VestGuard UK Body Armour Stopping Power – NIJ Standards
VestGuard UK uses the NIJ (The National Institute of Justice – USA) standards to define the stopping capabilities of the vests they manufacture and supply. As the internationally defined test criteria for all NIJ classified body armour VestGuard has been approved and certified as a supplier to produce products to their quality and pass their protection standards.
VestGuard would always recommend buying body armour that has been tested and approved by the NIJ.
Choosing the correct level according to the individual operational requirement can be difficult. Below illustrates the stopping capabilities of each level of the NIJ standard.
| Protection Level 0101.05 Interim |
Bullet | Bullet Weight/Grain | Velocity | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ft/s | m/s | |||
| NIJ level IIA (2A) | 9mm Full Metal Jacket (FMJ) Round Nose (RN) | 8.0g (124gr) |
1090 | 332 |
| .40 S&W Calibre Full Metal Jacket (FMJ) | 11.7g (180gr) |
10255 | 312 | |
| NIJ Level II (2) | 9mm Full Metal Jacket (FMJ) Round Nose (RN) | 8.0g (124gr) |
1175 | 358 |
| .357 Magnum Jacketed Soft Point (JSP) | 10.2g (158gr) |
1400 | 427 | |
| NIJ Level IIIA (3A) | 9mm Full Metal Jacket (FMJ) Round Nose (RN) | 8.0g (124gr) |
1400 | 427 |
| .44 Magnum Semi Jacketed Hollow Point (SJHP) | 15.6g (240gr) |
1400 | 427 | |
| NIJ Level III (3) | 7.62mm Full Metal Jacket (FMJ) U.S. M80 rifle | 9.6g (148gr) |
2750 | 838 |
| NIJ Level IV (4) | .30 Calibre Armour Piercing (AP) U.S. M2 AP | 10.8g (166gr) |
2850 | 869 |










