Legacy Safety and Security provides some of the lightest, most effective body armor available on the market today. On a recent trip to Arizona, I had the opportunity to test their armor on the range. This was not the same type of testing performed by ballistics professionals in a lab utilizing equipment giving precise calculations. The testing I performed was a live fire, point and shoot from 25 yards method to see how much this armor could physically take. I enlisted the help of Legacy Arms International to provide an impressive array of firearms as well as his expert opinion. I wanted someone with legitimate life experience to weigh in on the functionality of this armor – someone who has literally had depend on body armor to save their life, while also understanding what it is like having to carry it on body both day and night. Jason Kostal of Legacy Arms International is a former Army Ranger who understands both points all too well.
Related Videos: Karen Hunter: Legacy Safety & Security Body Armor Test & Review
The armor we tested from Legacy Safety and Security included their IIIA Dual Threat Panel and their newer level IV Rifle Plate. The IIIA Dual Threat Panel is a 10X12 soft panel that weighs a mere 1.25 lbs. Dual Threat means that in addition to ammunition protection, this panel is also stab proof. This panel is NIJ compliant with three NIJ accredited lab reports from HP White and Oregon Ballistics Lab (OBL), which includes a stab report. The backforce deformation of this panel is the lowest in its class according to the OBL. The level IIIA panels are rated for .357 SIG FMJ, 9 mm, .38 Special, .40 S&W, .44 Magnum, and .45 ACP ammunitions. For testing we utilized 9 mm, .45 ACP, .357 Magnum, and .44 Magnum ammunitions.
Legacy Safety and Security’s level IV Rifle Plate is quite phenomenal. Worldwide the requirement for level IV body armor is to stop just one .30.06AP armor piercing round to pass NIJ testing. Every other level of body armor requires six shots to be stopped. Legacy’s level IV far exceeds the governments expectations as it stops a minimum of SIX .30.06AP rounds. It is also the lightest rifle plate on the market weighing in at just 5.8 lbs. The level IV rifle armor is a 10X12, single curve, shooters cut, multi-hit, silicon carbide plate. It is rated for .223, 5.56X45, 7.62X39, 7.62X51 M801 NATO, 7.62X54R API, and 7.62X63 M2AP ammunitions. For testing we utilized, .223, 5.56, and 7.62 ammunitions.
Testing on the range provided amazing results. We shot each piece of armor with the number of shots Legacy Safety and Security’s website suggested. Each time the result was the same, zero penetration. We even went above and beyond the recommended number of hits trying to push the armor to its limits and still had zero penetration. It is truly mind blowing that body armor so lightweight has the ability to stop so many rounds. Afterward we cut open the soft armor to retrieve the bullets. It was incredible to see the interior and locate the exact point where each bullet was stopped.
Legacy Safety and Security is the real deal. Their products definitely live up to everything this company states it can do. For more content on our testing range day please see the video above. To learn more about what Legacy Safety and Security has to offer, please visit www.legacyss.net.
