Handcuffs for home defense

[strat81]

In a home defense scenario, would you ever use handcuffs? I'm talking a variety of situations:
-A compliant perp that freezes when they see your gun, puts their hands on their head, etc etc.
-You unfortunately have to shoot an attacker. They are severly incapacitated, but still alive and conscious.
-You can't get a clean shot but manage to subdue the attacker in a physical (hand-to-hand) confrontation. They might be unconscious.
-Basically any situation where the attacker isn't definitely dead.

This question is directed more towards civilians than LEOs who probably already have a pair of cuffs in the house and have been trained on using them. Additionally, if you were to use cuffs, would you use chained or hinged models?

 

[scottgun]

Bad idea. This has been brought up here before and the consensus is that civilians don't have the training to handcuff an intruder. Handcuffing a Bad Guy is one of the most dangerous things that cops have to deal with.

Also, do you ever notice on COPS, that they almost always wait for another officer to cover the BG before they cuff him. Attempting to do this alone, untrained, is a bad idea.

You would be handing a BG a metal weapon that could easily be used against you. Also getting that close to a BG is asking for trouble.

Bad idea.

 

[RNB65]

NO! Never, ever, ever!

You never want to get close enough to a BG that he can grab your weapon and disarm you. In an instant he's got your gun and you're dead.

Keep him covered from a safe distance and wait for the cops to arrive.

 

[ambulldog]

Also, do you ever notice on COPS, that they almost always wait for another officer to cover the BG before they cuff him. Attempting to do this alone, untrained, is a bad idea.

Thats immediately when I thought of when I saw this thread. Cops always wait for someone to cover the BG before cuffing unless it is not possible to wait. Trying to hold the gun to the BG and cuff him would be very difficult. It would really suck if you were able to stop an intruder but when you tried to cuff him he got the gun away from you and he cuffed you. And then executed you.

 

[The Deer Hunter]

Like they said its probably a bad idea to do unless you have backup or whatever.

If you plan on "cuffing" the BG duct tape or just some nylon zip ties would do just as good.

 

[FilJos]

The last time I tried to cuff an inmate on my own I learned my lesson. He didn't get the better of me, but I was shall we say, tired after the altercation.

I also had to go to the hospital to get my wounds treated and a tetnus shot. Not fun.

So no. Never try to cuff a perp. Let the cops do that, as there are usually more of them, and they get paid to wrestle with perps.

Number one thing to remember: You can't fight someone into restraints. You can try, and maybe you will actually get them on, but not correctly.

 

[Lonestar]

Keep the handcuffs in the bedroom

Keep your weapon pointed at him. If he moves to attack you, defend yourself. If he runs away, be a good witness.

 

[hso]

We've discussed handcuffs before in this http://thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=203217&highlight=handcuffs and other threads.

As everyone else has said, the short version is that handcuffs are not safe for homeowners to use on BGs.

If you're going to use them at home limit their use to the bedroom.

Just try it with a buddy some time. Splay him out on the kitchen floor and just get a zip tie and see if you can get the "cuffs" on him.

 

[Manedwolf]

Agreed with others...handcuffs are ONLY FOR TRAINED COPS WITH BACKUP.

It's the ultimate mall-ninja poseur bit and one that can get you killed. You get it on one wrist, you've given them a metal object to bludgeon you with.

No. Not ever.

 

[Jeff White]

The search function is your friend

A quick search brought up these threads on handcuffs:
http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=194025
http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=198782
http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=94933
http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=67629

The search using just the word handcuffs brought up 63 threads. The ones I listed above are some of the more pertinant ones.

Jeff