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Bullet proof walls

Portable Welder

Cast Iron
Joined
Jan 9, 2015
Location
Milan, MI
I have a job for a governmental building, they're asking for my guidance to make a bullet proof wall where they sit at the meetings in case a gunman comes in and starts shooting at them from the audience.

Its looking like 3/8" AR 500 plate should be more than sufficient to stop any hand gun round and even most long guns.

So my question is: Is there a difference between the AR500 that I buy from my structural steel supply house ( in this case Alro ) verses where the target builders get their steel, my supplier sells AR500 F, the F denotes formable, formable is what I need because I need to roll it, in my case it will be rolled in a press brake, I just have to put a slight curve in it.

Any knowledge would be greatly appreciated.
 
I have a job for a governmental building, they're asking for my guidance to make a bullet proof wall where they sit at the meetings in case a gunman comes in and starts shooting at them from the audience.

Its looking like 3/8" AR 500 plate should be more than sufficient to stop any hand gun round and even most long guns.

So my question is: Is there a difference between the AR500 that I buy from my structural steel supply house ( in this case Alro ) verses where the target builders get their steel, my supplier sells AR500 F, the F denotes formable, formable is what I need because I need to roll it, in my case it will be rolled in a press brake, I just have to put a slight curve in it.

Any knowledge would be greatly appreciated.

.
bullet hits steel plate it bounces off and goes flying and still dangerous. i believe thick Kevlar layers is designed to slow stop bullet. plywood over 2" thick layers might be cheaper. high powered round going to need a lot more as some will go through steel plate
.
possible companies that make bullet resistant vests sell wall boards. notice i said resistant as somebody injured every year trying to prove their vest is bullet proof
 
I have a job for a governmental building, they're asking for my guidance to make a bullet proof wall where they sit at the meetings in case a gunman comes in and starts shooting at them from the audience.

Its looking like 3/8" AR 500 plate should be more than sufficient to stop any hand gun round and even most long guns.

So my question is: Is there a difference between the AR500 that I buy from my structural steel supply house ( in this case Alro ) verses where the target builders get their steel, my supplier sells AR500 F, the F denotes formable, formable is what I need because I need to roll it, in my case it will be rolled in a press brake, I just have to put a slight curve in it.

Any knowledge would be greatly appreciated.

You are about up to pre-War One technology. Technology has moved-on. Research will find that.

Even so, I'd not touch even the "advice" part with a barge-pole.

Liability issues are open-ended.

Better to suggest they engage a firm that is "in the business", has the experience, track record, references, and most of all - the insurance.
 
Agree better to make such as directed so not to gain any responsibility...perhaps give the specs on the material but not make any choices except to make the part (wall).

I used to special sharpen hogan drills for 1" AR...with the job going from 3 to 5 holes to 50 to 70 holes...Yes customer loved that..
Part speeds and feeds and part tool geometry
 
There are better opportunities!

I would talk to a lawyer and insurance company before having anything to do with this project. Let somebody in the business with the expertise and insurance handle this. I know for a fact that if something happens, ANYBODY connected in any way will be sued.

Tom
 
This plate is on the back side of the wood, so the bullets have to go through the wood, hit the plate, then ricoshay off the wood, the plate is on a significant angle to where the proposed shooter will be standing.
I do have insurance.
My wording in the quote will specify what I'm using, it will specify resistant, not guaranteed.

I will definitely make it clear that that it will not protect against armor piercing bullets.

AR 500 is what they make targets out of that get pelted by hundreds of bullets.

Thanks for all the warnings and about all the implications involved on doing such a job, if the shooter really wants to kill them, all he has to do is walk another 100' and just shoot them under the table where they will be hiding.
 
QT:[if the shooter really wants to kill them, all he has to do is walk another 100' and just shoot them under the table where they will be hiding.]

Seems a metal detector at the door, and a couple cops or guards would would be of more effective and less costly.. but it is only tax money so who cares...
 
QT:[if the shooter really wants to kill them, all he has to do is walk another 100' and just shoot them under the table where they will be hiding.]

Seems a metal detector at the door, and a couple cops or guards would would be of more effective and less costly.. but it is only tax money so who cares...

Cop is gonna take a boolit for you ?

Floriduh has show us, "show up late, fill out forms in comfort"
 
an ar10 308 will punch through 3/8s with the right bullet, close range. 3/8s thick targets that are shot at with ar style rifles are almost always swinging style when hit. you need someone else to take fall if something goes wrong at minimum some specs you can build to.
 
On a scale of 1 to get sued as far as liability exposure, this feels like it's far away from 1 and somewhere square in the middle of could get sued territory.

Tread carefully. Good luck
 
Huh....Thinking I would be tempted to go get a few rolls of tin foil (off brand....the bastards arent worth name brand) put it behind the sheet rock and tell em...."good to go"
 
why is it every one always wants to use thick steel plate.
for bullet resistance

hot tip those armored trucks that carry money around don't have steel plates
on the sides.

there are commercially available panels for just that.
and they will be much easier to install no need to use a crane

a few layers of corrugated steel can be quit effective also
 
Was working with a guy doing a layout of bullet proof winders
from the outer lobby (large glass panels, floor to ceiling type)
into the main office.

He laughed at 2 reasons:
1. The boss (wanting the install) was arrogant enough to think some one would waste their life trying to "get him", he wasn't that
important.

2. The drywall on both sides of the glass was not re-enforced.
So as he put it, if a person starts shooting, you would need
to overcome all instincts, and step in front of the glass......:nutter:
 
I have a job for a governmental building, they're asking for my guidance to make a bullet proof wall where they sit at the meetings in case a gunman comes in and starts shooting at them from the audience.

Its looking like 3/8" AR 500 plate should be more than sufficient to stop any hand gun round and even most long guns.

So my question is: Is there a difference between the AR500 that I buy from my structural steel supply house ( in this case Alro ) verses where the target builders get their steel, my supplier sells AR500 F, the F denotes formable, formable is what I need because I need to roll it, in my case it will be rolled in a press brake, I just have to put a slight curve in it.

Any knowledge would be greatly appreciated.

We deal with AR steel every day making wear liners for machinery that deals with abrasive materials. We also supply a few targets from time to time. The answer to your question is there is no difference. Yes, the "F" is for formable but is helps to know the direction of the material grain when you are rolling.

Don't overthink the rolling part of the job. Use double the tonnage as you would for mild steel and just go for it. This stuff does work harden if you diddle around with it too much.

I see all the unsolicited advice and, about all that I can agree with is to let the customer dictate the type and thickness of the material. Also make sure you get MTR with your material and specify domestic if required.

Most of the structural houses are re-sellers so you might want to look up and contact Kloeckner (or similar) for an alternate price. We buy ours from them and pay about double mild steel costs.

Walter
 
Thanks Walter A, My steel suppliers buy direct from the mill, they easily sell a million lbs a day, so I'm comfortable with my source, I will definitely keep all the paper work associated with this job to verify that it is indeed AR500 the same way that I do with my structural bolts.
I will be bending across the grain... I will use a 4" bottom die, when I purchased my dies I paid extra to have them heat treated on the wear surfaces, I hope that is sufficient when bending AR 500, I only have to bend the plate across about a 32" area so that wont be a problem tonnage wise.
 








 
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