7.62x25 Tokarev meets Interceptor Body armor

[jjjxlr8]

I recently obtained part of a slightly used Interceptor Body Armor vest, along with a "Trauma pack" and thought it would be interesting to test out the 7.62x25 Tokarev round.

 

I don't know the details of the construction of the vest or the trauma pack, but the vest appears to have a yellow Kevlar like material inside and the trauma pack has a tightly packed white material that might also be Kevlar. I welcome any additional information about what the materials/construction might be.

 

The target - vest with trauma pack

Front

http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k239/jjjxlr8/TT33/InterceptorVestTest/InterceptorBodyArmor.jpg

Back

http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k239/jjjxlr8/TT33/InterceptorVestTest/InterceptorBodyArmorBackjpg.jpg

 

 

The pistol and ammo - Romanian TT33C, 1980's Romanian surplus ammo

http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k239/jjjxlr8/TT33/InterceptorVestTest/RomanianGoodness.jpg

 

 

The vest insert alone was able to stop a 124gr. FMJ 9mm Luger round. The 7.62x25 round went right through the vest, through a 1/2" thick fiber reinforced rubber mat, and deep into the dirt backstop.

front

http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k239/jjjxlr8/TT33/InterceptorVestTest/3Enter.jpg

back

http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k239/jjjxlr8/TT33/InterceptorVestTest/2Exit.jpg

 

 

 

The 7.62x25 rounds also went through the trauma pack, through the vest, through a 1/2" thick fiber reinforced rubber mat, and deep into the dirt backstop! It could be that the trauma pack's ability to stop these rounds was compromised by the 5.7x28 rounds (polymer tipped, lead core) that were fired into it previously. The trauma pack was able to stop all of the 5.7x28 rounds, however.

front

http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k239/jjjxlr8/TT33/InterceptorVestTest/tramaPackEntry.jpg

 

The paths of the 7.62x25 Tokarev bullets were deflected substantially by the trauma pack but they still managed penetrate everything.

 

back of vest behind trauma pack

http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k239/jjjxlr8/TT33/InterceptorVestTest/tramaPackExit.jpg

 

 

Please note that the vest insert was manufactured in 2001 and may not be a "serviceable" vest. This was not an attempt to 'test' Interceptor brand Body armor.

Edited June 4, 2010 by jjjxlr8
spelling>me

[cinergi]

Good test! I like to see results. I always was confident in the Tokarev round. I never had proof 5.7 was inaffective other than SAS information I have come across.

[Mr. Jones]

I can haz shot @ vest ?

I've got some 5.7 rounds to test.

[jjjxlr8]

The 5.7 rounds were the polymer tipped lead core SS196 rounds not the SS190 or SS198 rounds.

[RyM3rC]

yeah, I remember the first time I shot my tokarev it punched right through a propane tank. That's a hot little pistol round for what it is. Nice post.

[Scotty2Hotty]

You got the soft inner portion to the interceptor vest. The "soft" armor was only good for 9X19mm Luger, but that's where the plates come into effect. It is basically a kevlar fiber as far as the soft portion is concerned, but the plates are made of a ceramic material. The interceptor is still a good vest, but in the same aspect it is cumbersome with the plates all around. The new IOTV or the "improved" interceptor is a POS, and still uses the same soft inner armor. I go by the old addage of if it's your time, the magic bullet/shrapnel will find its way.

 

 

PS- My plate carrier is amazing in comparison to the IOTV/Interceptor vest.

[jjjxlr8]

Do you know what the soft "trauma pad" is made of?

 

It used to be fairly flat and compact in thickness. It became very puffed up (maybe twice as thick?) while absorbing the energy of the 5.7x28 bullets.

 

I suspect that this is the reason it was not able to stop the 7.62x25 bullets, as it was already used up.

Edited June 4, 2010 by jjjxlr8
spelling>me

[Scotty2Hotty]

Do you know what the soft "trama pad" is made of?

 

It used to be fairly flat and compact in thickness. It became very puffed up (maybe twice as thick?) while absorbing the energy of the 5.7x28 bullets.

 

I suspect that this is the reason it was not able to stop the 7.62x25 bullets, as it was already used up.

 

Not 100% sure of the make up of the trauma pad, or the soft armor. Point blank doesn't really even say what it is. But I believe it to be a woven kevlar material. I know the addition of the new AP plates and side plates help. The soft armor is really for shrapnel and other fragments that might work their way past the plates. Granted the plates cover right around the belly button area to around the top of your breast bone. Had a buddy hit with a 7.62X54mm round near the neck. It tore through the soft armor like nothing, and stuck in him (It was a distance shot thought to have been around the 300-400 meter range) The trauma pads were supposed to be kind of an extra layer in vital areas, but the plates are doing a good job in that aspect.

[jjjxlr8]

Those 7.62x54R rounds are deadly even at twice that distance. Hope your buddy is OK.

 

What's the enemy using to fire those rounds at you guys? SVD Dragunovs? Romanian PSLs?

[Scotty2Hotty]

Those 7.62x54R rounds are deadly even at twice that distance. Hope your buddy is OK.

 

What's the enemy using to fire those rounds at you guys? SVD Dragunovs? Romanian PSLs?

 

It happened almost 2 years ago, but took him sometime to recover. I believe the round collapsed one of his lungs if I'm not mistaken and came close to the neck. Most of what we would find/capture was the true SVD Dragunovs, and even a few home made .303 enfield rifles with semi-modern optics on them. When I was in Iraq the last time, we were going toe to toe with some of Al-Qaeda's insurgents, so it wasn't uncommon to see some FAL's, G3's, PKM's etc... They were packing some of the high quality shit, but it wasn't enough Jubba the Bahgdad sniper is believed to be using an SVD, since they depict him with one in his videos. The videos were pretty fucked up, and his numbers were fabricated BS, but never the less, he did a number on some of our forces. Most of our shooters were using .308 or .300 win mag with their 700's, and most of their kills were upward of 600 meters shockingly enough. The opposing side liked to stay within 400 meters or so when taking shots at us. Guy in my other platoon got hit in the cheek from less than 300 meters out.

 

I haven't heard of the AP plates being hit with 7.62X54R yet, but I know someone was hit with a .303 british round in the non-armor piercing plate and cracked a few ribs. Can't say I put a lot of faith in the vest personally. The Army was all about armoring the soldier from head to toe a little while ago, but the shift is toward lighter armor like the Eagle CIRAS or Combat Integrated Releasable Armor System, which is what SOCOM has gone over to for some time. The Army and it's infinate wisdom chose to stick with Pointblank to build the IOTV, which is an utter piece of un-tested shit. The Eagle CIRAS is amazingly comfortable in comparrison. Word on the block is, it offers 25% more protection, is lighter, and takes a hit pretty well.