Home and Workplace Defense
BALLISTIC PROTECTION FOR THE DETERMINED DEFENDER
- Belligerent trespassers
- Burglaries gone bad
- Armed robberies at the store
- Home invasions
Violent crime is a serious risk in modern society. Many Americans choose to be armed in order to protect themselves, their friends and family, and their businesses. The wisest of them also seek ballistic protection to stack the odds in their favor. Body armor designed for law enforcement or military applications may stop bullets, but is poorly suited to civilian use. Worn vests and plate carriers provide only limited coverage, and are difficult to don quietly and rapidly in times of duress. Anything worn carries the risk of a potentially incapacitating blunt trauma in the event of a hit. For civilians a ballistic shield is a better solution, being rapid and simple to use, with high coverage and minimal risk of blunt trauma. But current ballistic shields designed for law enforcement entry teams are excessively heavy, bulky, and expensive for civilian use, and need to be replaced every 5-10 years due to ballistic fiber aging.
Hardcore Defense's solution was to develop the Alpha Shield™, the first ballistic shield designed specifically to address the needs of the civilian as well as law enforcement.
THE ALPHA SHIELD ADVANTAGE
Most armed encounters involving civilians are at close range and involve handguns. Few criminals break into a home carrying a rifle or shotgun, and robbing a place of business is likewise more stealthy and likely to succeed with a handgun. If such an encounter turns violent the winner is usually the combatant who scores the first hit. Bulletproof vests may save your life by keeping bullets out of your vitals, but the shock from blunt trauma and the likelihood of additional shots hitting unprotected areas still usually means he who hits first, wins.
A ballistic shield changes that dynamic with significantly greater coverage than body armor, minimal risk of blunt trauma, and an overall formidable appearance. An armed criminal knows he is at a major disadvantage against a resolute armed and shield-carrying defender and may reconsider his actions rather than escalate. A shield also puts a melee-armed defender on a more even footing with a firearm wielding assailant. The first rule of gunfighting is bring a gun, but if a firearm isn't readily accessible (kids in the house, many family or neighbors in close proximity, etc.) then a knife or stun gun and a Hardcore Defense shield is the next best thing.
Remember that in the face of an armed threat, avoidance and retreat is usually the wisest action. Hardcore Defense does not advocate any action to the contrary, but designed the Alpha Shield to give homeowners and workers an advantage in situations where avoidance and retreat may not be possible.
For further information about the Alpha Shield including video reviews, please visit our Alpha Shield, Technology, and Testing pages.
