How much body fat stops a bullet?

The Myth of the Human Bulletproof Vest: Can Body Fat Really Stop a Bullet?

The image of an overweight individual shrugging off bullets thanks to a thick layer of body fat is a common trope in fiction. But how much truth is there to this seemingly outlandish idea? Can a substantial amount of adipose tissue truly act as a human bulletproof vest? The short answer, backed by scientific evidence, is a resounding no.

While it’s true that any material placed in the path of a bullet will offer some resistance and slow it down, the notion that body fat can reliably stop a bullet is a dangerous misconception. Experiments, though understandably limited in their scope on living subjects, have demonstrated that even a considerable amount of fat isn’t enough to prevent penetration. Tests using ballistic gelatin, which closely mimics the density and resistance of human tissue, including fat, have shown that bullets can penetrate through several inches of the material, depending on the caliber and velocity of the projectile.

One often-cited example involves experiments with layers of fat equivalent to 14 inches. While this substantial padding did slow the bullets down, it didn’t stop them entirely. Experts, extrapolating from this data, estimate that it would take approximately 28 inches of fat to reliably stop a standard handgun bullet. This thickness of adipose tissue is far beyond what is considered even morbidly obese, making it practically impossible for someone to possess enough body fat to achieve this level of “protection.”

Furthermore, even if a bullet were hypothetically stopped by an immense layer of fat, the blunt force trauma delivered by the impact would likely cause severe internal injuries. The energy transferred from the bullet to the body, even without penetration, could lead to broken bones, organ damage, and potentially fatal internal bleeding.

Therefore, the idea of body fat acting as effective bulletproofing is a myth. While a small amount of slowing might occur, relying on body fat for protection is not only unrealistic but also dangerously misleading. Proper ballistic protection requires specialized materials and construction designed to dissipate the energy of a bullet and prevent penetration, something human tissue, regardless of its composition, simply cannot do reliably.