Rubber bullets (also called
rubber baton rounds) are
rubber or rubber-coated
projectiles that can be fired from either standard
firearms or dedicated
riot guns. They are intended to be a
non-lethal alternative to metal projectiles. Like other similar projectiles made from
plastic,
wax, and
wood, rubber bullets may be used for short range practice and animal control, but are most commonly associated with use in
riot control and to disperse
protests. These types of projectiles are sometimes called
baton rounds. Rubber projectiles have largely been replaced by other materials as rubber tends to bounce uncontrollably.