A Guide to Self Defense Weapons
If you ask experts which of the self defense weapons is the best, the answer is going to be unanimous: the firearm. And, more specifically, the handgun. As technology has increased, handguns have gotten lighter and easier to use. Pointing a handgun at just about anyone is going to get their undivided attention and attackers are going to rethink their plan pretty quickly.
The trouble with handguns is that you need to learn how to use them effectively and it is illegal to carry a concealed handgun in most localities. Many people find the use of firearms distasteful and want to be able to repel attackers without the use of deadly force. Plus, too many innocent people, including children, are killed every year due to the misuse of firearms.
For many, that leaves personal protection up to self defense weapons which are effective but non-lethal. These can stop someone from attacking you but not cause severe bodily injury or death. Self defense weapons can include such products as pepper sprays, stun guns, tasers, personal alarms, knives, and other items.
Pepper spray works well to deter attackers. It comes in many forms but the most popular are tiny canisters which fit on key chains. You have to be close to your attacker to use pepper spray and you have to spray the face, and if possible, the eyes are the best target. The spray will cause the assailant to close his or her eyes and be unable to see. It also will affect the respiratory system so that the person will be unable to breathe well. The effects last fifteen to twenty minutes and then are gone, giving you time to get away and get help, but causing no lasting physical injury.
Some pepper sprays today do shoot a stream eight to fifteen feet, which means with one of these you don’t have to be as close to your attacker. A taser also works up to around fifteen feet, but is a lot more expensive. A taser is usually in the form of a gun with a trigger. When you pull the trigger two electrical probes are propelled onto the attacker’s body. The current flowing from the device through the probes is enough to confuse the nerves and stop brain to muscle communication, leaving the attacker in a non-functional state.
A stun gun is a little less expensive than a taser but it works in the same way. The difference is you have to be near enough to touch your attacker with the gun and push the button. This will also render the person unable to continue the attack as he or she will lose muscle control. Stun guns come in different voltages and different shapes. Today you can even get a stun gun that looks just like a cell phone. Some of them also have a disabling mechanism so the criminal cannot take the gun and use it on you.
Personal alarms can alert people to your situation, but studies have shown that many times, in cities, there is so much other noise that they are often ignored. Still, anything that can make a loud noise will scare most attackers away. Knives are excellent self defense weapons but many people are averse to stabbing another person, and any hesitation will give the attacker time to commit the crime.
The best thing you can do is find a self defense product that you will be comfortable using and carry it with you at all times. Then, if you are assaulted you will be prepared to successfully defend yourself.
