Glass and Mirrors - Plexiglass and Impact Resistance

I'm just wondering about the impact resistance of plexiglass. I know it's somewhat brittle but I'd like to hear other's perspectives on a current project of mine...

I'm hoping to be able to fabricate a makeshift "Riot Shield" for use in Airsoft games. My current plan is to construct a wooden frame around a rectangular pane of plexiglass, running another strip of wood midway across it onto which I will be fastening two arm straps.

My only concern is with the brittle nature of plexiglass under impact pressure. The thickest sheet I could find in the size I need is somewhere in the ballpark of 1/8 of an inch thick, I believe. There will be .20 gram rounds hitting this surface at likely up to 300 or 400 feet per second. Would repeated peltings most likely cause the material to crack? If so, what material could I use instead?

I'd really like the material to be clear, but I may just end up using a sheet of plywood... :(

You didn't say what size you needed, but I'd look at Lexan instead. Not cheap, but you could prob shoot it forever with those pellets.

So what size were you looking at?

I'd agree with the lexan. Plexiglas will shatter.

Also, haven't you ever watched like SpikeTV or something during those riots? The shield is not all lexan, there's only a small window to look through.

This will help keep your costs down. Like Gunguy said, lexan is not cheap. But a small 1/4" thick 8x12 won't break your bank. And, you can drill holes it in and rivet it to whatever the rest of the shield is made out of. And, it will bend without cracking.

Plexiglas, won't do anything you need it to do in this case. :)

Oh, both will scratch very easily too. You may want to make it "easily removable" so you can change it out when it does.

Good luck.