Milkor 37/38mm Stopper
Milkor (Pty) Ltd · Shotgun · In Production · 1981
Also known as: Milkor Stopper, 37/38mm Stopper, Stopper Convertible
Overview
The Milkor 37/38mm Stopper is a South African single-shot, break-open less-lethal riot gun designed by Andries Piek and introduced by Milkor (Pty) Ltd in 1981. Built for reliability and simple operation by non-specialist personnel, it uses a smoothbore barrel, basic iron sights and a floating firing pin for drop safety. The Stopper fires a wide range of 37/38mm less-lethal munitions including rubber baton rounds, rubber ball buckshot, tear gas canisters and stun cartridges for crowd and riot control.
Specifications
| Weight (empty) | 3700 g (130.5 oz) |
| Overall Length | 506 mm (19.92") |
| Folded Length | 700 mm (27.56") |
| Barrel Length | 390 mm (15.35") |
| Action Type | Break Action |
| Firing Mechanism | Hammer Fired |
| Trigger Type | Single Action |
| Magazine Capacity | 1 rounds |
| Muzzle Velocity | 74 m/s (243 fps) |
| Effective Range | 100 m (109 yd) |
| Maximum Range | 400 m (437 yd) |
| Barrel Rifling | Smoothbore |
| Frame Material | Steel |
| Barrel Material | Steel |
| Stock Material | Polymer |
| Finish | Phosphate |
Calibers
- 37/38mm Less-Lethal · primary — also known as 37mm, 38mm, 37/38mm riot, 37mm baton round
Features
- Firing modes: Manual
- Feed systems: Single Shot Breech Loaded
- Safety mechanisms: Floating Firing Pin, Manual Safety
- Features: Break Open Breech, Retractable Stock, Smoothbore Barrel, Iron Sights, Convertible 37 38 40mm
Variants
- Milkor Stopper Convertible - Modernized
Service history
Operators
- South African Police · adopted 1981
Production
Production years: 1981-present
Original single-shot Stopper produced from 1981; Convertible variant released in 2008
Origin
Country of origin: South Africa
Designer: Andries Piek
Notes
The 2008 Stopper Convertible update allows the same launcher to fire 37/38mm and 40mm less-lethal ammunition. Effective range varies widely by munition; the 400m figure applies to low-velocity area-effect projectiles.
Background
Engineer Andries Piek designed the Stopper in 1980 as a deliberately simple, rugged single-shot launcher to address the maintenance and reliability shortcomings of earlier riot-control weapons, prioritising ease of use for ordinary police over mechanical sophistication.