40mm launchers are commonplace for tactical teams.

By R.T. Wyant, M.S.

With the current political climate and increased scrutiny of police departments, there is an expectation that at least one less lethal option be available to moderate use of force scenarios. Since the late 1980s, the 12 gauge beanbag shotgun has been a prevailing extended range less lethal option. This force option was intended to inflict blunt injury, like a baton strike, but from a safer standoff distance. 12 gauge less lethal impact munitions have provided tactical teams and the patrol officer a bridge between batons and firearms with minimal cost and training. With issues of safety, accuracy, effectiveness, and ammunition confusion, some agencies have reconsidered this platform choice as negative outcomes have led to significant settlements. Progressive departments are opting to toss the beanbag and adopt a more accurate, versatile and albeit more expensive 40mm platform to address their less lethal needs. This assessment has been echoed through scientific testing that proves to be helpful when justifying additional costs to a department risk manager.

Evolution of the Beanbag

The initial design of the beanbag consisted of a square Cordura bag filled with #9 lead shot. Dubbed the “ravioli” round as it sat rolled in the shot shell, it didn’t take a physics degree to predict potential problems with a square shaped projectile unrolling as it flew downrange. There were dozens of documented serious injuries including lacerations and broken bones. At least eight fatalities occurred when the square tipped on edge and penetrated the chest cavity. As injuries and deaths occurred, so did changes in design. The next generation of beanbags, called “sock” rounds, hit the market with claims of increased safety and effectiveness. The sock round is typically a lead shot filled Kevlar bag with a tail, which forms a uniform flight profile striking the target with a spherical shape, reducing injury potential. As with the ravioli round, the sock round begins as a cylinder shape and it expands in flight as it travels toward the target. Injuries were reduced as the sock had no sharp edges to penetrate skin. Other types of 12 gauge less lethal ordnance began to emerge with varying degrees of effectiveness versus sock rounds.

Beanbag Troubles

The police slide-action shotgun, such as the Remington 870 with a smoothbore, was the reigning long gun of choice for many years. As shotguns in the patrol setting were gradually phased out by some departments and replaced by patrol rifles, many of these shotguns were assigned to a less lethal role. Personal testing and published research has demonstrated that a rifled bore will increase accuracy and performance of beanbag rounds, but police agencies infrequently endure the extra expense. High-speed video validated that the tail of the “sock” often does not have enough mass to truly stabilize the round and it will regularly fly end over end out of a smooth bore. The unstable round will miss point of aim and occasionally fly wildly. In addition, over load and over powder wads will not always drop off and will fly with the sock downrange, sometimes striking the target. These additional projectiles can cause additional injuries. Furthermore, the standard shotgun can be loaded with either less lethal ammunition or traditional 12 gauge ammunition. A large metropolitan police agency recently reached a significant settlement after a man was shot mistakenly by buckshot from a less lethal shotgun.

The 40mm

As with the 12 gauge, the 40mm offers several types of launchers, including single, double and multi-shot platforms. For the single aggressor, foam or sponge rounds are particularly accurate as the round engages the rifling creating a gyro-stabilized spin, much like a traditional bullet. The wounds inflicted are generally consistent and predictable as they strike the subject. Due to their design, there is no change in shape as it leaves the barrel or as it flies downrange. There are no additional projectiles from wadding to unintentionally strike the target. In addition, a multitude of ordnance is available for the 40mm platform including multiple projectile, chemical irritant, and barricade penetrating rounds for a variety of tactical and crowd control applications.

Energy Density

Much like the difference between the ravioli and the sock beanbag rounds, where and how a round strikes the body can govern the severity of injury. A key advantage of the 40mm over the 12 gauge is that its large size allows dispersion of the impact energy (reduced energy density) over a greater area. Distributing the energy of the round over a larger surface lessens the injury potential (penetration, broken bones) and also excites more nerve endings on the skin for more pain stimulus. More pain stimulus increases the likelihood of compliance.

Considerations

When studying the capabilities and performance of the two platforms, it becomes obvious why some police agencies are choosing to switch from the 12 gauge to the 40mm for their less lethal applications. In addition to increased accuracy, safety and effectiveness, agencies eliminate the risk of ammunition mismatch. There is also the psychological effect of gaining compliance from an unruly individual as an inch and a half sized bore is pointed at him. As with any tool used by police, it should be stated that the 12 gauge platform can be an effective tool if one fully understands its capabilities, limitations and the operators are properly trained. Tactics and training must be heavily considered. Some less lethal deployments have incurred negative results simply because the operator did not fully understand the effects of the round. Subjects have been struck in the head by a second shot as they have bent over reacting to the first shot. From a risk management point of view, the added costs to outfit a department with 40mm could easily offset the liability incurred from an unintended outcome from a less lethal deployment. With either firing platform, the key to a successful less lethal program and limited liability comes with smart deployments and thorough documentation.

(About the Author: R.T. Wyant, M.S. is a supervising forensic scientist for a ballistics crime laboratory in the state of Washington. He has studied less lethal weapons for over a decade has provided scientific analysis, product research, training, and expert witness work for all over the U.S. and abroad. He has also served as a level-one reserve deputy for a major Washington county for 14 years. Recently, he was the principle author of the text: Risk Management of Less Lethal Options.)

But, while FN holds an enviable place among leading small arms manufacturers for conventional land conflict, it has not until now been competitive in the arena of what is euphemistically called “less lethal.”

Police and Peacekeepers

Today’s news headlines trumpet involvement by military and paramilitary police deployed worldwide in various operations and missions that require incredibly restrictive rules of engagement. From seemingly endless ethnic strife such as Arab-Israeli or Irish-British, to the ongoing mess in the Balkans, to a hundred other lesser known places and causes, these forces most often find themselves hobbled by geo-political realities. To avoid giving the television newsmen dramatic pictures of bloody armed confrontations becomes a first priority. Thus, their ample numbers of conventional weapons such as assault rifles and grenade launchers are rendered nearly useless.

Similarly, domestic police forces charged with the responsibility of maintaining law and order have the unenviable task of putting their lives at extreme risk from the actions of determined and often ruthless protesters, provocateurs and other criminals. Woe be to the “insensitive” cop who is observed by reporters and cameramen as he responds to threats against life and limb with an old-fashioned nightstick or a blast of shotgun pellets.

Kinder, Gentler Response

There are many non-lethal options available now and some of these have been around for decades. Tear gas, pepper spray, stun guns, “rubber bullets,” water cannon and the like are tried and true tools when the situation gets ugly but not ugly enough to justify terminally perforating the miscreants. Each of these has both capabilities and limitations that must be carefully balanced. None can be considered ideal in itself for the endless variety of situations presented now or steadily evolving. What to do?

Less Lethal

Taking the initiative, FN has recently introduced some interesting new tools in the category of “Less Lethal” (henceforth known here as LTL), a nomenclature formalized by gurus in law enforcement to set this stuff apart from old fashioned handguns, shotguns, rifles and the like.

Small Arms Review was recently invited to cover FN’s American LTL premiere for law enforcement and the military, held at CRUCIBLE Training Center, near Fredericksburg, Virginia. CRUCIBLE is a major player with federal, military, police and security personnel and its facilities are well located in close proximity to concentrations of big name organizations in the Washington, DC area.

Louis Dillais, a former officer in French special operations, is FNH USA’s director and served as host for approximately twenty attendees each day with a program that including classroom instruction and an opportunity to view and participate in live fire of three LL systems that are now offered by his parent company, FN Herstal, also known as Herstal Group.

Paramilitary Paintball

The first system shown by FN was the FN303, a strikingly configured assault rifle style launcher that owes much to commercial paintball technology but with a distinctive twist. Design engineer Jim Brunette of FN Manufacturing was up from South Carolina to showcase his exciting new creation, enthusiastically explaining its why’s and how’s, then fielding questions.

As presently configured, the FN303 is essentially a 12 gauge size smoothbore semiauto that can be locked under most assault rifles such as the M16, or fitted with a slide-detach stock as the “stand alone.” It uses regulated compressed air to pump a variety of custom-designed 8.5-gram projectiles out to a maximum effective range in excess of 100 meters. Two sizes of on-board air tank are offered, with the smaller giving about 60 shots and 100 from the larger. The tanks have standard fittings that will allow quick refilling at any fire station or scuba shop with appropriate adapter.

Its quick detachable fifteen round drum magazine has a clear plastic cover facing the shooter, allowing an instant status check of remaining shots as well as anticipation of what type of cartridge is next in line for firing when mixed loads are employed. Larger capacity mags may be in the works for fielding later.

The distinctive ergonomic layout of the gun is reminiscent to me of the BATMAN school of design, with angled grip surfaces of high strength matte black polymer that are ribbed for fingers with no prejudice toward right handers or lefties. Although seemingly robust enough to survive most operational and tactical mishandling or abuse, the weight of the gun module itself (called the “undercarriage version”) is a modest 4.2 lbs/1.9 kg, comparing favorably with an M203 grenade launcher. Overall length of the gun is a handy and quick-pointing 29 in./74 cm. in what is called the “stand alone” version with quick attach buttstock.

A Picatinny Rail interface is mounted on the top of the launcher, which allows clamping on just about any type of sight that customers may prefer. The test guns we handled had both rudimentary flip-up iron sights and the excellent new EO holographic target tickler.

Stinkin’ Ammo?

Another real beauty of this launch system is the clever design of its ammunition. Where ordinary round paintballs are severely limited in range and accuracy by the immutable laws of physics, the 303’s ammo is fin stabilized and relatively heavy. While the barrel is a smoothbore 12 gauge size, the projectile is a stubby, domed plastic cylinder with a series of slightly angled fins molded into the sides. On firing, wind drag causes the projectile to spin, giving it much greater stability than is possible with a ball. For consistency of aim and trajectory, their weight is standardized at 8.5 grams each, regardless of the payload. Velocity is necessarily limited by LL considerations when people are downrange so as to avoid potentially fatal blunt trauma.

Just about any kind of liquid, powder or solid payload is a fair candidate for loading and launching, but right now the field includes six main categories. As previously mentioned, the system will shoot ordinary commercial paintballs (just think about how the guys at the local game field will react when you show up with your FN303) for cheap fun and short range practice.

Best performance comes, of course, from the specially configured ammo. Low velocity impact rounds come in black or white one piece plastic housings and don’t burst on impact. These are used for both marksmanship training/function verification as well as in situations when it is desirable to “sting” troublemakers. This is the round that punched big holes in the thick cardboard “E” silhouettes set up at 50 yards as seen in the accompanying photos.

Another category is marking rounds and this includes both washable and permanent dyes as well as a type that shows up only under ultraviolet light. These have many uses including identification of leaders or other key persons in mobs and demonstrations. Illuminating rounds carry the same type of chemical mix commonly used in break and glow lightsticks, both visible and infrared. They are particularly useful in illuminating interiors to assist operators wearing NVG’s (night vision goggles).

Choking and tear agents are the fifth ammo category, filled with the customer’s choice of such classic irritant powders as CS or CN. Yes, it takes a bunch of them to really get the air fouled inside a room, but that’s another reason for the fifteen round magazine and rapid semiauto delivery.

The last category is my personal favorite and probably that of every other high school jokester. Malodorants are a jolly group of super stink bomblets that spray on impact their gag-inducing payload. It should be great fun to pop a few into the middle of a room filled with angry protesters or individually apply “aroma de skunka” to leaders of any sort of antisocial mob. Sorry ‘bout that…

Not surprisingly, given the system’s capabilities, FN plans to offer the FN303 only to bonafide law enforcement and military users. The basic package of launcher, detachable buttstock, a couple of mags, plus hoses and air tank is being offered.

SAMOURAI

For such situations when the rather small 8.5 gram payload of the FN303 isn’t nearly enough, a team from the French firm of Lacroix was also on hand with their formidable SAMOURAI launcher, available through the FN organization. This manportable mini cannon is in French military service now and is used for lots of pretty spectacular tasks like blowing up bunkers, knocking down brick walls and delivering heavy smoke generators. It throws 600 grams of whatever you care to load, from high explosive to choke or stink, out to about 300 meters.

While there are similar weapons in use elsewhere such at the US Marine Corps’ SMAW, the French SAMOURAI is distinct in having nearly zero backblast and resultant firing signature. This can be particularly important in urban warfare where engagement of targets must routinely be done from inside buildings or in closely confined alleyways.

Taking a cue from existing smoke and flash-bang rounds already being used, Lacroix engineers have developed other payload transporters containing irritants like CS and CN. According to spokesman Hugh Williams who conducted their part of the program at CRUCIBLE, the possibilities are endless for other specialized munitions.

The firing demonstrations that followed were an eye-popping exercise in seemingly brutal recoil that was – in reality – simply a thoughtfully engineered solution to the challenge of kicking a big and heavy round way downrange from a shoulder mounted mortar. A close look at the accompanying photos should show that shooters and onlookers were uniformly unharmed by the experience of firing the SAMOURAI, and usually described the effect as being “more like a strong push than a kick.” Well, they ran out of time and practice ammo before I could get a chance to try it myself. I wasn’t disappointed…

LC23-1

Somewhere in between the big SAMOURAI and the little FN303 is Lacroix’s LC23-1, a hand-held projector that is capable of firing a variety of specialized payloads as dictated by the situation. This single shot palm pistol is, according to Hugh Williams’ briefing, “especially appropriate in routine situations requiring the control of individuals or the occupants of vehicles or buildings.”

Translated from bureaucratic-speak, this is a handy single shot pocket projector that can be loaded with a bunch of different cartridges to take care of a bunch of different situations without killing anybody foolish enough to be in the line of fire. Echoing the lineup of the FN303, choose paint markers, malodorants, or irritants. Formidable!

Serious Inquiries Only, Please

For more information on FN’s expanding line of LL systems or traditional weaponry, contact Louis Dillais at FNH USA, Inc., 1364 Beverly Road, Suite 303, McLean, VA 22101, or FN Manufacturing, Inc. at www.fnmfg.com.

FN303 Tech Specs

Device: FN303 Less Lethal System
Operation: Compressed air, semiauto
Weight: 5 lbs. for Stand Alone version, 4.2 lbs. for Undercarriage version
Length: 29 in. for Stand Alone, 16.7 in. for Undercarriage
Feed: Detachable 15 round rotary magazine
Number of Shots: 60 with small air bottle, 100 with large
Maximum effective range: 100 meters
Ammunition: Standard paintballs, irritants, malodorants, impact/training, marking, Illuminating