How the Taser Shotgun Shell Functions

Sometimes, law enforcement or military personnel must neutralize individuals or groups without resorting to deadly force. To achieve this, they utilize various tools and strategies. These may include riot shields, batons, and tear gas. One non-lethal option is the Thomas A. Swift Electric Rifle, also known as the Taser.

A Taser is an electronic control device (ECD). The standard Taser is a handheld unit that discharges a pair of barbed pins connected to the device by electrical wires. The device sends high-voltage electrical pulses through the pins. When someone is struck by a Taser, they experience neuromuscular incapacitation (NMI), which causes the muscles to contract uncontrollably. This leads to the person collapsing, allowing law enforcement or military personnel to subdue them.

However, the standard Taser has some limitations. Since the pins are connected to the firing mechanism by wires, the Taser's range is restricted to the wire length, typically about 35 feet (10.6 meters). Additionally, while effective for incapacitating a single individual, reloading the Taser after it has been fired is not an easy task, which could be a challenge in crowd control situations.

With this in mind, Taser unveiled a revolutionary advancement in ECD technology – the Taser eXtended Range Electronic Projectile (XREP). Resembling a futuristic shotgun shell, this design was intentional. Taser created the XREP to be fired from a standard 12-gauge shotgun, allowing military or law enforcement officers to use it. Rather than launching pellets or a slug, these shells discharge a compact, self-contained Taser device that delivers the same neuromuscular incapacitation (NMI) effect as a conventional handheld Taser gun.

Developing a device small enough to fit into a shotgun shell casing yet potent enough to incapacitate a target was no simple feat. The Taser team had to strike the perfect balance between power and size. The device needed to travel farther than a standard Taser while ensuring it had the appropriate mass. Too little mass would limit its range, while excessive mass could turn it into a potentially lethal projectile instead of a non-lethal solution.

Now, let’s take a detailed look at the Taser XREP shell.

The Taser XREP Projectile

The XREP is housed inside a unique shotgun shell casing. Unlike traditional shells, the XREP casings are transparent. Taser opted for transparency to help officers easily identify the correct shell before loading it into the shotgun.

Much like a regular shotgun shell, the XREP shell utilizes gunpowder as a propellant. The shotgun ejects the XREP casing just as it would with any conventional round. However, instead of launching a slug or shot, the shotgun fires a 3.4-gram (approximately .12 ounces) electronic projectile [source: Taser].

This projectile consists of two primary components. The front end of the projectile features four sharp electrodes. These electrodes pierce both clothing and skin, providing the contact points for the electric charge. Before impact, the nose and rear section of the projectile move together as a unified unit, connected by a pair of Kevlar-coated wires.

The rear section of the projectile holds the electronic components that enable the XREP to transmit voltage to the target. This includes a battery, a transformer, and a microprocessor that functions as both a trigger and a monitoring system. The battery stores the electricity used by the XREP when deployed, while the transformer increases the voltage of the electrical charge.

A transformer alters the voltage of alternating current through a series of coils wrapped around a core. For example, two wires coiled around an iron nail can form a basic transformer. As electricity flows through the first coil, it creates a magnetic field. This magnetic field induces an electric field, which causes electrons to move through the second coil. Transformers come in two types: step-up transformers, which increase the voltage, and step-down transformers, which decrease it.

The step-up transformer in the XREP is essential for generating sufficient voltage to induce NMI in the target. If the voltage is too low, the subject won't be incapacitated. If it's too high, the target could be killed. To ensure the XREP remains non-lethal, Taser restricts the amount of current flowing through the system to only a few milliamps.

The base of the projectile contains six electrodes that deploy upon impact with the target. Additionally, to aid in stabilizing its flight path, the projectile features three spring-loaded fins that extend when the XREP is ejected from the shotgun.

Now, let's examine what happens when the XREP is fired.

Firing the Taser XREP

In the worst-case scenario, a group of prison guards faces a full-scale riot. The inmates not only threaten each other but also pose a significant risk to the staff. The guards aim to use non-lethal force to de-escalate the situation and save lives. Armed with shotguns loaded with XREP shells, they take aim at the rioting prisoners and fire. What follows next?

When an XREP shell is fired, the small charge within the shell is triggered, sending the projectile hurtling down the shotgun's barrel. The ripcord connecting the projectile to the shell tightens and then snaps, activating the battery in the projectile. This marks the beginning of a 20-second cycle during which high-voltage current flows through the device.

As the projectile exits the shotgun’s barrel, three spring-loaded fins at its base unfurl. These fins cause the projectile to spin in mid-air, ensuring a more stable trajectory. The projectile will continue to spin, even when fired from a smooth-bore shotgun.

Upon striking the target, several actions occur in rapid succession. Initially, four electrodes puncture the subject's clothing and skin. The impact then triggers a series of fracture pins to snap. These pins hold the nose of the projectile in place, and once they break, the base of the projectile swings free, still tethered to the nose by two Kevlar-coated wires.

As the projectile’s base detaches, six Cholla electrodes unfold. These electrodes are named after the Cholla cactus, known for its barbed spines. If the Cholla electrodes penetrate the subject's clothing and make contact with their skin, the microprocessor within the XREP directs electricity through both the nose and Cholla electrodes. This ensures the NMI effect affects a larger portion of the subject's body.

According to Taser's website, most people instinctively reach for the spot where they've been struck after a blunt impact. However, this is not advisable when affected by the XREP. If the subject’s hand touches the reflex engagement electrodes on the XREP, the microprocessor in the device reroutes electricity, completing a circuit. Electricity then flows from the electrodes into the subject’s body, exiting through the hand in contact with the XREP, thus amplifying the effect across the subject’s body.

When the XREP makes contact with the subject solely through its nose, the microprocessor directs all pulses through those electrodes, which results in a more localized NMI effect, affecting a smaller area of the subject’s body.

The 20-second duration of voltage emission provides the officer with enough time to approach and restrain the subject. Additionally, the shotgun shell design allows for the officer to quickly load a second round and target another individual if required.

What happens on a physiological level when you are struck by a device like the XREP?

Neuromuscular Incapacitation

Why are Tasers effective? What makes them capable of disabling a person, regardless of their size or strength? The answer lies in muscle physiology.

Our bodies rely on a combination of electrical and chemical signals to transmit commands from the nervous system to other parts of our body. When we want to move a muscle, our brain sends electrical signals to specialized nerve cells. These nerve cells act as transducers, converting electrical energy from the brain into a chemical substance known as a neurotransmitter.

The neurotransmitter instructs muscle cells to contract. On a molecular level, the neurotransmitter triggers muscle cells to release calcium, which binds to a protein called troponin that regulates contraction. Muscle cells work in coordination, enabling actions like flexing a bicep or lifting a finger. When the signal to contract stops, calcium is returned to intercellular vesicles known as the sarcoplasmic reticulum [source: National Skeletal Muscle Research Center].

When a high-voltage, low-amperage electric charge is applied to muscle tissue, it disrupts the body's communication system. Taser's electrical pulses cause the targeted muscles to contract up to 19 times per second. Under normal circumstances, the body moves by alternating between relaxing one set of muscles and contracting another. However, when an electric pulse strikes, both muscle groups may try to contract simultaneously. Typically, the stronger muscles dominate, but because the pulses override the brain's commands, you lose the ability to control your movements consciously.

As a result, the affected muscles contract uncontrollably, causing the area to tense up. This can cause you to lose your balance and fall, and depending on where you were hit, you might not be able to break your fall or catch yourself. This is why individuals struck by a Taser often experience superficial cuts, bruises, and bumps.

Although Taser uses low-amperage currents, the risk of serious burns or other severe effects is minimal. However, complications can still arise. While Taser claims that the amperage levels are within safe limits, there are skeptics. Some individuals have filed lawsuits against the company, alleging that its product contributed to someone's death.

Before June 2008, Taser either won all of its cases or reached settlements out of court. However, in California, Taser lost its first lawsuit when a jury found the company liable for the death of Robert C. Heston. In 2005, police officers used Taser devices multiple times in an attempt to subdue Heston. The jury determined that the Taser strikes were responsible for his death. Taser plans to appeal this ruling [source: Johnson].

While the court ruling was a setback for Taser, the company's products remain essential for many individuals who rely on them in situations where lethal force is unnecessary. As law enforcement and military forces continue to incorporate the XREP into their arsenal, further controversy is expected. One thing is certain: the consequences will be electrifying.

Understanding the Taser Shotgun Shell: A Personal Reflection

Every year, I have a mixed feeling about attending CES (formerly the Consumer Electronics Show) in Las Vegas. The overwhelming scale of the event often fills me with dread, as it takes place in the vast Las Vegas Convention Center, a 3.2-million square-foot (297,290 square-meter) facility, with exhibits spilling into neighboring massive hotels. Despite its size, I always find something that captures my interest. The Taser Shotgun Shell certainly falls into that category. It's an incredible yet frightening innovation. The concept of firing an electrified projectile sounds like something from a science fiction movie, but it’s very real. The Taser’s capacity to incapacitate is both awe-inspiring and terrifying. The impression it left on me was so strong that I’ve made it a point to visit the Taser booth every year since.

Sources

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The Taser Shotgun Shell Explained: Quick Guide

Essential facts you should know:

• The official name of the Taser Shotgun Shell is the eXtended Range Electronic Projectile (XREP), and it works by causing neuromuscular incapacitation (NMI).

• Our muscles depend on electrochemical signals from our nervous system, transmitting millions of messages through our bodies every second. A Taser disrupts this by injecting low-amperage, high-voltage electricity, effectively overwhelming this communication network.

• A Taser's electric pulse can cause muscles to contract up to 19 times every second.

• While the Taser is designed to incapacitate its target without causing major harm, some reports suggest that fatalities have occurred after being shocked by the device. Taser refutes these allegations, asserting that its products are safe for use in typical circumstances.

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