In 1972, a government research team set out to determine whether simple impact-non-lethal, non-penetrating, and precisely targeted-could be used to incapacitate humans quickly and quietly.
Not chemically.
Not psychologically.
Physically.
The result was a detailed 30-page study exploring the physics, physiology, and tactical feasibility of blunt force as a covert control mechanism-ranging from hand-held batons to projectile stun weapons.
The research posed a direct question: Can you knock someone down without killing them?
The answer: Not reliably.
🧠What Counts as Incapacitation?
Researchers defined "incapacitation" as a spectrum:
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Pain-induced immobilization
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Breathlessness or diaphragm shock
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Sudden unconsciousness from a blow to the head
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Full-body collapse from testicular or “solar plexus” trauma
The key feature: It had to happen instantly. No slow-onset effects. No chemical build-up. Just one hit.
Impact needed to be rapid, localized, and easy to deploy.
⚙️ The Physics of a Knockout
Impact science revolves around velocity, mass, angle, and duration. But the human body, the study warned, is "inhomogeneous, complex, and irregular." Delivering a blow that stuns-but doesn’t kill-is practically impossible without extreme control over the variables.
"The most able investigators… have been unable to define the head impact that will reliably cause concussion with only a low risk of permanent brain damage."
In lab tests on monkeys with tightly controlled helmet impacts, a 99% chance of concussion came with up to a 50% chance of serious internal bleeding.
On the battlefield or in the field?
That risk skyrockets.
đź‘Ł Where You Hit Matters
The report breaks down impact by body region:
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Head: Concussion is possible, but carries high risk of skull fracture or death.
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Torso: A punch to the solar plexus may paralyze breathing temporarily-but the effect is unpredictable and can be fatal.
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Limbs: Pain and fractures, yes. But unlikely to stop a determined subject.
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Testicles: High incapacitation potential in males with low injury risk. No equivalent for females.
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Neck and face: Too risky. Even light blows can cause permanent damage.
🧪 What Actually Works?
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Pain. That’s it. Pain is the only reliably safe result of non-penetrating impact.
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Skin stings from fast, light hits
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Deeper pain from periosteum (bone covering)
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Spasms from muscle impact
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Testicular pain that "keeps the subject in a doubled up position"
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Everything else? Too risky. Too uncertain. Too lethal.
"The outlook for non-penetrating impact as a reliable agent for incapacitation without permanent damage is poor for all effects except pain."
🔧 Suggested Weapons
Despite the risks, the report does explore hardware:
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Handheld stun batons
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Projectile launchers using rubber or soft plastic rounds
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Stun panels hidden in aircraft cabins (for hijacker control)
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Shotgun loads like the Remington "Stinger," designed to ricochet rubber pellets below the knee
Even ancient techniques were considered-like using riding crops or specially designed brass knuckles for "periosteal pain."
🧍 The Limits of Mechanical Force
For a blow to be effective, the subject must be:
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Standing still
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Unaware of the attack
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In the perfect posture to absorb the impact
Otherwise, the chances of success plummet, and the danger of causing death or permanent disability rises sharply.
🧾 Final Recommendation
If you’re trying to knock someone down with a blunt force weapon, without killing them, here’s what the study concludes:
"Don’t even try-unless pain is your only goal."
