One of the most frequent questions we get asked at Ballistiglass is if we can supply bulletproof glass, and everyone is always shocked by our response. We can’t supply bulletproof glass, because bulletproof glass simply does not exist, but we can provide bullet-resistant glass.
Bulletproof glass is a marketing term used to describe many different types of security glass that can withstand several rounds from firearms beneath a certain caliber, no glass will 100% protect you from all calibers of weapons and hundreds of rounds.
Being able to withstand rounds from specific firearms and a limited number of shots isn’t necessarily what we would consider bulletproof. A more accurate term would be bullet-resistant glass.
Bullet-resistant glass, also known as “all-glass laminate” and ballistic-grade glass, is several sheets of glass with a special laminated layer between each piece of glass. There are several varieties of bullet-resistant glass however the most popular are glass-clad polycarbonate and laminated polycarbonate, which utilize polycarbonate as the laminated layer.
Bullet-resistant glass isn’t going to stop a bullet in its track and have the bullet bounce off the glass, leaving it perfectly intact. Rather bullet-resistant glass uses the same principles as a bulletproof vest (again, it should really be called a bullet-resistant vest).
When a bullet hits a bullet-resistant glass, each layer of glass absorbs some of the bullet’s kinetic energy and spreads it over the full length of the glass. As the bullet passes through each layer of glass, it loses momentum and eventually gets embedded in the glass. While the glass will crack, the laminate layer prevents the glass from shattering and falling apart.
While bullet-resistant glass may not be bulletproof, it still provides the best possible protection against firearms without using brick walls and metal armor. Should a gunman enter your property, business, school, or place of worship the bullet-resistant glass will allow those people to find cover and remain protected until police arrive.
If you’ve ever seen a picture of our president in the official state car, currently Cadillac One, you’d have noticed that the doors on it are incredibly thick and resemble a commercial airplane’s doors. That’s because bulletproof glass is traditionally very thick. The more layers the glass is made of, the better it is at stopping bullets.
At Ballistiglass, we have developed a new generation of bulletproof glass. Utilizing BallistiMAX, which uses polymers in the laminate layer, we have developed a bulletproof glass that is stronger and lighter than anything else currently on the market. Ballistiglass has the added benefit of being able to be retrofitted to your existing window frames.
Another benefit of BallistiMAX is that it has two sides, a threat side which is installed to face where you predict a gunman to come from, and the safe side, which is installed to face the people you want to protect. With the asymmetric capability counterfire feature, Ballistiglass will stop any bullets fired from the threat side of the glass but allow bullets fired from the safe side to pass through.
Ballistiglass offers you the best solution for bullet-resistant windows. It’s strong, thin, easy to install, and affordable. Ballistiglass is available and installed throughout the USA and can be precision-cut to fit all your windows.
For your commercial and residential bullet-resistant glass, contact Ballistiglass at (954) 612-6640.