Kevlar PASGT US Military Helmets

I have been trying my best to find out what the dash numbers (-3,-5, etc) mean after the sizes. Inside each helmet there is a size imprinted from the mold such as M-4. I know the M means Medium, what does the -4 mean? Measuring helmets from M-1 thru M-6, i can find do dimensional correlation.

Could the dash number equate to a mold shell number?

I don't know. I suspect it has to do with the some dimension beyond the basic circumference of the head. But here again it might indeed be an administrative mark signifying the mold or maker.

Comes to helmets, ghastly things, needing one should be a clue that you are not wanted and desperately need to find friendlier neighbors. Mostly not worth the bother to stay if you don't have a huge uncompromising military regime forcing you to stay where you are not wanted. Sill a questionable item. Particularly the plastic sort.

Forced to have one you can give me a steel pot and liner. less effective as armor it is something that can justify its cost, weight, and bulk by being useful. Something you can dig with, boil up some coffee in, cook dinner, wash in, and sit on when the day is done. A real multi-purpose survival tool. Possibly the most useful thing the US military ever handed out to the common grunt.

Kevlar might be moderately effective at stopping a small, half-spent, bullet or fragment but its mostly useless for anything else.

What do you use these for?

http://www.bulletproofme.com/Body_Armor_Accessories_Helmets.shtml

IIIA doesn't seem "moderately effective" to me. *shrug*

-john

Well, if it didn't stop that bullet or fragment, there's no good reason to be digging or boiling water with it, now is there?

Kevlar helmets have a purpose.

I once took down a drywall interior wall with one. Beat the wall silly I did. MOUT training, and I needed to get from room A to room B w/o going into the hallway. Considered using my rifle, but gypsum is a bear to clean out of the buttstock.

As to the sizes, I remember S/M/L only. None of them fit worth a crap, and jumping in them was a pain, as they would slide around no matter how tight you had them, especially during a Jumpmaster door check.

In my limited experience with military gear, I would suspect that M-1 thru -3 are "too small" and -4 thru -6 are "too large".

Protect my head during activities of risk.

Are they any better than civilian helmets at head protection? Many helmets on the market today are actually quite comfortable to wear..