In recent years, there has been a notable surge in the utilization of 3D woven fabrics (3DWFs) as reinforcement materials for crafting lightweight structural components in advanced engineering applications. The incorporation of through-thickness (Z) reinforcement in 3D woven fabric-reinforced composites (3DWFRCs) has received considerable attention owing to its ability to enhance structural integrity and mechanical performance. The study addresses the significant challenge posed by low-velocity impact (LVI) in the composite industry, leading to intricate failure mechanisms and internal damage that can substantially compromise the structural attributes of composite materials. This research goes into the complexities of 3DWFRCs, focusing on six distinctive through-thickness weave designs while maintaining consistent areal density in woven preforms. This study investigates out-of-plane impact behavior at 50 J impact energy as per ASTM D7136 in 3DWFRCs with various weave designs. The findings show that weave designs have a considerable impact on impact resistance and perforation dynamics. The LVI response of the orthogonal matt 3X3 (4SLORMT3) woven structure stands out due to its superior capability to absorb the maximum impact energy, which underscores the critical role played by inter-yarn cross-over points in the dynamics of friction. The through-thickness angle-interlock weave structures exhibit a significant performance disparity, with 4SLANTW surpassing 4SLANPL, which can be attributed to the elongated binder yarn float length and reduced inter-yarn cross-over points of 4SLANTW.