P
pappy
Guest
Britney Spears said:
not the same, that one your thinking of is the soft "newer" version M1967 if my memory holds, I believe those where out in like 1967 and up, we had like one of those, the rest of us had the older M1957 versions. The '57 had multiple overlapping 4"x4"x1/4" hard plates (not like todays hard plates) around bottom, waist area. The plates where in nylon pouches under the outer cover. Under these over lapping plates was the soft-ballistic nylon, not sure I'd call it Kelvar, that made up the majority of the vest, upper chest, back etc. No Velcro, just an metal zipper and snaps.... no collar... the M1967 had a collar, that was a sytlist vest back it's day....
Only the helo crews had the big ass plates that are the grand daddy of todays chest/back hard plates.
25 pounds of crap that didn't stop much more then shrapnel. We tested a few with pistol ammo, it sort of worked, but no one wanted to test it while wearing it... 5.56mm cut right on through. oh so much fun doing PT it those....
The USMC used them up into the late very early 80's. Thats when the PASGT (early IDF Clone body armor) first came out first issued to MEU's and grunts.
The USMC has a long history of using old US Army gear long after the Army gives up on it, Nice to see that tradition is ending or pretty much stopped today.
The IDF still uses the M1967 soft vest, mostly reservists... not sure why, maybe some sort of cult following, or punishment...
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