Why do people own plate carriers?

M

MB21

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Now, I am sure I will hack a few people here off, but that's really okay, I don't care. I should also add that I am talking about non-military, non-LEO people. Straight up Civvies.

I am really curious, why do people feel the need to be tacti-cool and own plate carriers? To go further, why would people own a plate carrier and not own plates?

Now I understand, people deck out their rifles with a bunch of furniture that they will never use, I got that. Sure, you like to put yourself in "tactical" scenarios, so you have knee and elbow pads. Sure, you even have a Fighting Load Carrier, because when doing those scenarios, you like to keep your mags in a good spot. I get that.

But why on Earth would you need a plate carrier? SHTF? That is going pretty far, at least in my opinion. (I also wouldn't want the extra weight and added heat ALL the time, but this isn't a SHTF thread.)

Now, my views are skewed, because I have had to wear that stuff rucking all over God's green earth, and I haven't been deployed yet, so I don't have a real love of them.

This isn't a complaining thread, I legit want to know what purpose owning and (like a lot of people on Youtube) shooting all the time with them? You can easily just set up your fighting load on a FLC, no need for the whole thing (in my opionion).

Edit: A couple definitions:
Plate carrier - a vest that has two large pouches in the front and back designed to hold bullet-resistant plates of armor. They have webbing on them that you can attach various goodies to, mag pouches, grenade pouches, holsters, you name it. Some have Kevlar - a material designed to stop 9mm and shrapnel, some don't.

In the Army (at least those of us still in Initial Entry Training) we wear Interceptor Body Armor (IBA), holds two ceramic plates and fills the rest of the vest with Kevlar. I personally despise it; rucking 11 miles in 95 degrees with it on makes it very.... unpleasant.

FLC - Fighting Load Carrier, I thought since I didn't use it as an acronym in my post it would make sense, but I can see why people missed it. Its a vest that holds all the goodies as well, but isn't designed to hold two 10lb ceramic/steel/whatever plates in it.

WROL - World without Rule of Law (or close to that definition).
 
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I have wondered that myself.....

I was thinking about getting a carrier myself but using the AR500 carbon fiber inserts instead but other things come up plus I get to thinking why........ when so many guys like me went through the CMP program and can put a .308 or 30-06 round into a musk mellon size target from 1000k what is the point of body armor in the first place?
 
hartcreek said:
when so many guys like me went through the CMP program and can put a .308 or 30-06 round into a musk mellon size target from 1000k what is the point of body armor in the first place?
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Must be some good training if you can hit a musk mellon from 1,093,613 yards (1000 kilometers). That's over 621 miles.

The NBRSA world record for light gun (under 16.5 lb) at less than 1k (1,000 yards) is just over 6", and a musk mellon is typically 4" to 7". Not too many local competitions where you wouldn't be competitive if you can shoot the world record. I'm really surprised that I don't see more CMP trained shooters in the top finishers.

As to the OP's question on why do people own plate carriers, how do you carry your steel targets out to the range? ;)
 
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Why do people own plate carriers?
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Probably because they can. Similar to why folks own safe queens they never fire or that box of "Zombie Killer" ammo they display on the shelf. What are the odds that they'll ever really be attacked by Zombies?:rolleyes:

I'm sure you and I both have items others feel are foolish, but still, we have them. Kinda the neat thing about living in America.
 
For the same reason I can not pass a tool supply store with-out looking, and usually buying. I feel the same way about plastic, black rifles.

For the same reason people turn old cars in to fuel guzzling hot rods and others buy those shiny matchbox looking compact ones.

If everyone owned the same thing I owned, or only close variants of them, eventually you would run out of cool stuff to talk about while playing World of Warcraft.

Everyone is different, thank The Good Lord.
 
I'm in the camp of "what's a plate carrier"? Is this something to do with bullet proof vests? Or possibly a new type of device for launching sporting clays?
 
I don’t own one nor do I desire to own one. However, I guess I fall into the “because they want one” camp. Lot’s of folks ask why you need an SUV, why do you need a $5K watch, why use a fountain pen and the always classic why own a gun.

While some of these things may seem illogical to some folks they are desirably to others. I’m not sure if this answers the OP, but in the end we are free to pursue our own interest whether others understand or not.
 
OK. Make it three that don't know what a "plate carrier" is, unless you are referring to something to haul around your mess kit.

Also, while we're at it, what is "WROL," "FLC" and "NVM?"
 
Never mind about plate carrier; Google tells me it's a bullet proof vest.

WROL I also got from Google as well as nvm.

Still don't know what "FCL" is.
 
gyvel said:
OK. Make it three that don't know what a "plate carrier" is, unless you are referring to something to haul around your mess kit.

Also, while we're at it, what is "WROL," "FLC" and "NVM?"
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I can't help with two of those, but NVM usually means nevermind.

A plate carrier is a chest right that can also hold chest & back bullet proof plates. Usually, they also have the ability to have mag pouches & other accessories attached to them as well. Having worn an IOTV in Iraq, I don't plan on wearing one again. They're always hot & can be damn heavy (depending on how it's configured & how much ammo you're carrying). I don't plan on ever needing 8-30rnd magazines all at once...... Either way, to each their own. Do what you love, love what you do.


Quick Google search came up with this: http://www.militaryuniformsupply.co...VQ7G_ttSmgc3Oqv_YhUr9jPmuIlRkdvk_XqhsTm_D_BwE
 
At Christmas time my wife places decorative "plate holders" on the table for a more festive look...

Probably not the same, I'm guessing?
 
AR500

Do a search......If I am remembering right AR 500 came out with carbon fiber plates that only weigh a pound and they also have custom shapes. You can place a briefcase shaped one in a briefcase if you are so inclined. They also have options on carriers that allow you to carry front and back or just front only.

Seems like I remember the price for the carbonfiber plates at $60.
 
I suppose that if you hear a door being kicked in in another part of the house, you would have time to get your vest on before confronting. Might not play out well in court though, in some locations...
 
"Hey! How exactly is a rainbow made? How exactly does a sun set? How exactly does a posi-trac rear-end on a Plymouth work? It just does." :D Sorry I couldn't resist. I just got done watching Joe Dirt.
 
The thing about plate carriers as opposed to bullet-resistant vests is that plate carriers are essentially nothing but nylon with large pouches to hold a ballistic trauma plate on your front and back.

There is (usually) no soft armor on a plate carrier, so without trauma plates, the bullet resistance of a plate carrier would be zero.
 
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