Monday, December 27, 2010

Home Defense Weapons

Now that we've discussed products and services that are installed into your home. Let's discuss some options that you are to use on your person for defense of yourself and/or your family in or around your home.

Let's start with something that you need to know no laws to use, you can never forget to take it with you, works against multiple assailants, and is usually effective.

Self-Defense Training

Pros: Usually do not need to know state laws for using it, never forget to take it with you, works against multiple attackers, usually sufficient.

Cons: (Virtually) Useless against an attacker with a weapon (specifically a gun or Taser/stun gun), have to be within arms/legs distance to use, attacker could be stronger/bigger/more skilled at fighting than you, could be too many attackers to totally stop the threat on your own, cannot be taken and used against you, could be lethal force (being responsible for killing another human being is something to contemplate), must practice using.

Krav Maga
Krav Maga is the official self defense system of the Israeli Defense Forces, and has been taught to hundreds of law enforcement agencies and thousands of civilians in the United States. It is a simple, effective self defense system that emphasizes instinctive movements, practical techniques, and realistic training scenarios. It's a great self-defense training course that could save your life one day.

Karate and other forms of martial arts are also something else to consider.

The downside to self defense training is that it is (virtually) useless if the criminal has a weapon. Therefore you have to decrease the distance between the threat (criminal) and yourself to remove the weapon and be able to use the training.

Pepper Spray

Pros: Disables the attacker(s), can handle more than one attacker at a time, non-lethal option, legal in many states, affordability, compactness.

Cons: Wind/breezes can cause the spray to drift into your own face/eyes when spraying an attacker (therefore disabling you), relatively small target to have to hit (the eyes), must check states laws for the legalities of owning and/or using, some criminals are impervious to the spray rendering it useless, does not permanently take care of a threat unlike lethal force, can be taken and used against you, use care in storing if children are in your home.

Pepper spray is a good option for disabling attackers to provide for an escape. Pepper spray causes pain and discomfort when sprayed into the eyes. Unfortunately, pepper spray can be difficult to hit the relatively small target of the eyes, especially in stressful situations. However, it is a good non-lethal option. This large home defense Mace pepper gel is only $42. Another good option on some of them is UV dye, which can aid in identifying an assailant that got away when he/she is later caught by law enforcement. Look for 10% OC in whatever pepper spray you ultimately choose, as that is what law enforcement uses. They also come in a 'gun-type' device:



Taser/Stun Guns

Pros: Non-lethal option, disables attackers (no matter how big or small) for 30 seconds to allow an escape, ability to stay out of close-contact distance and deal with the threat.

Cons: Only able to deal with one attacker at a time (even putting a new cartridge to fire at another attacker still allows the first attacker to help strike again), 30 seconds might not be enough time to get far enough away and doesn't permanently deal with the threat unlike lethal force, must check state laws regarding carrying and/or using it, can be taken and used against you, can be ineffective if the assailant is wearing thick clothing, must practice drawing and using, use care in storing if children are in your home.

Tasers are one of the most innovative products in the 21st century. They are a great non-lethal option for dealing with an attacker and an affordable alternative to a firearm. And to be honest, some people just aren't comfortable with the aspect of possibly taking a life using a firearm, so a Taser is a good alternative for that as well. There are a few different models of Tasers for civilians. The only one that I am going to talk about is the C2. (the others are civilian versions of the LE products, and much more expensive) The Taser C2's MSRP is $349.99, but if you do some looking around you can find one for around $300.




Knives

Pros: Compact, lethal, can permanently stop a threat, effective on multiple assailants at a time, never runs out of ammunition/supply, affordability.

Cons: Lethal force (must be responsible and able to accept taking someone's life), must read up on state laws regarding carrying and/or using, must usually be within arms distance (close-contact), could be taken and used against you, not as effective if attacker is wearing thick clothing, must practice drawing and using, use care in storing if children are in your home.

Knives are also a great lethal choice. They can be used on multiple attackers at a time, they can't run out of ammunition, and they are effective at stopping a threat. However, state laws have to be read and obeyed, using a lethal option on another human being is something to contemplate, you must be within arms distance to use, and it could be taken and used against you.

Benchmade, Kershaw, SOG, and Spyderco are among the popular brands. Though, I use Gerber for the price and quality.





Batons/Kubatons

Pros: Can be effective against multiple assailants, affordable, compact (especially kubatons), can be lethal,

Cons: Some are not compact, can be taken and used against you, requires practice and/or training, lethal capability (must be responsible and consider consequences and morality of taking another's life), must know states laws regarding owning and/or using, must be within arms distance to use, some are pricey.

Batons and kubatons can be effective if you know how to use them. Therefore, it's usually a good idea to get training and practice with them before deciding to use them as a home-defense weapon. They could or could not be used as a lethal option. They are a close-contact weapon, and therefore could be taken from you and used against you. Some options are pricey.




Guns

I'm going to break this up into two parts, as the options are much more lengthy.

Pros: Lethal (must carefully consider consequences and morality of taking another human being's life), some are affordable, able to deal with multiple attackers, able to deal with threats from many distances, some are compact and/or lightweight.

Cons: Lethal (must carefully consider consequences and morality of taking another human being's life), some are pricey, some are not compact and/or lightweight, limited ammunition capacity, must know state laws regarding owning and/or using them, background check required for purchase, must be careful in storing if children are in your home, over-penetration a real concern, requires practice, more expensive than most non-lethal options.

Handguns

Pros: Compact (especially compared to long guns), affordable (all things considered, relatively), lethal, able to deal with multiple assailants, able to deal with threats from many distances.

Cons: Some are pricey, some are not compact and/or lightweight, must know state laws regarding owning and/or using them, requires background check to purchase, must be careful if children are in the home, over-penetration when shooting at assailants, requires more practice than other options, more expensive than most non-lethal options, limited to specific ammunition capacity, lethal force (must be responsible and understand consequences and morality of taking another human being's life).

There are many options to consider when purchasing a handgun for home defense. While I will not delve deeply into the subject, I will touch on the subject:

Handgun Type

I prefer you go with a semi-automatic or revolver, but there are certainly other choices out there that may be more suitable for you.

Handgun Size

I prefer that you actually visit a gun store and hold some handguns and see what feels best in your hand. There are many size options to consider. For beginners I recommend choosing a larger handgun in a smaller caliber (such as .38SPL or 9MM), especially with a metal frame, to aid with learning to shoot and absorbing recoil.

Handgun Caliber

Caliber choice is an important decision. Typically, the larger the caliber, the more expensive the ammunition and also the handgun. (however popularity can vary price) I recommend at least 9MM or .38 Special, though you may feel that .380 ACP is suitable for you. The larger the caliber the more you will feel the recoil (all things the same).

Handgun Capacity

The ammunition capacity of a handgun is certainly an important factor. Some options are more limited in capacity than others (single-shot or double-barrel pistols versus semi-automatic or revolvers, for example). Handgun size also plays a role in capacity, as well as caliber choice.

Here are a couple of popular home defense handgun choices:

BudsGunShop.com - Ruger SP101 .357 Magnum 3" Revolver


BudsGunShop.com - Glock 17 9MM Semi-Automatic Pistol


Long Guns

Pros: Usually more powerful than most handguns, able to deal with multiple attackers, can be relatively compact, can be relatively affordable, lethal, able to deal with threats at (usually) longer distances than handguns.

Cons: Not as easy to maneuver inside the home, over-penetration a concern, not usually as convenient as handguns, usually pricey, must practice, lethal force (must be responsible and understand consequences and morality of taking another human's life), must be careful if children are in the home, most are not lightweight, more expensive than non-lethal options (and handguns/knives), limited to specific ammunition capacity.

There are many options to consider when purchasing a long gun for home defense. Though I will not delve deeply into the subject, I will touch on it:

Long Gun Type

I prefer you go with a semi-automatic rifle or a pump shotgun, however there are certainly other options out there that could be more suitable for you.

Long Gun Size

Overall length and length of pull are things to consider with long guns. I recommend trying them out in a store. Overall size should also be considered for maneuvering indoors.

Long Gun Caliber

Caliber choice is very important decision. Typically, the larger the caliber, the more expensive the ammunition and the long gun as well. I recommend at least a .223/5.56 round for home defense. The larger the caliber the more you will feel the recoil (all things the same).

Long Gun Capacity

Long gun capacity is an important factor as well. Some options are more limited in capacity than others (such as a 4+1 bolt-action rifle versus a 30+1 semi-automatic AR-15, for example). Caliber size also plays a role in capacity.

Here are a couple of popular long guns for home defense:






BudsGunShop.com - Remington 870 Express 18" 12 Gauge Pump Shotgun







BudsGunShop.com - Ruger SR556 16" .223/5.56 Semi-Automatic AR-15 Rifle

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