Arizona sheriff hopes Russian-designed rubber-bullet handgun will save lives

[TiroFijo]

The 12 gauge bean bag fires a 40 gram proyectile @ 300 ft/s (older versions 400 ft/s, which proved a bit too much), and spreads to about 1 sq inch on the target.

The OSA bullet fires a 11.6 gram proyectile (phenolic rubber bullet with a metal core) @ 400 ft/s, with a 0.6" mm diameter, probably spreads on impact close to 1 sq inch. It has less power tan the beanbag, but apparently can be lethal at very close range if it impacts the head.

Another tool in the toolbox. With impact weapons there is never a magic formula for stopping people, specially if they are motivated.

I wonder if it will complicate things more for the trooper instead of magically bringing peace with no major injuries.

[El Cid]

Firing something smaller and lighter than a 12 gauge bean-bag round I'll assume that this thing will be less effective.

Indeed. Even the russkies can't get around simple physics.

[Tamara]

...an argument about the merits of philosopher Immanuel Kant in a southern Russian bar devolved into violence...

That's about the most Russian thing I've ever heard of.

[Coyotesfan97]

Just another heavy POS to carry on your belt. No thanks.

[pablo]

We had 12 gauge bean bags and found that they didn't work on people that were serious about fighting. For a while we had 37mm sponge rounds and those could actually thump someone. One of the Swat special children shot someone with a 40mm OC canister and claimed that he got his 40mm gas gun and 37mm LTL gun mixed up, S&W 276 vs LMT. All the LTL rounds went away after that. Anything less than 37mm, no thanks.

What does this do that a Taser wouldn't? With a Taser you have the potential for NMI, if you don't you get pain compliance just like the wonder gun. Anything that'll cause a clothing disconnect will likely take a lot of the steam out of a rubber projectile.

[Wendell]

What does this do that a Taser wouldn't?

Range. The Sheriff said they had a lot of cases where people were throwing rocks, and stuff like that (from a longer range).

[pablo]

Range. The Sheriff said they had a lot of cases where people were throwing rocks, and stuff like that (from a longer range).

That's make no sense. If range is a concern a pistol with 4 barrels, no rifling and one set of sights is probably a step in the wrong direction. When we first got 12 gauge bean bags the minimum recommended deployment distance was 21 feet. We were mostly shooting people in arrest situations at less than 15 feet. We eventually switched to a lower velocity power bean bag rounds, after we had an abdominal penetration, but past 30 feet or so they were ineffective. There's no free lunch, pushing small diameter LTL projectile at velocities that make ideal for long distances makes them really dangerous at distances that they will most likely be used at.

[TAZ]

One more thing to carry, train and mess up under stress. So we have gun+mags, cuffs, OC, baton, tazer, radio and now we add one more thing.

Jesus we are getting stupider by the second. This is a recipe for disaster. False sense of security on too many fronts. Cops think it's less than lethal, when in fact it can go lethal jiffy quick. Bad shot to head, cheap Chinese rubber that hardens over time... Blah blah blah. Cops think it actually stops people and let the situation devolve because they feel safer.

Hell they probably be better off going to Walmart and buying some slingshots to deal with idiot rock throwers.

I vote give them better impact weapons and get back to the ole hickory shampoo for the deserving misunderstood youts who think throwing rocks at cops is a good idea.

[45dotACP]

I'm nearly certain that some higher up going to decide to standardize on a boxing glove arrow? But no lie...boxing glove arrows would be totally awesome. A 16oz boxing glove at 250 FPS would be just the ticket to those rock throwers...a 40 yard punch in the face.

Well okay or maybe just some leather slappers....

[TGS]

I'm nearly certain that some higher up going to decide to standardize on a boxing glove arrow? But no lie...boxing glove arrows would be totally awesome. A 16oz boxing glove at 250 FPS would be just the ticket to those rock throwers...a 40 yard punch in the face.

Well okay or maybe just some leather slappers....

Fill it with lead and launch it with an air cannon and now we're talking.