RUBBER BULLETS = NZ Police 'Sponge Round' ?

Way back on January 2nd 2014 - I commented about our NZ Police announcing that they were deploying a new tool - the XM1006 SPONGE ROUND.

- Someone has recently opined that "they" are calling it a "Sponge Round" just to make rubber bullets sound more socially acceptable: - Well no - actually!

Rubber Bullets and their replacement plastic bullets are a whole different kettle of (rotten) fish.

- Rubber Bullets were developed by the British Government in 1970 to use for riot control against the citizens of Northern Ireland during "The Troubles".

                          L3A1 37mm RUBBER Bullet as used in Northern Ireland.

In 1973 the 'Plastic Bullet' or PBR (Plastic Baton Round) was introduced for use by the British Security Forces in Northern Ireland - in an attempt to reduce the number of fatalities from using the original rubber bullets.

                                      PBR (plastic baton round) - Plastic Bullet

By 2005 - 125,000 baton rounds had been fired at the local Irish -mostly plastic rounds - and seventeen people have now been killed by these 'non-lethal' rounds (half of them children) - and all but one, Catholics.

According to Wikipedia a  typical Plastic bullet weighs 131g - whereas the 40mm Sponge Round weighs only 28g.

The original higher-powered rubber bullets were "rubberized plastic around a metal core" weighing 145g and were meant to be aimed at the ground to bounce up into the lower body - but this was largely ignored by the British troops who fired directly into the crowds. - The British Government is reported to have paid hundreds of thousands each to individuals in out of court settlements for the injuries and deaths - thus avoiding the publicity from court cases.

                                NZ Police Picture -Sponge Rounds & Grenade-Launcher.

I don't really like to support the NZ Police use of such 'sponge rounds' against the public - but they are a much milder and lighter weapon to use than "Rubber Bullets".

Marty K

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