i assure you without a steel core it will still sail right through a vest. i wear a 3a with a ceramic plate in the front and it will bust it no problem without the steel core. no doubt. I've had 2 co workers shot with an ak47 (both in leg). want to know a secret? banning the ak wouldn't have stopped those assholes from having them. only stops people that should and by their constitutional right from having them. thats complete ****. ARMOR PIERCING?! really?! if thats the case .22 is armor piercing, along with a lot of common calibers. gun laws turn legal citizens into subjects. they don't stop the evil element that exists…. RANT OVER… I'm probably gonna lose sleep over this.