For rifle threats you need Level III or Level IV Rifle Plates / SAPIs

Soft Body Armor vests are excellent for fragmentation and pistol protection but will NOT stop rifle bullets. (Even Level III-A is only tested to stop pistol-caliber threats such as 9mm SUB-machine-gun or .44 Magnum.)

Plates, also described as Small Arms Protective Inserts or SAPI, are best deployed in Rifle Plate Pockets on the outershell carrier of Tactical Vests or, more discreetly, in our ProMAX Concealable with Rifle Plate Pockets.   Stand-Alone Rifle Plates may also be used – as appropriate for the threat – with a Plate Carrier with no soft armor supporting.

Why You Want BulletProofME to Ship Your Ceramic Plates ANY Ceramic Rifle Plate can be damaged if abused - especially if dropped on its' corner. They are not delicate, like fine tea china, but, on the other hand, FedEx and UPS are notorious for being rough with packages. So, every Ceramic Plate we ship FedEx or UPS is bubble-wrapped, and then DOUBLE-boxed with lots of padding to survive rough handling. We overpack, so that it would take a lot of obvious abuse to do any damage. We stake our reputation of over ten years on doing it right.  Don't buy a plate that just gets thrown in a box and shipped out.

Stopping a rifle bullet is not an easy thing to do!  There is no perfect material - so all options have tradeoffs...

• Ceramic is most popular as it gives you Level IV protection at a reasonable weight - but it can't be banged around as much as other materials for long-term durability.
  
  
• Polyethylene is Ultra-lightweight - but expensive and not rated to stop Armor Piercing threats (and can be damaged in heat over 150 °F / 65 ° Celsius)
  
  
• Steel is inexpensive and extremely durable - but a much higher risk of bullet ricochet, and only Level III protection - not Level IV for AP threats.

We also have more expensive, specialized Rifle Plates options not listed - let us know if you have specific requirements.

Call us, we are always happy to advise!

What Size Rifle Plate Should I Get?

Type of Plate Click a link below to jump to the page for each specific type of Rifle Plate	Ballistic Protection Level		Thickness Approx.	Approximate Plate Sizes Available NOTE: Rifle Plates sizes quoted, industry-wide, are always approximate - see detailed specs for exact coverage	Weight for a 10" by 12" or Medium Size Front Plate	Approximate Price Per Plate
Ceramic Stand-Alone	Level IV Stand-Alone (No supporting vest needed)		0.7" - 1.0"	•  8" by 10" •  10" by 12" •  Small SAPI    8.75 by 11.75" •  Medium SAPI    9.5 X 12.5" •  Large SAPI    10.25" X 13.25" •  XL SAPI    11" X 14"	8.1 lbs.	$ 159
					7.1	$ 270 & up
Ceramic "In Conjunction With a Level III-A Vest"	Level IV with a Level III-A Vest Supporting AND Level III with a Level III-A Vest Supporting		0.5"	"	6 lbs.	$ 200 & up
Ultra-light SAPI	SAPI Mil-Spec with III-A or Interceptor vest Supporting Stops the common rifle threats, but not .30 cal. AP		0.85"	•  Medium SAPI    9.5 X 12.5" •  Large SAPI    10.25" X 13.25" •  XL SAPI    11" X 14"	4.05 lb. in Medium	$ 400 & up PHOTOS
E-SAPI In Conjunction with a Level III-A Vest	E-SAPI Mil-Spec with III-A or Interceptor vest Supporting Performance, very similar to the NIJ Level IV test, but just a little bit tougher.		0.7"	•  Small SAPI    8.75 by 11.75" •  Medium SAPI    9.5 X 12.5" •  Large SAPI    10.25" X 13.25" •  XL SAPI    11" X 14"	See page	$ 470 & up PHOTOS
Ultra-light Level III PLUS - 3810 Ultra-light Level III PLUS - 3611C	Level III + in a 3.9 lb. Multi-curved		1.1"	10" by 12" 8" by 10" Small to XL SAPI	3.9 lb.	$ 499 & up
Ultra-light Level III PLUS	Level III + in a 4.3 lb. Single Curved		1.1"	10" by 12" 8" by 10"	4.3 lb.	$ 299 and up
Lightweight Level III PLUS NIJ 05	Compliant with NIJ 0101.05 Multi-curved SAPI		1.15"	Medium SAPI size ONLY	5.2 lb.	$ 329
Ultra-light Polyethylene	Level III Stops common assault rifle ammunition - but NOT .30 AP rounds	NOT rated to stop the semi-armor-piercing .223 (5.56mm) round (SS-109 / M-855) with the steel pin core, or .30 caliber AP rounds				Made in the USA
Stand-Alone	Level III Stand-Alone AK-47 M-193 .308 FMJ		1.15"		3.2 - 3.5 lbs.	$ 219 & up
In Conjunction with a Level III-A Vest	Level III with a III-A vest Supporting AK-47 M-193 .308 FMJ		0.9"	"	2.9 - 3.2 lb.	$ 290 & up
Rifle Plate Carriers	Non-ballistic					See Plate Carriers
SIDE Rifle Plates	See Side Rifle Plates					See Side Rifle Plates
Rifle Plates Backers	Level III-A To wear "in conjunction with vest" Plates without a vest		0.3"	E.g., 10" by 13"	1.3 lbs.	$ 95 & up

When comparing weights...
...please be aware that we quote ACTUAL weights – we do NOT play the artificial "weight loss" games you may encounter elsewhere. Ask to have the armor you are going to buy weighed ready to wear.

Rifle Protection Levels

National Institute of Justice (NIJ) Police Ratings
Level III	Tested to stop 6 rounds of .308 Winchester Full Metal Jacket (FMJ) = NATO 7.62 X 51 mm, and, of course it can easily handle lesser threats, such as AK-47 / Kalashnikov 7.62 X 39 mm Full Metal Jacket (FMJ).
Level IV	Tested to stop ONE round of .3006 Armor-Piercing (AP) at 868 mps and lesser threats.  Though just tested for one hit of .3006 AP, will also stop multiple hits of lesser threats such as: .308 FMJ AK-47 M-16 - M855 or SS-109, etc.
Military - U.S. Mil-Spec
SAPI Mil- Spec	The original SAPI, or Small Arms Protective Insert, requires survivability of 3 hits total - with an Interceptor vest supporting - from: Caliber Bullet Typical Weapon 7.62 X 39mm API Armor Piercing Incendiary AK-47 5.56 x 45mm .223 M855 aka Green Tip .223 or SS-109 M-16 7.62 × 54mm Russian Light Penetrating Steel (R LPS) Dragunov Sniper Rifle
E-SAPI Mil-Spec	Similar to NIJ Level IV The E-SAPI test is very similar to the NIJ Level IV test, but just a little bit tougher. The mil-spec calls for the plate - with an Interceptor vest supporting - to stop one round of .3006 AP, just like Level IV. But it must also stop a second round, 60% of the time (not 100% of the time - too much of a weight penalty).

Rifle Plates Testing PHOTOS

We have many lab tests and NIJ certifications, but – just to see with our own eyes – we put rounds closely spaced into one Rifle Plate at ~25 yards (~23 m)...

 ZERO PENETRATION!

1. Weight vs. Protection Level

Many folks get Level IV protection to stop the hardened steel core .3006 AP threat - but know that you will be carrying 12.5 to 17 lbs. of weight with plates Front & Back!  Add side Rifle Plates, plus ammo and other gear, and the pounds add up fast. Look at your total package weight vs. your physical condition, and how far you need to carry it.

Generally in war zones we typically recommend Level IV - but if you can't move as far, or as fast as you need to, - go lighter...  And if you are not exposed to Armor Piercing threats, consider lighter weight Level III PLUS plates

2. What can you afford?

Steel is the cheapest Level III protection - but not recommended unless you are on a very tight budget, due to the much higher risk of bullet splatter and ricochet (even with added spall protection). We offer our Standard Level IV Stand-Alone plate as a very affordable Ceramic Rifle Plate - just over $ 300 for a pair Front & Back.

3. Stand-Alone vs. "In Conjunction with a Vest" Rifle Plates

Stand-Alone plates are slightly heavier, and thicker than the corresponding size of the "in conjunction" plate. But the advantage is you don't have to carry the weight or thickness of Level III-A armor. If you need full Level IV protection even when you are not wearing Level III-A soft armor, go Stand-Alone. Stand-Alone plates with a Plate Carrier offer maximum freedom of movement and ventilation (at the expense of less of your body being covered vs. a Level III-A vest).

“In conjunction” plates are Level IV with a Level III-A vest supporting. This allows the plate to be slightly thinner, and a bit lighter. The tradeoff is that you must have Level III-A armor behind the plate to get the full Level IV protection. If you are always going to wear your plates with a Level III-A vest - go ahead and save the weight with an "in conjunction" plate. You will also have the benefit of the extra Level III-A vest coverage area.

4. What size and shape are your Rifle Plate Pockets?

SIZE  It's your responsibility to get the right size plate for your Plate Carrier. You might be able to put a smaller plate in a bigger pocket - but too big a plate will absolutely not work

SHAPE  You usually want shooters cut plates on the front for ergonomics, and, ideally, rectangular Rifle Plates on the back for more coverage to protect your shoulder blades. But some rear Rifle Plate Pockets are cut to only accept shooters cut, or SAPI cut plates. (If your Rifle Plate Pockets load from the top, this is not an issue.)

What Size Rifle Plate Should I Get?