Covered 6 – Level 3 Multicurve PE Lightweight Rifle Armor

My TEST Set-up 

For the test today I am going to test the NIJ Level 3 rating given to this plate. I set up a 6ft table with a sandbag and the plate at one end and a 55gal barrel at the other end where I will be shooting from. The gap between the barrel and the plate was 3-4ft so this was basically point blank.

I separated the plate into 4 quadrants which will be one section for each round I will test. The rounds I will test are as follows:

• 7.62 × 51mm M80 bullet (M-14) – Used PMC 147 grain 308 win / 7.62 NATO
• 7.62 × 39mm MSC bullet (AK-47) – Used Wolf 122 gr FMJ
• 5.56 × 45mm M193 bullet (M-16) – Used M193
• 5.56 x 45mm M855 – Green Tip (**Plate not rated for this – Just for curiosity)

So I started by shooting one each of the rounds above at point blank range. I then took the plate to another part of the range and from 15y I put four more m193 rounds and four more 7.62 x 39 into the plate. This is 12 rounds into the plate.

The Results 

After testing the first 3 rounds of the NIJ Level 3 at point blank range it completely stopped each with no penetration. The M193 barely has a bulge, The 7.62 x 39 and 308 win both had a medium size bulge (1/2″ ish).

Then after I added the next 8 rounds from 15y into the plate I checked and found big time bulging but NO PENETRATION.

*** For reference the M855 went right through at point blank range. I shot one more from 15y after everything else and the plate didn’t stop it, however it didn’t go straight through. Instead it deflected upward about 3″ and exited at an upward angle.

My Thoughts

When I was first introduced to these Level 3 polyethylene plates the first thing that got my attention was how light weight they were (3.4 lbs per plate) compared to my AR500 steel. That caught my attention right away. Then I found out Covered 6 was selling them for $150 a piece. To me that seemed too good to be true. I digested it for a while and then decided the deal was so good I had to buy a pair. When I went to pick them up Chris the owner asked me to take an extra one and conduct my own independent test to prove that they are indeed legit. So that is exactly what I did. This is good for you guys, good for me, and good for C6 (if they pass muster).

As you can see these plates passed (and possibly exceeded) the standards they are rated for. It took eleven NIJ Level 3 rated rounds with NO FAILURE. Bulging, yes, Penetration, NO.

My expectations were far exceeded after seeing with my own two eyes what this plate endured.