We live at high altitude with about 500 inches of snow per year, and max lows in the winter are -20 F but typical lows in the winter are -5 F to +5 F. Needless to say, we would prefer to keep windows in our house in case of SHTF.
So what do we do?
Option 1: Pre-cut and drill 3/4 inch plywood to bolt in place at the last minute like people do when prepping for hurricanes.
Option 2: Have shutters custom built that have a liner of 3/8" AR500 steel so no one can shoot out the windows. That is going to cost well north of $10K.
I found a stash of cheap bullet resistant Lexan Lexgard laminate plastics at a local distributor that he was trying to get rid of because the order was cancelled and he didn’t want it to take up warehouse space any longer.
I just cut the lexan into the existing frame on the interior of the windows (So the sun has less damaging affect on teh visibility of the Lexan; I have tint on my windows) and secured it per the manufacturers instructions. I would have to check to confirm but I am quite sure the lexan lexgard is bullet resistant up to 7.62 NATO ballistics.
Not sure of what the stuff costs normally, and I don’t recall what I got it for, but the guy needed to get rid of it and I got a steal of a deal I believe.
I might even have (10) or so of 4’X6’ pieces left that I have no use for. Do you know how much you need? I’ll check my inventory and maybe we can figure out a trade or something if you are interested (If I have the stuff/enough still; I’ll have to check this weekend when I am down at the property).
Hope that helps or at least gives you a starting point…
I am about 3000 ft higher than the Salt Lake City airport, but a short 10.5 mile hike from the edge of the Salt Lake valley urbanized area. So the threat I want to protect against is people, lots of them, people with rocks, guns, etc. who may leave the valley to forage in case of a shtf event such as a Wasatch Front earthquake, the Great Obama Riots, or whatever.
I sure as hell wouldn’t want to try to lift steel plates over the windows.
Maybe armored fiberglass panels have them pre-cut to the window sizes, drilled to bolt them on and they can be painted.
IDK about the prices http://www.bulldogdirect.com/AP-saferoom-fiberglass.asp
Not sure how much cheaper than the steel this would be but maybe you could get some of those small roll up beach storm doors. They appear to be the same as shop roll up doors just alot smaller. They obviously do not have any rated ballistic level. However if you have ever done a media shoot then you will understand how easy it truly is to stop a bullet.
The Lexan option sounds like a great idea to me, offering evreything except a visual barrier in the event of SHTF.
3M security film. You can beat on it with a bat…the window will break but the film will keep the window from being penetrated. No bullet protection but you’re looking at big money for that kind of threat protection.
Is your home’s exterior fireproof? If not, I wouldn’t worry about bullet resistant windows when they could just toss a molotov cocktail on the roof and burn you out.
Unless the rest of the house is bullet resistant I wouldn’t worry about the glass too much. Siding, 1/2" plywood, fiberglass insulation and sheetrock don’t present much of a barrier to major cal. ammo. :fie: I keep enough 1/2" plywood in the shed to cover the windows, I usual wind up using some of it for projects anyway. Just replace what gets used up. I know the usual procedure is to nail or screw the plywood to the exterior but if it gets so bad I need to cover up (SHTF) then I’ve got enough to cover the window interior also. Think about how much flying glass would be in the room with incoming mail. One bonus of the exterior plywood is to slap a couple of pieces up where there are no windows especially at ground level, it’s very frustrating to throw rocks at what you think is a window and it’s a solid wall behind it. Just think about trying to kick it it :moil:
if I was worried about that kind of situation I would also want to see out of my windows without anyone seeing in maybe ? so anything solid might be out ?
blame hollywood for that. every movie has people shooting out the windows, and taking cover right next to the windowsill. no one on the outside ever thinks to shoot through the wall.
now look at real life. during the waco raid, ATFs were shot when they were walking on the roof, through the walls.
Assuming you have some sort of mason walls, plywood and stackable sandbags/pavers/bricks would give the windows roughly the same ballistic protection as the rest of the exterior.
We were lucky that our house was built in the late 50’s It’s all brick and stone. About 8 years ago it was resided with wood over the brick, so it looks wood sided but actually has brick walls. That’s why I mostly worry about the windows and doors. If I have to cover them, I’ll cut slits in the plywood so I can see out. We have a large cabinet to shove in the front glass door opening, the back doors get the moveable cover in case of needing a rapid exit. Granted the roof is always a problem but for the most part I’m most concerned about roving groups looking for easy pickings, not black helicopters overhead. I don’t have that kind of firepower anyway. If it comes callin on tracks, I’m hosed. On foot, I’ll play the odds before buggin out
Well, if your house is wood frame and built to code there is more framing/flashing/trim/nails around a window than in a comparable section of blank wall.
I wouldn’t trust any residential construction to save my life though.
