15 Feb 12
This sage warning from an LEO friend and colleague:
“I strongly urge you not to include less-lethal shotgun rounds (baton, bean-bag, rubber buckshot, et al) in close proximity with lethal buckshot and slugs.
More than once, we have seen resulting confusion, and ensuing disaster, when officers fired slugs/buckshot, believing them to be less-lethal. And, at least in theory, the reverse situation can also occur, although I know of no specific incident as yet.
When you have less-lethal shotgun ammunition in your life, those rounds must be significantly separated from lethal ammunition. Even then, specific identification is still required. Most departments use an altogether separate shotgun, designated exclusively for that purpose.”
All good points! Getting lethal and less-lethal mixed in with each other is a perennial issue with 12ga shotgun ammunition. Many departments have gone to 37mm less-lethal (with special launchers that don’t resemble shotguns) just for that reason.
/John
