# Obama's New Clothes



## MA-Caver (Nov 19, 2010)

Bullet-proof clothing? Hmm interesting concept and all but no matter what... it still won't stop a bullet to the skull.  Just ask President Kennedy.... ok bad example. 



> http://news.yahoo.com/s/ac/20101119/lf_ac/2595849_president_obama_and_the_bulletproof_suit
> 
> When newly inaugurated President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle  Obama stepped out of the presidential limo to stroll down the parade  route amongst a throng of well-wishers, there was an assumed collective  gasp of surprise for many who witnessed this. In truth, while this was  indeed a bold gesture for the first African-American President of the  United States, Mr. Obama was wearing special bulletproof clothing  crafted by "high-security fashion tailor" Miguel Caballero.



So are they going to make these clothes for uniforms of LEO's and American Soldiers... they're expensive yes... but DUH... how much is a police officer's life worth? A firefighter? A soldier fighting for their country? 

Hmm what if both sides wore bullet-proof clothing? Wow... what a way to end a war! 

NOT! 

The article (probably for obvious reasons) doesn't say up to what caliber the clothing can stop and at what range. Presumably small caliber bullets at say 20-50 feet would be ineffective or even at close range (i.e. Oswald, Wallace, Ford, Reagan). But I think stopping a .45 or higher caliber would be tough, and I am just covering hand-guns. 
High powered rifles... now that would be something.


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## Master Dan (Nov 19, 2010)

MA-Caver said:


> Bullet-proof clothing? Hmm interesting concept and all but no matter what... it still won't stop a bullet to the skull. Just ask President Kennedy.... ok bad example.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
At one time I made considerable money related to bullet proofing depending on the application and weight constraints there is a huge difference in stopping a 38 pistol and high powerd rifle amo before you even get to armor piercing rounds. 

And your right if you go back and watch the bank robbers that had body armor and out gunned the L.A police eventually once they tooled up they were shot in the head.


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## MA-Caver (Nov 19, 2010)

Master Dan said:


> At one time I made considerable money related to bullet proofing depending on the application and weight constraints there is a huge difference in stopping a 38 pistol and high powerd rifle amo before you even get to armor piercing rounds.
> 
> And your right if you go back and watch the bank robbers that had body armor and out gunned the L.A police eventually once they tooled up they were shot in the head.


Yeah I remember watching a History Channel program (Shootout) on that... and kept wondering why hadn't any officer taken at least shots to the head once they realized that these guys were wearing body armor... sure maybe some rounds (ok, A LOT) would've been wasted but sheesh weren't they wasted on the armor? Ok, those guys were gonna be awfully sore and achy if they managed to get away (though it seemed like they didn't care if they did or not). And yes the head is a difficult shot to manage especially with a moving target... just something to shake your head at. Those guys had gnads though. 
But it's a topic of another discussion to break down THAT incident. (not here please).

Still wondering about distribution though. I'd consider it tax-payers money well spent if it were manufactured for LEO's and such. Sort of an added layer of protection to the body armor they presently wear. Stuff like that shouldn't be exclusive.


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## jks9199 (Nov 20, 2010)

MA-Caver said:


> Yeah I remember watching a History Channel program (Shootout) on that... and kept wondering why hadn't any officer taken at least shots to the head once they realized that these guys were wearing body armor... sure maybe some rounds (ok, A LOT) would've been wasted but sheesh weren't they wasted on the armor? Ok, those guys were gonna be awfully sore and achy if they managed to get away (though it seemed like they didn't care if they did or not). And yes the head is a difficult shot to manage especially with a moving target... just something to shake your head at. Those guys had gnads though.
> But it's a topic of another discussion to break down THAT incident. (not here please).
> 
> Still wondering about distribution though. I'd consider it tax-payers money well spent if it were manufactured for LEO's and such. Sort of an added layer of protection to the body armor they presently wear. Stuff like that shouldn't be exclusive.


An officer shoots at the head -- and misses.  Where's that bullet going?  Much better chance of hitting what you aim at when you shoot at center mass.

Bullet resistant clothes have been around for a while.  There's even a line of backpacks for kids with ballistic panels built in...  The big thing is that you can stop the round -- but the kinetic energy has to go _somewhere._  A lot of the mass in body armor is simply padding to absorb that.


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## MA-Caver (Nov 20, 2010)

jks9199 said:


> An officer shoots at the head -- and misses.  Where's that bullet going?  Much better chance of hitting what you aim at when you shoot at center mass.


 Very true so it's a quick judgment call on the officer's part to try for the head shot if there is say a brick wall behind the suspect... could get lucky and the bullet bounces back to suspect. 
Yet at that point... with that particular scenario... those guys were just spraying rounds around... not caring *WHO* they hit, a number of civilians were among the casualties. I think officers in that situation are well justified in trying to stop the threat by any means necessary and if that means trying for the head and missing then so be it. Once you hit the head ... usually the threat is eliminated. 


As far as the rounds' energy... yeah which is why I would think that maybe better to have a nasty bruise than a nasty hole.


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## Grenadier (Nov 22, 2010)

There's a reason why they only use 3/4" ceramic plates in the Level IV body armor...  Those things are HEAVY, and aren't going to be easily wearable by someone in civilian clothes.  Also, there's the bulk factor, the insulation factor (you're going to sweat in those things), etc.  

Otherwise, everyone's going to think that President Obama went on a massive eating and powerlifting binge, and just came from his workout.  

On the other hand, just wearing one of those would be a workout in and of itself...


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## CoryKS (Nov 22, 2010)

Hope they bought a pair of shoes for Joe Biden, he's got to be tired of shooting himself in the foot by now.


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