Best non-lethal self/home defense weapon?

[4kbeard]

For ease of use and carry outside the house I'd go with a stout walking stick/cane. The Scotts had a good thing going with their knob topped black thorn walking sticks. You can lean on it and it has the reach advantage over an extendable baton. It is faster than a baseball bat. And as we all know, higher velocity = more damage at impact.
A crook top can gives the advantage of being able to hook a limb (leg, wrist, neck, ect.) while also being able to hang on your fore arm or the back of a chair.

 

[hso]

The Scotts ... knob topped black thorn walking sticks.

That was the Irish, but your point is well taken.

 

[hso]

I would suggest a 12 ga with rubber buckshot, if I was trying to stay away from lethal weapons.

No, that's a lethal weapon used at close range. They're used for riot control at longer ranges with the intent to disperse crowds. Their use at household ranges is lethal.

 

[kBob]

IF (notice capitalization) you have good training and experince with some form of stick fighting or bayonet drill....you might consider a straw broom with a good stout handle.

Think of it as a short bo or a quaterstaff or a long walking stick. If it makes you feel less silly remove the straw broom portion and leave the one inch thick stick.

Lay on Mc Duff!


(don't worry regulars I shall soon get back where I belong among the firearms crowd!)

-kBob

 

[leadcounsel]

A Giant Net??? Kidding aside...

And just what do you plan to do with this injured detainee while waiting for the cops? What about his friends?

Your thought process has more questions than answers. You cannot effectively 'kinda' defend yourself from an unknown assailant, attacker, weapons, motivations, etc.

"Wounding" someone will nearly certainly cause many big problems for you in the form of civil action, police action, etc. Just a really really bad idea to approach self defense with this mindset.

 

[baylorattorney]

Baboons.

 

[AStone]

The Scotts ... knob topped black thorn walking sticks.

That was the Irish, but your point is well taken.

I'm Scots/Irish, best of both worlds.

Add an Irish element to the Sottish highlanders,
and you've likely got a serious force with which to contend.

Add some short swords, long swords, broad swords,
bastard swords, and axes, and Katie bar the door.

Add some AR's, AK's, and a howitzer,
and even Katie can't bar the door.

 

[Tasmaniac]

I recently ordered an Irish blackthorn cudgel from Liam at Old Shillelagh Stick Makers to complement my walking stick.

http://misticshillelagh.tripod.com/index.html

It's about 18" long with a lead-filled head. It doesn't have the reach of the walking stick but it would certainly come in handy as a last line of defense. I'm hoping it will be delivered this week and I'll post a pic later.

 

[hso]

In many jurisdictions you would find something with a lead insert to get you into a lot of trouble if taken off the wall as opposed to a simple bat.

 

[Tasmaniac]

I don't believe Texas has any such restrictions on the use of an item such as a lead-filled cudgel in the home. However, it definitely cannot be carried in a vehicle.

 

[baylorattorney]

Hellah guard dogs?


Waste not want not.

 

[Loosedhorse]

Non-lethal? What's that?

I've been looking for a good non-lethal self/home defense weapon and have had my eye on a telescopic steel rod.

Bludgeons are per se lethal weapons; using them is using lethal force.

Most use-of-force continua don't include a "non-lethal" category. The label "less-lethal" better recognizes the fact that people can die (and have died) after being Tased or OC'd. Or punched. And definitely after being clubbed.

Personally, I think the best non-lethal force is a verbal warning. From cover.

No, that's a lethal weapon used at close range.

In the hands of a non-LEO uncertified in its use, I believe that shooting a shotgun would be considered lethal force, no matter its ammo, at any effective range. Similarly, a knife or a baton can definitely be used as less-lethal force in the hands of someone well trained in such uses. But getting a court to recognize any non-LEO use of a knife or bludgeon as something other than lethal force would be very tough.

I don't believe Texas has any such restrictions on the use of an item such as a lead-filled cudgel in the home.

I agree: even in MA, such a weapon may not be carried, but there is no restriction on owning it. Of course, a DA could paint your using a "prohibited" (for carry) weapon as showing intentions other than SD/HD.

 

[jwsracin]

saw a cool bat with a flashlight made in the end of it, thought of some good ways to use it. might git me one , one of these days

 

[sniper762]

If it aint lethal.....it aint home defense worthy.

 

[bubba in ca]

Read up on the Tueller Drill before you get too deep into less than lethal.

I understand the need for civilian HD in very limited circumstances, such as a KNOWN hazard such as from a mentally insufficient but not feloneous relative or neighbor, etc. A 1" 4 foot wooden dowel might come in handy, if you have the training to use it. Dang cheaper than all the wizbang options, too.

For the other 99% of HD situations, read up on the Tueller Drill.

 

[conw]

Read up on the Tueller Drill before you get too deep into less than lethal.

I'm not sure I understand. Distance and reaction speed don't really have much to do with being able to justify use of lethal force or drawing (which is essentially legally the threshold where you have initiated lethal force) a handgun against an unarmed or non-lethal threat.

Use non-lethal options for non-lethal-threats, and use lethal options if/when those threats become lethal. That is one reason it makes sense to have more than one strategy. The Tueller drill is a teaching tool and legally admissible test that gives people a better ability to judge distance when deploying lethal force against a lethal threat with a melee type weapon, i.e. knife, bat, machete, whatever.

Since 7 yards is pretty much the accepted distance for the Tueller drill, I read you as either suggesting not to let any potential BGs get within 7 yards of you, ever, or else as somehow misinterpreting the "point" of the Tueller drill, which relates more to decisive use of lethal force in situations where such ability is present.

 

[sugarmaker]

My mother in law - they'd still be trying to leave days later.

 

[Vermonter]

Better do some reading http://www.leg.state.vt.us/statutes/sections.cfm?Title=13&Chapter=085

We have very few weapons laws but there's a few you should be aware of.

Note that although "Aiming a gun at another" is listed as a misdemeanor in the link above it usually results in an aggravated assault (felony) charge or at least reckless endangerment. Unless it's for self-defense. See http://www.leg.state.vt.us/statutes/fullsection.cfm?Title=13&Chapter=019&Section=01024

In general any legal proceedings in Vermont are heavily biased according to how good of a lawyer you can afford.

 

[sniper762]

the level of force to use (even by law) is enough force to ovecome the opposing force.

i can guarantee you that the intruder's level of force will not be "nonlethal"

 

[Lee D]

non lethal? post some signs on the doors and windows stating something like "Dobermans dont call 911"...nothing deters the badguys like the threat of a big dog.

 

[Tasmaniac]

 

[vtuck2]

Quote:
""Wounding" someone will nearly certainly cause many big problems for you in the form of civil action, police action, etc. Just a really really bad idea to approach self defense with this mindset."

Guys,

We are in Texas. Both of our young adult sons are CHL holders. I consider that both of them are most vulnerable to an assault when walking from their car to their job or from their job to their car. In both cases they would be unarmed.

And now that they do have CHLs, not only do I worry about them being assaulted, I also worry about them being assaulted and responding in a way that is deemed a "bad shoot" resulting in prosecution.

But under either scenario, armed or unarmed, I most worry about their being attacked with an edged weapon.

I had not thought about this before they flew the coop because they were both in a small Texas town. But now, they're in big cities, both of which are concrete jungles.

I've read about clubs (illegal), canes (supposedly legal but not really an option for a young man), and defense umbrellas (better than a cane but still not so good unless it's raining.

I've also heard people - even the moderators - mention "sticks". This causes a certain amount of confusion because I'm not clear about how a stick would be considered to be anything except a club.

I've also considered those honkin' big flash lights. In fact, I've carried one and once, on a subway train in Atlanta, genuinely thought I was gonna have to use it.

Today, in my wife's tool box, I happened to see a "unipod" that is designed to steady a camera. It's really not significantly different from a "shooter's stick" or telescoping walking stick.

Have any of you thought of something that would be useful in a parry and thrust defense against a knife attack? Given their ages and circumstances, a camera unipod is the best thing I've thought of up to now, followed by a self defense umbrella and a big flashlight. Anything else come to mind other than pepper spray?

V

 

[Owen Sparks]

Many common things in your daily environment can be used as weapons. A simple stick can be about as effective as anything short of a firearm provided it has sufficient mass (a solid pound or so). How many common things that serve other functions are straight cylinders? Tubes, rods, handles, pipes, etc. You can almost always have something perfectly legal in your vehicle or close by that can be used as a fighting stick.

Need an example?

I sometimes carry in inexpensive two piece pool cue in a sheath. The heavy butt end makes a fine weapon and the light half is just a prop. I walked all over downtown Memphis with this thing slung over my shoulder like a sword scabbard and no one gave it a second glance. As far as I know pool cues are legal everywhere and no one could prove that I was not on the way to play 8 ball somewhere. If bad came to worse I could draw the heavy end and get it in to action in just a few seconds because I practice drawing and swinging regularly.

 

[kim breed]

It is always better to be judged by 12 than carried by 6.

 

[Bayou Redd]

An Obvious Overlooked Weapon...

The sharpening steel in your butcher block!!!

It almost always is right where you think it should be...

It has a handguard for knife protection and glancing blows...

A swat on the wrist will break it and force a drop of whatever they are carrying...

A swat on the knee will bring down anyone, including a pcp'er...

It is pointed enough to do damage for thrusting especially if you understand pressure points...

Now I do have a bit of short stick training, so for a quick weapon to handle an immediate pop-tart steeler close at hand, this is a nice choice; otherwise with a couple seconds more, the culprit will taste my 20 guage auto or my 30 carbine...