Pepper Spray/Mace/etc

[AZRedhawk44]

I have a friend that wants some sort of chemical canister spray.

What is the current recommended spray-du-jour?

And is it available via web/mail order, or where can it be purchased?  I don't seem to ever see pepper spray at WalMart or department stores, and I'm not sure if gun stores carry it... where does one buy pepper spray?

[Twycross]

I'm not sure what the current flavor of the month is, but afaik there are no particular regulations on buying it, outside of NJ. Cabelas has a wide selection. My local Wholesale Sports has a display sitting out somewhere in the firearms corner. Maybe cruise the local sporting goods shops?

[RoadKingLarry]

I've bought it for my wife and daughter at my local gun stores.


Any idea of how loading a 12 gauge shell with peppercorns would work?

[Viking]

I've bought it for my wife and daughter at my local gun stores.


Any idea of how loading a 12 gauge shell with peppercorns would work?

In some countries over here, tear gas/pepper spray rounds seems fairly popular for 9mm blank firing pistols. Perhaps something similar is available in 12 gauge?

[TechMan]

I have heard that this is really good and it's made in AZ.

[Hawkmoon]

I'm not sure what the current flavor of the month is, but afaik there are no particular regulations on buying it, outside of NJ.

Dunno about buying it, but it's illegal to carry it in Massachusetts unless you have a Class A carry license.

Try www.sportsmansguide.com

[lee n. field]

I have a friend that wants some sort of chemical canister spray.

What is the current recommended spray-du-jour?

And is it available via web/mail order, or where can it be purchased?  I don't seem to ever see pepper spray at WalMart or department stores, and I'm not sure if gun stores carry it... where does one buy pepper spray?

I've mostly bought at gun stores.  Just picked up some Sabre Red Blue Face Pepper Spray for La Esposa because, well, that's what they had.

[Fly320s]

I've bought it for my wife and daughter at my local gun stores.


Any idea of how loading a 12 gauge shell with peppercorns would work?

Probably not very well, at least as a chemical irritant dispersal method. It might work as a less-lethal device, but I think it would still be considered lethal force.

[RaspberrySurprise]

Probably not very well, at least as a chemical irritant dispersal method. It might work as a less-lethal device, but I think it would still be considered lethal force.

Yeah I think in pretty much any state pointing a firearm at someone is considered lethal force regardless of what it's loaded with or if it's even loaded at all.

[French G.]

Bear spray or those huge Sabre riot canisters. Spray lots of people some, or one person A LOT. 

[Boomhauer]

Any idea of how loading a 12 gauge shell with peppercorns would work?

Why the hell would you load homemadeup *expletive deleted*it in a shotgun when you could load buck or slugs? I mean, if you are justified at shooting at somebody...you are justified in using the good *expletive deleted*it.


Personally, as far as pepper spray goes, Sabre Red. I don't really care for less-lethal or non-lethal defensive solutions...but Sabre Red is some of the better stuff on the market.

Don't bother with the cheap *expletive deleted*it you see in the stores (such as that $5 can of "Mace" you see in the checkout lane at K-Mart.)

[Fly320s]

Some people are not affected by mace or tear gas. Nearly everyone is affected by pepper spray.

[brimic]

http://www.midwayusa.com/viewproduct/?productnumber=148914

[vaskidmark]

Here are a few thoughts:

http://www.defensedevices.com/foxfoam15oz.html

http://www.grainger.com/Grainger/SABRE-RED-USA-Pepper-Foam-2EUJ9

forget this 3-in-1 stuff    http://www.sabrered.com/servlet/the-template/SABRECivilianDefensePepperSprays/Page

You want the stuff with the flip top.  It acts like a safety and prevents you from spraying whatever you are carrying the canister in, and prevents you from spraying yourself regardless if you use your thumb or forefinger to depress the trigger.

You want nothing less than 2.5 oz, and either stream (good), foam (better) or gel (best) so tat the risk of blowback is reduced as much as possble.  You want more than enough to cover the sprayee's face to a depth of at least an inch, which means a whole lot of product.  You may not want to stick around long enough to deploy that much product, but having it and not needing it and so forth.

Buy at least two of the product, as you want one to use in practice.  Get a good stiff piece of 8x11 cardboard mounted on the end of a looooong pole to use as the target.  The person on the other end of the pole ducks, dodges, weaves, parries and THRUST!  (oops!  wrong cartoon. ) while the trainee attempts to repeatedly hit the target.  That "cover the target in a cris-crossing pattern" stuff you see in training videos is great for a stationary target but most muggers/rapists do not stand still.

If the container says it holds up to 20 1-second sprays and you have used one 3-second spray, consider the container empty.  Yes, there is probably product and propellant still in there, but it just might not be enough for next time.  $20 is a small enough prce to pay for peace of mind.

stay safe.

[Doggy Daddy]

http://www.midwayusa.com/viewproduct/?productnumber=148914

That model is discontinued.  It's been replaced by this one: http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct/?productNumber=344219


I have one for me, and one for SWMBO.  They can sometimes be found for about $10 less.

There is also a nifty little (ambidextrous) holster available:
DD

[Zardozimo Oprah Bannedalas]

Fox makes good stuff, bought mine from Amazon. Affects breathing within a foot or so. 

[Doggy Daddy]

Fox makes good stuff, bought mine from Amazon. Affects breathing within a foot or so. 

What, do you splash it on yourself like cologne to keep them away? 

DD

[Zardozimo Oprah Bannedalas]

What, do you splash it on yourself like cologne to keep them away? 

DD

It does give one a nice, ruddy complexion. 

[TechMan]

The cold steel from my first post in this thread is particularly nasty, they add black pepper to the mix to induce a sneeze reflex to draw the capsicum deeper into the attacker's mucus membranes.

[Doggy Daddy]

The cold steel from my first post in this thread is particularly nasty, they add black pepper to the mix to induce a sneeze reflex to draw the capsicum deeper into the attacker's mucus membranes.

That borders on sadistic.  I gotta get some of that. 

DD

[TechMan]

That borders on sadistic.  I gotta get some of that.  

DD

DD, you should watch some of the videos it is nasty stuff...They also have inert training units as well.  It comes out as a foam, but then liquefies on contact.

[Doggy Daddy]

DD, you should watch some of the videos it is nasty stuff...They also have inert training units as well.  It comes out as a foam, but then liquefies on contact.

Yeah, I'm seriously looking at that.  I checked your link when you first posted it, and saved it for later.

DD

[Perd Hapley]

The cold steel from my first post in this thread is particularly nasty, they add black pepper to the mix to induce a sneeze reflex to draw the capsicum deeper into the attacker's mucus membranes.

I would have thought capsicum would cause sneezing.

[vaskidmark]

I would have thought capsicum would cause sneezing.

It is not possible to inhale the air necessary to sneeze through the waterfall of snot exiting every pore of your body.

BTW, the foam and gel stuff are really crappy on hotdogs.  The old-fashioned mist and stream stuff are yummy.  The DoC trainees hated to see me spraying and scarfing down dogs on training day.

stay safe.

[gunsmith]

The cold steel from my first post in this thread is particularly nasty, they add black pepper to the mix to induce a sneeze reflex to draw the capsicum deeper into the attacker's mucus membranes.

That wins my vote for best buy!

I've used a ton of pepper spray, practice is important and often over looked.
Get the 2.5 or 3.5 cans because they got the good safety flip over the spray button.

Other kinds where you flick the button to the right, spray in your pocket, from personal experience - do not carry any pepper spray in front pants pocket !!!

Let me tell you - it hurts!

I carried for yrs in San Francisco and got lots of practice, one time as a messenger I checked in a can of grizzly bear at the federal building ( they used to store keys/multi tools etc at the front desk/security) the authoritarian security guard freaked out trying to tell me it was illegal & said he was getting the Fed police ( as if they know CA law-LOL! ) so when I got back to the desk I had a Fed cop waiting there for me, "what do you need this for he asked"  I answered ( truthfully ) that I did occasional process serving and sometimes came across angry pitbuls  , he then said "you know, you cant use this on people" I remarked "really" it seems to work just fine!" with a cheeky kind of smile. He smiled and handed me the can-the security guard was apoplectic 

At one time I was very versed in CA self defense law and weapons laws - I loved people trying to tell me what I cant and couldn't do. ... I'm gonna get some of that cold steel spray for meself