Whether body armor stops shotgun pellets is a common question from law enforcement officers, security professionals and civilians. The short answer from the records: the NIJ body armor levels are defined by named handgun and rifle rounds, and none of them is a shotgun load. Anything a product claims about shotgun pellets or slugs is a claim for the maker's test report.
This article sets out what the standards test, what they do not, and what to ask before relying on armor against a shotgun. ArmorList reports what the records show; it never ranks or endorses a product.
Understanding shotgun pellets
In general terms, shotgun pellets, also called shot, are small round projectiles fired together from one shell, and they spread as they travel. Loads range from birdshot, with many small pellets, to buckshot, with fewer and larger ones. Shotguns also fire slugs, a single heavy projectile.
In our view, that range is why one answer does not fit every load. Pellet size, the number of pellets, the velocity and the distance all change what reaches the armor, so a result for one load at one distance does not describe another.
We found no NIJ or CJTTEC source that tests or describes how shotgun pellets or slugs perform against body armor (checked 1 October 2026), so this article makes no claim about which loads a given armor stops.
How body armor is designed
NIJ Standard 0101.07 sets minimum performance requirements and test methods for body armor used by U.S. law enforcement that is intended to protect the torso against handgun and rifle ammunition. CJTTEC, which administers the NIJ Compliance Testing Program, says NIJ 0101.07 names its levels "HG" for handgun and "RF" for rifle, "a reduction in soft-armor levels and an additional hard-armor protection level".
How a given vest or plate is built, and what it is made of, is the maker's to state. We make no claim here about which material performs better against any threat.
For the rifle levels, see Breaking Down Hard Body Armor Levels.
Types of body armor available
What each NIJ standard tests against:
| Standard | Levels | What the levels are defined by |
|---|---|---|
| NIJ 0101.06 | Types IIA, II and IIIA (handgun); Types III and IV (rifle) | named handgun rounds such as 9mm, .40 S&W, .357 Magnum, .357 SIG and .44 Magnum; for rifles, 7.62mm M80 (Type III) and .30 caliber M2 AP (Type IV) |
| NIJ 0101.07, with levels in NIJ 0123.00 | HG1 and HG2 (handgun); RF1, RF2 and RF3 (rifle) | HG1: 9mm Luger FMJ RN and .357 Magnum JSP. HG2: 9mm Luger FMJ RN and .44 Magnum JHP. RF1 and RF2: M80, 7.62x39 MSC and 5.56 M193, with RF2 adding 5.56 M855. RF3: .30-06 M2 AP |
None of these levels names a shotgun load. NIJ 0101.06 also defines a special test class for threats its five types do not cover; we found no equivalent class in 0101.07 or 0123.00 in the NIJ pages we could reach (checked 29 September 2026). A product tested against a shotgun load outside these levels has a lab result, not an NIJ level for that load.
NIJ certifies body armor for law enforcement model by model, and the Compliant Products List (CPL) records which models met the program. 0101.06 is not expired: NIJ anticipates maintaining the 0101.06 CPL through at least the end of calendar year 2029.
Other kinds of protection have their own standards. Stab and spike armor is tested under NIJ Standard 0115.00, which has its own CPL, and a ballistic rating is not a stab rating. Ballistic shields have their own ASTM standard, E3347, which names its own levels and offers shotgun testing as an option. UL 752 also uses shotgun designations, but it rates bullet-resisting equipment such as barriers, not body armor.
For the carriers that hold this armor, read Exploring Different Types of Plate Carriers.
Shotgun pellet impact on body armor
Because no NIJ body armor level names a shotgun load, an NIJ level on its own does not tell you how the armor performs against pellets or slugs. A level means the model met that level's named rounds; it says nothing either way about other threats.
A maker may have armor tested against a shotgun load at a laboratory. That result is the maker's test report, and it describes that load, at that velocity and distance, on that model. Our advice: ask for the report, and check:
- The laboratory that issued it, and whether its report can be validated.
- The standard or method it was tested to.
- The exact load: gauge, shot size or slug, and velocity.
- The armor model tested, and the date of the test.
For the handgun levels, see The Stopping Power of Level IIIA Body Armor.
Real-life scenarios and testing
NIJ's own Body Armor User Guide says no body armor is bulletproof. A controlled test answers the question it asked, for the threat and conditions it used.
We found no NIJ, CJTTEC or peer-reviewed source that compiles real incidents of body armor struck by shotgun pellets (checked 1 October 2026), so we make no claim about how armor has performed in the field against them.
Choosing the right armor for shotgun protection
In our view, start from the threats you assess, then find the record for the exact model:
- Where a buyer, policy or funder such as BJA's Bulletproof Vest Partnership (BVP) requires NIJ compliance, check the exact model on the CPL, with the date you read its status.
- For a shotgun claim, ask for the maker's test report described above. A claim with no named standard, lab or report behind it cannot be checked.
- ArmorList's product records show the standards a model is recorded as tested to and, for NIJ, its CPL status with the date the list was read.
Trauma pads do not change this. CJTTEC states that trauma packs and plates do not provide additional ballistic protection and are not tested by the program; see A Guide to Using Trauma Pads.
Fit and care matter too; see The Right Way to Fit Body Armor.
Conclusion and safety tips
No NIJ body armor level is defined by a shotgun load. What a vest or plate does against pellets or slugs is a question for the maker's test report, for that load, that model and that test.
Check the standard and level the model is tested to, its CPL status with the date you read it where NIJ compliance is required, and the lab report behind any shotgun claim. For care and inspection, follow the manufacturer's guidance and read How to Maintain and Care for Body Armor.
Sources
- NIJ, Ballistic Resistance of Body Armor, NIJ Standard 0101.07 (read 2026-09-29)
- NIJ, Specification for NIJ Ballistic Protection Levels and Associated Test Threats, NIJ Standard 0123.00 (read 2026-09-29)
- NIJ, Ballistic Resistance of Body Armor, NIJ Standard-0101.06 (PDF) (read 2026-09-29)
- OJP, Ballistic Resistance of Body Armor NIJ Standard-0101.06 (abstract) (read 2026-09-29)
- NIJ, Understanding NIJ 0101.06 Armor Protection Levels (read 2026-10-01)
- NIJ, Compliant Products List: Ballistic Resistant Body Armor (read 2026-09-29)
- CJTTEC, Body Armor FAQs (read 2026-10-01)
- NIJ, Stab Resistance of Personal Body Armor, NIJ Standard 0115.00 (read 2026-09-29)
- ASTM E3347/E3347M-26, Standard Specification for Ballistic-Resistant Shields Used by Law Enforcement Officers (read 2026-09-29)
- NIJ, Body Armor User Guide (read 2026-09-29)
- CJTTEC, New Ballistic-Resistant Body Armor Standard Published (read 2026-10-01)