A.L.S. Technologies

A.L.S. Technologies' best-selling product is the Pen-Prevent 12-gauge bean  bag. Pen-Prevent is short for "penetration" prevent, as the projectile was designed from the ground up to be safer than standard flat bean bag munitions. The Pen-Prevent features a triple-layer mesh that serves three purposes. It's strong enough to retain the shot, it spreads the impact over a larger area, and the mesh improves the aerodynamics of the munition sort of like the dimples on a golf ball. The Pen-Prevent is also available in 37mm/40mm.

Some of A.L.S. Technologies other widely used impact munitions include the 12-gauge fin-stabilized projectile, the 40mm REACT rubber baton, and a host of rubber and wooden batons in 12-gauge and 37mm/40mm.

ALS Technologies Pen-Prevent 12-gauge

Type: Drag-stabilized sock round

Projectile Length: 2.5 inches

Projectile Weight: 40 grams

Muzzle Velocity: 280 feet per second

Range: 7 to 20 yards

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Combined Tactical Systems (CTS)

The flagship product in CTS's impact munition line is the 12-gauge Super-Sock Bean Bag. This drag-stabilized bean bag is designed to deliver consistent impact at both close-in and extended ranges. The sock shape and the stabilization prevent the bean bag from frisbeeing, wind surfing, hitting the target folded, or hitting the target sideways.

Combined Tactical Systems 12-gauge Super-Sock

Type: Drag-stabilized sock

Projectile Length: 2.5 inches

Projectile Weight: 40 grams

Muzzle Velocity: 280 feet per second

Range: 20 yards

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Defense Technology

DefTech's latest product is an innovative line of 40mm non-lethal projectiles marketed as "Direct Impact" and "eXact iMpact." Both were designed to take advantage of the increased accuracy afforded by the rifled barrel of the 40mm launcher vs. the smoothbore performance of 37mm launchers and 12-gauge shotguns.

The Direct Impact is, as the name implies, a point of impact, point of aim direct fire non-lethal munition. The foam nose of the round is made of a crushable material that can be loaded with various powders, including Oleoresin Capsicum (OC) and marking powder. That's a pretty serious combination. Imagine getting hit with a 40mm foam projectile that hits with more than 122 foot-pounds of kinetic energy at 60 feet. And then while you're reeling, you get a snoot full of OC.

The eXact iMpact round is much more like a conventional foam baton round. Like the Direct Impact, it is a 40mm direct fire round. Unlike the Direct Impact, this round does not deliver a chemical payload. What it does deliver is pain. The 30-gram sponge projectile steps out at 325 feet per second. That's enough energy to ruin almost anyone's day.

Defense Technology eXact iMpact 40mm Sponge Round

Type: Direct fire foam baton

Projectile Height: 2.48 inches

Projectile Diameter: 1.6 inches

Projectile Weight: 30 grams

Muzzle Velocity: 325 feet per second

Range: 1.6 to 44 yards

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FNH USA

The FN 303 Less Lethal System uses a tank of compressed air to fire .68 caliber, 8.5-gram projectiles. The projectiles are unique. They feature a molded polystyrene casing that incorporates stabilizing fins for accuracy. The payload of the projectile is encased in non-toxic bismuth that is designed to break on impact and disperse chemical irritant, washable paint, or indelible paint. There is also an impact round that doesn't break up on impact.

FNH USA FN 303 Projectiles

Type: Burst on impact, polystyrene casing with bismuth cap

Caliber: .68

Projectile Weight: 8.5 grams

Muzzle Velocity: 280 to 300 feet per second

Payloads: OC, indelible paint, washable paint, impact

Range: 1 to 55 yards

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Lightfield Less Lethal Research

Imagine a plastic Koosh ball that can be shot out of a 12-gauge shotgun. That's kind of the idea behind Lightfield Less Lethal Research's line of star-shaped impact munitions. The Koosh ball design of the rounds allows them to fit into 12-gauge shells. It also eliminates almost any chance of penetration by the round when used as directed. The sea-urchin-shaped munitions also flatten out, distributing their kinetic energy across a wider area of impact than standard bean bags or sock rounds.

Lightfield sales and training specialist Neil Keegstra says the company's SuperStar and StarLite flexible baton rounds were developed for use at closer range than standard impact munitions. The SuperStar can be safely shot at a suspect from as little as two yards out to an effective range of 15 yards. The StarLite contains less powder in the shell and can be used from as little as one yard out to an effective range of 10 yards.

Lightfield Less Lethal Research SuperStar LSSR-12

Type: 12-gauge flexible baton

Projectile Color: Green

Projectile Weight: 75 grains

Projectile Diameter: 1.25 inches

Muzzle Velocity: 650 feet per second

Range: 2 to 15 yards

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MK Ballistics

MK Ballistics made its name producing the conventional square bean bag round that was a police standard a decade ago. The company now makes a wide range of impact munitions, including its best-selling product: the Aero-Sock Drag Stabilized Bean Bag.

To prevent penetration, the Aero-Sock's knit fabric bag expands to disperse energy. MK says that it exceed the expansion requirements established by the Los Angeles Police Department.

The company has recently added an improved Aero-Sock to its product line, which includes a wide range of impact munitions in 12-gauge, 37mm, and 40mm. The QT-4 Aero-Sock features a bore riding tail stabilizer that reduces friction in the bore and quickly stabilizes the round as it exits the muzzle.

MK Ballistics 12-Gauge Aero-Sock

Type: Drag-stabilized sock

Projectile Length:

2.5 inches

Projectile Weight:

40 grams

Muzzle Velocity:

280 feet per second

Range: 20 to 75 feet

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PepperBall

PepperBall's most popular launcher is the Custom Carbine. This system uses a pressurized air bottle to launch .68 caliber rounds out to 150 feet. The rounds are fed into the carbine through a 160-round capacity hopper that sits atop the weapon.

A wide variety of projectiles are available for the PepperBall system. The most commonly used is the PepperBall Red round. This nasty little paintball is filled with PAVA powder, a capsaicin product that's as irritating as OC pepper spray. The PepperBall ammunition line also includes training rounds, marking rounds, and a glass-shattering round.

PepperBall Live Round

Type: Paintball

Caliber: .68

Payload: PAVA (Capsaicin II) powder

Muzzle Velocity: 350 to 380 feet per second

Range: 20 yards (direct impact)

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TASER

Leave it to TASER to develop an electronic bullet. The company's eXtended Range Electronic Projectile (XREP) is a 12-gauge impact munition that carries all of the neuro-muscular incapacitation capability of a TASER X26.

The XREP can be fired from any 12-gauge pump shotgun. Upon exiting the barrel, the electronic circuit in the device becomes active and fins pop out of the side putting the XREP into a tight spin. The spin orients the XREP so that its four front probes impact with the target. Then on impact the XREP seemingly falls apart, dangling a set of wires that carry the TASER charge. When the probes on these wires make contact, when the subject touches one of these wires, or when the subject grabs the XREP to pull it off, the TASER circuit is complete, and the subject gets zapped.

TASER expects to roll out the XREP to the law enforcement market some time in the coming year.

TASER International XREP

Type: 12-gauge electronic projectile

Payload: 20-second TASER effect

Projectile Weight: 14 grams

Muzzle Velocity: 300 feet per second

Range: 100 feet

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