The Taser XREP is a 12 gauge less-lethal round that delivers an electric shock to the target it hits. It’s certainty the most complex shotgun bullet ever made and also the most expensive.

I was able to handle, and photograph, a deactivated Taser XREP round. I have never before seen any photos published, other than the official Taser marketing photos, so this is a first.

The cartridge on the right is the unfired round. It can only be fired in a Mossberg X12 shotgun (and regular 12 gauge rounds can’t be fired in the X12) It can be fired from any 12 gauge shotgun although Taser recommend the Mossberg X12 which cannot fire regular legal rounds (preventing tragic accidents). The X12 is a modified version of the pump action Mossberg 500.

The bullet as it looks when it leaves the muzzle is second from the right in the above photo. At the base you can see the fins which help stabilize the bullet. The spikes in front are electrodes.

Once the spikes make contact with the target, the body breaks away and very (very!) sharp needles are deployed. The Taser system requires two points of contact to adequacy shock a human being. The frontal spikes provide one point of contact and the needles provide another.

Taser XREP training round (right)

The XREP is a very complex device and expected it would be expensive, although I had not idea how expensive it would be!

The training round, a plastic projectile weighted the same as the live XREP costs $100 per five rounds! The live version of the XREP costs $800 per 5 rounds! That is $160 per round! I would hate to miss the target at a price that that!

Mossberg / Taser X12 shotgun.