"Can a Real Suit of Armor Stop a Bullet?!?!" Topic

Well…

YouTube link

Amicalement
Armand

In practice no .
One of the reasons that armour disappeared was the rise of artillery and the handgun.

The test film shows .22 being fired from a pistol. In you try a one ounce lead ball from a .75 or .85 handgonne and you will either:
1) be knocked over by the impact of the bullet flattening against the plate
2) injured by a partial penetration
3) killed by a full penetration

The only factors which would affect the above are the powder, the angle of the impact and possibly the weather making the powder damp.
If the angle is wrong anything can bounce of body armour – an A.P. solid shot will bounce off water at the right angle – but a square hit will lead to results 2) or 3).
3) is the most probable.

Barry

The answer is yes, under the right circumstances, armor can stop a bullet.

The kinetic energy of the bullet is 0.5 x Mass of bullet x Velocity of bullet ^2

The velocity is dependent on:
1) how fast it comes out of the firearm
2) The range (the air resistance will slow the bullet down the further it travels).

So the range is critical. As the range increases the velocity of the bullet will decrease. This will cause the energy of the bullet to decrease even quicker as it is a squared relationship.

At some point the energy of the bullet will decrease to a point where it is insufficient to pass through the armor.

As firearms became better, the range at.which they could penetrate armor increased. There was a limitation on the stopping power of armor, as increasing the stopping power would increase the weight of the armor. The weight was obviously a limit.
The only other option to change the stopping power of the armor is to change the design or materials of construction. Modern body armor for example is able to absorb much more energy than renaissance armor.

I have always found this account by Captain Richard Atkyns, written about an incident during the Battle of Roundway Down. It's lengthy, but a great read, and speaks to the value of armour against sword and pistol, even in the mid c. 17th. Where he writes "touched him", he literally means that he pressed the pistol against him.

"T'was my fortune in a direct line to charge their general of Horse which I supposed to be so by his place; he discharged his carbine first, but at distance not to hurt us, and afterwards one of his pistols before I cam up to him, and missed with both; I then immediately struck into him, and touched him before I discharged mine; and I am sure I hit him, for he staggered and presently wheeled off from his party and ran.

Here I must desire the readers to be very particular in this relation because twenty several persons have entitled themselves to this action and a Knight (possibly Sir Robert Welsh) that shall be nameless, that is dead (speaking of his great services and small rewards to me) told me the very ensuing story himself, all but that he could not give so good reason as I could, why it was Sir Arthur Haslerigge. When he wheeled off, I pursued him and had not gone 20 yards after him, but I heard a voice saying, "'tis Sir Arthur Haslerigge follow him"; but from which party the voice came I knew not they being joined, nor never did know ‘til about 7 years since, but I follow him I did, and in 6 score yards I came up to him and discharged the other pistol at him, and I am sure I hit his head, for I touched it before I gave fire, and it amazed him at that present , but he was too well armed all over for a pistol bullet to do him any hurt having a coat of mail over his arms and a headpiece (I am confident) musket proof his sword had 2 edges and a ridge in the middle and mine was mine was a strong tuck; After I had slackened my pace a little he was gone 20 yards form me, riding three quarters speed and riding down the side of a hill, his posture was waving his sword on the right and left hand of his horse, not looking back to see whether he were pursued or not, (as I conceive) to daunt any horse that should come up to him; in about 6 score more I cam up to him again (having a very swift horse that Cornet Washnage gave me) and stuck by him a good while and tried him from head to the saddle and could not penetrate him or do him any hurt; but in this attempt he cut my horses nose, that you might put your finger in the wound and gave me such a blow on the inside of my arm amongst the veins that I could hardly hold my sword' he went on as before and I slackened my pace again and found my horse drop blood and not so bold as before; but 8 score more I got up to him again thinking to have pulled off his horse; but he now having found the way, struck my horse upon the cheek and cut of half the headstall of my bridle, but falling off from him I ran his horse into the body and resolved to attempt to attempt nothing further than to kill his horse; all this time we were together hand and fist.

In the nick of time up came Mr. Holmes (Atkyn's cornet) who never failed me in times of danger, and went up to him with great resolution, and felt him before he discharged his pistol, and though I saw him hit him, ‘twas but a flea-biting to him; which while he charged him I employed myself killing his horse, and ran him into several places nd pon the faltering of his horse is headpiece opened behind, and I gave him a rick in the neck, and had run him through the head if my horse had not stumbled at the same place; then came in Captain Buck a gentleman of my troop, and discharged his pistol on him also, but with the same success as before, and being a very strong man and charging with a mighty hanger (cutlass) stormed him and amazed him, but fell off again; by this time his horse began to faint with bleeding, and fell off from his rate, at which said Sir Arthur, "what good will it do you to kill a poor man?" Said I "take quarter then", with that he stopped his horse and came up to him and bid him deliver his sword which he was loathe to do; and being tied twice about his wrist, he was fumbling a great while before he would part with it; but before he delivered it there was a runaway troop of theirs that espied him in hold; says one of them " My Lord General is taken prisoner"; says another " Sir Arthur Haslerigge is taken prisoner, face about and charge", with that they rallied an charged us, and rescued him; wherein I received a shot with a pistol which only took off the skin upon the blade bone of my shoulder".

Charles I remarked that if Haselrig had been as well provisioned as he was fortified, then he could have withstood a siege.

Many thanks!.

Amicalement
Armand