In the attached video, Matt Davis from Armor Express conducts a controversial self-demo to demonstrate his confidence in his company’s armor products and their relationship with US PALM. He has not self-demo’d one of their ballistic solutions since 2008. This is his 4th demo, but the first with a .45ACP, and the first with their IIIa ballistic package [that US Palm runs exclusively].
DO NOT ATTEMPT THIS AT HOME!!!
DO NOT ATTEMPT THIS YOURSELF!!!
This is not a parlor trick. Matt Davis is a professional and employee of Armor Express. The demonstration is dangerous. Do not attempt this on your own. SSD is not responsible for the stupidity of Mark (see comments) or anyone else for that matter.
Tags: Armor Express, US PALM
I’d like to see someone explain this to the life insurance company if the plate fails.
If nothing else, he gets credit for walking his talk.
Terminal R & D testing, while worn. I’m sold.
Didn’t somebody else do this sort of thing back in the 1970s? Second Chance?
Yeah, Rich Davis from Second Chance used to do it.
This is Matt Davis, Richard Davis’ son
Richard Davis is his father. Richard was founder of Second Chance Body Armor. Matt Davis worked there before the bankrupcy. Some say Richard used modifed vests or extra padding in his shots. Richard did this quite a bit. Fred Trost wanted to do it on his outdoors show in the 90’s but Michigan authorities said he could be charged criminally.
Can’t they hire an illegal to do a job that Americans don’t want to do?? 😉
Prostitutes are professionals, too. That doesn’t make them impervious to STD’s
Thank you for reminding me.
upvote
I’m one guy who knows two guys who suffered medically significant spalling injuries from rounds that were stopped by their plates.
Hopefully he considered this possibility when he devised this test…
I can only imagine that it was a spall proof plate that had been throughly tested prio to his demo. Thats walking the walk. no denial there.
If this is a Level IIIA solution, as stated, then there is likely no plate involved so spalling is not an issue. However, back face deformation can lead to a broken rib!
New version of an old trick.
trick? he just shot himself in the chest, i would not consider this a “trick
Mike and SSD – Yeah, I learned from the best! Richard Davis is my father. He’s alive and well by the way, retired and just turned 70. He’s been shot over 200 times and I told him I have no intention of going after his record.
Straps, Dale, and Fudman – I only used IIIA soft armor so spalling wasn’t an issue. The ballistic panel was Armor Express’ FMS-A-IIIA model which is currently being provided to the US Army Military Police and other DOD entities via a prime contract held by Armor Express. In the interest of full disclosure I did have a phone book between the armor and my body to limit the blunt trauma. For more AE videos check out our youtube channel! Hope you enjoy!
Matt beat me to it – I haven’t seen it done for a while , but in the 70’s and 80’s when Rich did it frequently, he made no secret of putting a couple layers of magazines or something under the panel. It isn’t a trick, like Penn & Teller’s catching a bullet with their teeth…
I do recall some nitwit trying it without anything under the armor, after about 15 minutes he started throwing up and wound up with a diagnosis of a couple bruised ribs and a contusion to a lung. No one under any circumstances that I know of has taken a hit while wearing soft armor and enjoyed it.
Thanks for the clarity, I’m sold and will be talking with you in the future. Well done.
You sir, have earned my money.
Absolutely nuts, and it made my stomach hurt a bit to see him turn that pistol around. That said, I’m certainly sold on his product.
I believed in his dad and I believe in Matt and Armor Express. They have always been (and remain) a large employer in out tiny village, producing a proven, life-saving product and blessed with the best work force available. “Go Armor Express.”
Funny how different the comments here are from the youtube comments. Half the idiots over there are saying he’s wearing plates…..
I guess that shows the higher quality of SSD readers.
Powerful video! Seeing is believing