[.cheese.]

I see these tear-gas or pepper-spray CS/OC grenades here and there. Basically they're like a big can of regular pepper spray or CS, but with the kind of click-down upwards spraying nozzle that a bug-fogger would have.

Is there any practical reason to have these if you're not LE?

I'm not advocating banning them or anything.... I'm just wondering whether it's practical to shell out money for some or not. They look interesting, but I can't think of a time I'd need to fog my own house with tear gas or pepper-spray.

Maybe if I was really bored and decided, "Hey.... you know what I haven't done in a while? Experienced horrible agony! Where's that CS fogger?"..... but um.... other than that I'm drawing a blank.

[trueblue1776]

Is there any practical reason to have these if you're not LE?

Yes, if you love to pull practical jokes on your buddies, tear gas is nearly as funny as 110 volt. We gassed a guy who was glued to the can with the runs at work, one of the funniest things EVER :D.

[Coronach]

I would kill you if you did that to me. :D

Ok. Not really. But you might wake up to find a dumptruck load of manure in your driveway. What goes around comes around. :evil:

Back on-task: I can't really come up with a plausible scenario in which it would be useful.

Mike

[.cheese.]

yeah.... I don't think CS gassing friends or family would win me admiration points.

Coronach - yeah, that's pretty much what I assumed. I'm guessing they're only really useful for LE. One of the few times I can say that.

[hso]

I can't see a practical application for it in a self-defense scenario.

[coelacanth]

who said he had one rigged up inside his truck as an anti-theft device. There was apparently some kind of electromechanical trigger with a timer and if you didn't disable it within a minute after you started the vehicle it would go off and fill the inside of the truck with the gas. Probably pretty effective at clearing the occupants out of the truck but I imagine bringing it to a safe stop was something of a crap shoot. :scrutiny:

[RyanM]

I remember reading about someone who had them as part of a home defense setup. Small holes drilled in the wall of the hallway right outside the saferoom with little hoses attached to 'em, and connected to a CS gas thing on the other end.

I don't know if that's worth the effort, though.

[BigBlock]

Keep a gas mask next to your gas bomb. Hear an intruder, put on the mask, throw the bomb.

Maybe not so practical but it sounds like fun...:D

Edit: Hey, I just googled them and they're only 15 bucks. I might have to get one just to say I have it. :)

[JShirley]

Partially related perhaps, I have seen burglar alarms with attached OC systems.
This actually makes a great deal of sense to me, especially if coupled with a signal to the nearest LEO office.

[wdlsguy]

Be sure to check the laws in your state. They appear to be illegal for mere citizens in Texas (search for "chemical dispensing device" in the document below).

http://tlo2.tlc.state.tx.us/statutes/docs/PE/content/pdf/pe.010.00.000046.00.pdf

[Caimlas]

I hear they're a great addition to chili.

And yes, they seem like they might have utility for a 'buffer' in terms of a home invasion (burglary or otherwise). Not going to do much against a group of thugs who enter with gas masks, but someone stopping by for a quick burglary would likely be deterred. Might cost more to rig than the canisters themselves, though - and I'd wonder about the legality of doing so. As far as I know, most states have laws of some sort about booby traps.

[Gordon]

CS is dangerous and NOT anythig like OC. It will kill in high concentrations, is likely to cause injury and being it is pyrotechnic delivery (generally) it can and does start fires.

[BigBlock]

CS is dangerous and NOT anythig like OC. It will kill in high concentrations, is likely to cause injury and being it is pyrotechnic delivery (generally) it can and does start fires.

This looks pretty safe and non pyrotechnic to me:
http://www.keepshooting.com/selfdefense/teargas/clear_out_teargas6oz.htm


This one even comes with a vinyl hose:
http://www.keepshooting.com/selfdefense/teargas/clearout-teargas-grenade-extraction.htm

Ooooo....that could be fun. :uhoh:

[FuzzyBunny]

The CS canisters will sure clear a barn of mice fast!

Have all your friends over to setup ambushes with snakeshot.

Everything has a use.
FuzzyBunny

[GigaBuist]

Other than deterring looters or mobs during a riot, I can't think of anything.

[seeker_two]

wdlsguy: Funny...seems like, while gas grenades are prohibited under TX state law, "flash-bang-stun" grenades may not be?... :scrutiny:

Interesting...... :evil:

[Browning]

I can see that they might be kind of handy if your home is in the middle of a riot or if you were besieged by looters like what happened in during Hurricane Katrina, during the LA Riots or during what happened in Ohio a little while back. But since that kind of thing doesn't seem to happen that much unless you live in a real crappy neighborhood (in which case you'd be better off saving up some money to move to someplace else) they'd probably just sit there and gather dust.

I don't really think that you'd be likely to find yourself in a situation where having a gas grenade would be helpful and if you did, you probably wouldn't have it with you unless you intend on carrying it around with you and throwing it at someone if they try and mug you. I'd prefer gunfire or stream pepper spray, they're both a little more accurate and they both hit one person at a time.

[.cheese.]

Gordon - we're talking about the non-pyro delivery systems.

read the first post. They're canisters that are like bug foggers.

ETA: looks like BigBlock posted an example of one

[H23gsr]

speaking of flash bang grenades, can civilians have them? Those things look fun!

[Carl N. Brown]

Gas grenades seem to me to have two applications:
handling crowds out of doors, or
forcing people indoors to come out.

If you were indoors, holding off a riot mob,
a change in the wind while using gas
could make your position untenable.

I don't see much use for gas grenades
for self defense outside of videogame
or end-of-the-world movie scenario.

[Carl N. Brown]

Flash bangs at contact range can maim or kill.
That is why all training is to throw the flash-bang
in an unoccupied corner of the room to disorient
and stun the occupants.
I do believe flash-bangs are Destructive Devices
(DD) and require a $200 NFA registry tax per grenade.

[.cheese.]

I do believe flash-bangs are Destructive Devices
(DD) and require a $200 NFA registry tax per grenade.

Man oh man do I hope my edumacation pays off so one day I can be ridiculously wealthy and say to a friend, "I do say old chap, how much have I made this year? $200 million? Let's buy 100 flash bangs, chump change even with the NFA tax."

dare to dream.

[LAR-15]

Clearing a barn/ outbuilding of pests as someone mentioned?

[trueblue1776]

It would be great for clearing a neighborhood patio party that is running a bit late on a week night.