I was trying to think if Mythbusters ever did this and I cant remember, and I haven’t seen anything on Youtube. Anyways, just curious if anyone has put any thought into improvised body armor that can be produced quick and is effective against a 556 at say 50 feet. The fist thing that comes to my mind is phone books with plate steel as illustrated in the book: 100 deadly skills. Even though I believe that is quite effective, it seems extremely bulky and not “wearable” for extended times- obviously safety before comfort but what if we could have both.
Anyone ever put much thought into body armor from household supplies? Or could you produce a non bulky, wearable, quality body armor? If you had say…20 minutes to produce body armor to protect you against you, what would you build and from what common household materials.
I am pretty sure Mythbusters did do a body armor episode. Been a long time since I’ve watched any.
Think it was a combo of ceramic tiles and kevlar? Sorry, I forget the results.
They also tried making a bullet proof car with phone books. Realized it was kind of unrealistic as that many phone books to cover the car would actually put them over the max carry weight of the vehicle.
I get the thought exercise, but if it were me, I’d opt for speed and mobility over trying to fabricate something that would be inefficient, uncomfortable and most likely ineffective. If done for a bug out scenario, I’d use the time for a head start myself.
Now if it were just for grins and giggles, have at it.
In some sort of grid down situation where body armor would even be a conceivable requirement, I’d rather have speed and mobility and sacrifice my bullet resistance, rather than gorilla taping some phone books and a manhole cover to my torso.
Isn’t 100 deadly skills also the book that advocates tampons for gunshots? No thanks.
That’s true to a certain extent. What got me thinking was that I was watching Michael Mann’s Blackhat movie last night and the main character was in Jakarta trying to meet up with a bad guy in public and so he duct taped a bunch of magazines around his abdominal section in anticipation for an attack. I’m not sure that was to stop a bullet or possible knife attack. Either way, it made me think if there is any known methods to easily produce body armor from common household or things that can be obtained off the shelf and be assembled in 20-25 minutes.
I remember that, and I do remember them using phone books for other armor related myths but couldn’t remember if they used them for self defense.
I was thinking the same thing, ceramic tile between steel plates or similar.
obviously that would be my first choice.
lol. well, maybe stopping a 5.56 was to optimistic, if we were to lower the ratings to 9mm JHP I guess it would be easier to produce something quickly out of common household items.
I think you’re right about Mythbusters, they did several shows on bullet proofing an item.
Here’s a list of all their episodes, it’s too much to scan on my phone but the OP might be able to find it on a computer monitor.
It might not be listed as bulletproof car etc it might have been a movie myth episode.
