FYI: Beretta USA and PepperBall Technologies, Inc Form Strategic Alliance...

[cledford]

:: Beretta USA and PepperBall Technologies, Inc Form Strategic Alliance to
Provide Non-Lethal Solutions

Will Introduce Products for Self Defense, Home Protection, Security, Law
Enforcement and Military applications

Accokeek, Md. and San Diego, CA - February 16, 2005 - Beretta USA and
PepperBall Technologies, Inc. (PTI) announced today that they have formed a
strategic alliance for the co-design, development, manufacture and
distribution of non-lethal solutions for self defense, home protection,
security, law enforcement, and military applications.

Christopher Merritt, general manager of Beretta USA, said Beretta was
attracted to the alliance by PTI's strong patent portfolio in the areas of
non-lethal projectile and delivery systems. "PTI's management team has
extensive experience in developing similar solutions for the United States
Department of Defense," he said. "Partnering with PTI provides Beretta with
a dynamic foundation from which to offer our existing customers innovative
self defense/security solutions, and introduce new customers to the World of
Beretta."

Eric Wenaas, PTI's president and chief executive officer, said he expects
the alliance with Beretta to help PepperBall more quickly penetrate new and
existing markets with its products. "An opportunity to work with a global
company such as Beretta, that has embodied quality, dependability, and a
customer-based focus for almost 500 years, was one that we were anxious to
embrace," he said. "Combining PepperBall's innovative focus on various
technology solutions with Beretta's strong brand, solutions-based approach,
and marketing prowess is a combination that we believe will create a
uniquely powerful force in serving the demand for and providing non-lethal
solutions to various markets."

The companies plan to supply their initial products to the commercial
markets through Beretta's existing dealer base. PTI has provided their
existing TAC700 and SA200 launcher products to over 3,000 Law Enforcement
agencies in the U. S. and has produced and sold over 10 million non-lethal
projectiles. Beretta's Law Enforcement and Military Group will be assisting
PTI in creating further awareness and educating users of the numerous
benefits of the non-lethal solutions.

The allied companies will develop products using PepperBall's unique and
proven Chem-neticsTM technology to effectively achieve subject compliance.
Affected individuals experience the deterrent effect of being struck by the
powerful yet less-than-lethal kinetic impact of a patented hard frangible
projectile, and the release of potent PAVA (capsaicin II) pepper
super-irritant. The combined affects of this technology will enable Beretta
and PepperBall to develop products that are extremely effective while also
lowering the level of kinetic impact relied upon by other less-than-lethal
products, thereby enhancing the security of users, and saving subject lives.
"These are the most comprehensive, less-than-lethal products available
today," said E. Scott Blackwell, vice president of law enforcement and
defense group at Beretta USA. "These product use psychological shock,
kinetic impact, and chemical affects as multiple deterrents, when most
less-than-lethal products use only one," he said.

Beretta is the oldest industrial dynasty in the world tracing its roots
through 16 generations of continuous family ownership back to 1526. Firearms
bearing the Beretta name have been sold for over 475 years. Beretta U.S.A.
was founded in 1977 and supplies the standard sidearm to the U.S. Armed
Forces. Today Beretta manufactures, distributes and markets a complete line
of firearms, accessories and apparel. Beretta also operates five retail
Beretta Gallery stores worldwide.

PepperBall Technologies, Inc. develops, manufactures and distributes the
PepperBall brand line of non-lethal weapons for governmental, military,
corrections, private security, and law enforcement agencies. Products
include PepperBall System launchers and projectiles, ImpactPlusTM 12 gauge
less lethal rounds, and PepperBall PAVA pepper spray. PepperBall users
include the Federal Bureau of Prisons, the United States Border Patrol,
Police and Sheriff Departments in major United States cities including New
York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Washington, D.C., Dallas, Miami, Phoenix, Salt
Lake City, San Diego, Seattle, and more. For more information on PepperBall
Technologies, Inc., visit www.pepperball.com

[Conversekidz]

I love the pepperball riot system....procarbine with a 180 round hopper,and a cop wearing a 6 pod harness, running the gun on a remote line.

[AGD]

Well thats interesting! Thanks Calvin!

AGD

[MedicDVG]

Non leathal weaponry is one of the biggest oxymorons out there.

Just ask the girl shot by one of these in Boston, or I should say, whomever is managing her estate.

Now, not only can some dufus do a random PB driveby, but he can do so with PEPPERBALLS!!

Frankly I am not sure that I like the idea of introducing our sport to the public as some modified home defense product. Call me old school if you like, but it has been hard enough to crawl out from the "Montana Millitia" stigmata over the years. So lets 'militirize' the technology and sell it to the survivalist clans out there... ya that will project paintball as the great sport that it is.

[magman007]

well this is certainly good news for tom, as he manufactures the shells for PTI, unless there is something im missing ofcourse....

[SCpoloRicker]

good find.

The phrase is not non-lethal. Less than lethal means just that. Hopefully it won't kill you. The situation in Boston was tragic, but there is a degree of wrong place, wrong time at work.

[MedicDVG]

I lkie "less then leathal" even more.. LOL... that just means we are going to hurt the crap outof you, but you shouldn't die.

When I was in the Army, we had a lecture on the Less then leathal weapons, sticky, slippery, smelly, chemical and electrical deterrents etc.. Fascinating stuff. However, they all took a consdierable amount of training and practice to be effective and used properly.

My contention is that the sale of this system to the general public is a bad thing. Granted it is better to shoot someone with this then your Ruger, but frankly a pepper spray bottle is just as effective with less chance of really injuring someone. I hate to bring up the Boston episode, but here was an ostensiably trained law enforcement officer, allegedly using the system as designed and yet someone died. If he would have had a big bear spraycan of pepperspray he would have had the same effect without the fatality.

I am not a big fan of using paintball as an intimidation factor. As I said before, having played paitball since the early 80's, I have lived through the stupid paintball bans and the constant misunderstandings that the general public has for paintball. I don;t want to go back there.

Look how far paintball has come as a recognized sport. Hell even schools have paintball teams now. Maybe I am being oversensitive, but I really don't like anyhthing that can cast so easily a negative image on paintball such as this.

[Lohman446]

My contention is that the sale of this system to the general public is a bad thing. Granted it is better to shoot someone with this then your Ruger, but frankly a pepper spray bottle is just as effective with less chance of really injuring someone.

Given various statutes and the danger of these not working if not used properly I am concerned with these being used for civilian self defense. As a civilian if you can retreat you have the duty to retreat - you are not the police, you do not have the duty to crowd control or to detain an aggressor - in fact in most states in a public place (or anywhere but your home, even your home in Massachusetts) you have a duty to retreat if possible. If you are not able to retreat and are in danger of serious and imminent physical harm you need to be responding with the appropriate level of force - should that level of force be something more than unarmed, more than brandishment, more then felonious assult (the threat of using deadly force) then you need to be prepared to handle the problem. I just do not see a "toned" down civilian version of this having the reliability to do this. I mean, even small caliber handguns, and often larger ones, fail to quickly stop that threat.

Edit: even when the full out military and police versions are used there is always a backup plan that involved escalating the level of force. In the civilian world I do not see a situation where you would be legally safe to use a "less-lethal" device that you would not have the same legal right to use a lethal device. That being said, if your less-lethal device fails - if you are subject to the imminent threat the law requires, would you have a chance to escalate force. I would think you probably would not.

[hitech]

I would LOVE to have one of these weapons. I understand the problem with not being able to use escalating force. However, without it I have far more limited options. A firearm is just not an option. This, however, would make a great option. Much better than pepper spray. Pepper spray is limited by it's range, quantity and provides only the irritant deterrent. Tom's pepperballs provide a MUCH better deterrent. If the situation escalates past their capabilities I was screwed anyway.

I've always liked the idea of using "pepper spray" in a paintball. I actually considered trying to use a syringe to empty the contents of a paintball and refill it with "pepper spray" and seal the hole(s) with glue. I wasn't sure if the gelatin would hold up to the "pepper spray" and there were other obvious logistical issues. But I still wanted some...

I believe that we have the right to defend ourselves. I believe that we should not have to reply on others to defend us. I seem to be in the minority, however.

It's quite possible that a few will ruin this for the rest of us. I hope not, but that seems to be the way of things...

[Target Practice]

Less then lethal means putting a bullet in the leg instead of the chest.

[Lohman446]

Less then lethal means putting a bullet in the leg instead of the chest.

Under MI statute if you pull the trigger, even to fire a warning shot, you have used lethal force in the eyes of the law. As such you aim to the center of mass - never to wound.

Edit: What I mean by this. Legally you have to have the same justification to fire to kill as to fire to scare. Considering the dangers of involving a firearm in combat, if you are going to use one as a civilian you better be prepared to use it to kill if you ahve to pull the trigger. You are incidently, required to stop should pulling of the weapon be enough to defuse a situation. If I pull the trigger it is going to be in an attempt to stop an attack in the most certain way reasonable, and per training that is the center of mass. With .45 Gold Sabers I don't think theres much of a chance of wounding...

[Number13]

Frankly I am not sure that I like the idea of introducing our sport to the public as some modified home defense product. Call me old school if you like, but it has been hard enough to crawl out from the "Montana Millitia" stigmata over the years. So lets 'militirize' the technology and sell it to the survivalist clans out there... ya that will project paintball as the great sport that it is.

I agree that this has a high potential to damage the sport of paintball. Paintball markers can be argued as non-weapons because they are not designed to injure other people. Injury should only occur if the marker is employed outside of designed and intended means.

If paintball markers are manufactured for home-defense, then paintball markers are weapon systems.

I do not know the specific measurements of the pepperballs, such as if they would or would not work in the standard paintball marker designed for a .68 caliber paintball. If they would not work (note, I am not saying "if they would not work as well") in a paintball marker, some may validly contend that the application of the term "weapon" to a paintball marker would be false. However, similarities in appearance between the two systems would be great enough that a "layman" would not be able to tell them apart (this based on the demonstrations I've seen on television of the system, including one news program showing the local police force's "new use of paintball guns"). If a "layman" can't tell a paintball marker and a pepperball gun apart, paintball markers will be defaulted as weapons in the public eye.

While these backlashes to the sport of paintball could be quite serious, the technology does represent a serious advancement in crowd control techniques and officer safety. For those merits, I support the system, however I am upset that the system not only will be perceived and marketed as a cousin to paintball, but actually was conceived to be such.

-Matt

[abunkerer]

They should make them in a really big bore size, so that dumb kids don't load up a halo full of them and go do a drive by...Making them bigger bore size would help keep them out of the paintball scene, you would have to buy guns and barrels that were designed to fire "pepperballs".

[Target Practice]

They should make them in a really big bore size, so that dumb kids don't load up a halo full of them and go do a drive by...Making them bigger bore size would help keep them out of the paintball scene, you would have to buy guns and barrels that were designed to fire "pepperballs".

Yeah, WE realize that, but Joe and Jane Everycitizen wouldn't. It's all the same to the general populace. Hell, look how long it took for markers to be differentiated from firearms.

[germanman]

I like the idea of having my E-Tac full of those lil bastards during a riot. It's either that or my ar-15 with 100 round beta mag. I think the pepperballs will be easier to explain.