Standards and Testing
VestGuard supplies ballistic, stab, spike and fragmentation products, manufactured and tested to a variety of British and international standards, or abbreviated versions as detailed below. We use independent accredited test facilities to regularly test our products to ensure they continue to meet our customers requirements. Some of the products we supply are Certified to the standards, others are tested to specific ammunition. Our products are designed to protect our customers and have been developed and verified through in-house, independent and customer testing for over 15 years.
Models tested and Certified to National Institute of Justice (NIJ) 0101.06
Considered the most widely used internationally recognised standard. The standard is broken down into different levels and covers protection against small handguns up to armour piercing rifles. The standard is used for body armour, helmets and other armour solutions on the market, such as vehicle armour and shields.
This standard is split into levels of protection designated by roman numerals.
| NIJ Level II (2) | Small handgun protection |
| NIJ Level IIIA (3a) | High velocity handguns |
| NIJ Level III (3) | Rifles |
| NIJ Level IV (4) | Armour piercing rifles |
| Threat | Calibre | Max. BFS | Bullet weight | Velocity (m/s) | Velocity (ft/s) | |
| NIJ Level II (2) | 9mm FMJ RN |
| 44mm | 8.0g (124 gr) | 398±9 | 1305 ±30 |
| .357 Mag JSP |
| 44mm | 10.2g (158gr) | 436 ± 9 | 1430 ±30 | |
| NIJ Level IIIA (3a) | .357 SIG FMJ FN |
| 44mm | 8.1g (125gr) | 448 ±9 | 1470 ±30 |
| .44 Mag SJHP |
| 44mm | 15.6g (240gr) | 436 ±9 | 1430 ±30 | |
| NIJ Level III (3) | 7.62 mm NATO FMJ |
| 44mm | 9.6 g (147gr) | 847 ±9 | 2780 ±30 |
| NIJ Level IV 4) | 30.06 M2 AP FMJ |
| 44mm | 10.8g (166gr) | 878 ±9 | 2880 ±30 |
Link to National Institute of Justice Ballistic Resistance of Body Armour NIJ Standard-0101.06 document
Models tested to an Abbreviated version of the National Institute of Justice 0101.06
For some of our products we regularly test to an abbreviated test method using the same accredited laboratory, ammunition, distances and velocities in the international standards.
This abbreviated standard is split into the following levels of protection .
| Level II (2) | Small handgun protection |
| Level IIIA (3a) | High velocity handguns |
| Level III (3) | Rifles |
| Level IV (4) | Armour piercing rifles |
| Threat | Calibre | Max. BFS | Bullet weight | Velocity (m/s) | Velocity (ft/s) | |
| Level II (2) | 9mm FMJ RN |
| 44mm | 8.0g (124 gr) | 398±9 | 1305 ±30 |
| .357 Mag JSP |
| 44mm | 10.2g (158gr) | 436 ± 9 | 1430 ±30 | |
| Level IIIA (3a) | .357 SIG FMJ FN |
| 44mm | 8.1g (125gr) | 448 ±9 | 1470 ±30 |
| .44 Mag SJHP |
| 44mm | 15.6g (240gr) | 436 ±9 | 1430 ±30 | |
| Level III (3) | 7.62 mm NATO FMJ |
| 44mm | 9.6 g (147gr) | 847 ±9 | 2780 ±30 |
| Level IV 4) | 30.06 M2 AP FMJ |
| 44mm | 10.8g (166gr) | 878 ±9 | 2880 ±30 |
Models tested and Certified to Home Office (CAST) 2017
The UK standards are set by the Home Office for the protection of police and government bodies. The protection covers a full range of threats including ballistic (HO), edged weapons like knives (KR), and spikes like needles (SP). The higher the threat the higher the number, i.e. HO1, HO2.
Ballistic
| Protection level | Classification and calibre | Test round | Bullet mass | Range (m) | Max. mean BFS (mm) | Single shot BFS (mm) | Velocity (m.s-1 ) |
| Ballistic Level 1 | 9 mm FMJ | MEN 9 mm FMJ DM11A1B2 | 8.0g (124g) | 5 | 44 | 365 ± 10 | |
| 9 mm JHP | Federal Premium 9 mm JHP P9HST1 | 8.0g (124g) | 5 | 44 | 365 ± 10 | ||
| Ballistic Level 2 | 9mm FMJ | MEN 9 mm FMJ DM11A1B2 | 8.0g (124g) | 5 | 44 | 430 ± 10 | |
| 9 mm JHP | Federal Premium 9 mm JHP P9HST1 | 8.0g (124g) | 5 | 44 | 430 ± 10 | ||
| Ballistic Level 3 | Rifle 7.62 calibre | Radway Green 7.62 mm NATO Ball L44A1 or L2A2 | 9.3g (144g) | 10 | 25 | 30 | 830 ± 15 |
| Rifle 7.62 calibre | 7.62 × 39 mm surrogate | 7.9g (122g) | 10 | 25 | 30 | 705 ± 15 | |
| Ballistic Level 4 | Rifle 7.62 calibre | SAKO .308 Win 480A Powerhead or Barnes .308 TSX BT | 10.7g (165g) | 10 | 25 | 30 | 820 ± 15 |
| Shotgun Level 1 | Shotgun 12 gauge True Cylinder | Winchester 1 oz. Rifled 12RSE | 28.4 g | 10 | 25 | 30 | 435 ± 25 |
| Special | Based on threat and risk assessment | ||||||
Stab and Spike
| Protection level | Energy level E1 | Energy level E2 | ||||
| Energy (J) | Maximum penetration at E1 (mm) | SPL at E1 (mm) | Energy (J) | Maximum penetration at E2 (mm) | SPL at E2 (mm) | |
| Stab Level 1 | 24.0 | 8.0 | 9.0 | 36.0 | 20.0 | 30.0 |
| Stab and Spike Level 1 | 24.0 | KR1 = 8.0 | KR1 = 9.0 | 36.0 | KR1 = 20.0 | KR1 = 20.0 |
| Stab Level 2 | 33.0 | 8.0 | 9.0 | 50.0 | 20.0 | 30.0 |
| Stab and Spike Level 2 | 33.0 | KR2 = 8.0 | KR1 = 9.0 | 50.0 | KR2 = 20.0 | KR2 = 30.0 |
Link to Home Office (CAST) Body Armour Standard (2017) document
Models tested to an Abbreviated version of the Home Office (CAST) 2017
For some of our products we regularly test to an abbreviated test method using the same accredited laboratory, ammunition, distances and velocities in the UK standards.
This abbreviated standard is split into the following levels of protection .
The protection covers a full range of threats including ballistic (HO), edged weapons like knives (KR), and spikes like needles (SP). The higher the threat the higher the number, i.e. HO1, HO2.
Ballistic
| Protection level | Classification and calibre | Test round | Bullet mass | Range (m) | Max. mean BFS (mm) | Single shot BFS (mm) | Velocity (m.s-1 ) |
| HO1 | 9 mm FMJ | MEN 9 mm FMJ DM11A1B2 | 8.0g (124g) | 5 | 44 | 365 ± 10 | |
| 9 mm JHP | Federal Premium 9 mm JHP P9HST1 | 8.0g (124g) | 5 | 44 | 365 ± 10 | ||
| HO2 | 9mm FMJ | MEN 9 mm FMJ DM11A1B2 | 8.0g (124g) | 5 | 44 | 430 ± 10 | |
| 9 mm JHP | Federal Premium 9 mm JHP P9HST1 | 8.0g (124g) | 5 | 44 | 430 ± 10 | ||
| HO3 | Rifle 7.62 calibre | Radway Green 7.62 mm NATO Ball L44A1 or L2A2 | 9.3g (144g) | 10 | 25 | 30 | 830 ± 15 |
| Rifle 7.62 calibre | 7.62 × 39 mm surrogate | 7.9g (122g) | 10 | 25 | 30 | 705 ± 15 | |
| HO4 | Rifle 7.62 calibre | SAKO .308 Win 480A Powerhead or Barnes .308 TSX BT | 10.7g (165g) | 10 | 25 | 30 | 820 ± 15 |
| SG1 | Shotgun 12 gauge True Cylinder | Winchester 1 oz. Rifled 12RSE | 28.4 g | 10 | 25 | 30 | 435 ± 25 |
| Special | Based on threat and risk assessment | ||||||
Stab and Spike
| Protection level | Energy level E1 | Energy level E2 | ||||
| Energy (J) | Maximum penetration at E1 (mm) | SPL at E1 (mm) | Energy (J) | Maximum penetration at E2 (mm) | SPL at E2 (mm) | |
| KR1 | 24.0 | 8.0 | 9.0 | 36.0 | 20.0 | 30.0 |
| KR1 + SP1 | 24.0 | KR1 = 8.0 | KR1 = 9.0 | 36.0 | KR1 = 20.0 | KR1 = 20.0 |
| KR2 | 33.0 | 8.0 | 9.0 | 50.0 | 20.0 | 30.0 |
| KR2 + SP2 | 33.0 | KR2 = 8.0 | KR1 = 9.0 | 50.0 | KR2 = 20.0 | KR2 = 30.0 |
NATO STANAG 2920 Fragmentation
This is the military standard for ballistic protection & armour solutions for military applications.
STANAG 2920: The adoption of standards for ballistic protection levels and testing relates typically to the levels of fragmentation protection that vests offer. The technical details are complicated but the results are identified as a V50 rating in metres or feet per second. VestGuard armour and helmets all have a V50 rating.
Quality Standards
ISO 9001:2015 Standards
ISO is a world renowned quality management system which all companies should follow to ensure exacting quality procedures are met to provide the best product to customers. VestGuard is ISO accredited and we work to this procedure every day to provide consistently high quality products to our customers.
Military Standards
VestGuard supply to many government and military forces across the world. Our vests must conform to military specifications for material quality, manufacturing quality and longevity. The VestGuard outer covers are designed to endure extreme use and weather conditions.