Non-Lethal Alternatives?

I'm not 100% sure, but I do believe that Police officers have to receive training before they can use less lethal rounds, so that they can do so with as little risk to an offender as possible. I live near Columbus, Ohio. About two years back, a rubber pellet took a wild bounce after being shot from an officer's gun, and struck a 19 year old(I think) girl in the eye, blinding her.Even if it doesn't hit an eye, a wild bounce with rubber buckshot will crush a windpipe, or possibly stop a heart by a hard hit to the ribs (though less likely). Even then, if you do not kill the intruder, he/she could bring YOU up on charges. It's not worth the risk. Rubber shot is designed to bounce of any hard surface, you could also hit a solid piece of wood, sending the shot back at you, or a member of your family.If you do decide to invest in rubber shot, make sure you have someone who has had training in how to properly and safely use this ammunition show you how to use it. But I do not recommend any Less Lethal round for Home defense. "If guns cause crime, all of mine are defective"--Ted NugentEdited by: Guardian at: 4/28/03 11:45:04 am

A not about less lethal.

It's not call NON-LETHAL for a reason. Here's why....

Ballistics testing has proven that at the range at which a person will be most likely to be shot in a home defense situation, which is 12 feet or less that 1 oz piece of plastic called the wad will imbed almost 6 INCHES into ballistics gel. ***THE WAD*** #4 Buck shot travels almost 1 FOOT.

Stop and think about the science of this. The less-lethal of ammunition weighs around 3 oz. Give or take, at 12 feet rubber buck shot should penetrate somewhere in the neighborhood of..... 7 or 8 inches. Even if it doesn't kill, it will cause massive injury figuring that each pellet will create a permanent wound track of at least it's size + the size of the wad + the size of the tissue torn apart on impact. Assume 3" diameter sizing down to 4 to 8 seperate 1/4 inch wound tracks.

At that distance, a head shot will blind, a throat shot will kill in less than 3 minutes, a hit to the chest gives a 50/50 chance based off of the location of the now shattered ribs. A shot to the gut will probably permanently cripple.

Legally, by using Less Lethal ammunition you are causing permanent pain and suffering if you don't kill. Now this crippled individual will possibly sue you for pain inflicted.

Physics show that you will more than likely maim, and very possibly kill your target. If they live, you will go to court in this day and age.

--------Personal Opinion--------

As far as I know, no law enforcement person suggests using LL ammunition. In fact, many recommend AGAINST it without training first.

Once that bullet strikes, you have no idea or control if that target will live or die.

There's an old gun safety rule that applies here:
Don't aim if you don't intend to shoot, don't shoot if you don't intend to kill.

If that rule makes you uneasy the don't buy a gun for hunting or HD. Keep your guns for the range only and buy a security system for home defense.