If you need a quick low budget solution to reduce glass breakage and deter forced entry into a building, Antiballistic Film is the way to go. But, if you want to protect people and save lives, Antiballistic Glass is the superior choice.
The Country is abuzz with talk of bolstering safety measures and protocols in our schools and other public spaces, and for good reason. But what are the plans, and how solid are they? Missouri House Bill No. 416 states that “each school district and charter school shall equip each: (2) Exterior door or entryway with bullet-resistant window film on the glass of such door or entryway.” The plan is for all of this to be completed before July 1 of 2029.
Here’s the deal. This isn’t safe.
Antiballistic Film Provides very limited protection against High Caliber Rounds. What does that mean? A bullet will go right through it.
Antiballistic Glass is strong and designed to withstand multiple shots before, if ever, making its way all the way through.
Antiballistic Film is a thin, transparent, multi-layered film that gets applied to existing glass surfaces.
Antiballistic Glass is a thick structure composed of multiple layers of glass and polycarbonate that is fused together, or solid polycarbonate, depending upon the application.
The main function of Antiballistic Film is protection against shattering glass. This obviously reduces the chance of injury from glass shards, and limits the success of a shooter being able to “shoot out” a window and gain entry into a building or room, but it shouldn’t be marketed as a lifesaving mechanism. The truth is, that it just is not bullet resistant.
Something to be particularly mindful of is that purveyors of safety film will tout their product as bullet resistant. They will even make videos proclaiming it works. When they make these videos they use extra thick glass, one half inch, then use the thickest film available, likely not the economical thickness they are attempting to sell to you, and when they shoot it, they do so at an extreme angle so the bullet mostly glances off the thick glass before it actually gets to the film. It’s misleading, and potentially very dangerous. So I leave you with this:
4 MAIN POINTS TO CONSIDER
1. Protection Level:
Antiballistic Film protects against shattering but offers very limited resistance to direct bullet penetration.
Antiballistic Glass is designed to stop bullets completely by absorbing the impact and dispersing the energy through multiple layers.
2. Installation:
Antiballistic Film is quick and easy – but when it comes to the safety of those we love, quick and easy should not be a priority. It can also degrade quickly and may need to be reapplied.
Antiballistic Glass requires a professional installation process but it is long lasting, HIGHLY durable, and protects lives.
3. Cost and Affordability:
Antiballistic Film is budget friendly. Again, you cannot put a price on the safety of human life.
Antiballistic Glass has a higher cost, but it offers superior protection. It’s worth it.
4. Aesthetics and Maintenance: Antiballistic Film is virtually undetectable – that is until bubbles appear or someone accidentally bumps something into it, eventually leading to scratches.
Antiballistic Glass is also virtually undetectable when properly installed, can be framed out in beautiful wood framing to match any historic building, and is incredibly more durable when it comes to bumps and scratches.
The differences cannot be ignored. And the safer choice is so incredibly obvious. When it comes to keeping the ones you love safe, what would you choose?