I was reading over the Level III patrol armor testing thread and I noticed that most of the recommended plates were ceramic. I also noted that DocGKR “strongly suggests” x-raying ceramic armor at least once a year. Given that the average civilian (as far as I am aware) does not have access to the facilities or tools necessary to x-ray the armor, is buying ceramic armor a viable option for a civilian (without simply replacing it every year in lieu of getting it examined)? Granted, most civilians probably will not be dropping into the sandbox or throwing their armor around with hundreds of pounds of gear every day, but just how likely is it for invisible fractures to compromise the armor (or how long might it take for those fractures to become likely)? Thank you for your time.
It is much less an issue for civilian shooters who only use them for training sessions and for personal defense, as the plates don’t tend to get beat up as badly as issued gear or equipment that is used hard on a daily basis…
Getting that plate X-rayed is less of a hurdle than you may think. You’ll have to pay, of course, but it can be done without involving a radiologist.
Where are you based (I assume US, but where exactly)?
I love seeing people selling blackmarket plates on craigslist for un-godly amounts of money. I always explain to them that they are pretty much useless unless xrayed. I wouldnt trust them with my life. then i offer them 40 bucks and use them for targets :laugh:
living in oceanside california i have see them being used for doorstops