Sponge grenade

A sponge grenade is a riot control weapon, intended to be non-lethal, which is fired from a 40 mm grenade launcher to cause confusion, or otherwise temporarily disable its target. As a single blunt force object, it is best usedfact|date=June 2008 when aimed at a particular individual.

The "grenade" (which does not explode), weighs about 28 grams (1 ounce). It is bullet-shaped, with a foam rubber nose and a high-density, plastic projectile body.

It is non-lethal munition round for a 40mm M203 or M79 Grenade launcher that provides temporary incapacitation through blunt trauma. Minimum engagement range is 10 - 15 meters, and maximum effective range is 50 meters.fact|date=June 2008 Muzzle velocity at 50 meters is 200 feet per second.

Versions of these projectiles fired at a lower muzzle velocity are sometimes used in airsoft gamesfact|date=June 2008, fired from replicas of the aforementioned launchers.

Potential for injury or death

If used improperly - such as at distances closer than 10 meters - injuries to the targeted individual could prove fatal.fact|date=June 2008 Used properly, the weapon is intended to cause no permanent damage, but may, in some casesfact|date=June 2008, cause broken bones. When fired at point blank range, there have been casesspecify of sponge grenades causing death.

Use as a warning shot

According to the Canadian American Strategic Review the rear gunner in a vehicle convoy could use a sponge grenade as their warning shot, instead of live rounds.cite news
url=http://www.sfu.ca/casr/doc-npp-sponge-grenade.htm
title=Non-Lethal Weapons — 40mm XM1006 'Sponge' Grenades and 12-Gauge 'Beanbag' Shotgun Shells: MERX NPP Notice
publisher=Canadian American Strategic Review
accessdate=2008-01-09] Vehicle convoys in Iraq and Afghanistan have proven highly vulnerable to suicide bombers driving civilian vehicles.Rear gunners can't know whether approaching civilian vehicles are driven by innocent civilians, or by enemies.Rear gunners are supposed to warn off vehicles that approach the convoy too closely. If hand signals don't work the gunner is supposed to escalate to firing lethal rounds near the approaching vehicle, which puts nearby pedestrians at risk. If the approaching vehicle ignores the warning shot the gunner is supposed to alter their aim to try to target the vehicle's engine block, to disable it, rather than kill the occupants. A gunner whose weapon has a coaxial grenade launcher would not have alter their point of aim if the driver ignores the sponge grenade warning shot.

References

External links and sources

* [http://www.fas.org/man/dod-101/sys/land/40-sponge.htm More data and a picture] from the website of the Federation of American Scientists