Background:
Each year, more and more civilian citizens find it necessary to acquire some sort of personal armor. Manufacturers and points of sale are everywhere, and the armor is supposed to follow a set of classifications that are easily understood. In theory. However, even trained professionals in the security field sometimes have difficulties listing the different types and resistances that are available.
Here’s a clue.
Graphical Presentation of Classifications
The classifications are set by the US Government, more specifically the Office of Justice Programs, under the Dept. of Justice. Click here for the whole classification document (89-page PDF file).
Table display of armor classifications
| Class | Gun name | Ammo type | Ammo weight | Ammo velocity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| I | 38 SPECIAL | RN LEAD | 158 GRAIN | 259M/SEC(850FT/S) |
| 22 LRHV | LEAD | 40 GRAIN | 320M/SEC(1050FT/S) | |
| II A | 357 MAGNUM | JSP | 158 GRAIN | 384M/SEC(1250FT/S) |
| 9MM | FMJ | 124 GRAIN | 332M/SEC(1090FT/S) | |
| II | 357 MAGNUM | JSP | 158 GRAIN | 425M/SEC(1395FT/S) |
| 9MM | FMJ | 124 GRAIN | 358/SEC(1175FT/S) | |
| III A | 44 MAGNUM | JSP LEAD | 240 GRAIN | 426/SEC(1400FT/S) |
| 9MM | FMJ | 124 GRAIN | 426/SEC(1400FT/S) | |
| III | 7.62MM | FMJ | 150 GRAIN | 838M/SEC(2750FT/S) |
| IV | 30-06 | AP | 166 GRAIN | 868M/SEC(2850FT/S) |
| REMARK | AP : Armour piercing | |||
| FMJ : Full metal jacketed | ||||
| JSP : Jacketed soft point | ||||
| LRHV : Long rifle high velocity | ||||
| RN : Round nose | ||||