ShotStop Resources: Blogs, Articles, Videos

ShotStop Ballistics has developed and patented a new kind of lightweight, rifle-rated body armor material—Duritium®. The resulting body armor plates are up to 45 percent thinner and up to half the weight compared to other plates on the global market at the same protection level.

ShotStop Ballistics has developed and patented a new kind of lightweight, rifle-rated body armor material—Duritium®. The resulting body armor plates are up to 45 percent thinner and up to half the weight compared to other plates on the global market at the same protection level.

We get questions all the time about the Bulletproof Vest Partnership (BVP) and how to take advantage of the funds available through the program. So, we went straight to the source. Here are several questions we asked and answers that were provided.

Fifteen pounds. That seems to be what separates a high-performing Marine from eventually becoming a combat casualty, according to new research carried out by a Marine captain at the Naval Postgraduate School.

Matt from ShotStop Ballistics chats with Practically Tactical about what Polyethylene Armor is, and more specifically our Duritium® technology used in our body armor.

An experienced panel of law enforcement and military experts discuss today’s body armor options, how they differ from the past, and what YOU need to know about the armor that’s supposed to protect your life.

Plastic is officially defined as “a synthetic material made from a wide range of organic polymers such as polyethylene, PVC, nylon, etc., that can be molded into shape while soft and then set into a rigid or slightly elastic form.” While the newer, lightweight body armor panels are not really “plastic',“ they are made of these same polymers, particularly polyethylene.

Not all bulletproof backpack inserts are the same. Here’s a rundown of what you need to know when it comes to ballistic backpack inserts.

This plate is unique in many ways. First of all, it’s very thin, as you can see. It’s just over a half inch thick, the weight is very competitive in the marketplace for this protection level. It’s about 4.8 pounds for a shooter cut, 10 x 12.

Duritium III+PA is extremely lightweight and thin at just 0.7 inches and 2.7 pounds for the 10x12 shooter cut. 

Taking care of body armor is important both to ensure it serves its purpose to protect and to guarantee warranty compliance.

Duritium III+PS is lightweight body armor, 100% Duritium® polyethylene, .95 inches thick, just over 3 pounds for the 10x12 shooter cut. 

When you’re in the field, the last thing you want to hear is “use extreme care” related to your body armor plates. But this is exactly what the warnings are when it comes to ceramic body armor plates.

When it comes to the load law enforcement and military operators carry, we’ve all heard the phrase, “Ounces equal pounds and pounds equal pain.” What may not seem like much of a difference when you hear that one body armor plate is a couple pounds lighter than another actually makes a huge difference to the person wearing it. Every ounce truly matters.

ShotStop® Ballistics’ 2019 product line up: our Duritium® rifle plates, the different models that we have and how each one fits with the needs of the law enforcement officer and war fighter. 

This video gives a quick and simple description of the basic functions of a handgun.

When agencies or departments are evaluating their options of body armor, the focus tends to be on the PRICE and PROTECTION LEVEL. Although these are very important factors, another factor to carefully consider is the health risks to personnel.

In this video, we share the four basic rules of firearm safety when at the range.

Most people would think that higher protection equals higher cost. Although this seems intuitive, it is often not the case and it is important to understand why.

This draft document specifies the threat levels and associated ammunition intended for use with voluntary National Institute of Justice (NIJ) 0101.07 Standards that specify a minimum performance requirement for equipment intended to protect U.S. law enforcement against handgun and rifle ammunition.

We hear a lot of questions day in and day out, some pretty straightforward and some more detailed. Below you’ll find a list of many of those questions about body armor that we receive from police officers, military personnel, procurement officers and everyone in between.

When evaluating the cost of body armor, there is far more to the equation than just the up-front purchase price. What other factors will drive your lifetime costs higher and potentially impact readiness, availability and warranty maintenance? 

BWC's School Safety and Security Grant (SSSG) Program provides assistance to Ohio employers with ensuring the safety of their staff who instruct children throughout the state.

Whether you serve on a police squad, sheriff’s office, or SWAT team in a large city where violence and active threats arise daily or you’re in a smaller community that rarely sees such action, you’ve likely considered the question: What’s the best body armor for my needs?

Each year, the FBI records and shares information related to law enforcement officers killed in the line of duty. This is valuable information to have because it gives us insight into what weapons and ammunition are being used against officers in the field.

The Mobile County Sheriff’s Office told us that they issue two types of bulletproof vests to their deputies. The one they wear on a daily basis is not fitted with a rifle plate. The other one is a heavy-duty vest that does have a rifle plate.

The National Institute of Justice (NIJ) provides a guide to help law enforcement, corrections and public safety agencies make smart choices when it comes to selecting, purchasing and caring for the best body armor for your specific needs.

ShotStop® Duritium III+PS gets hit by a SWAT breaching sledge and still stops 24 rounds.

On Thursday, 25 April 2019, ShotStop’s Director of International Sales and Business Development was invited by the Belgian Police Local “Midi” Training Center, just outside Brussels, to present our entire line of ballistic protection products and conduct a live-fire “confidence” test to demonstrate ShotStop’s quality and performance.

ShotStop body armor takes multiple hits in this torture test. Will it stop 30 bullets? Check it out.

704 Tactical tests the Level III BallisticBoard with multiple rifle rounds during this torture test.

M855 will normally punch right through most UHMWPE plates but can it punch through a polyethylene plate with a book or laptop in front?

Sheriff AJ Louderback of Jackson County Texas tests ShotStop's Level III body armor plate, the Duritium® III+PS panel with multiple rounds of .223 55-grain FMJ ammo.

We put our Duritium III+PS 8" x 10" Level III shooter cut body armor plate to the test against 7.62x39mm 123 grain from an Arsenal Arms AK-47. This body armor insert is just .95" thick and easily stopped 9 rounds.

A live fire test of the new ShotStop level III+ Special Threat rifle plate against M193 ammunition.

The Duritium IV+HS (formerly called "SCOUT") from ShotStop Ballistics is tested against 7.62x51M2AP (armor piercing) and defeats 6 rounds. This plate weighs 5.8 lbs. and is only .9 inches thick!

A 'torture test' of the new Shot Stop level III Special Threat rifle plate.

The truth is, you do need good gear when your life depends on it, but I’m way past aspiring to be an operator. I already served my time in the Marine Corps and I’ve got lots of special operations veterans in my rolodex — and we’ve all got one thing in common. None of us are bullet proof. Not like Batman is.

We get questions all the time about the Bulletproof Vest Partnership (BVP) and how to take advantage of the funds available through the program. So, we went straight to the source. Here are several questions we asked and answers that were provided.

Colonel Sam Johnson (Retired) describes the heavy, bulky body armor plates he wore while serving in several tours in the Army over 30 years and compares them to ShotStop's lightweight, thin body armor that is saving lives.

Plate carriers are among the most fiercely debated pieces of kit on the market today and it’s easy to see why. With so many options and prices that can range from thirty bucks to three hundred, just about everybody has an opinion on what you need for your purposes.

A quick look at our Duritium III+PA plate, live from the show floor of the 2019 Ohio Tactical Officers Association Conference, June 4, 2019. Thin, lightweight body armor that is durable (15 year warranty) and comfortable.

Buffman R.A.N.G.E tests multiple rounds against ShotStop’s Duritium III+GT special threat body armor plate.

An experienced panel of law enforcement and military experts discuss today’s body armor options, how they differ from the past, and what YOU need to know about the armor that’s supposed to protect your life.

Plastic is officially defined as “a synthetic material made from a wide range of organic polymers such as polyethylene, PVC, nylon, etc., that can be molded into shape while soft and then set into a rigid or slightly elastic form.” While the newer, lightweight body armor panels are not really “plastic',“ they are made of these same polymers, particularly polyethylene.

Colonel Sam Johnson explains his experience with body armor during his tours in Iraq and Afghanistan, as well as his experience with ShotStop’s lighter and thinner body armor.

ShotStop® Duritium III+PS gets hit by a SWAT breaching sledge and still stops 24 rounds.

This plate is unique in many ways. First of all, it’s very thin, as you can see. It’s just over a half inch thick, the weight is very competitive in the marketplace for this protection level. It’s about 4.8 pounds for a shooter cut, 10 x 12.

Duritium III+PA is extremely lightweight and thin at just 0.7 inches and 2.7 pounds for the 10x12 shooter cut. 

On Thursday, 25 April 2019, ShotStop’s Director of International Sales and Business Development was invited by the Belgian Police Local “Midi” Training Center, just outside Brussels, to present our entire line of ballistic protection products and conduct a live-fire “confidence” test to demonstrate ShotStop’s quality and performance.

ShotStop body armor takes multiple hits in this torture test. Will it stop 30 bullets? Check it out.

Duritium III+PS is lightweight body armor, 100% Duritium® polyethylene, .95 inches thick, just over 3 pounds for the 10x12 shooter cut. 

704 Tactical’s full review of ShotStop’s lightweight Duritium® III+PS Body Armor Plate.

Duritium IV+HS is a multi-hit armor-piercing protection at just under 6 pounds for Level IV shooter cut.

Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost today announced that more than 300 local law enforcement agencies are now participating in the Ohio Law Enforcement Body Armor Program. The program, administered by the attorney general’s office since August 2018, is funded by the Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation (BWC) and awards grants totaling up to $40,000 to each agency.

When you’re in the field, the last thing you want to hear is “use extreme care” related to your body armor plates. But this is exactly what the warnings are when it comes to ceramic body armor plates.

When it comes to the load law enforcement and military operators carry, we’ve all heard the phrase, “Ounces equal pounds and pounds equal pain.” What may not seem like much of a difference when you hear that one body armor plate is a couple pounds lighter than another actually makes a huge difference to the person wearing it. Every ounce truly matters.

ShotStop® Ballistics’ 2019 product line up: our Duritium® rifle plates, the different models that we have and how each one fits with the needs of the law enforcement officer and war fighter. 

This draft document specifies the threat levels and associated ammunition intended for use with voluntary National Institute of Justice (NIJ) 0101.07 Standards that specify a minimum performance requirement for equipment intended to protect U.S. law enforcement against handgun and rifle ammunition.

Sheriff AJ Louderback of Jackson County Texas tests ShotStop's Level III body armor plate, the Duritium® III+PS panel with multiple rounds of .223 55-grain FMJ ammo.

The purpose of this announcement is to solicit applications from law enforcement agencies to equip peace officers with rifle-resistant body armor. Application Deadline: February 28, 2019 at 5pm CST.

Far too often procurement officers in law enforcement do not have the expertise to conduct due diligence when purchasing new equipment. Not only can this impact a department’s bottom line, but when dealing with safety-related gear like body armor, the wrong purchase could be deadly for cops in the field.

We put our Duritium III+PS 8" x 10" Level III shooter cut body armor plate to the test against 7.62x39mm 123 grain from an Arsenal Arms AK-47. This body armor insert is just .95" thick and easily stopped 9 rounds.

The truth is, you do need good gear when your life depends on it, but I’m way past aspiring to be an operator. I already served my time in the Marine Corps and I’ve got lots of special operations veterans in my rolodex — and we’ve all got one thing in common. None of us are bullet proof. Not like Batman is.

Colonel Sam Johnson (Retired) describes the heavy, bulky body armor plates he wore while serving in several tours in the Army over 30 years and compares them to ShotStop's lightweight, thin body armor that is saving lives.

Plate carriers are among the most fiercely debated pieces of kit on the market today and it’s easy to see why. With so many options and prices that can range from thirty bucks to three hundred, just about everybody has an opinion on what you need for your purposes.

A quick look at our Duritium III+PA plate, live from the show floor of the 2019 Ohio Tactical Officers Association Conference, June 4, 2019. Thin, lightweight body armor that is durable (15 year warranty) and comfortable.

Fifteen pounds. That seems to be what separates a high-performing Marine from eventually becoming a combat casualty, according to new research carried out by a Marine captain at the Naval Postgraduate School.

Buffman R.A.N.G.E tests multiple rounds against ShotStop’s Duritium III+GT special threat body armor plate.

An experienced panel of law enforcement and military experts discuss today’s body armor options, how they differ from the past, and what YOU need to know about the armor that’s supposed to protect your life.

Plastic is officially defined as “a synthetic material made from a wide range of organic polymers such as polyethylene, PVC, nylon, etc., that can be molded into shape while soft and then set into a rigid or slightly elastic form.” While the newer, lightweight body armor panels are not really “plastic',“ they are made of these same polymers, particularly polyethylene.

Colonel Sam Johnson explains his experience with body armor during his tours in Iraq and Afghanistan, as well as his experience with ShotStop’s lighter and thinner body armor.

This plate is unique in many ways. First of all, it’s very thin, as you can see. It’s just over a half inch thick, the weight is very competitive in the marketplace for this protection level. It’s about 4.8 pounds for a shooter cut, 10 x 12.

Duritium III+PA is extremely lightweight and thin at just 0.7 inches and 2.7 pounds for the 10x12 shooter cut. 

ShotStop body armor takes multiple hits in this torture test. Will it stop 30 bullets? Check it out.

Duritium III+PS is lightweight body armor, 100% Duritium® polyethylene, .95 inches thick, just over 3 pounds for the 10x12 shooter cut. 

704 Tactical’s full review of ShotStop’s lightweight Duritium® III+PS Body Armor Plate.

Duritium IV+HS is a multi-hit armor-piercing protection at just under 6 pounds for Level IV shooter cut.

When you’re in the field, the last thing you want to hear is “use extreme care” related to your body armor plates. But this is exactly what the warnings are when it comes to ceramic body armor plates.

When it comes to the load law enforcement and military operators carry, we’ve all heard the phrase, “Ounces equal pounds and pounds equal pain.” What may not seem like much of a difference when you hear that one body armor plate is a couple pounds lighter than another actually makes a huge difference to the person wearing it. Every ounce truly matters.

ShotStop® Ballistics’ 2019 product line up: our Duritium® rifle plates, the different models that we have and how each one fits with the needs of the law enforcement officer and war fighter. 

For the men and women who serve on our front lines, the right body armor is the essential life-saving technology for soldier protection against lethal ballistics and dangerous combat scenarios. But it’s been more than thirty years since any disruptive technologies in ballistics protection have been brought to market. Until now.

#OurHeroes Sam Johnson, Colonel Retired, and a core member of the ShotStop team, shared this story from this past weekend…

This draft document specifies the threat levels and associated ammunition intended for use with voluntary National Institute of Justice (NIJ) 0101.07 Standards that specify a minimum performance requirement for equipment intended to protect U.S. law enforcement against handgun and rifle ammunition.

We hear a lot of questions day in and day out, some pretty straightforward and some more detailed. Below you’ll find a list of many of those questions about body armor that we receive from police officers, military personnel, procurement officers and everyone in between.

When evaluating the cost of body armor, there is far more to the equation than just the up-front purchase price. What other factors will drive your lifetime costs higher and potentially impact readiness, availability and warranty maintenance? 

I’m sitting here on my girlfriend’s bed at 3:45 am, 2,000 miles away from Virginia trying to come up with last minute gift idea’s for my dad. A new gun? A knife? Shoes? Clothes? What do you get for the man who has it all? I decided to write this article to give you guys last minute gift idea’s and what’s on my Christmas list this year.

The U.S. Army should authorize commanders to allow combat troops to leave the service’s heavy, over-designed body armor behind on certain missions to increase physical performance…

An experienced panel of law enforcement and military experts discuss today’s body armor options, how they differ from the past, and what YOU need to know about the armor that’s supposed to protect your life.

Before you can expect your agency to purchase body armor, you may need to justify why Fire/EMS should have ballistic protection.

The big question: What kind of plates do Fire/EMS need and why do they need them? Learn the benefits of wearing body armor and what situations body armor may be necessary for Fire and EMS.

So, you decided you need plates. Now, the question is going to be how much is it going to cost and where am I going to get the funding. Bob Kollar walks you through a few ideas on where to get funding.

There are many instances in which firefighters/EMS may need ballistic protection. Retired Cleveland firefighter Bob Kollar shares several situations that you may or may not think about often. 

We hear a lot of questions day in and day out, some pretty straightforward and some more detailed. Below you’ll find a list of many of those questions about body armor that we receive from police officers, military personnel, procurement officers and everyone in between.

ShotStop’s line of BallisticBoard inserts offer a variety of options depending on the level of threat you anticipate, the bag you intend to carry the insert in, and of course, your budget.

Not all bulletproof backpack inserts are the same. Here’s a rundown of what you need to know when it comes to ballistic backpack inserts.

On Thursday, 25 April 2019, ShotStop’s Director of International Sales and Business Development was invited by the Belgian Police Local “Midi” Training Center, just outside Brussels, to present our entire line of ballistic protection products and conduct a live-fire “confidence” test to demonstrate ShotStop’s quality and performance.

ShotStop body armor takes multiple hits in this torture test. Will it stop 30 bullets? Check it out.

704 Tactical shows his grey man setup for 2019.

The March 2019 AP-NORC Poll asked 1,063 adults about the safety of schools, their ability to handle active shooter incidents, and what’s to blame for school shootings.

704 Tactical tests the Level III BallisticBoard with multiple rifle rounds during this torture test.

M855 will normally punch right through most UHMWPE plates but can it punch through a polyethylene plate with a book or laptop in front?

BWC's School Safety and Security Grant (SSSG) Program provides assistance to Ohio employers with ensuring the safety of their staff who instruct children throughout the state.

Do bulletproof backpack inserts work? WKYC Channel 3 News in Cleveland tests ShotStop's BallisticBoard bulletproof backpack inserts and asks parents what they think.

In the first half of 2018, there were nearly 30 school shootings resulting in at least 40 deaths and 60+ injuries. This averages out to be more than one school shooting per week.

The question that always came up was, “Will it stop an AR-15?” (The gun used in the Parkland shooting and in most mass shootings in recent history.) And, at the time, the answer was almost always, “No.” 

The truth is, you do need good gear when your life depends on it, but I’m way past aspiring to be an operator. I already served my time in the Marine Corps and I’ve got lots of special operations veterans in my rolodex — and we’ve all got one thing in common. None of us are bullet proof. Not like Batman is.

Colonel Sam Johnson (Retired) describes the heavy, bulky body armor plates he wore while serving in several tours in the Army over 30 years and compares them to ShotStop's lightweight, thin body armor that is saving lives.

A quick look at our Duritium III+PA plate, live from the show floor of the 2019 Ohio Tactical Officers Association Conference, June 4, 2019. Thin, lightweight body armor that is durable (15 year warranty) and comfortable.

Matt from ShotStop Ballistics chats with Practically Tactical about what Polyethylene Armor is, and more specifically our Duritium® technology used in our body armor.

Plastic is officially defined as “a synthetic material made from a wide range of organic polymers such as polyethylene, PVC, nylon, etc., that can be molded into shape while soft and then set into a rigid or slightly elastic form.” While the newer, lightweight body armor panels are not really “plastic',“ they are made of these same polymers, particularly polyethylene.

This plate is unique in many ways. First of all, it’s very thin, as you can see. It’s just over a half inch thick, the weight is very competitive in the marketplace for this protection level. It’s about 4.8 pounds for a shooter cut, 10 x 12.

Duritium III+PA is extremely lightweight and thin at just 0.7 inches and 2.7 pounds for the 10x12 shooter cut. 

Taking care of body armor is important both to ensure it serves its purpose to protect and to guarantee warranty compliance.

Duritium III+PS is lightweight body armor, 100% Duritium® polyethylene, .95 inches thick, just over 3 pounds for the 10x12 shooter cut. 

704 Tactical’s full review of ShotStop’s lightweight Duritium® III+PS Body Armor Plate.

Duritium IV+HS is a multi-hit armor-piercing protection at just under 6 pounds for Level IV shooter cut.

When you’re in the field, the last thing you want to hear is “use extreme care” related to your body armor plates. But this is exactly what the warnings are when it comes to ceramic body armor plates.

ShotStop® Ballistics’ 2019 product line up: our Duritium® rifle plates, the different models that we have and how each one fits with the needs of the law enforcement officer and war fighter. 

#OurHeroes Sam Johnson, Colonel Retired, and a core member of the ShotStop team, shared this story from this past weekend…

ShotStop® Ballistics has developed a five-step product development process that benefits the end user by providing more cost-effective solutions and faster transitions to manufacturing. For the first time ever, the manufacturer is revealing its advanced ballistics product development process in the hopes that others can learn from its 30+ years of experience.

This October, our Duritium® III+PS and Duritium® III+PA rifle plates were tested and found compliant under two international standards: The German VPAM Level 6 and NATO STANAG 2920 Level B4 by TNO Labs (the Netherlands Organization for Applied Scientific Research) in the Hague, Netherlands.

Hi, I’m Jason Henkel with ShotStop® Ballistics and we are here today to talk a little bit about our new technology called Duritium® technology.