There’s no doubt in my mind that it’s getting harder and harder to carry a gun, and there’s already many specific locations today where you simply cannot carry. But being defenseless just because of a local law, or the fact you were in a particular building when the SHTF isn’t a good idea either. I’m all about being prepared, and that includes being able to defend myself without any of my firearms. Because let’s face it, you may not have them one day. You might have had them confiscated after the military declared martial law and are using your weapons to shore up their supplies, or had them taken by a larger and more aggressive group of survivors. Or you may have simply run out of ammo, and your firearm is now impotent and useless. Here’s how you can defend yourself when a gun isn’t an option.
Use an extendable baton
There’s a reason the baton is a backup weapon of choice by most police departments, it’s because they’re so damn effective. In addition to being non -lethal, it's compact, compresses down to fit into your ever-day-carry (EDC) kit, and is rather straightforward to use. Slip the strap over your wrist, grab the handle tight, and give it a flick. It’ll extend quickly, and you can start wailing on your opponent. Strikes to the head and neck will quickly disable even a large opponent, and the baton is remarkably easy to control.
Use a taser (or stun gun)
Working by delivering a powerful electric shock that causes the muscles in your opponent to contract and spasm, these self-defense weapons are non-lethal yet pack a powerful punch. From hand-held devices that are inconspicuously designed to look like phones or even lipstick, the most popular are the taser guns because of their effectiveness. Again, this is what the police use, as they allow for a range of up to 15 feet, with the steel prongs penetrating into the attacker to deliver the charge. If you’re looking to take down your opponent without a firearm, this is a highly effective weapon of choice.
Use pepper spray
When used correctly, a shot of
pepper spray can incapacitate your opponent, giving you an opportunity to follow up with a fight-ending blow. As soon as the spray hits their eyes, nose and mouth, their immediate reaction will be pain, inflammation and difficulty breathing. And yes, there’s a whole bunch of burning pain that comes along with it. What I like best about pepper spray is many canisters are now designed to be small and inconspicuous, and can even clip onto a keyring or be tucked inside your EDC so you’ve always got a means to defend yourself.
Use a folding knife
In a fight, a knife can be a deadly weapon and you can inflict a massive amount of damage to your opponent. Unfortunately, you’re going to be restricted on the size of the blade you can carry in your state depending on the local laws, and a
folding knife will get the best bang for your buck. Small and discrete, you can carry one of these without attracting attention. But be careful, introducing a knife into a fight is a risky move, if you fail to strike hard and fast you run the risk of losing control of the blade. And you’ll have given your opponent a rather lethal weapon they can turn back on you. Should you decide a fight warrants the use of a knife, you need to be willing to use it, not just threaten to use it.
Use a strike pen
One particular defensive weapon I’ve always got with me is my
strike pen. Looking, for all intents and purposes like simply a heavy-duty pen, it’s a very handy tool in a fight. Able to write and function like any other pen, the shape (in particular the pointed tip) that makes this perfect for a fight, while still being light enough to carry every day. Gripped in your fist with the pointed tip out, a strike pen allows you to turn your arm into a “mallet” using the protruding tip to inflict a massive amount of damage. Strikes will penetrate skin, break bones and do significant damage to the face. Pretty impressive for something that looks just like an ordinary pen.
Use brass knuckles
If you’re getting into a fight one of the best ways to give yourself an edge is a knuckle duster, otherwise known as
brass knuckles. Discreet yet massively effective, when you’ve slipped these onto your fingers every punch you throw will have a dramatic increase in both power, and effectiveness, especially targeting hard areas like the face. Punching with a knuckle duster is like giving yourself a suit of armor over your fist, as the back structure of this self-defense weapon sits firmly against your palm. Creating one single line of power, all the way down your arm, using brass knuckles you can hit harder, with more weight, without any concern that you’ll damage your hand. A pair of these will allow you to be devastatingly effective in any fight. Just because you can’t carry a firearm, it doesn’t mean you need to be defenseless. The trick is knowing what particular weapons you can keep on you, from a stun gun to a folding knife, a set of brass knuckles or even simply a strike pen, so you’ve got the upper hand in any confrontation. Because a gun is only useful if you’ve got it on you when the SHTF. It’s important you’ve got the gear you need to defend yourself in your EDC, no matter where you are, or what you’re doing. You need to stay prepared.
