Le Mas Ltd./RBCD Armor-Piercing ‘Smart’ Ammo for Counterterrorism Applications

Print Friendly, PDF & Email

by David Crane
defrev (at) gmail (dot) com

August 13, 2004

DefenseReview did not receive any of the information contained in the first two paragraphs of this story from Le Mas Ltd., or from Stan Bulmer. Le Mas/Stan Bulmer will not discuss military operational use of, or field performance data relating to, the Blended Metal Technology (BMT) or BMT APLP (Armor-Piercing Limited-Penetration) ammunition.

Le Mas Ltd. Blended Metal Technology (BMT) “smart” ammunition (pistol and rifle ammo) is currently only available to military and law enforcement end-users, due to its rather special capabilities. Because of these “special capabilities”, U.S. Special Operations personnel are rumored to have already employed/deployed Le Mas BMT APLP (Armor-Piercing Limited-Penetration) rifle ammo (5.56x45mm and 7.62x51mm) against enemy guerilla fighters/insurgents/terrorists in Afghanistan and Iraq.
It’s been reported to DefenseReview that the U.S. military Special Operations personnel who have employed/deployed the Le Mas BMT/BMT APLP 5.56mm ammo against live, hostile enemy targets have, so far, been EXTREMELY impressed with the ammunition’s performance (unconfirmed/unverified). It’s DefRev’s understanding that with the Le Mas 5.56x45mm BMT APLP ammo, one round equals one dead BG (badguy). So, a loaded 30-round 5.56x45mm mag equals 30 dead tangos. That comes out to 2160 virgins for every 30-round mag, according to the enemy’s belief system.
It’s DefenseReview’s opinion that law enforcement agencies of all types, federal, state, and local, should take a a serious look at the Le Mas Ltd. Blended Metal Technology (BMT) Armor-Piercing Limited-Penetration (APLP) ammo for anti-terrorism/counterterrorism use, specifically as an option for their SWAT/SRT teams. 1st Responders, most of whom don’t carry a 5.56 weapon with them, could also benefit from carrying this ammo. Fortunately, Le Mas makes .40 Cal. pistol ammo that can penetrate NIJ level IIIa body armor.
So, patrol officers/1st responders can carry the .40 Cal. BMT APLP ammo in a 3rd or 4th spare mag, and only deploy it when they encounter an armored threat. Everyone remembers what happened during the ’97 Bank of America shoot-out. Until SWAT got there, the 1st responders (patrol LEO’s) were powerless against the armored BG’s (badguys). Even if LE patrol officers were to all carry 5.56 rifles in their cars, what happens if their rifle/primary weapon goes down? Wouldn’t it be a good thing if all LE patrol officers/1st responders could still have primary weapon-type capability out of their secondary weapon platform, just in case?
The reported performance of the Le Mas Ltd. BMT APLP 85gr .45 CQB round is particularly impressive for pistol ammunition. It has a velocity of well over 2000 fps out of a 5-inch Government model 1911 pistol, and will easily penetrate NIJ level IIIa body armor. However, once it penetrates the armor, it will not over-penetrate the target. This is because the Le Mas BMT APLP .45 CQB round stays completely intact while passively penetrating non-living barriers. However, once it hits living tissue, the combination of hydrostatic pressure and and other factors (heat/temperature change, etc.) causes the bullet to go active and deflagrate inside the target, in dynamic fashion.
The Le Mas rifle ammo appears to be just as impressive. According to Le Mas their rifle ammo will penetrate hardened steel plating, hard armor level III and IV tactical inserts (body armor), armored cars, armored personnel carriers, etc., disable human targest behind it, without over-penetrating those human targets. From what DefRev understands, both the 5.56x45mm AND 7.62x51mm Le Mas Ltd. BMT APLP rounds can penetrate NIJ level III and NIJ level IV hard armor barriers. DefRev has received some emails from Stan Bulmer of Le Mas Ltd. on their 7.62x51mm/.308 “Land Warfare” round, and try to provide links to those messages in a follow-up article.
Defense Review has in it’s possession a Le Mas Ltd. Blended Metal Technology (BMT) ammo demonstration video, in CD format. The video footage, which shows live animal testing (hogs, specifically), is very graphic, but also very informative. DefenseReview may make this video available soon on our website in QuickTime format, for downloading by our readers. It’s important to note that live animal testing was necessary, in order to demonstrate the unique performance aspects/capabilities of Le Mas Ltd. Blended Metal Technology (BMT) and BMT APLP (Armor-Piercing Limited-Penetration) ammo, since the ammunition does not perform nearly the same way in 10% ordnance gelatin as it does against live tissue. In live tissue, the results are dramatic.
LeMas Ltd. Blended Metal Technology (BMT) Armor-Piercing Limited-Penetration (APLP) ammo is made specifically for them by RBCD Performance Plus, Inc., and, again, is currently only available to verified and authorized military and law enforcement personnel for official use. If you are Mil/LE, and would like to learn more about or acquire some of the most advanced special-purpose ammunition currently being made (or you would like to get a copy of the Le Mas video CD on their BMT APLP ammo), you can contact Stan Bulmer by phone at 509-951-4968, or via email at VMOMAX@LeMasLTD.com. You can also contact Stan’s associate, John Hamilton, by phone at 501-960-5847, or via email at VNE@LeMasLtd.com.
Back in August, 2003, DefenseReview published an article on the Le Mas Ltd. Blended Metal Technology (BMT) ammo, titled “Le Mas Ltd. Blended Metal Technology Ammo vs. ADS Transparent Armor: AFJI Video!“. In that piece, DefenseReview discussed some of the characteristics that explain why the Le Mas/RBCD ammunition has been called “smart ammunition”, and we also mentioned American Defense Systems, Inc. (ADS)/A.J. Piscitelli & Associates, Inc.. ADS markets “VistaSteel” bullet-resistant glass, which is manufactured for them by Cardinal LG. Le Mas Ltd./RBCD and American Defense Systems, Inc. (ADS) have faced-off against each other at previous at AFJ (Armed Forces Journal) Shoot-Out’s at Blackwater. This annual face-off has led to constant product improvements on both sides that kept both companies on the cutting edge of their respective technologies.
Click here to read about the Le Mas Ltd/RBCD vs. American Defense Systems, Inc. (ADS) match-up at the Armed Forces Journal (AFJ) Shout-Out at Blackwater 2004. Click here to read page 2 of that report.
Click here to view a video on the full Le Mas/RBCD Blended Metal Technology (BMT) ammunition product line. It’s from Armed Forces Journal’s (AFJ) Shoot-Out at Blackwater 2004.
Click here to view an Armed Forces Journal (AFJ) video on a Le Mas Ltd. Blended Metal Technology (BMT) .45 ACP round vs. a “big piece of meat”, also from the Shoot-Out at Blackwater 2004.
Click here to view one of Le Mas’ .308 rounds’ penetrative capabilities against a steel plate at AFJ’s Shoot-Out at Blackwater 2004.
Click here to watch video of American Defense Systems Inc.’s (ADS) “Vistasteel” bullet-resistant glass getting shot at Armed Forces Journal’s (AFJ) Shoot-Out at Blackwater 2004.
Click here to watch “slow-motion glass and steel tests” at the AFJ Shoot-Out at Blackwater 2004.
Click here to read DefenseReview’s first article on Le Mas Ltd./RBCD Blended Metal Technology (BMT) and BMT APLP (Armor-Piercing Limited Penetration) ammunition. Many of the links in that first article are no longer operational, since Le Mas Ltd. seems to have deactivated the relevant pages.
Click here to watch an older AFJ video on the Le Mas Ltd./RBCD Performance Plus, Inc. “Blended Metal Technology (BMT)” ammo, which was shot at the the Armed Forces Journal Shoot-Out at Blackwater 2003. We highly recommend that you watch this video. Very informative. You will need Windows Media Player to view it.
Click here to watch AFJ’s (Armed Forces Journal) video footage of the LeMas Ltd./RBCD Performance Plus, Inc. “Blended Metal Technology (BMT)” ammo vs. American Defense Systems, Inc. (ADS)/A.J. Piscitelli & Associates, Inc. “VistaSteel” bullet-resistant glass match-up at the Armed Forces Journal Shoot-Out at Blackwater 2003.
Click here to visit American Defense System’s (ADS) website. A.J. Pisicitelli, CEO of ADS, can be reached at 516-992-5054, or via email at ajpiscitelli@americandefensesystems.net.
Click here to visit the A.J. Piscitelli & Associates (American Defense Systems, Inc.) page at the American Glazing Council’s website. If you’d like to visit the American Glazing council’s mainpage, click here.

Le Mas Ltd./RBCD Armor-Piercing ‘Smart’ Ammo for Counterterrorism Applications by

About David Crane

David Crane started publishing online in 2001. Since that time, governments, military organizations, Special Operators (i.e. professional trigger pullers), agencies, and civilian tactical shooters the world over have come to depend on Defense Review as the authoritative source of news and information on "the latest and greatest" in the field of military defense and tactical technology and hardware, including tactical firearms, ammunition, equipment, gear, and training.

Check Also

SIG SAUER MCX Reduced Signature Assault Rifle (RSAR) Suppressed .300 Blackout (.300BLK) COTS Drop-On PDW-Type Upper Receiver for QUIET Military Special Operations Missions!

B David Crane david (at) defensereview (dot) com January 7, 2023 The Firearm Blog (TFB) …