Often referred to as “bulletproof” glass, ballistic glass can refer to a range of glass products that are resistant to attacks by firearms. However, manufacturers should not market these products as “bulletproof” because that implies bullets ricochet off the surface, when in reality, most ballistic products are “bullet-resistant” and actually absorb the impact of bullets.
The goal of ballistic glass products is to stop initial shots fired, slowing the attacker down and allowing those inside to escape to safety. Ballistic windows will often take numerous rounds of bullets before they become penetrable, but they do not stand up to a continual barrage of bullets.
There are plenty of products out there that claim to be bulletproof or bullet-resistant. Here, we’ll discuss which options are available and how to choose the ballistic product that’s right for you.
Ballistic Glass Options
You must understand the differences between the various products on the market that people sometimes describe as having ballistic glass qualities.
Laminated Glass
This type of glass uses layers of PVB or resin interlayers to make it less susceptible to shattering. While it enhances security and protects a building’s occupants from dangerous shards, most experts do not consider it bullet resistant. Like a car windshield, the lamination holds the glass together after penetration, but it rarely stops a bullet from entering a building.
Ballistic Window Film
Some security window films may market themselves as “bulletproof” or as “ballistic film for windows.”
These thin films made of polyurethane layers can be applied to existing glazing, so they might be appealing to those looking for a quick fix, rather than replacing the entire glazing system.
However, these films are unlikely to stop a bullet in the same way that ballistic glass would.
Ballistic Glass
Though people call it glass, manufacturers more commonly make this ballistic product from a plastic-like polycarbonate that looks like glass but offers 250 times the strength. The polycarbonate, often enhanced with layers of polyurethane, provides the highest level of bullet resistance by absorbing the bullet’s impact and preventing it from entering the building.
Ballistic Glass Ratings
When searching for a product to defend against ballistic attacks, you should search for something that has a ballistic rating. If a product does not list a ballistic rating, you should not consider it bullet resistant. Manufacturers rate ballistic glass products based on how many and what kinds of bullets they can resist from specific firearms. The industry commonly uses two standards to measure bullet resistance: Underwriters Laboratory (UL) Standard 752 and National Institute of Justice (NIJ) 018.01.
Within these two rating standards are eight levels of bullet resistance. Level 1 has an average glass thickness of 13/16” and can withstand three shots from a 9mm handgun. The thickness of the glass and power of the firearms it’s meant to withstand increase as the levels go up. Level 8 has an average thickness of 2 ⅜” and can withstand up to five shots from a 7.62mm rifle. As you can see, the effectiveness varies greatly, so make sure you understand which level you are getting when you purchase any ballistic glass product.
Best Ballistic Windows & Doors – BulletShield
Dubbed “Body Armor for Windows,” BulletShield, DefenseLite’s ballistic glass product, offers impressive ballistic resistance at a fraction of the cost of traditional solutions. Rated to UL 752 ballistic standards, these impressive polycarbonate shields mount onto existing window and door frames. Thus, creating a protective layer that mitigates ballistic attack to keep your building protected from active shooter threats.
Engineers design these bullet-resistant shields to flex under attack. This enables them to withstand multiple shots, stall the shooter, and give those inside time to seek safety. Installers can mount BulletShield’s ballistic glass on doors and windows in schools, campuses, hospitals, government buildings. Or any business vulnerable to ballistic attack.
Each system is custom fabricated based on perceived threat levels, budgets, and existing glazing conditions. Installed by certified dealers, these ballistic systems may utilize exotic plastics, polycarbonates, or glass-clad shields, depending on performance requirements. Installers may use all-weather adhesives, high-performance films, VHB tapes, and mechanical security anchors to secure the system.
With active shooter situations on the rise, there is no better time than now to enhance security with ballistic-resistant glass. Keep your students, employees, and building occupants safe with BulletShield.
Window film Depot is a 3M window film provider, equipped to make sure that all your window film needs are adequately and efficiently met. If you require a free feasibility study to determine the needs of your building, get in touch with Jeff@windowfilmdepot.com
