Ok here is the thing about plate carriers (PC) or as we call them in the marine corps (flaks).
They are heavy I don't care who you are. 30 pounds of fabric and ceramic plating might seem like no big deal but wear that thing for 18 hrs a day while carrying a day pack and you will wish you could take it off.
(Little tired of this one. by that reasoning you should leave your rifle at home too cuss it sucks to carry and carrying something in your hands is alot harder fyi I have carried over 150lbs for a 5 hour period it sucked but it needed to be done I know guys with better stories but I know mine to be true)
It is also not good if you are going to be in a defensive posture. You could wait for weeks for the enemy to attack and they may never even come. \
(once again complecency kills before anything else. What about the scout that see's you are well armed and prepared to make a stand there is something to be said for intimidation value plates or no plates. It also wont only be amatuers out there do all military families prep no didnt think so. So dont make it any easier for them to take you out on a longshot.)
Once a ceramic plate is hit, it's pretty much done and they only stop up to 7.62mm X 39mm. (Steel plates will stop a 7.62mm X 54rmm and can survive multiple hits, but they weigh a ton more and you get spalling)
Half truths e sapi plates will stop hits from 7.62X54mm but the tighter the grouping the higher the odds of penetration which is defined as 1 inch of penetration past the normal curve of the plate with several round being placed in close proximity. In reality it provides a higher level of surviviability then whats implied because the level of damage you receive will be much closer to the surviable side of things. The military uses ceramic so spalling doesnt hit nearby troopers. AR500 steel plates while they are indeed heavier on the order of a pound or two depending, they provide an even higher level of protection check it out lapua vs ar500 youtube it wish I had the link right now incidentally the ceramic plates are designed to work with soft armor so you actually net a lighter weight if you have just the ar500 plate there is also a company that sells them in a "traditional" plate cut and curve they will also coat them in rhino lining I believe to prevent spalling.
The only reason you would need a PC is if you knew without a doubt that there were people coming after you with high powered rifles or you are taking the offensive and attacking another group of people.
(If you have an established homestead expect 1 to 100 of the millions of starving people looking for food to find you. I know I wouldnt hesitate if my baby was starving. Your footprint is going to be massive me personally I could prolly find you from miles and miles off hell if you have a driveway you will be found thats why I am staying mobile)
What I would recommend for most people is something like this
AR500 Armor Operator Plate Carrier - Coyote
With this soft armor inside instead of plates.
SOFT ARMOR Question why is the primary weapon a rifle. Answear for a reason range accuracy etc by the time they get into pistol range you got it coming for letting someone get that close to you.
AR500 Armor Carbon Nanotube IIIA 10" x 12" ASC Body Armor
That will protect you again all pistol caliber ammunition and even shotgun rounds. That is what I would recommend but I don't know exactly what kind of situation you are in. Take the information and use what you can.
