Armored Mobility Inc. Trauma Plates, Shield, Police Clipboard

Accessories Misc. Authors Paul Helinski SHOT Show 2012

Armored Mobility Inc.
https://www.armoredmobility.com/

The 3 pound 10x12 inch trauma plate is level 3 armor and design for multiple hits. Check out the website these are amazing products.

The 3 pound 10x12 inch trauma plate is level 3 armor and design for multiple hits. Check out the website these are amazing products.

Ballistic armor has become a subculture in the tactical community that most of us know nothing about. But it is one of those things that once you get used to the protection it affords, you don’t want to be without it. For this reason, innovations in ballistic armor have been making it lighter and lighter, and I was very surprised to discover that one of the latest innovations is ballistic armor made of not ceramic, not titanium, and not even kevlar, but, drum roll please, compressed poly, otherwise known as, FANCY PLASTIC, made by Armored Mobility Inc., or AMI

I discovered AMI at SHOT Show 2012 Media Day at the Range. They were part of a small pavilion of companies that were making products for the military and police already, and were beginning to offer these same products to the public. Ballistic armor is restricted in many countries of the world, but in America there are no restrictions, and civilians can up-armor themselves the same as any police or military unit, if you want to spend the money. Police officers are also often not provided with any body armor by the department at all and if they want to protect themselves, they must buy it themselves. Most of the armor at the AMI booth were what are known as “trauma plates” that fit into vests or soft body armor pockets to protect the vital organs.

This is the 6 pound plate that withstood two rounds of .338 Lapua at 10 feet. AMI was clear that you would not survive this regardless, but it did stop the rounds.

This is the 6 pound plate that withstood two rounds of .338 Lapua at 10 feet. AMI was clear that you would not survive this regardless, but it did stop the rounds.

AMI has been making ballistic armor for over 7 years, and they provide many innovative products to military and police all over the world. Here at the show they had several examples of what is called “level 3” trauma plates. It is designed to stop most small arms ammunition, including .308 Winchester (7.62×51 NATO), .223 Remington (5.56 NATO), 6.8SPC, AK rounds, and even .300 Winchester Magnum and 12 gauge slugs. A basic 10 x 12 inch plate that fits into a pouch in the front of a tactical vest sells for under $600. The pure plastic plate weighs as little as 3 pounds. A plastic and sandwiched 3mm steel plate version is only 6 pounds. AMI also offers a variety of innovative armor products besides just plates.

If you poke around a little on their website, you’ll find some really good testing videos, some made by the police departments currently using AMI products. Ceramic light body armor products are made of do work, but only for the first shot generally, then they shatter. AMI strike plates stand up to multiple hits, through the same hole even. Their 6 pound plate was tested by a California police department and stopped 5 rounds of AK ammo at 10 feet before the 6th one went through. A video on the website has over 60 rounds of pistol ammo with no penetrations. Some of the video footage is even just throwing the plate out of a car window, because ceramic plates will shatter if you try that, but plastic won’t. You would never think that a piece of plastic could be that effective in stopping bullets, but it is.

The 3 pound pure plastic plate next to a shattered piece of ballistic ceramic. AMI trauma plates can withstand multiple hits into the same hole without breaking, and they can be thrown out a car window and remain unharmed and 100% effective.

The 3 pound pure plastic plate next to a shattered piece of ballistic ceramic. AMI trauma plates can withstand multiple hits into the same hole without breaking, and they can be thrown out a car window and remain unharmed and 100% effective.

The ballistic shield you see in the pictures is expensive, several thousand dollars, but if you are in the business of getting shot at, this is a tool that could very well save your life, or save you from debilitating injuries. It is 22 pounds, and magnetic, so it can be used as a personal shield for entry or crowd situations, or you can stick it to a vehicle. It is multi-hit armor as well, and the various handles and straps built into the shield allow it to be carried in several configurations, or even used as a stretcher.

The police ticket book is a really cool product as well. A lot of municipalities use computer machines, but in main street America a lot of police departments still use standard paper ticket books. This clip case was designed because of years of data from police who have gotten shot after a traffic stop. They almost always get shot in the face, and more than not they get shot through the hand. Our natural reaction when someone points a gun at our face is to put our hand up.

The Armored Mobility Inc. Shield is 22 pounds and will stop multiple hits from just about any small arms cartridge point blank.

The Armored Mobility Inc. Shield is 22 pounds and will stop multiple hits from just about any small arms cartridge point blank.

If your hand has an up-armored ticket case in it, this little gadget that goes for under $300 could well stop a bullet, and allow you to return fire.

The threat of an actual gunfight is something only a small percentage of Americans deal with on a daily basis, but if your job is to put yourself in harms way, Armored Mobility is a line of products, and a way of life, you should take a look at. They even offer financing, and I think it is because they are driven by protecting the lives and well being of military personnel and peace officers, of which the company is composed of. The nice thing is that although there is this subculture of understanding the different issues in ballistic armor, you don’t have to make time to do all of that research. AMI has done it for you, and produced an entire line of extremely innovative and affordable products to protect your life and well being.

The shield can either be used carried, or as an armor plate for vehicles. It is magnetic and made to stick even at high speeds.

The shield can either be used carried, or as an armor plate for vehicles. It is magnetic and made to stick even at high speeds.

At some point we’ll ask them to send us some plates for our own tests, but at first glance, this is great line of products that have been already been tested in real life a lot harder than we’ll test them at the range.


This is the police clipboard product. It has taken several rounds of various handgun ammunition and a 12 gauge slug with no penetrations.

This is the police clipboard product. It has taken several rounds of various handgun ammunition and a 12 gauge slug with no penetrations.

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  • DexterSmith September 12, 2014, 6:57 am

    Like you have mentioned, even though ballistic plates are small in nature, but it is very important in protecting a person. We may think that it won’t make a difference, but it is truly an unavoidable protection gear.

  • RICOSNIPER February 6, 2012, 8:43 pm

    I use 50cal
    DE 50
    50 bmg
    and others for real close range and body armor is nothing against it.
    during an experiment a 480 collapsed the lungs of the subject and liquefied the heart , bulletproof shields against penetration but not the schockwave.

  • Lee January 18, 2012, 11:08 pm

    Why not? Remember that the teeth of liberty are the armed civilians.

  • Ed January 18, 2012, 9:26 pm

    There are many civilians who, due to the nature of their jobs, find themselves in gang areas or confronting angry individuals. I’m thinking of myself, but I’m certain that many others out there can come up w/ their own reasons, like hunting, etc.

    • KF January 22, 2012, 8:31 pm

      I’d probably own some if I were even a firefighter or EMT. Most of the time, it wouldn’t be something to worry about, but I remember the LA riots had firetrucks and ambulances being shot at by rioters.

      A friend of mine worked as a convienence store clerk for about 6 months when he was between jobs (well, jobs in his profession), working graveyard. He was held up 3 different times during that period. He wasn’t hurt, but he easily could have been. I bet if he had a vest available, he would have worn it to work.

  • David January 18, 2012, 5:04 pm

    Why would any civilian want this and for what use unless they are a gangbanger but then they wouldn’t know how to use it?

    • Bryan January 18, 2012, 10:18 pm

      Yeah, this is just like those dangerous guns we always hear about. Only gang bangers would ever need those too right?
      I wear body armor for live fire tactical drills at my local range for one….

    • Wayne January 18, 2012, 10:21 pm

      I currently have armor plates in my service backpack and a Level IIIa notebook. Some people have jobs where they have to go into dangerous areas to work other than police officer. I am a service technician and people have electronics all over the town including areas that aren’t so friendly and when there have been shootings in areas you currently work in (that being more than just once or twice for shootings) you would like to have a better chance at making it home to your family instead of catching a stray bullet meant for the gangbanger he is shooting at.

  • Ian January 18, 2012, 1:00 pm

    Try holing down the control key while rotating the scroll wheel.

  • David January 18, 2012, 12:14 pm

    You Stated in the blog artical that this equipment was avaible to the public, but I, check their site and they want official ID or deptment orders. Where is it abaible to be purchased by Joe or Jane Public.

    • Administrator January 18, 2012, 12:55 pm

      I would call them. They told us at the show that it is available for civilian use.

  • Isaac January 18, 2012, 11:47 am

    Just wanted to point out what I think is a typo error under the second pic. It states, “This is the 6 pound plate that withstood two rounds of .338 Lapua at 10 feet. AMI was clear that you would not survive this regardless, but it did stop the rounds. ” <- but according to the sign in the pic, it was 100 yards. Otherwise, nice article, sounds like some great products, I hope they make their way into more of our police officers' hands. If I were rich I'd buy some just to armor up our local police.

  • Pip January 18, 2012, 11:38 am

    One of the above pictures has the caption: “This is the 6 pound plate that withstood two rounds of .338 Lapua at 10 feet. AMI was clear that you would not survive this regardless, but it did stop the rounds.” But the picture seems to indicate that it was at 100 yards? Which is it? (I’m more inclined to believe the 100 yards.)

  • Eric January 18, 2012, 11:08 am

    Just don’t leave your “plastic” plates in a hot car trunk or you may be in for quite a surprise when they revert to offering all the bullet resistance of milk jugs.

  • rhkramer January 18, 2012, 10:56 am

    Please fix your web pages so they don’t require horizontal scrolling to read. I’ve measured some of your lines to be 175 characters wide. Even if I didn’t have to scroll horizontally on my particular setup to see both ends of the line, such a long line length makes it harder to read.

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