The Mi-Bullet

The Daily Mail reports on a new bullet developed by Advanced Ballistics Concepts that separates into 4 parts upon firing, in order to improve first-shot hit probabilities. From the article:

Once leaving the tip of a gun, the round becomes a multi-pellet shot. 

Three fragments separate from the original bullet to form a predetermined diameter, while still being connected to the source. 

Called the Mi-Bullet, when fired from a handgun the diameter is 14 inches.

When coming from a shotgun the diameter is 24 inches. [Ed: presumably you would need to shoot it through a rifled barrel].

... The Mi-Bullet supposedly maintains its accuracy by utilizing an accelerated radial spread aided by the rifled barrel, officials say. 

The larger diameter makes it harder to miss, the company said. 

ABC designed three levels of the Mi-Bullet to include non-lethal (Mi-Stinger), semi-lethal (Mi-Stunner) and the fully lethal (Mi-Stopper).

Based on the illustration, there is a center core that is connected by strands to three pieces that separate from the core once the bullet leaves the barrel--sort of like a bolo, except instead of travelling horizontal to the axis of rotation, all the pieces are traveling in the direction of the axis of rotation.

While an interesting concept, it seems to me to be of limited use--a gimmicky device rather than something practical. It seems to me that the problem, particularly with the smaller handgun round, would be the lack of penetration. Not only are you breaking an already small projectile into four smaller projectiles, but you now have all three connected with a thin wire or cable. Yet, on the other hand, you have something that is more likely to cause injury or disfigurement than a bean bag round. So, what is its use?

I would also be concerned of the danger of a malfunction. If one of the strands were to break, centripetal force would throw the pieces off at dangerous angles away from the axis of rotation.

The article says that the round will be shown off at the Shot Show, so maybe we will see some tests of the device.