The video opens on an outdoor range at Take Aim Training and Range with Clint from Classic Firearms introducing the test. He presents a Guard Dog ballistic helmet with a level 3A rating, explaining that this protection level is intended to stop most common pistol cartridges up to .44 Magnum. While they do not have a .44 Magnum on hand, he lists the calibers they will be using: 9mm, .45 ACP, .357 Magnum, and .50 Action Express from a Desert Eagle. The goal is to see how well the helmet and a matching level 3A torso plate perform and what kind of physical effect the impacts might have on a human analog. For that, they are using a Ballistic Dummy Labs full-torso dummy fitted with a level 3A plate in the carrier. Clint mentions that they have previously tested this helmet with Tim Kennedy and Guard Dog and were impressed with the results, but this time they want to observe the interaction with the dummy’s simulated anatomy. He adjusts the helmet on the dummy, tightens the rear dial to secure it, and confirms that it is snug and properly positioned. He also briefly notes that he is already bloody from an earlier video where they tested level IV body armor, which got messy. With the setup complete, he outlines the plan: start with a couple of shots to the torso plate and then move to shots on the helmet, beginning with 9mm.
Clint starts the live-fire sequence with a Springfield Armory Prodigy chambered in 9mm. He plans to take one shot to the chest and then move to the right side of the helmet near the buckle. The first 9mm shot to the torso is slightly off, grazing the edge of the plate. On inspection, he shows that the round cut through the carrier material, missed the main body of the plate, and tracked along the dummy itself. He laughs about the miss and points out the path where the projectile traveled along the dummy. To correct this, he takes a second 9mm shot aimed directly over the front buckle area where the plate is clearly behind the fabric. This time the impact is centered on the armor, and he notes that the plate definitely caught the round. Feeling the back of the carrier, he comments that it feels solid and that there is no penetration through the plate, though he remarks that the dummy would certainly feel that hit where there was no armor. Next, he transitions to a Colt Rail Gun in .45 ACP. He announces that he will go for the left buckle area on the torso armor and then a shot to the helmet. A .45 ACP round is sent into the left buckle region, impacting the plate behind it. Another .45 ACP round is then fired at the Guard Dog ballistic helmet. After these shots, he inspects the armor and helmet, noting that there is no penetration through either piece and no obvious fluid loss from the dummy at the impact sites. At this stage, the level 3A plate and helmet are successfully stopping standard handgun rounds like 9mm and .45 ACP, though Clint reiterates that even non-penetrating hits would still be very uncomfortable for a real wearer.
The test escalates with a Colt Python revolver chambered in .357 Magnum. Clint aims at the center of the dummy’s chest, directly over the level 3A plate, and fires. On the front, the impact is clearly visible with a pronounced dent in the carrier where the plate sits. When he checks the back side, he feels noticeable deformation and warmth, indicating that the plate absorbed a significant amount of energy, but there is still no penetration through to the dummy. He emphasizes how much the armor has bulged while still preventing a pass-through. Clint then moves to the helmet and chooses a Velcro patch area on the side as his aiming point. He fires a .357 Magnum round into the Guard Dog ballistic helmet, producing a solid impact. During inspection, he shows that the helmet has captured the round and that it has not passed through to the interior where the dummy’s skull is located. The outer shell and underlying structure show clear damage and cumulative marks from the earlier 9mm and .45 ACP hits, but the armor continues to prevent perforation. Clint points out that this is consistent with level 3A expectations against .357 Magnum, while also acknowledging that the force of such a hit would still be harsh for an actual person.
For the final handgun test, Clint brings out a Desert Eagle chambered in .50 Action Express, describing it as a large .50 caliber cartridge fired from a semi-automatic pistol. He comments on the size of the gun and jokes about going straight for a head shot between the night vision mount points on the front of the helmet. First, however, he directs a .50 AE round into the center magazine pouch area over the torso plate. The impact is dramatic, tearing the carrier material and visibly rocking the dummy. On inspection, he notes that the plate area has taken a massive hit, with heavy deformation and torn fabric, but there is still no clear sign that the projectile has passed through the armor into the dummy’s chest cavity. He then follows through on his earlier idea and aims at the front of the helmet, placing a .50 AE shot between the night vision mount area. The hit is violent, and when he removes the helmet to inspect the dummy’s head, he finds that the skull underneath is cracked around its circumference and the neck area appears compromised from the transfer of energy. Despite this structural damage to the dummy, the .50 AE projectile itself is contained by the helmet and does not pass through into the interior. Clint uses this to highlight the difference between stopping a projectile and the blunt-force trauma that can still occur when a very powerful handgun round strikes armor at close range.
After completing the handgun sequence, Clint removes the level 3A plate from the carrier to examine it more closely. The front face shows multiple impact points with deep dents and torn fabric, especially where the .50 Action Express struck near the magazine pouch area. Despite the severe deformation, there are no clean holes through the plate. On the back side, he points out bulging and some tearing of the cover material, but again, nothing has fully passed through. To better understand how the armor captured the projectiles, he begins cutting into the plate. From the damaged sections, he recovers a .45 ACP bullet with a classic mushroomed copper jacket, showing how it expanded and was trapped within the armor layers. Along the edge where the 9mm round grazed, he finds a 9mm 115-grain projectile that rode the side of the plate, as well as another smaller, deformed 9mm jacket from a more direct hit. Digging deeper into the plate, he uncovers fragments and a starburst-like copper jacket from the .357 Magnum round, which opened up dramatically on impact. Finally, he works loose the remains of the .50 AE projectile in several pieces, including a heavy core and jacket fragments, demonstrating how the plate and helmet were able to absorb and contain even the largest handgun cartridge used in the test.
To show the contrast between armored and unarmored conditions, Clint removes the ballistic helmet from the dummy and exposes the head. Using the Desert Eagle again, he fires a .50 Action Express round between the eyes of the unprotected dummy. The result is dramatic, with the head structure largely destroyed and synthetic tissue and bone analog scattered, illustrating how much protection the helmet had previously provided. Next, Clint transitions to a 12-gauge shotgun for a close-range comparison. He outlines a three-shot sequence: first a slug to the gut, then buckshot to the sternum, and finally another slug to the head. The torso slug impact produces a deep channel in the gel and synthetic tissue, and he feels around in the cavity trying to locate the slug, later concluding that it likely passed through. The buckshot round to the sternum shreds the chest cavity, breaking the central bone structure and tearing away large sections of soft material. The final slug to the head removes most of what remains of the skull and face, leaving only a partial structure that Clint jokingly suggests could serve as a Halloween decoration. The series of unarmored shots underscores how destructive close-range 12-gauge fire can be on an unprotected target.
With all shots fired, Clint turns the dummy around to examine the exit side of the shotgun impacts. Much of the gelatin and synthetic skin simulating flesh has been rubbed off or blown away by repeated hits. The back of the torso shows extensive disruption, with large cavities and torn material indicating that the projectiles and fragments have exited or fragmented beyond easy recovery. He points out the wad from one of the slugs lodged in the back area but notes that the actual slug is not readily visible, suggesting it continued on past the dummy. The chest is described as thoroughly wrecked, and the head is essentially gone after the final 12-gauge slug to the face at near point-blank distance. In his closing remarks, Clint reiterates that the level 3A armor and Guard Dog ballistic helmet successfully stopped multiple handgun calibers, including .50 Action Express, preventing pass-throughs into the dummy. However, he stresses that the wearer would still experience significant blunt-force injury from such impacts. By contrast, the unarmored tests with .50 AE and 12-gauge slug and buckshot show how quickly pistol and shotgun fire at close range can cause catastrophic structural damage when there is no ballistic protection. He wraps up by encouraging viewers to consider quality armor as part of their personal protection setup and thanks the audience for watching.
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