My experience with body armor is based on equipment from the 1990s so take this for what it's worth. While the bullet may not penetrate the cloth, it often res

My experience with body armor is based on equipment from the 1990s so take this for what it's worth. While the bullet may not penetrate the cloth, it often results in broken ribs and a great amount of bruising underneath. Damage to liver, spleen, lungs and heart is also possible due to the shock of impact -- that energy has to go somewhere. So even if it doesn't penetrate, you might still die. Very large handgun rounds may deform the inner surface of the vest into a cupped shape. Rifle rounds travel at much, much higher velocity and carry so much energy that they usually punch right through. That's why a plate carrier is needed to protect the heart from rifle rounds. it's basically the same trauma as being hit in the ribs with a sledge hammer or a baseball bat, swung at full speed. You'll likely survive, but you'll almost certainly likely be injured to one degree or another. In short, it won't be pleasant.