Body Armor

Does anyone know the legality of body armor “bulletproof vest” in Missouri?
Does anyone hear wear one on a daily basis, and is it comfortable? If so where did you buy and what do you recommend? Just entertaining the thought as I work in all areas of St. Louis Louis City & County.

Jim

They are perfectly legal, they are expensive, they are hot, and they are uncomfortable.

cshoff said:

They are perfectly legal, they are expensive, they are hot, and they are uncomfortable.

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with one exception, if you are a felon. It is against the law for a criminal felon to purchase, own or possess any type of body armor under federal law, 18 U.S.C. § 931 : US Code - Section 931. I believe Missouri has a similar law regarding felons owning a "bullet proof vest".

Doc

sohighlyunlikely said:

with one exception, if you are a felon. It is against the law for a criminal felon to purchase, own or possess any type of body armor under federal law, 18 U.S.C. § 931 : US Code - Section 931. I believe Missouri has a similar law regarding felons owning a "bullet proof vest".

Doc

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That is correct. I was taking the liberty of assuming that jad316 is not a felon.

cshoff said:

That is correct. I was taking the liberty of assuming that jad316 is not a felon.

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I would think so to. But their are some pretty odd felony charges that I have heard people catch. Don't get me started on the over use of felony laws.

Doc

LOL....I can assure you all I'm no felon...I've seen then range from 250-700.00 depending where u order.

sohighlyunlikely said:

I would think so to. But their are some pretty odd felony charges that I have heard people catch. Don't get me started on the over use of felony laws.

Doc

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Half the stuff I do legally in Washington is a felony in California, New York, Mass, etc.

cshoff said:

They are perfectly legal, they are expensive, they are hot, and they are uncomfortable.

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Don't forget that they deteriorate over time and tend to require replacement every 6 or 7 years per the manufacturer, some manufacturers require it even sooner. Any trauma to the vest, to include knife trauma, will also be grounds for replacement.


If the USC actually says "bullet proof" in regards to the vest then everyone should be good to go technically. That's because there's absolutely no such thing as a bullet proof vest. There are bullet resistant vests, but nothing in the realm of a vest is actually bullet proof...that includes the Kevlar military vests with the SAPI plate and AP trauma plate combined.

See it from that aspect and get a chuckle as that's what was intended folks.

Keep in mind, different vests are only good on certain rounds. A 5.56 NATO M855 will penetrate up to level 4 body armor. Level 4 is not available for civilian sale. Even level 4, which uses ceramic plates, will fail if 2 or 3 rounds hit the same spot. Cops, even the SWAT clowns, generally wear level 2 or maybe 3A. That will not stop 5.56 rounds, much less 7.62x51, but they don't expect to be dealing with rifle toting "suspects." Level 2 is fine for any pistol round you may run into, but it aint't cheap and also isn't fool proof. A knife will penetrate kevlar body armor, or an ice pick, etc. And you can still get shot in the balls--or elsewhere, because it only goes to the waist. If shot from behind and hit in the spine, you could be a paraplegic--or just dead. Just doesn't make sense to me. SA is still your best defense in bad places--or better yet, stay the hell away.

As stated already, so long as you are not a felon you may purchase body armor. There is a catch to this though. Since most retailers won't sell armor to you unless they know you are not a felon, you will need some kind of 'validation', usually a letter from your local leo's saying that you are not a felon. Not a huge deal, but you may go to purchase it and find out that the retailer you are purchasing from requires something like this.

That said, armor is pretty hot in the summer, and it's not the most comfortable. I wear level III most of the time, and on occasion I wear level IV. If you plan to go to level IV, but aren't sure you will want the bulk and weight of level IV all the time, I would suggest getting a level IIIA vest to wear, and add over the vest plates to go to level IV. It would be more comfortable and save you some weight most of the time. I'm not sure why level IV is thought to be illegal, but I have had no issues purchasing it in Missouri. My first vest was a III with rifle plates over it. My second vest was a IV, and I just bought some plates for another vest.

If you wanna conceal your armor, IIA is do-able. If you try to conceal IIIA-III it will look like you are concealing armor under your shirt. IIA may also be a good choice for you depending on what kind of threat you intend to stop. Just do some research on it. It's not the most comfortable thing, but it is comforting if you're in a bad spot.

It is expensive up to $1000 for some of this stuff. Express Police in KC KS has been good to deal with, as has Kellys in Springfield. BulletProofMe.com may also be a good source for you. Thats where I got plates and IV stuff.

I'm really just thinking outside the box. I'm in the construction business and I'm up in North St.Louis all the time, was just wondering if anyone wears them. I'm not to concerned with anyone approaching me with a rifle more so pistol/knife. I always try to stay aware of my surroundings and always try and keep in mind the what if's.

Jim

jad316 said:

I'm really just thinking outside the box. I'm in the construction business and I'm up in North St.Louis all the time, was just wondering if anyone wears them. I'm not to concerned with anyone approaching me with a rifle more so pistol/knife. I always try to stay aware of my surroundings and always try and keep in mind the what if's.

Jim

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That's the best defense, situational awareness.

Gunslinger said:

Keep in mind, different vests are only good on certain rounds. A 5.56 NATO M855 will penetrate up to level 4 body armor. Level 4 is not available for civilian sale. Even level 4, which uses ceramic plates, will fail if 2 or 3 rounds hit the same spot. Cops, even the SWAT clowns, generally wear level 2 or maybe 3A. That will not stop 5.56 rounds, much less 7.62x51, but they don't expect to be dealing with rifle toting "suspects." Level 2 is fine for any pistol round you may run into, but it aint't cheap and also isn't fool proof. A knife will penetrate kevlar body armor, or an ice pick, etc. And you can still get shot in the balls--or elsewhere, because it only goes to the waist. If shot from behind and hit in the spine, you could be a paraplegic--or just dead. Just doesn't make sense to me. SA is still your best defense in bad places--or better yet, stay the hell away.

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is level 4 not available to civilians? I only ask because I'm about to start selling body armor here in Missouri and just want to make sure I've got everything nice and legit. Also the new level 4 plates (good ones anyway) are good for multiple hits with 7.62x51 AP rounds.

There is one vest that is comfortable and can take any round (short of 50CAL?), pistol or rifle, even a hand grenade.

If you have loads of spare cash, about $4000, look at Dragon Skin:
http://www.pinnaclearmor.com/body-armor/dragon-skin/dragonskin-videos/

Not sure who can buy it, probably not civilians, but this stuff is insanely effective... and flexible so it fits more comfortably. Someone on the internet was claiming it was too heavy and hard to remove quickly (safety problem) but it sure as hell will stop multiple AK and AR rounds, probably 30 or more. Watch the videos and see for yourself. If there is better armor out there, I want to see a video demo of it.

jdwohlers said:

is level 4 not available to civilians? I only ask because I'm about to start selling body armor here in Missouri and just want to make sure I've got everything nice and legit. Also the new level 4 plates (good ones anyway) are good for multiple hits with 7.62x51 AP rounds.

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As stated previous , I own level IV vests/plates and have had no issues purchasing them. There is no restriction on body armor by Missouri. Aside from the obvious not selling/possessing it by felons rule you are pretty free to purchase at will.

However many retailers have a policy to cover their own backside, and you may want to come up with something as well.
Since NICS is used for firearms, there is no method to check a purchasers criminal status when they purchase body armor. Many retailers, will require a letter from the county sheriff indicating that the purchaser is not a felon so that the retailer does not sell body armor to a felon. Thats the only known hitch for getting body armor. Now you may also be able to get by with validating a MO CCW permit, because you can't get one if you have a felony record.

Other usable methods;
Valid EMT license of any level
Valid Bail Agent License
Valid Surety License
Valid PI License
Valid Medical License
Valid Corporate/security guard license

The first 5 methods can be checked on line at your leisure. The last can only be verified in St. Louis and KC. And last but not least, you can check casenet for pending cases or charges against a person.

I have considered on getting a vest, but at the same time unless I am purposely going somewhere to cause to get shot its not needed. Yes I see the benefits as if someone does shoot you in a robbery, defending your home, etc. But like many of us do, if I'm at home...the trusty 12 is loaded with slug rounds for home defense.