Testing Body Armor Against a Four Bore Rifle

TL;DR

The four bore rifle proves to be a formidable challenge for both soft and hard body armor. While soft armor rated for 44 magnum fails to fully protect and results in significant damage, hard ceramic plates absorb the impact of this heavy round. Ultimately, though the armor can stop some bullets, the energy transfer from the four bore rifle causes considerable trauma.

Transcript

we have soft armor and we have hard ceramic plates I'm going to take a shot at each one with the four bore rifle and see how it holds up Campbell's Soup can four board this is a Christian Firearms falling block single shot four board it has a one inch in diameter Barrel 50 BMG the four bore is 2150 grains produces over 200 pounds of felt recoil goo... Read More

Key Insights

• 💡 Body armor, specifically soft armor and hard ceramic plates, is being tested in this video using a four bore rifle.

Questions & Answers

Q: How effective is soft body armor against the four bore rifle?

The soft body armor, rated for up to 44 magnum, fails to stop the four bore rounds, resulting in damage to the ballistic dummy.

Q: Can hard ceramic plates withstand the power of the four bore rifle?

The hard ceramic plates, which are rated for rifle rounds such as 5.56 and 7.62, are severely damaged by the four bore rifle, but they manage to stop the rounds from penetrating the target.

Q: How does the four bore rifle affect the ballistic dummy?

The four bore rifle inflicts significant damage to the ballistic dummy, causing a large hole and potentially transferring enough energy to cause internal damage.

Q: What is the difference between soft and hard body armor?

Soft body armor is typically made of multiple layers of fabric and is designed to absorb and disperse the energy of a bullet. Hard body armor, such as ceramic plates, uses rigid materials to stop bullets from penetrating.

Q: What is the four bore rifle and why is it so powerful?

The four bore rifle is a falling block single-shot rifle with a one-inch diameter barrel. It fires 2,150-grain rounds that produce over 200 pounds of felt recoil. Its immense power allows it to breach body armor effectively.

Q: How do the rounds from the four bore rifle affect the ceramic plates?

The rounds from the four bore rifle cause significant damage to the ceramic plates, creating bulges and cracks, but the plates do not fail to stop the rounds from fully penetrating the target.

Q: Why is speed crucial in defeating body armor?

Speed is crucial in defeating body armor because the faster the bullet travels, the more force it can exert on impact. Slower-moving rounds, such as those from the four bore rifle, can still cause damage but may not fully penetrate the armor.

Q: What is the overall conclusion about the effectiveness of body armor against the four bore rifle?

The body armor, both soft and hard, fails to fully withstand the power of the four bore rifle, resulting in damage to the armor and potential harm to the target.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• Kentucky Ballistics takes on the challenge of testing the durability of body armor against the power of a four bore rifle.

• Soft armor rated for up to 44 magnum is tested first, with the rounds penetrating the armor and causing damage to the ballistic dummy.

• Hard ceramic plates rated for various rifle rounds are then tested, with the four bore rifle causing significant damage to the armor but successfully stopping the rounds.