What Do You Carry For Protection

What would you carry for self defense?

  • Lethal Weapon (Gun, knife, etc )

    Votes: 271 98.2%

  • Non Lethal Weapon (Pepper spray, taser, etc)

    Votes: 5 1.8%
  • Total voters
    276
Finally, just because a weapon is a lethal one, that does not necessarily mean that it cannot be used in a non-lethal capacity. The good old-fashioned pistol whip is, I believe, an often underrated tactic.
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From a purely legal perspective, hitting someone with a 32oz chunk of metal is likely to be regarded as lethal force, unless you hit them in such a way that it couldn't possibly cause serious bodily injury - and even then the mere fact that you possess a firearm and are beating someone with it is likely to give people an "immediate and reasonable fear of death or serious bodily injury."

So from my perspective, it looks like pistol-whipping someone would often be viewed as lethal force and even in the rare circumstance where it didn't amount to lethal force in the eyes of the law, it would likely be seen as justification for someone else to use lethal force against you.

So I've got to question how viable of a tactic it is to try and use a firearm in a situation where lethal force is not called for?
 
Choices available

It would be a gun. But if that were not possible or even if you have a gun I would choose a knife. Tactical folders are popular. You should get some trainning to be effective.
The knife allows a contimuum of choices. It does take master keys to successfuly make the technique work. You don't have to cut the attacker.
1.- It may be used as a roll of quarters to punch.
2.- Butt stroke to chin.
3. - Butt used as a yawra stick to nerve centers.
4.- Blade to cut above eyes to cause profuse bleeding into the eyes; he can't see you. Easily sewn up with no permanant damage.
5.- Cut behind the knee or siatic nerve just below buttocks as you walk by at your 2:00 o'clock position. He can't chase you.
6.- Quick slash to his wrist so he will drop weapon.
7.- Slash sccross waist. Guts will fall out. Non- fatal. Easily sewn up. Out of room, but the throat is next. Good choices.
 
Me. I always take me along, so far I havent been killed (was shot and stabbed). Me has the ability to use many items as weapons, me has the ability to decide on what I need to do in any situation. Havent needed a gun so far and it has been over 50 years now...I have guns at home. Guns in the truck and barn but with out me they are useless lumps of metal.
 
So from my perspective, it looks like pistol-whipping someone would often be viewed as lethal force and even in the rare circumstance where it didn't amount to lethal force in the eyes of the law, it would likely be seen as justification for someone else to use lethal force against you.

So I've got to question how viable of a tactic it is to try and use a firearm in a situation where lethal force is not called for?
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As I said in my previous post, I would be extremely hesitant to draw any weapon in a circumstance in which lethal force is not legally justifiable. However, there are circumstances in which gunfire, while legally justifiable, is not a practical option. For example, you witnessed a woman down on the ground being attacked by a large man on top of her. While in most jurisdictions you would likely be legally justified in using lethal force to stop the man's actions, gunfire is not practical because there is too great a risk of hitting the very person you're trying to assist. Running up and clubbing the attacker with your pistol, on the other hand, would still be legally justifiable but a much more practical option.
 
If I could only carry one thing, it would be my gun. I do carry pepper spray on the off side.

What would hitting someone with your gun do to the gun? Maybe render it inoperable? Bend or break something on the gun?
 
What would hitting someone with your gun do to the gun? Maybe render it inoperable? Bend or break something on the gun?
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Depends on the gun and what part you hit them with. The underlug on a revolver barrel makes a rather nasty impact weapon.
 
So if you shot me in the hand I am automatically dead? Or the leg? Or Arm? Or Shoulder? My dad's friend was shot point blank in the stomach twice by a .357. Missed his vitals and he is still walking around today. Though his stomach looks like a giant nasty raggedy back thing....once you see that damage of what a bullet does to a human body, you really want to make sure you pull out the thing ONLY WHEN REALLY NEEDED! Scaring someone like that for life is gonna bother you for the rest of yours if you know that you could of avoided the whole mess. Just say'n...

Stay Safe!:D
 
So if you shot me in the hand I am automatically dead? Or the leg? Or Arm? Or Shoulder? My dad's friend was shot point blank in the stomach twice by a .357. Missed his vitals and he is still walking around today.
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Notice the qualifier "pretty much" and "with enough gun". I suppose a gutshot with .50BMG would most likely just be a flesh wound? Also I didn't know to be considered lethal something had to strike you down on the spot as if it were lightning. I guess using this logic rattlesnake bites or the bow and arrow are not lethal either.
 
Notice the qualifier "pretty much" and "with enough gun". I suppose a gutshot with .50BMG would most likely just be a flesh wound? Also I didn't know to be considered lethal something had to strike you down on the spot as if it were lightning. I guess using this logic rattlesnake bites or the bow and arrow are not lethal either.
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Rattler bites are rarely fatal.
 
Playing percentages...

... with fatalities won't help with the legal issues.

Most rattler bites aren't fatal. However, throw a rattler at a person and see what the DA charges you with...

Or strike a person with any (serious) blunt object.

These days, a rubber pellet shot from a homemade slingshot got a middle schooler in Florida charged with "Assault with a Deadly Weapon" because the rubber pellet raised a welt on its "victim."

So I wouldn't recommend pistol-whipping as a suggested "non-lethal" approach.
 
However, there are circumstances in which gunfire, while legally justifiable, is not a practical option.
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Yes, I would agree with that general sentiment. I mistakenly thought you were talking about using a firearm in a situation where lethal force was not justifiable.
 
10mmAuto I am getting at the fact that you said pretty much anywhere is a vital area. Not true, the vitals ARE the vital area. If the .50 shot me in the stomach are my chances of living slim? Yes, because a bullet like that CAN hit me in an area where my vitals are. If it hit me in the intestine and someone stopped the bleeding the bacteria from the intestine spewing into my bloodstream would kill me. If it missed that area, then I may live. Nothing is 100% certain, although for one thing I doubt anyone carries such a gun on their person everyday so is this very credible? Perhaps on a battlefield....in a pedestrian scenario? I'd say no! Not that its not possible, just VERY unlikely!
 
I'd like to echo Webleymkv's comment about non-lethal vs. less-lethal.

Blunt force weapons, especially those made for spot impact such as kubotans, knucks, stingers, saps, blackjacks, and the crenelated flashlight bezels, are all potentially lethal. And depending on your local/state laws, carrying one can be enough to show intent to use it, or premeditation, especially if you have indicated desire/intent to use them elsewhere (such as in email or on internet forums).

While it's important to protect yourself, it's also important to protect yourself.
 
I am getting at the fact that you said pretty much anywhere is a vital area. Not true, the vitals ARE the vital area... If it missed that area, then I may live... Nothing is 100% certain, although for one thing I doubt anyone carries such a gun on their person everyday so is this very credible? Perhaps on a battlefield....in a pedestrian scenario? I'd say no! Not that its not possible, just VERY unlikely!
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Big Tom -- You need to know the difference between 'shoot to stop (a threat)' and 'shoot to kill.' Hitting an area of the body to incapacitate immediately is the goal, and hitting vital areas is the quickest way to accomplish this - although, a round anywhere on the body may have the objective met - depending on the individual and how cranked up they are. 10mmAuto is saying any area is a vital area if the threat is stopped. A round to the hand (or even a missed shot), if it ends the threat, is enough. You don't get to go all bad az cowboy gangbanger and just finish killin someone cuz they needed killin'!!! And, "on a battlefield"?? -- seriously - warzones are not video games dude.
 
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Remember:

“Owning a handgun doesn't make you armed any more than owning a guitar makes you a musician.” -- Colonel Jeff Cooper
 
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