FN 303

Last updated
FN 303
FN303.tif
A FN 303 anti-riot gun.
Type Riot gun
Place of originBelgium
Service history
Used bySee Users
Wars War in Afghanistan (2001-2021) [1]
Iraq War [1]
Libyan Revolution [2]
2013 Lahad Datu standoff
Production history
Manufacturer FN Herstal
Produced2003–present [3]
Specifications
Mass2.3 kg (5.07 lb)
Length740 mm (29.1 in)
Barrel  length250 mm (9.8 in)
Caliber 17.3 mm (0.68 in)
Action Compressed air
Muzzle velocity 85 m/s (279 ft/s)
Effective firing range70 m (77 yd)
Feed system15-round detachable drum magazine
SightsFront blade, rear notch

The FN 303 is a semi-automatic less-lethal riot gun designed and manufactured by Fabrique Nationale de Herstal.

Contents

The FN 303 uses compressed air to fire projectiles from a 15-round drum magazine. It is designed to incapacitate the target through blunt trauma without causing critical injuries, and is most widely used for riot control and other kinds of combat where lethal weapons should be avoided.

The 303 can be fired from the shoulder using adjustable iron sights, or it can be mounted in an under-barrel configuration on most assault rifles when its stock assembly is removed (in this configuration, it is designated M303). It also comes with a top-mounted Picatinny rail that can fit most commercial weapon accessories, such as telescopic sights, laser sights and tactical lights. FN markets its own set of accessories for the launcher, including tactical vests, slings, carrying bags, and gas compressors. It is accurate at distances up to 35 metres (38 yd).

FN also produce a pistol variant, the FN 303-P, in the same caliber, using a seven-round magazine with a self-contained gas cartridge. [4]

History

The FN 303 is based on a project by the Monterey Bay Corporation designated the XM303. The development team consisted of designers and researchers from two paintball related design and manufacturing firms, including Airgun Designs. The prototype was named the UBTPS, Under Barrel Tactical Paintball System. [5]

The design could be attached to an M16 rifle [6] and was conceived as a less-than-lethal weapon system coupled with a lethal weapon system, providing a wide range of response capabilities that were immediately available. A stand-alone version was also developed.

The UBTPS also featured a rotating barrel magazine, allowing for a wide range of different projectiles to be available and selectable without the need to change magazines.

Also developed was a bismuth-weighted projectile to provide the necessary mass, allowing the UTPBS to achieve the engagement range requirements.

Ammunition

The FN 303 fires a spherical, fin-stabilized projectile. According to FN, the fin-stabilized design provides greater accuracy than a standard paintball round. The forward half of the sphere is a non-toxic granulated bismuth shell designed to fragment on impact to prevent penetration damage. The rear half of the sphere contains one of several color-coded liquid payloads:

The mass of the projectile is 8.5 g (131 gr), providing a muzzle energy of 31 J (23 ft⋅lb).

Safety

In October 2004, in Boston, Massachusetts, Victoria Snelgrove was struck in the eye by an FN 303 round fired by a member of the Boston Police Department (BPD), leading to her death approximately 12 hours later. [7] An autopsy found that the pellet opened a three-quarter-inch (1.9 cm) hole in the bone behind the eye, broke into nine pieces, and damaged the right side of her brain. [8] Subsequent tests by the BPD indicated that the FN 303's accuracy "decreased significantly" after about 300 firings. [9] This is circumstantially corroborated by testimony of the officer who fired the weapon, stating that he was aiming at a rioter throwing bottles and did not know that a bystander had been hit. [10] A $15 million wrongful death lawsuit against the City of Boston and FN Herstal was settled in July 2006. [11] In 2007, the BPD destroyed their remaining FN 303s, stating they were more powerful and lethal than had been anticipated. [12]

During protests in front of the Arcelor building in Luxembourg city on 11 May 2009, the weapon was used for the first time by local police. An RTL cameraman was hit in the hand, breaking one finger. [13]

On 2 June 2013, during Gezi Park protests in Ankara, Turkey, a protester was wounded in the face by a "plastic bullet", later attributed to police use of the FN 303. [14]

During Independence Day demonstrations in Finland on 6 December 2015, police used FN 303 against counter-protesters, with one receiving eye injuries from projectile fragments. [15] [16] [17] [18]

A 2019 study found that the performance of the FN 303 was significantly worse outside of a laboratory setting. Operational conditions were simulated by inducing physiological and psychological stress, and measuring salivary cortisol; accuracy and reported ease of use were both lower than that of the control group. [19]

Users

A map with FN 303 users in blue FN 303 Users.png
A map with FN 303 users in blue

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Non-lethal weapon</span> Weapon intended to be less likely to kill a living target than conventional weapons

Non-lethal weapons, also called nonlethal weapons, less-lethal weapons, less-than-lethal weapons, non-deadly weapons, compliance weapons, or pain-inducing weapons are weapons intended to be less likely to kill a living target than conventional weapons such as knives and firearms with live ammunition. It is often understood that unintended or incidental casualties are risked wherever force is applied, however non-lethal weapons minimise the risk of casualties as much as possible. Non-lethal weapons are used in policing and combat situations to limit the escalation of conflict where employment of lethal force is prohibited or undesirable, where rules of engagement require minimum casualties, or where policy restricts the use of conventional force. However, these weapons occasionally cause serious injuries or death due to allergic reactions, improper use and/or other factors; for this reason the term "less-lethal" has been preferred by some organizations as it describes the risks of death more accurately than the term "non-lethal", which some have argued is a misnomer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Paintball</span> Competitive shooting team sport

Paintball is a competitive team shooting sport in which players eliminate opponents from play by hitting them with spherical dye-filled gelatin capsules called paintballs that break upon impact. Paintballs are usually shot using low-energy air weapons called paintball markers that are powered by compressed air or carbon dioxide and were originally designed for remotely marking trees and cattle.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Electroshock weapon</span> Incapacitating weapon

An electroshock weapon is an incapacitating weapon. It delivers an electric shock aimed at temporarily disrupting muscle functions and/or inflicting pain, usually without causing significant injury.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">FN P90</span> Belgian compact personal defense weapon

The FN P90 is a personal defense weapon chambered for the 5.7×28mm cartridge, also classified as a submachine gun, designed and manufactured by FN Herstal in Belgium. Created in response to NATO requests for a replacement for 9×19mm Parabellum firearms, the P90 was designed as a compact but powerful firearm for vehicle crews, operators of crew-served weapons, support personnel, special forces, and counter-terrorist groups.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">FN Minimi</span> Light machine gun

The FN Minimi is a Belgian 5.56mm or 7.62mm light machine gun, also classified as a squad automatic weapon developed by Ernest Vervier for FN Herstal. Introduced in the late 1970s, it is in service in more than 75 countries. The weapon is manufactured at the FN facility in Herstal and their U.S. subsidiary FN Manufacturing LLC.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">FN Five-seven</span> Type of semi-automatic pistol

The FN Five-seven is a semi-automatic pistol designed and manufactured by FN Herstal in Belgium. The pistol is named for the 5.7×28mm cartridge's bullet diameter, and the trademark's capitalization style is intended to emphasize the manufacturer's initials—FN.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Killing of Victoria Snelgrove</span> 2004 police shooting of an American student

Victoria E. Snelgrove was an American journalism student at Emerson College in Boston, who died after being shot by officer Rochefort Milien of the Boston Police Department using a less-lethal weapon. The shooting took place following the victory of the Boston Red Sox over the New York Yankees in the 2004 American League Championship Series. In 2005, the city of Boston reached a $5.1 million wrongful death settlement with Snelgrove's family. After filing a wrongful death suit for $10 million against FN Herstal, the family agreed to an out-of-court settlement in June of 2006; the final amount of the settlement was not disclosed.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kathleen O'Toole</span> American police chief

Kathleen M. O'Toole is an American law enforcement officer who served as Chief of the Seattle Police Department (SPD) from June 23, 2014, to January 4, 2018. She was previously the first female commissioner of the Boston Police Department, when appointed by Mayor of Boston Thomas M. Menino in February 2004.

A pneumatic weapon is a weapon that fires a projectile by means of air pressure, similar in principle to the operation of pneumatic tube delivery systems. The term comes from a Greek word for "wind" or "breath" (πνεῦμα).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">FN F2000</span> Bullpup assault rifle

The FN F2000 is a 5.56×45mm NATO bullpup rifle, designed by FN Herstal in Belgium. Its compact bullpup design includes a telescopic sight, a non-adjustable fixed notch and front blade secondary sight. The weapon has fully ambidextrous controls, allowed by a unique ejection system, ejecting spent cartridge casings forward and to the right side of the weapon, through a tube running above the barrel. The F2000 made its debut in March 2001 at the IDEX defence exhibition held in Abu Dhabi, in the United Arab Emirates.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Riot gun</span> Type of firearm

In current usage, a riot gun or less-lethal launcher is a type of firearm used to fire "non-lethal" or "less-lethal" ammunition for the purpose of suppressing riots or apprehending suspects with minimal harm or risk. Less-lethal launchers may be special purpose firearms designed for riot control use, or standard firearms, usually shotguns and grenade launchers, adapted for riot control use with appropriate ammunition. The ammunition is most commonly found in 12 gauge shotguns and 37mm or 40 mm grenade launchers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Boston Police Department</span> Municipal police department in Boston, Massachusetts

The Boston Police Department (BPD), dating back to 1838, holds the primary responsibility for law enforcement and investigation within the city of Boston, Massachusetts. It is the oldest municipal police department in the United States. The BPD is also the 20th largest law enforcement agency in the country.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pepper-spray projectile</span> Law enforcement weapon

A pepper-spray projectile, also called a pepper-spray ball, pepper-ball, pepper bomb, or pepper-spray pellet, is a frangible projectile containing a powdered chemical that irritates the eyes and nose in a manner similar to pepper spray. These projectiles are fired from specially designed forced compliance weapons or modified paintball guns.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Heckler & Koch HK69A1</span> Grenade launcher

The HK69A1 is a 40 mm grenade launcher developed and produced by the German arms manufacturer Heckler & Koch (H&K). The weapon was designed to engage enemy troops and strongpoints out to a distance of 350 m; it can also be used to deploy smoke grenades and illumination flares.

Nonivamide, also called pelargonic acid vanillylamide or PAVA, is an organic compound and a capsaicinoid. It is an amide of pelargonic acid and vanillyl amine. It is present in chili peppers, but is commonly manufactured synthetically. It is more heat-stable than capsaicin.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Unité Spéciale de la Police</span>

The Unité Spéciale de la Police (USP) is the tier one police tactical unit of the Grand Ducal Police that was created in Luxembourg in 1999. It is tasked with responding to especially dangerous situations such as hostage rescue operations, arrests of dangerous individuals, bomb threats, and dignitary protection duties.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">FN 5.7×28mm</span> Handgun cartridge manufactured by FN Herstal

The FN 5.7×28mm is a small-caliber, high-velocity, smokeless-powder, rebated, non-tapered, bottleneck, centerfire cartridge designed for pistols and personal defense weapons (PDW) uses, manufactured by FN Herstal. It is similar in length to the .22 WMR and .22 Hornet. Unlike many new cartridges, it has no parent case; the complete package was developed from scratch by FN.

Gun f/x Tactical Development is an R&D firm serving the paintball industry. It was founded as Gun f/x in 1994 as a spin-off of Pro-Team Products, Inc.

The FN 303 P is a semi-automatic less-lethal pistol designed and manufactured by Fabrique Nationale de Herstal. It uses the same .68 Less-lethal cartridge as the FN 303, the less-lethal riot gun by FN Herstal.

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Peacekeeping and Policing". Special-operations-technology.com. Archived from the original on 2012-02-29. Retrieved 2012-02-16.
  2. ↑ "Des images démontreraient la présence d'armes FN d'Herstal". Lalibre.be. 2011-02-22. Retrieved 2012-02-16.
  3. ↑ "Major Product Achievements". Archived from the original on 2011-09-27. Retrieved 2010-06-24.
  4. ↑ "FN 303®-P". FN. Retrieved 2020-06-15.
  5. ↑ "U.T.P.B.S Under Barrel Tactical Paintball System". Gun F/X. Archived from the original on 2012-02-18. Retrieved 2012-06-30.
  6. ↑ "Non-Lethal Weapon Measures of Effectiveness". Monterey Bay Corporation. Archived from the original on 2009-11-10.
  7. ↑ "Commission Investigating the Death of Victoria Snelgrove" (PDF). cityofboston.gov. May 25, 2005. p. 14. Archived from the original (PDF) on June 10, 2011. Retrieved April 25, 2009– via Wayback Machine.
  8. ↑ Slack, Donovan; Smalley, Suzanne (September 21, 2005). "In Snelgrove files, officers recount night of chaos". The Boston Globe . p. 1. Retrieved March 15, 2020– via newspapers.com.
  9. ↑ Murphy, Shelley (March 11, 2005). "Crowd-control gun's accuracy is questioned". The Boston Globe . p. 17. Retrieved March 15, 2020– via newspapers.com.
  10. ↑ Murphy, Shelley (March 11, 2005). "Crowd-control gun's accuracy questioned (cont'd)". The Boston Globe . p. 19. Retrieved March 15, 2020– via newspapers.com.
  11. ↑ Murphy, Shelley (2006-07-14). "Snelgrove family settles lawsuit". The Boston Globe . Retrieved 2009-06-05.
  12. ↑ Shea, Paddy (2007-03-01). "BPD: Pellet guns to be destroyed". Berkeley Beacon . Archived from the original on August 22, 2007. Retrieved 2009-06-05.
  13. ↑ "ArcelorMittal: Siège am Viséier vun de Stolaarbechter". RTL.lu. 2009-05-11. Archived from the original on 2009-05-15. Retrieved 2009-05-20.
  14. ↑ "Emniyet: FN 303 kullandık" (in Turkish). Hurriyet.com.tr. 2015-01-10. Retrieved 2015-01-10. Police Forces: We used FN 303
  15. ↑ "Luodista silmäänsä saanut: "Aivan varmasti osallistun seuraavaankin mielenosoitukseen"". Kansan Uutiset. Retrieved 12 December 2015.
  16. ↑ "Video: Poliisi käytti anarkisteja vastaan paineilma-asetta – tällainen on FN 303". Iltasanomat (in Finnish). 6 December 2015. Archived from the original on December 8, 2015. Retrieved 6 December 2015.
  17. ↑ "Poliisi epäilee yli 30 ihmistä rikoksista itsenäisyyspäivän mielenosoituksissa – kaikki kiinniotetut vapautettu". 6 December 2015.
  18. ↑ "Poliisi ampunut mielenosoittajia paineilma-aseella – yli 130 otettu kiinni". 6 December 2015.
  19. ↑ Taverniers, John; Suss, Joel (2019-09-02). "A user-centred assessment of a less-lethal launcher: the case of the FN 303® in a high-pressure setting". Ergonomics. 62 (9): 1162–1174. doi:10.1080/00140139.2019.1626916. ISSN   0014-0139. PMID   31151364. S2CID   172137056.
  20. ↑ "Sur le terrain avec l'unité spéciale - Actu-Société - Moustique". Moustique.be. 2011-05-24. Archived from the original on 2011-08-14. Retrieved 2012-02-16.
  21. ↑ "FN 303-wapens zijn uitbreiding van arsenaal" (in Dutch). gva.be Politiezone Minos. 2015-08-17. Retrieved 2015-11-11.
  22. ↑ Армията се въоръжи и с газови пистолети Archived 2006-07-17 at the Wayback Machine , Segabg, 30 June 2006
  23. ↑ "Georgia and World". Geworld.net. Archived from the original on 2010-05-26. Retrieved 2012-06-30.
  24. ↑ "Four years of antifascist mobilisations – what have we learned from the Independence Day demonstrations of 2015-2018?". 2019-11-23. Retrieved 2019-12-06.
  25. ↑ "Belgium probes arms sales to Kadhafi regime < Belgian news | Expatica Belgium". Expatica.com. Archived from the original on 2012-07-05. Retrieved 2012-02-16.
  26. ↑ "Unité Spéciale de la Police Equipement - Armes non Lethales" (in French). usp.lu - Unofficial Website of Unité Spéciale, Officially Endorsed. 2008. Archived from the original on 2012-02-27. Retrieved 2009-10-13.
  27. ↑ "RTL-Kameramann mécht Plainte géint onbekannte Polizist". RTL.lu. 2009-05-20. Archived from the original on 2009-05-22. Retrieved 2009-05-20.
  28. ↑ "Dit is het wapen waarmee Gelderland de wolf mag afschrikken: 'Die projectielen komen echt wel aan'" (in Dutch). Retrieved 2024-01-24.
  29. ↑ "About – Sodarca Defense" (in European Portuguese). Retrieved 2022-09-04.
  30. ↑ "Singapore Police Force Annual Report 2008". Singapore Police Force. Archived from the original on 2009-04-13. Retrieved 2013-08-09.
  31. ↑ "2021_10 | Reports | Mob Data Thailand". blog.mobdatathailand.org. Retrieved 2022-05-18.
  32. ↑ "ชาวแฟลตดินแดงร้องผู้ชุมนุมงดเสียงดังหลังเคอร์ฟิวส์ คนแก่-เด็กอ่อนได้ผลกระทบ ยันไม่ใช่ 'สลิ่ม'". prachatai.com (in Thai). Retrieved 2022-05-18.
  33. ↑ "Cop yerine FN 303 | Dünya Bülteni". Dunyabulteni.net. 2011-09-15. Archived from the original on 2012-08-01. Retrieved 2012-02-16.
  34. ↑ "The Daily Californian - Berkeley's Newspaper". Dailycal.org. 2011-09-16. Retrieved 2012-06-30.
  35. ↑ "Portland Police Under Scrutiny For Dangerous Crowd Control Munitions". opb. Retrieved 2021-03-17.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.