Years ago while I was training for SFAS, I had a regimen of alternating ruck days with run days. While I was rucking I carried an ax handle with me that I had taped a 1/2 inch pipe to. I had talked to a bunch of the soldiers in my unit that had been selected and they said that during the STAR land nav course (approx 30 Km cross country with a 50+ lb ruck) and all candidates had to carry their weapons the whole time (no slings) andthen in team week they had to also carry all kinds of other crap (buckets full of water or sand, 5 gallon water jugs, team boxes, sand bags etc). I was glad to have something in my hands a couple times when I felt threatened by dogs that barked alot and looked like they were going to get loose out of their yards. I was doing 5 mile ruck marches in an hour 3 times a week down the country roads near my old house.
I was running 3- 8 miles and working out before running on the light days; I was really pushing myself so it left me pretty exhausted. Because of the threat of dogs I started carrying the NAA .22 revolver in a grip holster I used to have when I was running. I could carry it anywhere, even in swim trunks or running shorts. It was only good out to about 10 feet with anything resembling accuracy but it made me feel alot better when I was otherwise much less able to defend myself due to exhaustion while working out. My thought was that if nothing else, the noise of the shot would scare off an overly aggressive dog even if I didn't hit it.
I was glad I had it the time I came across a 100+ pound rottweiler that started chasing after me. I stopped running and he bowed up at me with his hackles raised barking like crazy. He actually had white slobber and I briefly wondered if it might be rabid. I'm sure he wasn't, but he was going nuts and I was in the middle of nowhere. I took out the revolver, opened it, and cocked it, thinking that there was no way that 5 .22 shots would stop him from getting in at least a few good bites if he was determined to attack me. He ended up backing down though, and I slowly backed away until he stopped following me.
I started replaying the situation in my head and I think that the fact that I was armed changed the dynamic. I've always heard that dogs can sense when you're afraid and once I had a weapon in my hand maybe he sensed a difference in me and that was part of what made him lose interest.
Anyhow, I think that it's better to be underarmed than unarmed, and that little .22 was just right for the purpose I used it for. I always called it a good gun to bring to a knife fight.
I was running 3- 8 miles and working out before running on the light days; I was really pushing myself so it left me pretty exhausted. Because of the threat of dogs I started carrying the NAA .22 revolver in a grip holster I used to have when I was running. I could carry it anywhere, even in swim trunks or running shorts. It was only good out to about 10 feet with anything resembling accuracy but it made me feel alot better when I was otherwise much less able to defend myself due to exhaustion while working out. My thought was that if nothing else, the noise of the shot would scare off an overly aggressive dog even if I didn't hit it.
I was glad I had it the time I came across a 100+ pound rottweiler that started chasing after me. I stopped running and he bowed up at me with his hackles raised barking like crazy. He actually had white slobber and I briefly wondered if it might be rabid. I'm sure he wasn't, but he was going nuts and I was in the middle of nowhere. I took out the revolver, opened it, and cocked it, thinking that there was no way that 5 .22 shots would stop him from getting in at least a few good bites if he was determined to attack me. He ended up backing down though, and I slowly backed away until he stopped following me.
I started replaying the situation in my head and I think that the fact that I was armed changed the dynamic. I've always heard that dogs can sense when you're afraid and once I had a weapon in my hand maybe he sensed a difference in me and that was part of what made him lose interest.
Anyhow, I think that it's better to be underarmed than unarmed, and that little .22 was just right for the purpose I used it for. I always called it a good gun to bring to a knife fight.