9. KINETIC IMPACT PROJECTILES Description: Launched kinetic impact projectiles comprise a wide range of ammunition that contain single or multiple projectiles. Often called “rubber bullets” or “plastic bullets”, projectiles can be made of rubber, plastic, wood or other materials.51 When fired, this ammunition expels single or multiple projectiles, including, for example, pellets, balls, blocks, cylinders or fabric bags filled with pellets (“bean bags”). Some hand-thrown or weapon-launched grenades disperse many small rubber or plastic pellets on detonation. Many types of weapons can fire kinetic impact projectiles.52 Common ammunition calibres include 37/38mm and 40mm or 56mm (grenade launcher), 12 gauge (shotgun) and 9mm (pistol), but other specialist weapons and ammunition are also in use. Intended purpose: Kinetic impact projectiles are normally designed to be fired directly at a person, but to avoid sensitive areas of the body such as the head and chest. Kinetic impact projectiles differ from conventional ammunition, insofar as they are intended to cause blunt trauma rather than penetration (although they can penetrate). Their intended purpose is to deter persons presenting an imminent threat of injury to a law enforcement official or member of the public, without recurring to lethal force. 51 52 This category does not include rubber-coated steel bullets or metal pellet rounds (commonly referred to as “birdshot��� or “buckshot”), as the high risk of serious injury or death their use entails means that they should be considered forms of lethal force. For more, see section on “Firearms and Other Launchers”.