Rifle Shield
BlueRidge Armor announces the new Vengeance X7, a hard armor, rifle-rated ballistic shield featuring the latest evolutions in armor technology.
Showcased at SHOT Show 2023 earlier this month in Las Vegas, the X7 is the first hard armor ballistic shield independently tested to various RF1 performance requirements set forth in the recently released ASTM ballistic shield test protocol, the company says.
Building on the origins of the popular Vengeance Series handgun shields, deployed by many agencies across the country, BlueRidge Armor sought input from law enforcement personnel for the development of this next generation shield that meets real world requirements for routine deployment.
“Watching today’s headlines and listening to active law enforcement, it quickly becomes obvious that shields are needed for an added layer of individual officer and team protection,” says Dale Taylor, BlueRidge Armor CEO. “Our latest Vengeance X7 series meets the needs for a shield that is more capable in protecting against ever increasing rifle threats. Response at SHOT Show for the X7 was incredible with end use agencies showing a great deal of interest in the new ASTM performance requirements and protocol.”
Features of the Vengeance X7 include the patented Vengeance viewport with ballistic bezel system, for wide field of view; Elzetta EZH-R integrated rifle LED lighting system; and a streamlined design curves around the user providing higher coverage.
The Vengeance X7 is made of high-performance, lightweight ballistic composite and is independently tested to various NIJ 0108.01 Level III and ASTM RF1 conditions. The RF1 rating requires rigorous ballistic testing against the 7.62×51 M80 NATO Ball, 7.62×39 MSC Chinese Type 56, and the 5.56 M193 NATO.
Pricing: Available on request for quote only at info@blueridgearmor.com
A diverse team of more than 40 stakeholders collaborated to develop the two shield standards, including shield manufacturers; suppliers; federal, state, and local law enforcement end users; ballistic testing and certification experts; researchers; federal ballistic protection experts; and standards professionals.
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Anna Seiple is the program director for the Safety Equipment Institute, an ASTM affiliate. “These two standards form the basis for a new ASTM Verification Program, which includes “independent, third-party verification, online listing of verified products, authorization to put the ASTM-verified mark on products, and annual testing to assess continued compliance,” Seiple explains. “Because of the broad stakeholder support in developing these standards, it is expected that the verification program will be required by law enforcement purchasers, cooperative contracting programs (such as NASPO ValuePoint), and end users.”
Ballistic protection is an obvious consideration for those engaged in private protection, who’ll understand only too well that the first step in successfully protecting others is the successful protection of themselves.
