These less-lethal impact munitions, designed to be fired from a shotgun, typically contain a fabric pouch filled with small, dense pellets. These pellets are most commonly made of lead shot, though alternative materials like rubber or other synthetics are sometimes used. The purpose of this design is to deliver a blunt force trauma upon impact, intended to incapacitate a subject without causing life-threatening injuries.
The contents are key to the effectiveness of the projectile. The distributed weight of the pellets spreads the impact over a larger area, reducing the risk of penetration compared to a single projectile. Their development arose from a need for law enforcement and military personnel to have options beyond lethal force, offering a means of controlling potentially dangerous situations while minimizing the risk of fatalities. Early iterations sometimes used actual beans, but modern versions utilize more consistent and predictable materials for reliable performance.
