quote:

Originally posted by David Sinko:
The stuff is overrated. My mind was made up when the peppers didn't work as advertised and the guy had to be sprayed with lead instead. That DID work.

The sprays generally work well on the loud mouthed sissies but the hardcore assailants are not impressed and can kill you before they become incapacitated. Everybody who carries it should get sprayed once (or more) to know what it feels like. And there's always the chance that your assailant will use it against YOU.

Dave Sinko

Wow, thats interesting. I have several friends that are CO's in our state prisons. From what they tell me, all they carry is pepper spray and tear gas. Since its used as LE, is there a difference from commercial stuff. I wish I could just carry CCW! See what a law-abiding citizen has to go through just to protect!

To the best of my knowledge, Easy-Off oven cleaner isn't regulated anywhere. A little big for the purse, but it'd fit in the cup holder in the car. The nozzle needs to be enlarged in order to get a solid stream. I imagine a face full of caustic soda would get a BGs attention.

In this day and age, spraying a caustic liquid into an attacker's eyes would likely be condemned more severely than shooting him with an "illegal" handgun. As my four year old son would say, "You're a meanie-head!" Since most jurors have the intellect of a four year old, you can see where this is going to end up.

Brilliant idea though!

Dave Sinko

Who cares? He obviously won't be able to ID ANYONE anymore.

Peppper spray is just another semi-worthless "defense" tool. It belongs with whistles and portable sirens and "martial arts". Anyone worth spraying is a legal candidate for shooting in my state since the Castle laws came into effect.

I look at CCW weapons the same way I do when in uniform...I want to have options other than my sidearm (escalation of force)...there are quite a few sceanrios that a dose of pepper spray could handle before bringing out the last word...and if I can handle it without a loud bang along with lawyers, money and paperwork....then that's the way I want to go.

quote:

Originally posted by sipowicz:
I look at CCW weapons the same way I do when in uniform...I want to have options other than my sidearm (escalation of force)...there are quite a few sceanrios that a dose of pepper spray could handle before bringing out the last word...and if I can handle it without a loud bang along with lawyers, money and paperwork....then that's the way I want to go.

Less paperwork involved, whether you're an LEO or civilian. I hate paperwork!

quote:

Originally posted by ttpete:
Who cares? He obviously won't be able to ID ANYONE anymore.

Peppper spray is just another semi-worthless "defense" tool. It belongs with whistles and portable sirens and "martial arts". Anyone worth spraying is a legal candidate for shooting in my state since the Castle laws came into effect.

The OP doesn't live in a state where carrying a concealed weapon is an option.

There's a continuum of force. Not all altercations call for deadly force to be used. The classic example is the drunk who says "Put 'em up, put 'em up" and starts taking swings at you. The drunk doesn't need to be killed, and most people wouldn't want to shoot him anyway if it could be avoided. (Those who do walk around looking forward to killing or maiming someone are in urgent need of psychiatric intervention.) However, something might be needed to discourage his actions and there is a threat posed - however that threat is not usually going to be considered one of great bodily harm/death. Thus OC comes into play.

Nor are martial arts "useless". Even the Marines, who tend to be well armed and have friends along for the festivities, learn how to fight with their hands (and feet, and handy objects). Something like Krav Maga would be quite useful to study rather than relying solely on a firearm. The more so in those states where that firearm isn't an option.

A whistle isn't the worst idea to carry around either. It's a great way to signal where you are, particularly if too injured to shout.

Great points Gator! I totally agree that something versus nothing is better. I practice martial arts (kajukenbo) and it teaches me to use whatever I can get my hand on. Its a "street" style of martial art that is unlike the others; where a high kick to the back of the neck will get you 2 points. Totally different. Krav Maga, another great martial art that is taught to every Israeli soldier. Matter of fact, the friends that I have in the Secret Service are taught a form of this also. Enough about hand to hand as my original question was about pepper spray. My main point in asking this question was for my wife. We dont have the luxury of obtaining a CCW for not other reason then we live in a county that wont even give us an application. So before I give my wife a folding blade to carry (in order to use, you have to be within arms length) I wanted her to have something that she can use from a distance- basically enough time for her to get away. Hell, even the whistle will work too because at least it will get attention to her situation. So with that, I have made the decision to get a few cans to have around (in the car, wife and daughters purse/backpack). Before the $100+ surefires (w/the attack bezel) were around, why do you think Mag-lites were good. I have all of them- AA, 2, 3, and even the 5 D cell models. Can someone say, blunt force trauma? Again, even to have something in hand versus nothing gives you (or use who cant carry CCW) a fighting chance against the losers out there. And if all else fails, and hand to hand is needed, nothing like driving the palm of my hand into a BG's nose and thrusting it forward into his brain!

Thank you to all that answered with serious and well thought out replies. Think its great that some people out there that have the same concerns as me.

Hornet spray has a long powerful stream 10' easy.

The cops around Indianapolis recommend FOX brand pepper spray. Granted, NO spray is 100% effective, but at least it has some track record on the streets around here.
I'm about to replace my stock. I heard that they loose their potency after two years.

quote:

Originally posted by LaP:
The cops around Indianapolis recommend FOX brand pepper spray. Granted, NO spray is 100% effective, but at least it has some track record on the streets around here.
I'm about to replace my stock. I heard that they loose their potency after two years.

They do lose their potency after 1-2 years. I emptied my last stock onto my lawn so no unfortunate kid would get a surprise while garbage picking. Recommend everyone does something similar for disposal...put on eye and mouth protection first and stand down wind while emptying.

I've been known to piss into the wind, BUT I don't plan on spraying pepperspray into it.
That's good advice about emptying the cans so that kids or garbagemen don't get blasted.

quote:

Originally posted by ricdoc66:
why do you think Mag-lites were good. I have all of them- AA, 2, 3, and even the 5 D cell models. Can someone say, blunt force trauma? Again, even to have something in hand versus nothing gives you (or use who cant carry CCW) a fighting chance against the losers out there.

If it gets cold enough where you are that you have snow falls, then it makes sense to have a shovel and a bag of kitty litter in all your vehicles. There's no reason that shovel, since it is in a vehicle, couldn't be a small and handy one. Something like a classic military E-tool (entrenching tool). There'd also be no reason that someone wouldn't have sharpened their E-tool to give it at least a utility edge to assist in clearing debris or felling a tree should the need arise.

Funny thing about E-tools, since the trench days of WW1, they've come in pretty handy in fights too. Just something to think about, given the limited options available. (Cold Steel sells a nice one.)

Using an entrenching tool as a weapon is something that's been taught in European armies for a long time. Their E-tools are designed with fighting in mind. Cold Steel sells a very well made fighting shovel. The blade is heat treated, and hard enough that it has to be sharpened with an abrasive disc and then stoned to an edge. I have no doubt that I could take an arm off with one stroke.

An assortment of miscellaneous tools thrown on the passenger side floor (if it's a work car or a you're a slob) could really come in handy, especially if one of them is a good quality 12oz. claw hammer.