Breaching round
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A breaching round or Hatton cartridge, is a shotgun shell made for combat situations which is specially designed for the purposes of breaching doorways. It is typically fired at a range of 4–6 inches, aimed between the doorknob and door jamb, destroying the locking mechanism.
Breaching rounds are designed to remove the hinges of doors without the risk of ricochet. These rounds comprise 12 gauge, semi-solid frangible slugs weighing 50 grams. The round is made of compressed zinc- or lead powder bound with wax. When fired, the full force of the round is delivered to the target, minimizing the risk of injury to persons behind the door being opened. Hinges are smashed from their fixings and damage is done to the surrounding woodwork. These rounds will penetrate vehicle tires, fire doors clad on both sides with metal plate, cell-type doors, 12 mm thick Makrolon and bulletproof glass from a range of 1.5 meters. Hatton ammunition can only be used in Magnum shotguns with three inch chambers and unchoked barrels.
