The point is that such a law, if if affects felons who have served their time, including any probationary time, and most especially if the prohibition was not an explicit part the sentence, is a minimum a violation of due process, and arguably of the second amendment as well. But that aside, what is the point? Some former felons, even violent ones (and that can cover way more territory than one might think), may have enemies who want to kill them. If they are going to go back to their old ways, lack of a vest wouldn't stop them. Furthermore the law wouldn't stop them from getting a vest any more than it would stop them from getting a gun if they were so inclined. After all if armed robbery, murder or rape is on ones agenda, and the penalties for second (or additional) offenses of those doesn't deter, the additional penalty for having a gun or a vest are not likely to figure into the calculations much at all.
Look the law is written with a cdertain amount of sense...violent felons are not just some guys who have some how crossed the government and have become poltical prisoners. They have used guns and or knives to hurt others. I don't want them to own body armor for any reason. No one I know that has not served time feels the need to own body armor so I have to wonder what the real reason is for a felon to own it ( other than to have a hand up on the police). If they have enemies so be it...they can always do something uniwque and follow the law...but then they wouldn't be felons iof they thought like that would they?
Let's not forget all those that have a felony and have not been in trouble with the law since or those that have a nervous break down or depression and are "committed" to a hospital at some point in their life and have since had no problems. All these people have lost their ability to own firearms for self defense.
What you may not realize is that some states can't keep murders or rapists in prison, b/c the system is so messed up that they keep getting off and going back on the streets and committing crimes, therefore, the fed gov't steps in and charges that same three time convicted felon (violent/drug related convictions)with possession of a firearm by a felon and he is facing 15 years minimum. So it really does make a difference.