What kind of ammo did the steel german helmets protect the soldiers from?

[Quiros]

I was just wondering about it. Also, would an helmet like that, a Stahlhelm (that's what it's called), would it stop a modern bullet: i am totally ignorant on the subject, so i know that things haven't changed that much but not enough to make WWII bullets less lethal than the ones fired by modern fire arms, so would it save lives in street crime and stuff ?

[lithgow]

Hello-short answer is that they don't stop any bullet-steel hemets of any kind are intended to protect the head from rocks & other debris thrown up by nearby explosions not bullets=they may provide some protection from shell splinters at some distance but that isn't assured-modern helmets are made out of kevlar & similar materials and are bullet proof at various ranges against normal ammunition but even they can be penetrated by the right ammo.

[Jerry B]

Hello-short answer is that they don't stop any bullet-steel hemets of any kind are intended to protect the head from rocks & other debris thrown up by nearby explosions not bullets=they may provide some protection from shell splinters at some distance but that isn't assured-modern helmets are made out of kevlar & similar materials and are bullet proof at various ranges against normal ammunition but even they can be penetrated by the right ammo.

Says it all, I think

Jerry