Japanese vest

[Horch]

This was a captured Japanese armored vest in WW2. The first of the kind I;ve ever heard of.

[Wustenfuchs]

First I've ever heard of it too, good find Horch!

[Geek44]

I wonder how effective it was. My guess is that it might prevent a .303 from going into a second guy after passing through the first.

[Wustenfuchs]

Originally Posted by Geek44

I wonder how effective it was. My guess is that it might prevent a .303 from going into a second guy after passing through the first.

Maybe, but only if the second guy was wearing two vests. Probably was more of a flak jacket than a bullet proof vest, might stop a piece of shrapnel that has already lost 90% of it's energy.

[McCoy]

The west was as a matter of fact good at stoppin' .45 ACP n' .30 US M1 Carbine rounds. Rifle rounds such as the horrible .303 or the powerful .30-06 just went through n' through in a straight line, at least the .30-06 did as the .303 rarely didn't...

[Horch]

Originally Posted by McCoy

The west was as a matter of fact good at stoppin' .45 ACP n' .30 US M1 Carbine rounds. Rifle rounds such as the horrible .303 or the powerful .30-06 just went through n' through in a straight line, at least the .30-06 did as the .303 rarely didn't...

Well said.

[Geek44]

My thoughts too. I've heard that a .303 could go through the narrow part of a railway track at certain ranges but my source was less than reliable. Thanks Dad.

[Wustenfuchs]

Originally Posted by Geek44

My thoughts too. I've heard that a .303 could go through the narrow part of a railway track at certain ranges but my source was less than reliable. Thanks Dad.

I've personally fired a .303 at a .250 inch stainless steel plate at 100 yards. The bullets went through like butter.

[McCoy]

Oh, the .303 went through without any trouble at all, it just didn't do it in a straight line. It could enter in the belly n' exit through the scapula as the bullet was horrible unstable n' changed direction as soon as it hit something. But the .303 is extremely stable in flight n' thus a real MoA round. The Mk. VII .303 was the round used durin' WWII n' it shared the ballistics with the even more horrible Mk. IV...

[Geek44]

Ouch... I'll bet that caused many deaths that could have been prevented if the victim had been shot with another type of round. Not a high priority in a combat situation though.