Pepper Spray...?

[Loosedhorse]

Which is why I carry pepper spray AND a gun (and two knives, a cell phone, a flashlight and impact tools as well).

This put me in mind of the old TV show, The Wild, Wild West; in one episode the hero has been captured, and the arms he was carrying fill a table-top. Comments the villian, "It's a wonder he didn't clank when he walked!"

I'm approving, not making fun. However, I have found myself near the "clank" limit at times. I have stopped carrying pepper spray on my person (I do carry it in the car) except when hiking, running, or biking, when my risk of dog encounters is highest.

The utility of pepper spray must be weighed against your own sensitivity to it. I'm sensitive: if I use it indoors, or with the wind blowing the wrong way, I may have just greatly reduced my ability to defend myself with a gun, if that comes next.

Not saying it couldn't be useful; but when it came down to discarding the spare mag, or the kubotan, or the pepper spray to defeat the "clank", I hung the the pepper spray in the car. (Never even considered discarding the flashlight, cell, knife, or gun.)

 

[2WheelsGood]

This put me in mind of the old TV show, The Wild, Wild West; in one episode the hero has been captured, and the arms he was carrying fill a table-top. Comments the villian, "It's a wonder he didn't clank when he walked!"

Reminds me of this.

 

[HOWARD J]

RUGER HAS ALL YOU PEPPER SPRAY GUYS IN MIND.
GO TO RUGER'S SITE & OPEN " LINKS OF INTEREST"
IT WILL BE LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT.

http://ruger.com/products/gunsiteScoutRifle/index.html

 

[Fred Fuller]

Howard,

Do you mean http://ruger.com/micros/pepperSpray/index.html ?

 

[HOWARD J]

Lee,
You are just so politically correct you should be in Congress.
Amen

 

[Fred Fuller]

Howard,

Personal attacks are not permitted on THR, especially insults of that magnitude.

Congress, indeed.

 

[Kaeto]

Um, no. It was a cop that told me that 3" rule is a myth. And what do you mean "you may find that the laws suck"? I just showed you what the law is. It shows it plain as day on the State Police web site.

If you're that worried about a rogue cop taking the law into his own hands, I'd be a heck of a lot more worried about having a gun than a knife.

Problem is there is no preemption on knives in the state of Michigan. Each city can make it's own laws about knives. So what might be a legal length in one city might not be in another.

 

[mortablunt]

Pepper spray takes time to work and reach the target. It is also rendered moot by the advanced hypertechnology known as eyeglasses, and some people are immune to it. It's also a great way to give a rush to an endorphile junky. I'd recommend a TASER over it because that will work on somebody.

 

[dayhiker]

It is also rendered moot by the advanced hypertechnology known as eyeglasses,

Put on a pair of eyeglasses, have a buddy spray you with a fog (aka cone) unit.

Then come back here and post about how it was rendered moot.

I'd recommend a TASER over it because that will work on somebody.

Tasers are good. But for non LEO's you are left with a slight problem. You now have the bad guy at the end of your wires, attatched to the taser in your hand. You have to drop your taser unit to get away. The bad guy is no longer being tased at that point.

OC is still working on the bad guy after your can is empty, and you are half a block away.

 

[ClickClickD'oh]

I'd recommend a TASER over it because that will work on somebody.

Unless they happen to be wearing a winter jacket... I see it was 32 in Baltimore this morning...


Each system has it's strengths and weaknesses. Learn them, then use the system most appropriate for the situation and conditions.

 

[mortablunt]

Quote:
I'd recommend a TASER over it because that will work on somebody.
Unless they happen to be wearing a winter jacket... I see it was 32 in Baltimore this morning...

It was only 32 in Baltimore this morning? I could have sworn that it was maybe a bit colder than that.

Each system has it's strengths and weaknesses. Learn them, then use the system most appropriate for the situation and conditions.

This is unavoidable no matter what solution you pick. It's why I recommend backing up one system with another, such as a gun with a knife. As I was told by my Tae Kwon Do instructor: "I teach many different styles because there are too many holes with any one style. Hapkido teaches speed, but isn't useful for brute force confrontations. Tae Kwon Do is effective, but it's also flashy and Aikido is a much better style to use on the streets."

 

[Devonai]

In any case, I've undergone chemical warfare training with CS and Air Force security forces training with OC, and neither one are very pleasant. I can say with certainty, I'd rather be gasses or sprayed over getting shot.

Me, too, the gas chamber at Fort Benning and OC spray a few years later during civilian security guard qualification by our local sky cops. I would much rather deal with CS/CN than OC.

We carried Asps and M9s as well, and as Jeff mentioned, there was no order in which we were required to use one or the other. Move up and down the scale as needed to stop the threat.

I no longer work that post (although ironically I'm now in the Air Guard at the same base), but I carry OC and a sidearm daily. OC is just another tool in the toolbox.

 

[garyh9900]

OC spray has its place like everything else in the use of force continuum. I find that it is usually very good at disorienting those who are sprayed with it most of the time. However its use has been declining in my area. I find the taser much more effective, plus someone isn't contaminated riding in the cruiser to the jail. The place where OC would come in handy for a civilian would be if someone was caught up in a fight(where that person is the non-aggressor victim) but didn't have cause to use deadly force.

 

[Owen Sparks]

I don't like the idea of a 6% chance that my weapon will be completely ineffective.

Then don't carry a handgun either. There are plenty of recorded cases of people taking solid hits from large "manstoppers" yet they still continued to fight effectivly until they bled out. It is not uncommon for deer to run 100 yards or more after their heart and lungs are totaly distroyed by a high power hunting rifle. People are no different. A highly motivated or drugged person can get a lot of shots off in the seconds before pileing up after a fatal wound.

 

[dayhiker]

^^^^^^^^

Good point Owen Sparks.

 

[Diggers]

OC is a good tool. I'm a leo and I've been sprayed with the stuff, its not fun.

I've seen good results with 10% OC in the field. Last guy was a very very drunk fellow who decided he wanted to fight 4 cops pointing guns at him due to a felony car stop. He had no weapon so shooting him wouldn't be justified. OC took the fight out of him and blinded him so two officers could go hands on and safely cuff him.

That said, if you have to take someone into custody after they were OCed then yes you WILL get it on you too. It gets everywhere.

 

[mgkdrgn]

Hmmm, I have a PO Box, and as you all know, you can't legally carry a gun into a Post Office unless you have a FFL.

Sometimes it gets late and rather than go to the Post Office unarmed after dark, I just wait until the next day.

Does anyone know if there are federal restrictions about carrying a pepper spray type device into a federal post office?

You can't "legally carry" (ie, on you person a loaded firearm) even if you ARE an FFL. Police other LEO maybe, but just being an FFL counts for diddly squat.