The video opens at Neutral Ground Gun Company in New Orleans with Ka from Classic Firearms joined by James Reeves from TFBTV. They introduce the 5.7x28mm cartridges being tested, distinguishing a standard 27‑grain 5.7 load from the SS190 armor‑piercing variant. James describes SS190 as a 31‑grain aluminum‑core round with a steel penetrator, estimating roughly 2,100 feet per second from a 5.7 pistol and about 2,400 feet per second from a P90. He notes that SS190 has gone through level III plates consistently in his experience and has even penetrated some thinner or weaker level IV plates from a P90, while emphasizing that performance varies between plates all labeled as level IV. The round is law enforcement and military only for sale, but not illegal to possess, and is described as costing about ten dollars per round.
They lay out the armor to be tested. One plate is a level IV ceramic plate carrier insert donated by Gardoc, described as ceramic with polyethylene backing. The other is a lighter, thinner level III+ backpack plate, also from Gardoc, rated up to .308 Winchester. The backpack plate is identified as polyethylene, while the level IV plate combines ceramic and polyethylene. James stresses that the level III+ plate is not rated for SS190 5.7x28mm, only up to .308, so the test is exploratory rather than a rating validation. They plan to shoot a standard 5.7 sporting load first, then SS190, using both a PX‑57 style 5.7 pistol and a P90. James comments that plate thickness and construction matter significantly, even when plates share the same nominal rating, and notes that very thin level IV plates have failed against SS190 in his prior testing.
The baseline test uses a Tisas PX‑57 pistol loaded with SS195 LF, described as a 27‑grain, non‑penetrator, sporting 5.7x28mm round. They fire at the Gardoc level III+ backpack plate from roughly seven yards, aiming near the top of the plate. On inspection, the front shows clear impact points, but the back exhibits almost no visible deformation. They repeat the shot to confirm the result, again seeing minimal backface effect and no obvious penetration. Based on this, they decide not to bother firing the same SS195 LF load from the P90, reasoning that the longer barrel and extra velocity are unlikely to change the outcome meaningfully against this particular plate. The standard 5.7 load is characterized as fast and capable of damage, but not effective at defeating this hard armor plate.
They move to SS190 and discuss expectations. James predicts that SS190 will penetrate the level III+ backpack plate, while Ka notes the plate’s substantial thickness and calls it a “chunky” design that might resist better than thinner plates with similar ratings. They emphasize again that the plate is not rated for SS190. James loads SS190 into the PX‑57 pistol and fires at the backpack plate. The impact is visible on the front, but it is difficult to determine from the rear whether the round has fully penetrated, as the small steel penetrator could leave a very narrow channel. Concerned that the plate material might self‑seal, they consider cutting the plate open but instead decide to fire another SS190 round despite the cost. They note that the entry marks are tiny and that visual inspection alone may not reliably show whether the penetrator has exited.
To better understand SS190 performance, they introduce the FN P90, noting that it adds roughly 300 feet per second over the pistol, which James believes can significantly change armor interaction. He explains that the P90’s optic has about a four‑inch mechanical offset from the bore, so he aims higher than the intended impact point, using a bulldog graphic on the target as a reference. Firing SS190 from the P90 at the same Gardoc level III+ plate, they observe more pronounced front‑side damage and suspect greater energy transfer. However, penetration remains ambiguous because the rear of the plate and the paper behind it show punctures that could be either full penetration or tearing from backface deformation. They fire an additional SS190 round from the P90, aiming at the bulldog’s ear to better track impact location, but still find it difficult to conclusively determine whether the penetrator has exited the plate.
Because the SS190 penetrator is so small, they struggle to distinguish true perforation from minor tearing in the backing material and paper. To clarify results, they tape paper tightly behind the plate, then add more tape directly over the rear surface, reasoning that SS190 from the pistol did not deform tape when it failed to penetrate. They also place a water jug behind the plate as an additional indicator: if the round exits, the jug should show obvious damage. The plate is heavily taped, and they discuss how the tiny, needle‑like steel penetrator can slip through without leaving a dramatic hole. This segment focuses on refining the test setup to make penetration easier to confirm visually, rather than drawing firm conclusions about SS190 versus the specific Gardoc plates until more definitive evidence is gathered.
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