NY Penal Law § 270.21 restricts body armor to ~30 eligible professions; civilian purchase is a Class A misdemeanor. Heeter v. James briefing through June 2026.
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These 7 body armor buying mistakes can be fatal: wrong NIJ certification, expired soft armor, mismatched threat levels, steel spall risk, and more. Full 2026 guide.
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Level IIIA soft body armor stops .44 Magnum and .357 SIG at NIJ-certified velocities. Learn what it does and doesn't stop, how HG2 changes the standard, and how to choose the right vest.
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The US Army issues ESAPI ceramic plates in the IOTV Gen 4 and Modular Scalable Vest. See how military armor compares to civilian NIJ Level IV plates you can buy today.
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Body armor costs $200–$1,000+ in 2026 depending on protection level, material, and brand. Compare Level II soft armor to Level IV ceramic plates.
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Yes, getting shot while wearing body armor hurts. NIJ caps backface deformation at 44mm — real impacts hit 35–42mm. Here's what the pain actually feels like.
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