Protection Levels

NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF JUSTICE (NIJ) PROTECTION LEVELS

The Internationally accepted standard for bullet resistant armour is the National Institute of Justice (NIJ) 0101.04.


1.1 Type I (22 LR; 380 ACP)

This armour protects against .22 caliber Long Rifle Lead Round Nose (LR LRN) bullets, with nominal masses of 2.6g (40gr) impacting at a minimum velocity of 320m/s (1050ft/s) or less, and 380 ACP Full Metal Jacketed Round Nose (FMJ RN) bullets with nominal masses of 6.2g (95gr) impacting at a minimum velocity of 315m/s (1025 ft/s) or less.


1.2 Type IIA (9mm; 40 S&W)

This armour protects against 9mm Full Metal Jacketed Round Nose (FMJ RN) bullets, with nominal masses of 8.0g (124gr) impacting at a minimum velocity of 335m/s (1090ft/s) or less, and 40 S& W caliber Full Metal Jacketed (FMJ) bullets with nominal masses of 11.7g (180gr) impacting at a minimum velocity of 315m/s (1025ft/s) or less. It also provides protection against the threats mentioned in section 1.1.


1.3 Type II (9mm; 357 Magnum)

This armour protects against 9mm Full Metal Jacketed Round Nose (FMJ RN) bullets, with nominal masses of 8.0g (124gr) impacting at a minimum velocity of 360m/s (1175ft/s) or less and 357 Magnum Jacketed Soft Point (JSP) bullets with nominal masses of 10.2g (158gr) impacting at a minimum velocity of 430m/s (1400ft/s) or less. It also provides protection against the threats mentioned in sections 1.1 and 1.2.


1.4 Type IIIA (High Velocity 9mm; 44 Magnum)
This armour protects against 9mm Full Metal Jacketed Round Nose (FMJ RN) bullets, with nominal masses of 8.0g (124gr) impacting at a minimum velocity of 430m/s (1400ft/s) or less, and 44 Magnum Jacketed Hollow Point (J HP) bullets, with nominal masses of 15.6g (240gr) impacting at a minimum velocity of 430m/s (1400ft/s) or less. It also provides protection against most handgun threats, as well as the threats mentioned in sections 1.1, 1.2, and 1.3.


1.5 Type III (Rifles)
This armour protects against 7.62mm Full Metal Jacketed (FMJ) bullets (U.S. Military
designation M80), with nominal masses of 9.6g (148gr) impacting at a minimum velocity of 840m/s (2750ft/s) or less. It al so provides protection against the threats mentioned in sections 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, and 1.4.


1.6 Type IV (Armour Piercing Rifle)

This armour protects against .30 caliber amour piercing (AP) bullets (U.S. Military
designation M2 AP), with nominal masses of 10.8g (166gr) impacting at a minimum
velocity of 870m/s (2850ft/s) or less. It also provides against the threats mentioned in
sections 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.4, and 1.5.


1.7 Special Type

A purchaser having a special requirement for a level of protection other than one of the above standard types and threat levels should specify the exact test round(s) and minimum reference impact velocities to be used, and indicate that this standard shall govern in all other aspects.

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