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Anyone carry "less lethal" weapons?

skidmark

Campaign Veteran
Joined
Jan 15, 2007
Messages
10,444
Location
Valhalla
Actually "bear spray" is typically weaker than human spray since the have a better sense of smell. Plus you rarely run across a bear that is high on meth.

"Bear spray" also refers to the BIG canisters (think spray paint can or larger). Get the kind with the pistol grip. Can be used to repel boarders or drift back to the guy tailgating you when he's not playing bumper cars.

Pro tip: make sure that sucker is all the way out the window before mashing that handle. (strange that the Defensive/Evasive Driving instructors did not cover that in the lecture session before heading us out to the driving range)

stay safe.
 

since9

Campaign Veteran
Joined
Jan 14, 2010
Messages
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Location
Colorado Springs, Colorado, USA
"Bear spray" also refers to the BIG canisters (think spray paint can or larger). Get the kind with the pistol grip. Can be used to repel boarders or drift back to the guy tailgating you when he's not playing bumper cars.

Pro tip: make sure that sucker is all the way out the window before mashing that handle. (strange that the Defensive/Evasive Driving instructors did not cover that in the lecture session before heading us out to the driving range)

stay safe.

If my problems grow to that magnitude, I'm using a bigger weapon.

Flamethrower. Yep. Hmm...

On a more serious note...

I've carried knives of various lengths and a metal short-whip. The benefit of the latter is that the way it's designed, it's not classified as a weapon in any state in which I've lived, but withstands a knife blade and stings like a mother.
 
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XD40sc

Regular Member
Joined
Mar 31, 2013
Messages
402
Location
NC
I do not carry non-lethal weapons.

If I make the wrong choice and the non-lethal option fails to stop the threat, then I'm injured or dead.

If I make the right choice, and lethal does stop the threat, then you have to deal with a DA, or family, or both that says you didn't have to shoot him, why didn't you pepper spray him?

Cops have a non-lethal options, but that comes with their job, it is part of their job.
  • I do not pursue bad guys, cops do.
  • I do not have backup coming with lights and sirens, cops do.
  • I do not have body armor, cops do.
  • I do not advance toward trouble, cops do.
 

self preservation

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Joined
Apr 8, 2012
Messages
1,036
Location
Owingsville,KY
I do not carry non-lethal weapons.

If I make the wrong choice and the non-lethal option fails to stop the threat, then I'm injured or dead.

If I make the right choice, and lethal does stop the threat, then you have to deal with a DA, or family, or both that says you didn't have to shoot him, why didn't you pepper spray him?

Cops have a non-lethal options, but that comes with their job, it is part of their job.
  • I do not pursue bad guys, cops do.
  • I do not have backup coming with lights and sirens, cops do.
  • I do not have body armor, cops do.
  • I do not advance toward trouble, cops do.


If I make the wrong choice and the non-lethal option fails to stop the threat, then I'm injured or dead.

The same is true of your deadly weapons.


Cops have a non-lethal options, but that comes with their job, it is part of their job.
  • I do not pursue bad guys, cops do.
  • I do not have backup coming with lights and sirens, cops do.
  • I do not have body armor, cops do.
  • I do not advance toward trouble, cops do.


  • So these are "cop weapons" is what you're saying? Kind of the same way that a gun is a cop weapon? Don't tell me that you have never been asked if you're a cop when people spot your sidearm.
 
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mikeyb

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Feb 19, 2013
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Bothell

XD40sc

Regular Member
Joined
Mar 31, 2013
Messages
402
Location
NC
The same is true of your deadly weapons.




So these are "cop weapons" is what you're saying? Kind of the same way that a gun is a cop weapon? Don't tell me that you have never been asked if you're a cop when people spot your sidearm.

At least it give me the possibility of being judged by 12 instead of carried by 6 if I make the wrong choice. Using pepper spray when you should have used lethal force doesn't increases the odds you will just be carried by the 6.
 

Huck

Regular Member
Joined
Mar 27, 2008
Messages
646
Location
Evanston, Wyoming, USA
To me a "less lethal" weapon is carrying my Smith and Wesson model 10 (.38 Special) instead of my Ruger Red hawk. (.45 Colt) :)
 
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countryclubjoe

Regular Member
Joined
Mar 3, 2013
Messages
2,505
Location
nj
I got the 32 gun in my pocket for fun, I got the razor in my shoe, No I am not bad, bad, Leroy brown. LOL

Fun thread.

CCJ
 

deepdiver

Campaign Veteran
Joined
Apr 2, 2007
Messages
5,820
Location
Southeast, Missouri, USA
No, at least not for defense against humans. Like many, I have carried pepper spray at times for defense against 4 legged threats. Before I carried a firearm I did sometimes, but most of the places I lived I couldn't have a baton or bat or any such thing either so it was a generally a moot issue unless I had to go somewhere the risk of getting caught with less than lethal outweighed of the risk of having no self-defense tool at all. Fortunately I have never had to deploy any self-defense tool besides my body.
 

since9

Campaign Veteran
Joined
Jan 14, 2010
Messages
6,964
Location
Colorado Springs, Colorado, USA
At least it give me the possibility of being judged by 12 instead of carried by 6 if I make the wrong choice. Using pepper spray when you should have used lethal force doesn't increases the odds you will just be carried by the 6.

I think you're getting the wrong impression, or at least in the wrong sort order. I'm always going for my most lethal weapon, first.

I'm not superman, however, and there's a chance someone with bat or other hand held weapon could knock my firearm down. Nothing wrong with a BUG but if you're willing to carry a BUG, why not something else? A tertiary line of defense.
 

utbagpiper

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Joined
Jul 5, 2006
Messages
4,061
Location
Utah
So these are "cop weapons" is what you're saying? Kind of the same way that a gun is a cop weapon?

Not the way I read it.

I read it that cops have a very different job to do regarding use of force and so they may well have need of tools that a typical LAC doesn't. The most obvious example is handcuffs. I have no intention of arresting or detaining anyone. My intention is to prevent/discourage or end a threat to my life or limb. If some bad guy decides to wet himself and flop on the ground, I'll keep my distance until the cops arrive. I'm not going to try to put anyone into handcuffs.

XD40's comments about mace. batons, and such might be disputed. But he makes a very valid point about cops having a different job relative to use of force than do the rest of us.

To the extent that less-(than)-lethal weapons are useful to prevent/discourage or end a threat to my life or limb, given my particular situation, they might well be useful to carry. To the extent they don't serve that function well, but are instead useful as compliance tools, retention tools, etc, then as a non-cop I just don't have much use for them.

Charles
 

deepdiver

Campaign Veteran
Joined
Apr 2, 2007
Messages
5,820
Location
Southeast, Missouri, USA
To the extent that less-(than)-lethal weapons are useful to prevent/discourage or end a threat to my life or limb, given my particular situation, they might well be useful to carry. To the extent they don't serve that function well, but are instead useful as compliance tools, retention tools, etc, then as a non-cop I just don't have much use for them.

+1. Well said.
 
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