Window film is bulletproof.

False! There is no window film that is bulletproof. Window film is often installed on bulletproof glass to minimize the spall that results from a bullet hitting the glass. But the film itself is not bulletproof.

It is a common misconception that window film is bulletproof. In fact, it is often referred to as “bulletproof film” or “bullet-resistant film.” Those terms are misnomers, as film is not bulletproof.

Most security films are made of transparent plastic and are 7-23 mils thick. A “mil” is .001”; it does not mean millimeter. So we’re talking about a product that is usually .007”-.023” thick. There is no way a thin piece of plastic can stop a bullet.

Security film is designed to hold glass in place once it has been broken by some trauma. In many cases, that trauma is caused by a bullet. Think about what happens when an unfilmed window is shot. The bullet passes through the glass, the glass breaks, the glass falls to the ground, and the window frame is left with a big gaping hole. In some cases, that opening is how an active shooter gains access to the inside of a building.

Security film is designed to hold glass in place once it breaks, thereby reducing the likelihood of a big gaping hole in the frame that an active shooter can walk through to enter a building. At no time did the film prevent the bullet from passing through the glass and to the inside.

Because school shootings have become prevalent in the United States, school administrators have had security film installed on windows to help reduce the chance an active shooter can enter a school. It is for this reason that window film has become connected with bullets and the term “bulletproof.”