Stun Gun & Pepper Spray

[FeistyKat]

I got a disturbing text from my daughter today asking me for a recommendation for a taser.

She said she's seen posts on the local Facebook page discussing shady people at the grocery store & the gas station.

This surprises me because she lives in a smallish town & it's always felt quite safe.

Tasers I'm sure are a big felony here, but stun guns are not.

Looking on-line I see a Stun Gun & Pepper Spray from Sabre for $20, a pretty small sum, and I'm wondering if either are any good: https://www.amazon.com/SABRE-Pepper-Spr ... r=8-6&th=1

I know what I'd tell her for a pistol, but Stun Guns & Pepper Spray are unknown territory for me.

[Larry_Mott]

Sabre red works. Me and my girlfriend always carry the small "keyring canister". Luckily none of us has had to use it in anger, but a friend of ours says he tried it on one of his friends who called b*s on its efficiency. (He insisted because he was so convinced it wouldn't work)
Suffice to say he was wrong, and went through a hellish 30 minutes to recover.

[JRinFL]

Stun guns are a form of pain compliance and do not stun like you see in the movies. Stick with a high quality form of pepper spray in whatever strength is legal in her area. Training cartridges are useful as well to get a feel of how far the spray can go and how winds effects it. And remember, pepper spray improves your chances of escape only, it is not usually a fight ender.

[benben]

Sabre Red Pepper Gel is what I buy my wife and daughter.

[rgc]

My wife and two daughters all have the key chain Sable Red too. I think Fox Labs is another quality one. Kimber also makes a cool little two shot pepper gel blaster that I am thinking of getting them. I wish my wife would just get her CCW but at least she carries the pepper spray.

[JRinFL]

I was going to mention the Kimber pepper blasters. I recommend the red models so they don't get mistaken as a gun. That reminds me, I need to buy two more as the others are past their recommended by dates.

[twinboysdad]

Smith and Wesson j frame is my recommendation. If an actual firearm cannot happen, try POM that has a good reputation

[James Y]

I don’t want to be ‘that guy’, but I used to carry pepper spray (Sabre Red), and the one time I thought I needed it, the firing mechanism failed. I was on an early morning walk, and an aggressive, medium-sized dog ran around the corner and approached me with its teeth bared. I had already pulled out the canister and had it in hand as the dog got closer. As it got to within maybe 8 feet, I pointed and pressed the trigger. The trigger was frozen. No, it wasn’t nerves; I was calm throughout, and I had my thumb on the firing mechanism, AND I had moved the trigger lock out of the way. I pressed around three times, but it was stuck solid. Seeing me pointing the canister caused the dog to hesitate momentarily, and its owner had ran around the corner and grabbed it by the collar, taking the dog away (with no apology to me, I might add). With both dog and owner gone, I resumed walking in the street, and pointing the canister toward the gutter, I tried pressing the trigger a few more times, until it finally fired a stream. It only took about 6 or 7 attempts total. Luckily, the dog hadn’t been 100% committed to the attack.

That incident really P’d me off. After that, I no longer trust pepper spray. Not the spray itself, but the firing mechanisms. I had done periodic practice sprays, there had been plenty left in the canister, and it was well before the use-by date. What good is pepper spray if the delivery system becomes fouled up?

After that, I started carrying a 51” hickory walking stick. No mechanism to become fouled up and fail, and perfectly legal. I also know how to use it. And the stick has come in handy a few times over the years, too.

Pepper blasters sound good and more reliable than pepper spray or pepper gel, but they are illegal in CA, and probably other states where SD stuff is generally forbidden.

Jim

[FeistyKat]

Stun guns are a form of pain compliance and do not stun like you see in the movies.

That's good to know!

Sabre Red Pepper Gel is what I buy my wife and daughter.

I texted her this AM, but she'd already ordered the un-gelly stuff with a stun gun. Apparently she's unaware how easy Amazon returns are to process.

I've always assumed the gel type is a smarter choice. Daughter-girl told me she has an old canister of Gel Pepper Spray & she did a test spray right after she got it and it had "a manky smell." I asked her if she got any pepper & she said she hadn't, which to me indicates she got a whiff of propellant but that gel went away from her without drifting back, a good sign I would think.

I'm going to try to convince her to return the stuff she's already ordered & order some gel instead. Along with the tester, which she did order for the one that comes with the stun gun, at my suggestion. Ol' Pop's is keeping an eye on her.

Smith and Wesson j frame is my recommendation.

That's exactly what I carried when our kids were growing up.

I'm not sure she has enough of the "to the death" mentality at this point for a firearm, but I'm working on her.

In lieu of a stun gun, I asked her today if she would be interested in a knife, not the Spyderco Native I bought her when she was in high school, that I'm pretty sure she carried with her to school every day per my orders, but something like a Chief that can do the job properly.

She was surprisingly receptive to the idea. I'm going to see her in the next few days and will let her handle mine, see what she thinks.

I don’t want to be ‘that guy’, but I used to carry pepper spray (Sabre Red), and the one time I thought I needed it, the firing mechanism failed.

Ok you are now OFFICIALLY that guy!

Was your canister perhaps gummed up after being carried around in a "linty" environment, or something like that?

[RustyIron]

I know what I'd tell her for a pistol, but Stun Guns & Pepper Spray are unknown territory for me.

Gun, stun gun, knife, taser, laser, phaser... they're all just placebos.
Knowing how to fight isn't even enough.
Possessing both KNOWLEDGE and WILLINGNESS to fight are key.
See if you can nudge her into joining some kind of martial arts instruction.

[FeistyKat]

Gun, stun gun, knife, taser, laser, phaser... they're all just placebos.
Knowing how to fight isn't even enough.
Possessing both KNOWLEDGE and WILLINGNESS to fight are key.
See if you can nudge her into joining some kind of martial arts instruction.

I've been thinking about that the last few days.

I should have done that twenty years.

Opportunity lost.

[twinboysdad]

Opportunity not lost, check around where she is for a class. Remember you aren’t attempting to make her a cage fighter, just competent to handle an encounter. You could prepay for Krav Maga classes in her area as a Christmas gift??

[James Y]

I don’t want to be ‘that guy’, but I used to carry pepper spray (Sabre Red), and the one time I thought I needed it, the firing mechanism failed.

Ok you are now OFFICIALLY that guy!

Was your canister perhaps gummed up after being carried around in a "linty" environment, or something like that?

No, it wasn't dirty or gummy (what I could see). I'm a bit OCD about keeping the things I carry clean, and my pockets as free of lint and dirt as possible. Certainly no more linty or dirty than the pockets or purses of where anybody else would be expected to carry their pepper spray/gel. I suspect the internal spring or whatever it is that allows the pressure to release when firing became corroded from the chemicals, but what do I know. If it did, that absolutely should not happen. Imagine someone whose only defense was that spray.

As others have mentioned, far more important than weapons, devices, or fighting techniques is the willingness and the ability to fight, if avoidance or escape are impossible, and if left with no other options. Any SD training should include realistic, scenario-based pressure training, as opposed to sport fight training. Although sport fight training can and does develop fighting ability, and there CAN be some crossover effect, it isn't the same as SD training, because the scenarios are completely different.

One also needs to be aware and heed their intuition; if something looks and/or feels wrong, don't just tell yourself it's your imagination and walk headlong into it.

Jim

[TomAiello]

Whatever you go with, make sure you get practice canisters and make them practice. And test and rotate your canisters often enough that they won't fail.

In any SD scenario, you primary defense is always situational awareness (and well in advance of any confrontation).

[Makunochimaster]

Haven't tried it yet, but reviews are effective.

[BLUETYPEII]

I got a disturbing text from my daughter today asking me for a recommendation for a taser.

She said she's seen posts on the local Facebook page discussing shady people at the grocery store & the gas station.

This surprises me because she lives in a smallish town & it's always felt quite safe.

Tasers I'm sure are a big felony here, but stun guns are not.

Looking on-line I see a Stun Gun & Pepper Spray from Sabre for $20, a pretty small sum, and I'm wondering if either are any good: https://www.amazon.com/SABRE-Pepper-Spr ... r=8-6&th=1

I know what I'd tell her for a pistol, but Stun Guns & Pepper Spray are unknown territory for me.

Just remember one of the biggest faults of a taser & or stun gun is that potentially it could be used against the victim. A taser & or stun gun will completely incapacitate you leaving you no physical ability to fight back.

Of the two I would much prefer pepper spray. It can be very effective and if used against the victim they can still punch, bite, kick & scream etc. I think the biggest fault of pepper spray is wind. Orientation to the wind matters a lot when you’re trying to use pepper spray.

All this being said. I do not have experience with either. For self-defense I carry a pistol and a knife.

Whatever she decides to use for self defense she needs to be practiced and effective with it. This is definitely the most important thing no matter what you use.

My wife refuses to carry anything for self defense. I worry every time she leaves the house, especially when she has our kid with her.

I’ll add one more thing before I stop rambling. I think situational awareness is sometimes overlooked. Situational awareness can be your ace in the hole. You should always know who is around you and what’s going on. Having your face buried in your phone or just not paying attention to your surroundings is a very bad idea. You can’t defend yourself if you don’t see the danger coming.

Hope this helps.
Just my $0.02

[JRinFL]

I know what I'd tell her for a pistol, but Stun Guns & Pepper Spray are unknown territory for me.

Gun, stun gun, knife, taser, laser, phaser... they're all just placebos.
Knowing how to fight isn't even enough.
Possessing both KNOWLEDGE and WILLINGNESS to fight are key.
See if you can nudge her into joining some kind of martial arts instruction.

The single most important element in my opinion. You must be willing to inflict severe pain, trauma, and possibly death on another human being. That is no small thing. If the person is unwilling to do that, then they must practice situational awareness and avoidance.

Another note, stun guns are not the same as tasers other than using electricity. Stun guns are like cattle prods, they are pain compliance items. Tasers are on another level entirely. Hence the large difference in price.

[Naperville]

I suggest shooting lessons, a small but stout revolver that will take 38/357 rounds, and escrima/arnis instruction under a very good instructor so that she gets it in her head to carry a knife.

[FeistyKat]

I think situational awareness is sometimes overlooked.

You're 1,000% correct. Seeing someone walking or jogging with earbuds in just makes me shake my head.

I suggest shooting lessons, a small but stout revolver that will take 38/357 rounds, and escrima/arnis instruction under a very good instructor so that she gets it in her head to carry a knife.

Hopefully we'll soon be in a place where a firearm will be an option. Then I need to start working on her attitude towards protecting her family. And my son-in-law. He has no firearms experience but we've discussed doing some shooting and he's very interested. I can at least get him started with the basics: safety, firearm anatomy, how to kill an aluminum can.

I've never heard of escrima/arnis. It looks like a good skillset to learn.

[Naperville]

I think situational awareness is sometimes overlooked.

You're 1,000% correct. Seeing someone walking or jogging with earbuds in just makes me shake my head.

I suggest shooting lessons, a small but stout revolver that will take 38/357 rounds, and escrima/arnis instruction under a very good instructor so that she gets it in her head to carry a knife.

Hopefully we'll soon be in a place where a firearm will be an option. Then I need to start working on her attitude towards protecting her family. And my son-in-law. He has no firearms experience but we've discussed doing some shooting and he's very interested. I can at least get him started with the basics: safety, firearm anatomy, how to kill an aluminum can.

I've never heard of escrima/arnis. It looks like a good skillset to learn.

See if any of these folks are near you, they are very good:

http://www.bahalana.org/affiliates

https://www.doceparessd.com/about