Bulletproofing

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Bulletproofing is process of making something capable of stopping a bullet or similar high velocity missile. The term bullet resistance is often preferred since few, if any, practical materials provide complete protection against all types of bullets, or multiple hits in the same location.

Such materials are usually rigid, but may be supple. They may be complex, such as Kevlar, Lexan, and carbon fiber composite materials, or they may be basic and simple, such as steel or titanium. Bullet resistant materials are often used in law enforcement and military applications, saving a number of lives.

There are strict tests which are used to classify bullet resistance, and which specify the detailed characteristics of bullets that the material or object must be resistant to. For example, the United States National Institute of Justice standard 0104.04[1] for bullet-resistant vests specifies that a Type II vest must not deform clay representing the wearer's body when hit by an 8.0 g (124 gr) 9 mm caliber round nosed full-metal jacket bullet travelling at up to 358 m/s (1175 ft/s); but a Type IIIA vest is needed for protection against the same bullet travelling at up to 427 m/s (1400 ft/s). In both cases, the vest is not required to protect against a second hit within 51 mm (2 inches) of the first.