The Shotgun Taser

AnarchAngel noticed this new Taser round that can be fired from a 12 gauge shotgun. Hey I have one of those! I wonder if they sell to civilians. Instapundit had the common sensical concern:

Impressive -- but it'll be pretty important to be sure that your 12-gauge is really loaded with Taser rounds when you think it is, and not, say, slugs. Or vice versa.

I believe the Los Angeles County sheriff's department address this concern by having dedicated less-lethal shotguns. The furniture on the gun is orange as opposed to black. Currently they use them to fire rubber batons and beanbags when necessary.

Unfortunately the Achilles heal with less-lethal rounds is that they can still cause severe injury or kill. This is why they are called less-lethal instead of non-lethal. This is why Less-lethal rounds generally reside on the same level of the force continuum as lethal weapons. You have a choice between shooting said perpetrator with a taser bullet or with a real bullet and in many places the legal consequences are identical. Which is why the police like them, they have greater latitude to use lethal force, but civilians generally aren't buying tasers for self-protection. Why hurt a man when you can kill him and the legal consequences (especially civil consequences) for hurting him can actually be lower if you kill him.