Medieval plate armor ranged any between 1–3 millimeters thick, but the thickness varied at different periods and by different armorers.
True breastplates reappear in Europe in 1340 first composed of wrought iron and later of steel. These early breastplates were made of several plates and only covered the upper torso with the lower torso not being protected by plate until the development of the fauld around 1370. They were between 1 mm and 2.5 mm thick.
“Historical” armor tends to be about 18-20gauge. Actually, the thickness of a particular piece varied by both it’s function and across the piece itself. For example, a breastplate might be 16-to-18gauge in the center where it needed the most strength, and thin to 20gauge around the edges.
Medieval Knight 16 Gauge Steel Body Armor Muscle Plate Cuirass.
Not effective at all. As most others have said, modern high velocity ammunition would easily penetrate medieval armour. It is likely that modern shrapnel would also penetrate. The other side of this is that the wearer’s mobility is also negatively effected.
The edges can still be used against more lightly-armored opponents: no matter how effective a sword is against forms of armor such as brigandine and mail, no sword, no matter how sharp, can cut directly through plate armor. … For most of the medieval period, fighters would use a sword and a shield together.
Medieval armor would not stop bullets directly, but perhaps it could deflect them depending on the angle. Even in that case, enough energy could be transmitted to the person wearing it and the impact would cause serious damage anyway. … Yes, bullets will get through a Spartan’s armor.
Full plate was the most effective body armour developed in terms of stopping or turning blows in isolation of other factors (cost, weight, etc.)
18 gauge steel for armor.
Knightly sword | |
---|---|
Mass | avg. 1.1 kg (2.4 lb) |
Length | avg. 90 cm (35 in) |
Blade length | avg. 75 cm (30 in) |
Blade type | Double-edged, straight bladed |
Shields throughout the middle ages averaged about 2 lbs/sq ft. So a steel buckler from 1600 comes in at about 3 lbs, while a 24 in round shield is closer to 8 lbs.
“An entire suit of field armor (that is, armor for battle) usually weighs between 45 and 55 lbs. (20 to 25 kg), with the helmet weighing between 4 and 8 lbs. (2 to 4 kg)—less than the full equipment of a fireman with oxygen gear, or what most modern soldiers have carried into battle since the nineteenth century.
Dynamic Armor 600® ballistic steel plate is produced in thicknesses from 3/16” (4.7mm) through 5/8” (15.8mm) and in widths from 60” through 96”. Standard thicknesses include 3/16”, ¼”, 5/16”, 3/8” ½”, and 5/8”.
38 Special, 9mm Luger, and . 45 ACP FMJ pistol rounds could penetrate medieval armor and kill you. The US Army has done lots of terminal ballistic testing. Medieval armor is no better than the steel WWII helmets.
In spite of being wide, the blades are no heavier than other swords: the blades get much thinner as one moves from the handle to the tip, and so they are quick with great penetrating power. They can cut directly through chain mail, or plate armor.
While full plate can stop a spear, a dedicated thrust can pierce cloth armor and even hurt a man through his mail. Long spears like pikes were clumsy so they were used to kill or drive off horses, and pushing the enemy back was main tactic rather than impaling them.
Kevlar. Perhaps one of the better-known bulletproof materials, Kevlar is a synthetic fiber that’s heat resistant and incredibly strong. It’s also lightweight, making it a popular choice for wearable bulletproof items.
The main weapon a knight used against his fully armoured opponent was his lance. Lance could easily pierce the plate armour and draw blood. Then pole axe or mace, then sword. Two major causes of death for the medieval tank.
Bullet resistant armours were developed called tameshi gusoku (“bullet tested”), allowing samurai to continue wearing their armour despite the use of firearms.
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