The FN303 Military/Police Paintball Gun
Throughout my years of playing paintball I have been shot by many markers at many velocities, the highest being 450 fps at point blank. You can pretty much imagine that it was the most painful shot I've ever taken. Not the most pleasurable thing you can endure, but I can say, it is just a part of paintball that I've come to terms with (by massively beating down anyone shooting hot), besides, it could've been worse! I mean what if I took it to the face while maskless?
Say hello to the FN303, a "Non-Leathal" errrr oops, I mean "Less Lethal" weapon released in 2004. Its something that cops use to bust up riots, and its something currently being used in Iraq by U.S. forces.
It's also something that has killed (a young woman in a non violent protest). I mean what kind of results do you expect if you shoot someone at an extreme velocity with a metal tipped paintball?
As an experienced paintballer, all I can say is that whoever is making these weapons should take a couple shots from it before they release this garbage onto the streets. It seems they have no idea what "non leathal" really is, and if they need me to show them then they are welcome to come by my field anytime. I'll be more than willing to shoot them with a normal paintball at various FPS.
Added by Reed · Filed Under Browse, Guns, Military Paintball Guns 
It killed her because the shot broke the bone around her eye. Terrible shooting, and I really hope they aim for center of mass and not the head. Boston PD has stopped using these now, as have several other cities, because of the risk.
But just like “rubber bullets” and beanbag rounds, it’s supposed to be painful. It’s a riot gun. (Remember Johnny Knoxville getting shot by a beanbag? Possibly a reduced powder charge there though.)
The terminology is really “less-lethal”. FN-Herstal lists it that way in every instance in their catalog (from which the illustration is taken).
Just as trivia, AGD (Automag producer)’s founder Tom Kaye was involved in the development of the round used in the 303.
this is not a paintball marker it is a riot gun so what tom kaye from agd and simon from kee worked on developing it. for its purpose the best people to design an air powered projectile shooter would be the higher ups in the paintball industry. however this was designed to be less lethal not non lethal. unlike a paintball gun witch is designed to shoot at a lower velocity and not kill someone tho theoreticaly it is possible i do not know of a paintball killing someone. and to the cops that killed that poor girl they probably were not trained to shoot one of these correctly as i know most cops from my hometown have just plain bad aim with their standard issue pistols. and they are trained to shoot them. it just annoys me that people would consider a riot gun the same as a paintball gun because they both are air powered and shoot something full of something.
These are in Non-Lethal weapons categories, but its non-lethal to a certain extent. As a US Army MP, we are certified for these weapons for detention facilities, but you have to know your distances and body sensitivity on these nonlethal weapons. If used in the improper distance or in the improper area on a human body, these non-lethal paint/pepper rounds can become lethal. Its not the design of the weapon, it’s the operator firing it that can kill someone.
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Technically its a “less-lethal” weapon, so while its not its intention to kill it still is able to used as a lethal weapon.
Youre an idiot it’s not a “non-lethal” weapon it’s less lethal. People like you need to do your research. F***** tool
I did do my research
. This post is over 3 years old, and was written when many sources were calling it a “Non-Lethal” weapon. After someone was killed many of them conveniently switched it to “Less Lethal”. You can find my updated article here – Less Lethal FN303.
As far as being an idiot goes… maybe the real idiots are those that use weapons like these. There are plenty of other options for crowd control that are much, much, much safer and equally effective. You don’t need to draw blood or send someone to the hospital to get a point across. Those that do think that way are just sadistic, hopped up angry people