The Multi-shot Accessory Underbarrel Launcher, or MAUL, is an ultra-lightweight semi-automatic shotgun

Semi-automatic shotgun

A semi-automatic shotgun is a form of shotgun that is able to fire a cartridge after every trigger squeeze, without any manual chambering of another round being required...

 manufactured by Metal Storm. A range of lethal

Lethal

Lethal is an adjective meaning capable of causing death.Lethal may also refer to:* Lethal , an American heavy metal band* Leigh Matthews, Australian rules footballer nicknamed "Lethal" or "Lethal" Leigh...

: buckshot and slug

Shotgun slug

A shotgun slug is a heavy lead projectile, that may have pre-cut rifling, intended for use in a shotgun and often used for hunting large game. The first effective shotgun slug was introduced by Wilhelm Brenneke in 1898, and his design remains in use today...

, and non-lethal: blunt impact, door breaching

Door breaching

Door breaching is a process used by military, police, or emergency services to force open closed and/or locked doors. A wide range of methods are available, one or more of which may be used in any given situation...

, and frangible

Frangible

A material is said to be frangible if through deformation it tends to break up into fragments, rather than deforming plastically and retaining its cohesion as a single object...

 munitions come preloaded in 5 round "stacked projectiles

Superposed load

A superposed load or stacked charge is a method used by various muzzleloading firearms, from matchlocks to caplocks, as well as newer Metal Storm weapons, to fire multiple shots from a single barrel without reloading.-Design:...

" munition tubes. With a 12-gauge

Gauge (bore diameter)

The gauge of a firearm is a unit of measurement used to express the diameter of the barrel. Gauge is determined from the weight of a solid sphere of lead that will fit the bore of the firearm, and is expressed as the multiplicative inverse of the sphere's weight as a fraction of a pound . Thus...

 bore and weighing less than 800 grams (1.8 lb), it is designed to be used as a underslung module of a combat rifle

Assault rifle

An assault rifle is a selective fire rifle that uses an intermediate cartridge and a detachable magazine. Assault rifles are the standard infantry weapons in most modern armies...

 such as M4

M4 carbine

The M4 carbine is a family of firearms tracing its lineage back to earlier carbine versions of the M16, all based on the original AR-15 designed by Eugene Stoner and made by ArmaLite. It is a shorter and lighter variant of the M16A2 assault rifle, with 80% parts commonality.It is a gas-operated,...

 or M16

M16 rifle

The M16 is the United States military designation for the AR-15 rifle adapted for both semi-automatic and full-automatic fire. Colt purchased the rights to the AR-15 from ArmaLite, and currently uses that designation only for semi-automatic versions of the rifle. The M16 fires the 5.56×45mm NATO...

, but may be used as a standalone.

MAUL uses Metal Storm's patented stacked round system to eliminate the mechanical action associated with conventional 12 gauge weapons. Operators can load up to 5 rounds in less than 2 seconds, and fire repeatedly without cycling a conventional action. When used as an underslung complimentary to the primary weapon, the MAUL is aligned to the host gun sighting system, providing a choice of munitions using only the single sighting system.

For military operations, the underslung MAUL is designed to expand the mission capabilities of an assault weapon while having minimal effect on the weight and balance of the primary weapon. MAUL provides instantaneous access to door breaching, non-lethal force and also a backup lethal weapon if primary weapon fails.

For law enforcement operators, the underslung MAUL adds non-lethal, shotgun and door breaching capabilities to a conventional weapon system while the optional lightweight shoulder stock and pistol grip attachments allow for an ultra-lightweight stand-alone 12 gauge weapon is desired.

MAUL Applications

The MAUL is designed for wide ranging uses in military and law enforcement operations

• Military Operations in Urban Terrain (MOUT)
• Door breaching and room clearing
• Complex security missions - mixed civilian and hostile personnel
• Law enforcement and border security
• Crowd control missions

MAUL Features

• 5 shot semi-automatic 12 gauge weapon
• 800g
• Under-barrel accessory, standalone shoulder stock or pistol grip configurations
• Lethal, non-lethal and door breaching munitions available
• Reload speed - up to 5 rounds in under 2 seconds
• Non-cycling operation

MAUL Advantages Over Conventional Weapons

• Expands mission capabilities of every operator
• Range of door breaching, non-lethal and lethal munitions offer broad capabilities for complex missions
• Negligible impact on weight and balance of primary weapon
• Provides backup lethal weapon if primary weapon fails
• Loaded munition type can be swapped in under 2 seconds
• Eliminates audible cycling signature
• Eliminates most points of failure common to conventional weapons
• Stand-alone shoulder stock or pistol grip available for personnel not carrying an assault rife

Papua New Guinea Correctional Services

As at 3 August 2010, Metal Storm have signed a contract with Papua New Guinea

Papua New Guinea

Papua New Guinea , officially the Independent State of Papua New Guinea, is a country in Oceania, occupying the eastern half of the island of New Guinea and numerous offshore islands...

's Correctional Services Minister Tony Aimo to supply 500 stand alone MAULs and 50,000 rounds of less lethal ammunition for use by correctional services officers. As of January 2011, this contract was awaiting ratification from the PNG government.