# Is chainmail bulletproof? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [February 9, 2006, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-chainmail-bulletproof/343621 "2006-02-09T00:02:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Ice\_Wolf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/dfb087/32.png) [@Ice\_Wolf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ice_Wolf)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2006, 12:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-chainmail-bulletproof/343621/41 "2006-02-11T12:22:13Z")
Have to agree with **TLD**. The rolleyes smilie is annoying, and just smart-alecky. At times used deliberately to incite conflict – and it succeeds. I’m glad this is now the only place I come across it. Chainmail, mail – as long as we know what we’re talking about. That’s what matters. ---
**Author:** ![Tristan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tristan/32/18058_2.png) [@Tristan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tristan)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2006, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-chainmail-bulletproof/343621/42 "2006-02-14T18:49:09Z")
I’ve actually got a Plackard just sitting around. I have no idea how much it would cost to ship, but I’m interested. **CynicalGabe** , drop me an e-mail (Critical pedestrian (no spacing) at\_sign Yahoo dot com. If you can provide picture, or even better a website a’la Box of Truth, I’m down to provide the armor. It’s styled after a 13th Centry German Plackard… the strapping and hinges are all screwed up though. ---
**Author:** ![Peril64](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a183cd/32.png) [@Peril64](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peril64)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2016, 11:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-chainmail-bulletproof/343621/43 "2016-02-23T23:49:26Z")
I was reading about how ceramic armor just breaks up bullets and a backing material catches them. does anyone think putting a really hard steel chain mail in front of a kevlar backing might be stronger than just kevlar? ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2016, 12:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-chainmail-bulletproof/343621/44 "2016-02-24T00:04:13Z")
Possibly, but I suspect ceramic plates would still.provide a weight advantage. ---
**Author:** ![obbn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/d6d6ee/32.png) [@obbn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/obbn)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2016, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-chainmail-bulletproof/343621/45 "2016-02-24T00:25:30Z")
> [@deevee](#): > > Hijack: Is a kevlar vest arrowproof? Nope, standard vest aren’t knife proof. From what I understand, vest generally work better with larger caliber bullets as the larger surface area of the bullet tends to spread the impact. A small pointed bullet stands a better chance of passing through Kenmar. ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2016, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-chainmail-bulletproof/343621/46 "2016-02-24T00:39:17Z")
Ned Kelley’s [home-made armour](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ned_Kelly#Armour)was effective against the guns of the day. He survived at least five shots to the head and twelve to the torso. ---
**Author:** ![Raguleader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/258eb7/32.png) [@Raguleader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Raguleader)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2016, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-chainmail-bulletproof/343621/47 "2016-02-24T02:04:04Z")
> [@obbn](#): > > Nope, standard vest aren’t knife proof. From what I understand, vest generally work better with larger caliber bullets as the larger surface area of the bullet tends to spread the impact. A small pointed bullet stands a better chance of passing through Kenmar. Also worth noting that many narrower pointed bullets also happen to be high velocity rifle rounds (long cartridge full of powder pushing behind a narrow, long bullet), as opposed to low velocity pistol rounds (short and fat, with less propellant behind it). It’s the difference between getting hit by a VW Beetle doing 15MPH and a Kawasaki Ninja doing 90MPH. ---
**Author:** ![the\_diego](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7bcc69/32.png) [@the\_diego](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/the_diego)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2016, 4:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-chainmail-bulletproof/343621/48 "2016-02-24T04:20:44Z")
> [@jayjay](#): > > Considering that even full plate wasn’t long bow (or crossbow)-proof (the development of the long bow and crossbow were the main reasons the age of knights-in-armor as heavy shock troops ended), they’d probably not do a whole lot against firearms. Real tempered plate armor from Milan was long bow-proof outside of 40 meters (which is practically a kill zone for a mounted knight.) Look up the battle of Vernuil. Chain mail can stand up to the long-bow outside of 150 meters. Just don’t come inside 100. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2016, 4:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-chainmail-bulletproof/343621/49 "2016-02-24T04:30:45Z")
You wouldn’t want to get shot wearing chain mail if it just breaks the links. I’ve heard you’ll have very bad luck if you break the chain. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2016, 6:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-chainmail-bulletproof/343621/50 "2016-02-24T06:58:09Z")
> [@crowmanyclouds](#): > > To do the test properly I’d want a full shirt of mail, and a full sized backing of ballistic gelatin or clay. You’d also want a gambeson under the mail. ---
**Author:** ![Raguleader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/258eb7/32.png) [@Raguleader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Raguleader)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2016, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-chainmail-bulletproof/343621/51 "2016-02-24T16:10:59Z")
Also a SWAT team ready to mobilize, street-level maps covering all of Florida, a pot of coffee, twelve jammie dodgers and a fez. ---
**Author:** ![drachillix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/48db29/32.png) [@drachillix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drachillix)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2016, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-chainmail-bulletproof/343621/52 "2016-02-25T19:37:09Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > You wouldn’t want to get shot wearing chain mail if it just breaks the links. I’ve heard you’ll have very bad luck if you break the chain. I can still hear you saying you would never break the chain… ---
**Author:** ![Satellite\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/258eb7/32.png) [@Satellite\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Satellite_Guy)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2016, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-chainmail-bulletproof/343621/53 "2016-02-25T19:59:19Z")
Just in case it hadn’t been realized, this thread was zombified by ten years and two weeks. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-chainmail-bulletproof/343621.md?page=2)