The NIJ Standards

THE NIJ STANDARDS

The National Institute of Justice (NIJ) standards are an internationally recognised method of identifying the protection of body armour. 99.9% of all body armour is made to NIJ levels.

VestGuard is certified by the NIJ in America to the following levels. Our body armour has been designed and made to stop weapons up to the following levels:-

NIJ LEVEL IIA (2A)
9mm; 40 S&W

This armour protects against 9mm Full Metal Jacketed Round Nose (FMJ RN) bullets, nominal mass of 8.0g (124gr) impacting at 335m/s (1090ft/s), and 40 S&W caliber Full Metal Jacketed (FMJ) bullets with nominal mass of 11.7g (180gr) impacting at 315m/s (1025ft/s). Also protects against a Shotgun at point blank range and knives.

NIJ LEVEL II (2)
9mm; 357 Magnum

This armour protects against 9mm Full Metal Jacketed Round Nose (FMJ RN) bullets, nominal mass of 8.0g (124gr) impacting at 360m/s (1175ft/s), and 357 Magnum Jacketed Soft Point (JSP) bullets, nominal mass of 10.2g (158gr) impacting at 430m/s (1400ft/s). It also provides protection against all threats below this level including a Shotgun at point blank range, sub machine guns and knives.

NIJ LEVEL IIIA (3A)
High Velocity 9mm; 44 Magnum

This armour protects against 9mm Full Metal Jacketed Round Nose (FMJ RN) bullets, nominal mass of 8.0g (124gr) impacting at 430m/s (1400ft/s), and 44 Magnum Jacketed Hollow Point (J HP) bullets, nominal mass of 15.6g (240gr) impacting at 430m/s (1400ft/s). It also provides protection against all threats below this level including a Shotgun at point blank range and knives.

NIJ LEVEL III (3)
Rifles

This armour protects against 7.62mm Full Metal Jacketed (FMJ) bullets (U.S. Military designation
M80), nominal mass of 9.6g (148gr) impacting at 840m/s (2750ft/s).
It also provides protection against all threats below this level.

This level of protection is only achievable using Soft armour (NIJ level IIIA) and hard armour plates (NIJ level III)

NIJ LEVEL IV (4)
Armour Piercing Rifle

This armour protects against .30 caliber amour piercing (AP) bullets (U.S. Military designation M2 AP), nominal mass of 10.8g (166gr) impacting at 870m/s (2850ft/s).
It also provides protection against all threats below this level.

This level of protection is only achievable using Soft armour (NIJ level II or IIIA) and hard armour plates (NIJ level IV)

NOTE
These are the bullets the NIJ standards use to determine the protection level of the body armour. The body armour is not limited to just these few. If you wish to stop another type of bullet please Contact us to find out which level will be most suitable for the requirement.