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SALT is a non-lethal firearm that fires pepper spray capsules instead of bullets

Kelly Hodgkins
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A startup is developing a gun, but it’s unlike any other gun available on the market. Instead of firing with deadly force, the new SALT gun was designed under the premise that a gun doesn’t have to take a life to protect a life. Instead of using bullets, the SALT gun comes armed with pellets containing pepper spray which explode on impact. The dispersal of the pepper spray is designed to incapacitate any attacker, providing home and bodily protection without a deadly outcome.

Developed by Adam Kennedy and his neighbor Andy MacIntosh, the duo desired a way for their wives to protect themselves while traveling for business. Both women repeatedly objected to keeping a gun in their house, so the men came up with the idea for SALT, a non-lethal gun incredibly effective at disabling an intruder.

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Unlike traditional guns which make use of gunpowder and provide quite a kick, the SALT uses CO2 cartridges similar to a paintball or airsoft gun. Because the gun possesses minimal blowback, the SALT can be fired easily by anyone, including children, who can handle the gun with minimal chance of major injury from misuse of the gun. It even includes practice rounds containing baby powder, allowing owners to practice firing the gun safely. Because it uses CO2, the SALT doesn’t require official gun regulation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms. It also is not subject to federal gun laws and does not require a background check in order to purchase.

To ensure its gun delivered enough of a punch to incapacitate a target, Salt Supply Company hired several chemists who used to work for PepperBall, a company which produces similar products for military and law enforcement. As a result, SALT’s chemical compounds offer military grade effectiveness. Each round has a four-feet radius that allows the shooter to miss the target while still hitting the intended mark with pepper spray. Once dispersed, the spray is designed to hang in the air which increases the contact with the target. It affects the target within seconds, leaving them incapacitated for up to 30 minutes.

The company already has a factory in Indiana available to produce thousands of SALT guns each month. Initially, Salt Supply Company took to making use of a crowdfunding campaign to raise $75,000 for the insurance necessary to bring the gun to the market, however, the campaign was pulled by Indiegogo. Now, the company continues to look for an alternative crowdfunding site and allows to people to sign-up for an alert when the pre-ordering process commences again.

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