Weapons for people who don’t like shooting guns

Love and Protect is presented by KO Fitness and Firearms. Life is precious. Take safety into your own hands. 

Written By: Jennah James

(NATIONAL) With gun sales at record highs, it’s clear that having a firearm on or nearby helps people feel secure and protected. According to Small Arms Analytics, nearly 23 million guns were purchased in 2020. For people living in rural communities and away from local law enforcement, having your own firearm might be the only way you will be defended with one when it matters.

But what other options are there for people who aren’t comfortable using guns? We’ve compiled a list of other weapons you can use to defend yourself and others against those wishing to cause you harm.

Pepper Spray

Pepper sprays are legal in the United States, with little restrictions.  A little vocab lesson — Oleoresin Capsicum (OC) is the ingredient that makes the pepper spray sting. OC is the inflammatory ingredient in chili peppers. SHU is the Scoville Heat Units, which is the scale that highlights the hurt, if you will. A bell pepper, for example, is 0-100 Scoville heat units and a ghost pepper is 750,000–1,500,000 Scoville heat units. 

The top pepper sprays or gels of 2022 are affordable at about $20. The type of gel/spray, price, carry convenience and spray range are all considerations when deciding which to choose. It’s advisable that if you do use pepper spray on anybody, you should call emergency services immediately after. Some types of sprays even leave visible dyes to mark your attacker. 

Whether you carry it on a keychain, on a strap, or in your shoe, be sure to leave pepper spray out of your carry-on bag and opt to pack it in your checked luggage. Leave it behind when going into any federal building, too. 

Taser/Stun Gun

TASER devices are used from a distance on a target and take the attacker down with electric probes. 

Stun guns work by rapidly overworking the muscle group and depleting it of blood sugar. 

In addition to causing shocking, immobilizing pain and extreme exertions of muscle contractions, the result is similar to muscle failure with stun guns. Stun guns are more portable than a TASER and come in compact forms, including a version that fits over the hand like brass knuckles. Both use electric shock to take down the threatening person. When you shop around, consider state laws and carry capabilities. 

Whistle

Not exactly a weapon, but the loud sound of a safety whistle could scare off potential threats of people or animals. Whether you are walking at night or taking a jog on a trail, the high-pitched noise can alert those around you that you are in danger. A safety whistle doesn’t need any batteries, so it’s always ready to go. Features to look for when choosing a safety whistle include loudness, weatherproof, visibility, reliability and durability. Check out this buying guide for emergency whistles. 

Self-Defense 

In any situation, your attacker could disarm you, quickly leaving you empty-handed. Even if you own a weapon, you might not be able to get to it soon enough. It’s important to be armed with the physical skills needed to take down the threat. 

Prevention is the best solution by staying aware of your surroundings. But if attempts to keep a potential attacker to stay back aren’t enough, protect yourself with these tips: ready stance, palm-heel strike, front kick to groin, hammerfist punch. 

Areas of an attacker's body that are most vulnerable include not only the eyes, nose and throat, but also the groin. Taking down a threat will give you time to get away. Staying on your feet is important so that you aren’t vulnerable to further attack. Call your local police department to ask about classes in your community that teach self-defense. 

Practice Makes Perfect 

A dark parking lot or any place where you are faced with danger isn’t the time to fumble around and try to use your weapon for the first time. Be sure to ask about training classes to operate your stun gun or other weapons wherever you make your purchases. Then you will be confident that with your training and readiness, you will spring into action to protect yourself and others if the situation arises. 

Presented by KO Fitness and Firearms- not just dedicated to creating customers. We want to help create peace of mind and security for life.