What is the point of flechette rounds?

A flechette round contains hundreds of small, needle- or razor-like projectiles designed to penetrate armor and inflict painful wounds. They are banned by the Geneva Convention but do still see use in combat and counter-terrorism from time to time.

Are flechette shotgun rounds effective?

During the Vietnam War the United States employed 12-gauge combat shotguns using flechette loads. The flechettes had flatter trajectories over longer ranges than spherical buckshot, but combat effectiveness did not justify continued production.

Are flechette rounds banned in war?

A flechette shell contains a cluster of steel darts. According to petitioners, the use of flechette shells violates the laws of war, which prohibit the use of weapons that do not discriminate between combatants and non-combatants.

Can you buy flechette?

Flechettes are in only a few states but perfectly legal in other places. Although they are generally legal, flechette shells are generally not the best option for self defense.

What are shotgun flechettes?

A Flechette is a small dart shaped projectile, that is clustered in an explosive warhead, dropped in a missile from an airplane or fired from a hand held weapon. One unique application of this 1″ Flechette was to load these in a 12 GA. shotgun for taking out snipers hiding in thick brush or trees.

What are flechettes made out of?

steel
Flechettes, or aerial darts, are essentially short steel rods with a sharp point at one end, and fins at the other. Originally invented by the Italians in 1911-1912, during the First World War they were first said to have been used by the French in 1914, although they were also later used by the British and Germans.

What is a flechette shotgun?

When the US introduced the 12 gauge ( Bushmaster 870 ) shotgun to th The Truth is that the flechette was developed during WW1 but was resurrected and used during the Vietnam war. It was a standard 12 gauge shot shell, loaded with approximately 2 dozen wire darts, called flechettes.

Is the flechette a real round?

The flechette is a real round, it is in production, it is a fierce, and extremely damaging weapon. It is short range, easily deflected by woodland growth, and fairly quiet by comparison regular bullet, but it only takes a few darts to hit their mark to incapacitate or cause death. Now, You know.

Why are flechettes not used for home defense?

The issue with flechettes is that they are generally considered unethical due to the fact that they do not produce significant enough trauma, or temporary wound channels, to produce a clean kill. If you use a 12g. Shotgun as the example, one of the most widely accepted home defence ammunitions is a 00 buckshot;

Was the flechette used in Vietnam?

The Truth is that the flechette was developed during WW1 but was resurrected and used during the Vietnam war. It was a standard 12 gauge shot shell, loaded with approximately 2 dozen wire darts, called flechettes. They were designed for a specific purpose: Our enemy was Not Afraid to Die.