Ultimate Training Munitions, or UTM, has a new product that’s available for sale direct to civilian consumers-Their Civilian Target Ammunition, or CTA.  CTA ammunition works by simply replacing one’s AR-15 Bolt or one’s pistol slide and barrel, and is intended for use in environments and situations that might not be conducive to training with lethal ammunition.  The plastic projectile weighs “less than 1 gram”, and has a velocity of 375 fps out of an AR-15.  It’s noise level is relatively low at 113DB, it does not use gunpowder, just their dual-primer system to cycle the bolt and propel the projectile.  Apparently, it is capable of 1.18″ groups at 32 yards.  Because of the projectile’s short and non-lethal trajectory, one could practice firing at angles that might otherwise be unsafe, or use them in a plywood shoot house with no possibility of a lethal shoot-through.  It is also a non-toxic, lead free training option.

The kit for the AR15 rifle conversion

The RBT stands for “reality based training”, under the aegis of which CTA ammunition falls. (I know it’s acronym-heavy)

Close-up of a CTA round

Another point UTM’s reps brought up to me is that it might be an ideal round to train a beginning shooter with, as close-range accuracy results can be seen on paper, while still using a non-lethal round that is relatively quiet out of an AR-15.  Weapon handling and malfunction clearing drills can also be performed with these rounds.  The UTM CTA conversion kit can work with standard magazines as well.  The bolt is uniquely safe in that it uses an offset firing pin that will not contact the primer of a live centerfire round.  For more information, please visit https://www.utmworldwide.com/civilian-target-ammunition/.

One of their replacement pistol slides