Our American Outdoors: Choosing a Carry Weapon

Now that we've discussed methods for defending yourself and/or your family while at or around your home. Let's discuss methods/tools for defending yourself and/or your family while you are away from your home. Many of the same options we discussed for home defense weapons will be listed here, as they apply here as well.

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 (in many scenarios)

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 (under the influence, etc.) 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 compact and affordable Sabre .75oz pepper spray with a pocket clip is a great choice. 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
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
Virtually 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, they are much more expensive and much less compact and less reasonable to carry) 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, CRKT, 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 carry 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.

Handguns

There are many products, options, and methods to choosing and carrying a carry handgun. So in this blog post I will just simply touch on it, however I will delve into the topic in a more informative way in another blog post specifically for choosing a carry handgun. After I complete the choosing a carry handgun post, I will update this post and link to the choosing a carry handgun blog post.

Pros:

Compact (some more than others)
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 and collateral damage 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)

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. A carry handgun needs to be relatively comfortable for you to carry everywhere you are permitted to by law. For some, a 1911 serves them just fine, meanwhile others may prefer a lightweight and compact pocket pistol.

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). Caliber will also play a role in a handgun's size and capacity.

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 few popular carry handgun choices:

Revolvers:

Full-Size Revolver (Slightly Compact Revolver, for some):