor or plate inserts shall be tested against a single type of ammunition:

  • 7.62 mm FMJ, steel jacketed ammunition (U.S. Military designation M80) with a specified mass of 147 grains and a velocity of 2,780 ft/s ± 30 ft/s.

III

Armor Piercing Rifle Ammunition:
.30 Caliber M2 AP  

Type IV hard armor or plate inserts shall be tested against a single type of ammunition:

  • .30 caliber armor piercing (AP) ammunition (U.S. Military designation M2 AP) with a specified mass of 166 grains and a velocity of 2,880 ft/s ± 30 ft/s.

IV