Less-Lethal Defensive Tools: Exploring Non-Lethal Weapons

From time to time, I get a student who openly admits they would have a problem shooting someone. This is, after all, a very difficult task from a psychological standpoint. If you carry a firearm, you should address this in your training. Some students ask about “shooting to wound” rather than firing at the high center chest. This is not really a viable option because shooting a knee or other small part of an extremity is a very difficult task under stress. Add motion to this and an intentional shot to wound and stop an attacker is nearly impossible. The other consideration is that a shot to the leg (particularly the thigh) can very easily become a lethal wound.For many of these students, the reality is a surprise, and they are even more surprised when I tell them not to carry a gun. If you acknowledge that you would have a difficult time pulling the trigger, you have answered the question of whether or not you should carry a firearm for personal defense.

Fortunately for these individuals, less-lethal options are available. These tools are called “less lethal” instead of “non-lethal” because there is still a possibility of causing death with the tool. A person with respiratory problems could die from a chemical agent, or a person falling from a Taser could hit their head. These options are also viable for carry even if you do carry a firearm as one of your self-defense tools. Some situations may warrant the use of a less-lethal tool rather than a firearm. I suggest considering some of the options as alternatives should the situation arise where deadly force is neither warranted nor justified.

There are many types of less-lethal devices and I can’t cover them all in a short article. Instead I will hit on the more popular ones and some really bad ones that I have seen for sale in big-box stores.

IMPACT TOOLS

Impact weapons such as “monkey fists” or punching devices like the pit-bull keychain can be effective in defending yourself. They offer you the ability to increase your power (such as swinging the monkey fist) and effectiveness (the ears of the pit bull can penetrate a small amount). The better option in my opinion is the monkey fist. I have read some recommendations saying to actually hold the ball of the monkey fist and strike your attacker with your keys rather than the ball. This seems to be a viable option, but even then I am not a huge fan of these weapons.

Miniature batons offer the same advantage as striking by focusing the energy to a single point. They and other devices come in various models, including keychain models, and can undoubtedly increase the effectiveness of a strike.

This leads to the question: if we are that close, are we going to have the device staged in a manner that we could deploy it efficiently enough to justify not simply using fists or palm strikes? Would it not make sense to just strike your attacker and attempt to stop the threat?

If you are going to carry a device like this, I see its most probable use being in a parking lot situation where you may already have the tool in your hand. The monkey fist would make the most sense if you want to carry one of these devices as one of your self-defense tools. It can be used as a simple handle to carry your keys and be ready at a moment’s notice.

Another option is a cane or walking stick. The idea seems sound, but in reality I have never seen the people I’ve heard talk about this actually walk with a cane.

The real downfall of these tools is that you must be in or nearly in contact to use them. In a defensive encounter, distance is our friend. We want to stay away from the person attempting to cause us harm if at all possible. Plus, if you are in complete contact, you may not be able to get a full swing and generate enough power. This is where unarmed training is much more useful than these tools. The tools themselves are limited to your skill with them, and that is somewhat dependent upon your striking abilities. If you are not confident in your striking abilities, seek training or consider a different option for personal defense. Many of these, such as the pit bull, are more gimmicks or novelties than realistic defensive tools.

PEPPER-BALL GUNS AND OTHER LESS-LETHAL FIREARM-TYPE TOOLS

I saw a product in one of the big-box stores claiming to be a “non-lethal” defense option that was designed to look like a pump shotgun. A handgun-style model was also offered, and both fired pepper balls, rubber balls, and training balls. As well-intentioned as I’m sure the creator of these products was, they have so many flaws that they should not be used as self-defense tools. The only good things about these products are distance and the ability to affect your target without being in contact.

The bad on these is really bad. First is the idea of a pepper ball as a home-defense product. Law enforcement uses these types of devices to subdue from a distance people who may be a threat to themselves or in riot-control situations. They are not widely used, but were popular for a while. The balls themselves are filled with a substance like tear gas that is actually a powder, not a gas. When this strikes a hard or semi-hard object, a cloud of this chemical agent is released into the air. It would be great if this cloud stayed only right near the bad guy, but in reality it will most likely affect any person in the room including the shooter (you, in this scenario). There’s nothing like taking yourself out of the fight with the bad guy.

The rubber balls rely simply on pain and the psychological stop. These balls are similar in theory to a bean-bag round or rubber bullets that law enforcement may use to subdue a subject or in riot-control situations, but are much less powerful. An attacker who is determined or high on drugs can fight through this. In firearms classes, I teach that we never rely on the psychological stop, even though it is the most likely. You should not even consider it your only stop.

I mention these devices because I have received inquiries from former students and through social media about my thoughts on these devices. I strongly recommend not falling for this gimmick. I believe the company itself has gone out of business, as I could not find any evidence online that they still exist. The only thing I did find was Amazon stating the product was no longer available. Of course, some well-intentioned person may start a similar company and this type of product may appear on the market again.

LESS-LETHAL AMMO FIRED FROM A DEFENSIVE FIREARM

Many types of less-lethal ammunition are on the market that are fired out of regular firearms. These range from bean-bag rounds for shotguns to rubber bullets for handguns. These types of ammunition should not be used for defensive carry or home protection.

As with other styles of less lethal ammo that are fired from a gun, they deal with pain compliance only and rely on a psychological stop. They do not offer any likelihood of incapacitation. Again, these devices were designed for use by law enforcement in situations where a suspect needs to be subdued but deadly force is not warranted, such as a suicidal person who is a threat only to themselves. They are always backed up by fellow officers with lethal-force options should the situation escalate to that level.

Some have stated they like the idea of loading one or two of these cartridges as the first to be fired in their gun, followed by lethal rounds. While this sounds like a great plan, on average it takes between two and five rounds of lethal projectiles to stop a threat. We also must look at the hit rates of known shootings, and most police shootings run a very low percentage in the 20s or even lower. We also see high volumes of fire in very short periods of time, when people fire until they believe the threat has ended.

If the situation reaches the extreme of needing to shoot your defensive firearm, wasting valuable space in your magazine, especially in a small defensive pistol or a shotgun that holds little ammunition, is foolish.

STUN GUNS AND TASERS

There’s a big difference between stun guns and Tasers. Many people use the term Taser to describe a stun gun, but I will distinguish between the two for clarity. A stun gun is a contact defensive tool that passes electricity between two fixed probes. If you contact an attacker with this electrical arc, it will cause a good deal of pain. A Taser is the type of electrical device carried by law enforcement officers that fires two probes using compressed air. The probes have barbed (like a fish hook but straight) needles that penetrate the skin of the attacker and are attached to wires connected to the device. The result is an electrical pulse that causes the muscles to involuntarily tense, incapacitating the individual. The farther the probes are spread on the body, the more intense the effect is.

I am not a fan of stun guns because they are contact weapons, meaning you must be close enough to touch your attacker. The other major downside is that they are pain devices only. This again means they will not incapacitate an attacker, and an attacker who is determined or high on drugs will be able to fight past it. This is even more of a problem than with rubber bullets, since you are in contact when using the device. If it is ineffective, you are now in a full-on physical fight for your life.

Tasers are different, and I do consider them viable self-defense tools. They incapacitate the attacker rather than simply hurting him to deter him. These units are from the same manufacturer (Taser International) as their law enforcement brothers, but are slightly different. The most significant difference is the civilian model fires 15 feet, while law enforcement models fire 28 feet. Here are the downsides and things to know prior to carrying a Taser:

The first is that most models only give you one shot. Some more expensive units ($1199) allow two shots, and a law enforcement model allows three. Recently I told a student I was going to begin selling Tasers and she said, “That’s what I need.”

This student was having a difficult time getting consistent hits to the high center chest. I cautioned her that I did not think a Taser was necessarily the correct device for her. The Taser is even more difficult to get your hit with because you must get two projectiles to hit the target, with one of them being fired at an angle. Not being able to fire a second shot could be disastrous.

The other major item to note is that the probes must get a certain amount of spread for incapacitation to occur. This can be seen in videos where the Taser fails to incapacitate someone. I have heard it stated that you should be a minimum of seven feet away from your attacker to get a proper spread. This is a major possible downside. We know that most defensive shootings happen between seven and 15 feet, but that doesn’t mean attacks don’t occur at closer distances. This could mean your defensive tool may not provide a full effect.

On the plus side, Taser has an offer that if you use your device to defend yourself and you drop the device and run after incapacitating the attacker, they will replace your device if it’s a C2 (now called the “Bolt”) or the new Pulse model. These specific models are made to turn on and off automatically for a total of 30 seconds to give you time to escape the attack.

The Taser also offers the backup of a “drive stun” should the probes fail. This is similar to the way a stun gun works and is done by removing the cartridge from the front of the device.

I have had the pleasure (I wish I could type that sarcastically) of being tased and hit with a stun gun. The stun gun hurt a lot (like being snapped by the world’s worst rubber band) but would not necessarily have stopped me. Being tased is not so much about the pain (it does not feel good) but more the incapacitation. It fires all your muscles and has an exhausting effect. I have never come close to doing the 30-second cycle of the C2 or Pulse and will pass if the opportunity presents itself.

CHEMICAL AGENTS (PEPPER SPRAY)

Pepper sprays come in many forms and formulas. There are foam versions, versions that spray a cone-like mist, and the most-used stream versions. The sprays are made of extracts from hot peppers. A hit of pepper spray in the face, neck, or even high chest can cause vision problems, severe burning sensations, and respiratory distress.

I do not personally have experience with pepper foam, but have never seen a huge advantage to it. I have been sprayed and contaminated several times, and the thought that wearing glasses would have stopped the effectiveness never crossed my mind.

But I do have experience with the cone pattern and stream models. I recommend the stream over the more mist-like cone. The mist is more easily blown back by a slight breeze and lingers more. This can result in you being contaminated while trying to escape an attacker.Training is very important with spray, as you must know how your particular can works. Many manufacturers make cans that you must push a tab to the side to allow the can to spray. On many of these, people push down on the tab, which does not result in a strong stream. You must push down on the center to get the full stream. In the middle of an encounter is not the time to learn this.

It is very important to note that not all pepper spray is the same. Some sprays that are sold in big-box stores are weak and more of a security blanket than a defensive tool. In a security job I worked many years ago, it was being debated if we would carry spray. Most guys said they did not want to be sprayed, but I volunteered. A coworker and I went to a big-box store with the idea of showing the others that it would not be too bad. To our surprise, when I was sprayed it initially had no effect. It was not until I washed it off that it began burning. Warm water opens your pores and increases the effect. Needless to say, I recommend researching which spray you are going to carry if you choose this option.

I personally carry Sabre Red 3-In-1 when I carry spray or recommend spray to my students. This is a very effective spray that is a mix between normal OC spray and military CS gas. I have seen it used in the past and was contaminated with it. What little contamination I got was enough for me to want it to never happen again.

Another consideration with spray is the likelihood you will be contaminated. If you have ever wrestled someone who has been sprayed or had someone spray a can in tight quarters, you know what I’m talking about. Law enforcement, military, and security personnel are sprayed during training in part because of this fact. The realization is that you may be contaminated and still need to fight. Trainees are sprayed or contaminated and must work their way through an event like an obstacle course, where they demonstrate the ability to fight after contamination.

You must also understand that pepper spray may not be effective against your attacker for one reason or another. They may be able to fight through the spray and still present a threat.