So-called “less lethal” devices are much in the news, with many people complaining that cops don’t use them enough, or that they’re misused, or that they should be much more less-lethal. The 40mm projectile product line from Security Devices International is a step in that latter direction, but without sacrificing effectiveness.
When a police agency deploys grenade launchers in a public order situation, there is almost certainly going to be a public outcry. The models used by police are mostly based on the M79 grenade launcher that has been carried by U.S. infantrymen since 1953. Because it was designed and is perceived as an offensive military weapon, critics of the police, and what they claim is the militarization of police condemn it at every appearance.
The projectiles loaded into military grenade launchers are typically packed with high explosive, white phosphorus (“willie pete”) incendiary material, or CN/CS tear gas. The launchers themselves are sometimes called “bloopers” or “bloop guns” because of the distinctive hollow sound they make when they are fired. The base of the round contains a primer, very similar to those in handgun, shotgun, and rifle rounds. When the striker in the grenade launcher hits the primer, it ignites a gunpowder charge that propels the grenade out of the tube. Rifling inside the launcher tube imparts a spin to the projectile. This lends stability in flight, and with explosive rounds, arms the charge inside the grenade about 30 meters from the barrel.
Projectiles can be fired linearly, like handgun or rifle rounds, but for extra range the grenadier fires the launcher at an elevated angle, so its flight path describes a ballistic arc. The launcher’s range can be extended to 350-400 meters using this technique.
Different From Other Projectiles
Public order or riot control squads are more likely to fire the grenade launchers linearly, aimed at individuals or small groups. Baton or rubber bullet rounds are impact weapons, intended to cause pain, but not kill. They usually work that way unless a person is struck in a vital area, like the head or groin. Pepper or tear gas rounds are fired into small crowds to get them to disperse. If the round strikes someone in a vital area, they can also cause severe injury or death.
The Blunt Impact Projectile (BIP) round from Security Devices International (SDI) differs from other projectiles because of its collapsible nose or head. On impact, the nose collapses, reducing the impact force and distributing it over a wider area.
“We describe them as bullets with an ‘airbag.’ The collapsible cone cushions and displaces the force of impact, causing enough pain and discomfort to stop a subject but no serious injury,” said Greg Sullivan, CEO of SDI. “We believe they provide a safer alternative for law enforcement and the public.”
Traditional launched grenades strike with considerable, sometimes lethal, force at close ranges. The BIP has a minimum operational range of 2 meters (6.5 feet), and can engage targets up to 80 meter (262 feet) away.
The BIP comes in several “flavors,” each with its own function and payload. They are:
• Blunt Impact Projectile (BIP), used as a baton round
• Oleoresin Capsicum (OC), loaded with pepper spray
• Tear Gas (CS)
• Malodorant (MO), releases a harmless chemical with a highly offensive odor
• Marking Powder (MP), coats persons near the impact with a brightly colored powder for later identification
• Marking Liquid (ML), similar to marking powder, but more indelible and difficult to remove
• DNA is loaded with a liquid that fluoresces in ultraviolet light. It can be used to identify people at the target area, but is less obvious than marking liquid. A different formulation can be assigned to different batches of BIPs, so each officer can have his own marking identifier for later accountability.
• Training Round (TR), with no payload
BIP payloads have a small dispersal area, so they are better suited for use on individuals or small groups, as opposed to large crowds. They are the standard 40mm size and shape, so they can be carried in existing bandoliers or bags. Each round is clearly marked with large letters and a distinctive color band to ensure the officer loads the desired type of projectile in poor light or under stress.
SDI says their prices are competitive with other projectile vendors, with a price of $16-$25 per unit. Projectiles are shipped 64 to a box, 25 boxes to a pallet.
Current SDI customers include sheriff’s offices in Orange Co. FL, Sacramento and Los Angeles counties in California, the Service de police de la ville Montreal (Montreal, QC, Canada), and Corrections Canada.
