While level 3++ body armor is not recognized by the NIJ, most manufacturers use it to signify protection against threat levels III and M855 and M193. You should be wary of level 3++ body armor or plates, even though they cover most threats at an affordable cost and weight, less scrupulous manufacturers will use the “+” designation to increase the perceived level of protection.
It is essential that you comprehend the amount of resistance the body armor provides. At level III of the NIJ’s level system, we enter the realm of rifle plates, commonly known as hard inserts. Six 7.62X51MM NATO (Full Metal Jacket) rounds flying at a speed of 2,750 feet per second can penetrate Level III armor. Similar to the standard .308 Winchester hunting cartridges. With all NIJ armor categories, it is crucial to realize that a plate certified to reject a certain hazard may not repel a bullet of a smaller caliber. In reality, there are circumstances in which a bullet moving at a slower speed can pierce certain types of armor, whereas an identical bullet traveling at a faster speed cannot. Such considerations can complicate the choice of armor, but it is even worse to purchase a product without understanding its true capabilities.
While the 7.62x51MM NATO round used to test level III armor is often believed to be “bigger” than the 5.56MM round fired by AR-15s and other weapons, there are 5.56MM caliber versions that pose problems for specific armor materials. The M855 “Green Tip” is capable of penetrating pure polyethylene plates, whereas the M193 variant can penetrate AR500 steel. Bullet velocity is a factor in penetration. However, these weaknesses are well-known. Consequently, a few manufacturers adopt a level 3++ body armor classification for their ballistic gear.
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