Flash-ball

{{Infobox weapon

| name = Flash-Ball

| image = Image:Flashball - French Police 01.jpg

| caption = A French policeman holding a flash-ball launcher

| origin = {{Flagcountry|France}}

| type = Less-lethal launcher

| is_ranged = YES

| service =

| used_by =

| wars =

| designer =

| design_date = 1990

| manufacturer = Verney-Carron

| unit_cost =

| production_date = 1995–presentThe Local France. (2019, January 28). Riot control guns: What’s all the fuss about flash balls in France? https://www.thelocal.fr/20190128/riot-control-guns-whats-all-the-fuss-about-flash-balls-in-france

| number =

| variants = Side-by-side
Over-and-under

| spec_label =

| weight =

| length =

| part_length =

| cartridge = 44×83 mm

| cartridge_weight =

| caliber = 44 mm

| barrels = 2

| action = Striker fired

| rate = Double-action

| velocity =

| range =

| max_range =

| feed =

| sights = Iron

}}

Flash-Ball is a registered trademark for a less-lethal hand-held projectile launcher developed by French hunting firearms manufacturer Verney-Carron. Flash-Ball is intended to be used by riot police as an alternative to lethal firearms, bean bag rounds and plastic bullets.

Characteristics

The weapon exists in two versions of calibre 44/83. The super-pro version features vertically stacked barrels and is made from metal alloys, while the compact version is made from lighter composite materials with the twin barrels side by side. Both versions of the weapon can be used to fire a variety of ammunition although a soft 44 mm rubber ball is the most common.

According to the manufacturer's own publicity, the Flash-Ball's standard round has the stopping power of a 9 mm calibre handgun but considerably less kinetic energy per square centimetre, making it unlikely to penetrate the body of a normally clothed person even at ranges down to {{convert|5|m|yd}}.

Various human rights groups have expressed fears that the widespread deployment of such weapons could result in police being less likely to apply de-escalation tactics when dealing with potentially dangerous situations.{{cite web|url=http://web.amnesty.org/report2003/fra-summary-eng|title=Amnesty International Report on France 2003|access-date=6 July 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070614124728/http://web.amnesty.org/report2003/fra-summary-eng|archive-date=14 June 2007|url-status=dead}}

Safety concerns

Numerous eye losses, comas, and brain traumas{{Cite journal |last=Hiquet |first=Jean |last2=Gromb-Monnoyeur |first2=Sophie |date=July 2016 |title=Severe craniocerebral trauma with sequelae caused by Flash-Ball® shot, a less-lethal weapon: Report of one case and review of the literature |url=https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26130748/ |journal=Medicine, Science, and the Law |volume=56 |issue=3 |pages=237–240 |doi=10.1177/0025802415587320 |issn=2042-1818 |pmid=26130748}} as well as major bone breakages{{Cite news|date=2019-01-18|title=Gilets Jaunes: French 'flash-ball' row over riot-gun injuries|language=en-GB|work=BBC News|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-46917989|access-date=2020-10-05}}{{Cite news|date=2009-06-16|title=Villiers-le-Bel, au bord de l'implosion|language=fr|work=Le Monde.fr|url=https://www.lemonde.fr/societe/article/2009/06/16/villiers-le-bel-au-bord-de-l-implosion_1207503_3224.html|access-date=2020-10-05}} and two deaths due to cardiac arrest have been attributed to the use of Flash-Ball by police.{{Cite news|date=2010-12-14|title=Le rôle "indiscutable" d'un tir de Flash-Ball dans la mort d'un homme à Marseille|language=fr|work=Le Monde.fr|url=https://www.lemonde.fr/societe/article/2010/12/14/tir-de-flash-ball-un-deme-pulmonaire-serait-la-cause-du-deces_1453052_3224.html|access-date=2020-10-05}}

Users

{{flag|France}}: Law enforcement in France
{{flag|Macau}}: Grupo de Operações Especiais (Special Operations Group) of Macau Police
{{flag|Portugal}}: Public Security Police

References

External links

{{Official website}}

Category:Multiple-barrel firearms

Category:Riot guns

Category:Firearms of France