NCJ Number
34852
Date Published
1976
Length
36 pages
Annotation
WEAPON PERFORMANCE TESTING WAS DONE TO DETERMINE THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THESE WEAPONS IN SUB-LETHAL SITUATIONS.
Abstract
THE ITEMS TESTED WERE THE MODI-PAC (A TWELVE-GUAGE SHOTGUN ROUND FILLED WITH PLASTIC PELLETS), A STANDARD TWELVE-GUAGE ROUND OF NO. 4 LEAD SHOT, AND AN EXPERIMENTAL ROUND, THE FLYING BATON. THE FLYING BATON IS A 3 1/4 INCH LONG, .3 INCH DIAMETER STEEL ROD WITH TEFLON END PLUGS THAT IS SHOT FROM A SMOOTH-BORE TUBE WITH COMPRESSED AIR. MEASUREMENTS WERE MADE OF THE HORIZONTAL AND VERTICAL DISPERSIONS FOR THE TWO SHOTGUN-LAUNCHED ROUNDS. ADDITIONALLY, ACCURACY MEASURES WERE TAKEN OF THE CENTER-OF-IMPACT FOR THESE ROUNDS. FOR THE FLYING BATON ROUND, FLIGHT AND IMPACT ORIENTATION MEASURES WERE TAKEN, AS WELL AS ACCURACY MEASURES. COMPARISONS WERE MADE BETWEEN THE MODI-PAC AND THE NO. 4 LEAD-SHOT ROUND WITH REGARD TO THEIR PHYSICAL PERFORMANCE. THE FLYING-BATON ROUND WAS ROUGHLY COMPARED TO THE STANDARD .38-CALIBER ROUND PREVIOUSLY TESTED BY THIS RESEARCH GROUP. IT WAS RECOMMENDED THAT ALL THREE ITEMS BE CONSIDERED FOR FURTHER EXAMINATION, I.E., SCENARIO APPLICATION AND/OR PHYSIOLOGICAL TESTING. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT)