Estimated reading time: 7 minutes
The most popular self-defense weapon is a firearm, but that doesn’t mean it’s always the best self-defense weapon.
Many people are uncomfortable carrying a gun (as it is a major responsibility) and would prefer a non-lethal weapon instead, or they may live or work in an area where carrying firearms is not allowed. If either of these applies to you, you’ll be happy to know there are many great self-defense weapons that probably kill won’t anyone.
Note: Originally, this article was going to be titled “11 Great Non-Lethal Self Defense Weapons,” but I decided that wasn’t entirely accurate because, under the right circumstances, almost anything can be lethal.
For example, you could certainly kill someone with a baseball if you wanted to. However, the idea here is to find weapons that are more likely to deter or incapacitate an attacker.
Here are 11 suggestions…
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1. Baseball Bats
Like I said, baseball bats can certainly be lethal, especially if you strike someone over the head. But the primary purpose of a baseball bat (when it comes to self-defense) is to temporarily stun an opponent or at least to take them out of the fight.
Aluminum baseball bats are better than wooden ones for self-defense because they are more durable, they usually permit a more accurate swing, and they can deliver more damage.
2. Baton
A good alternative to the baseball bat is the baton. Batons are usually legal to own by civilians but not always, so be sure to check up on the laws in your city and/or state.
A key factor to remember when selecting a baton is retention. Many batons are expandable, meaning that they can expand or detract with the flip of a switch or button for ease of concealment. An example of this is the ASP baton.
When using a baton for self-defense, always use two hands on the grip to deliver a stronger and more devastating swing. If you want to get a baton, check this one out. It’s a baton and a flashlight!
3. Tactical Flashlight
A flashlight is something you should be carrying around as part of your EDC anyway. Many people neglect to carry a flashlight these days because most, if not all, smartphones come with a flashlight app.
A tactical flashlight with around one thousand lumens of light flashed into the eyes of an opponent will be more than enough to temporarily disorient them. Certain kinds of larger tactical flashlights, such as the Maglite, are even designed to be used as clubs as well.
When selecting a tactical flashlight, you also need to pay close attention to the build quality of the flashlight, in addition to the number of lumens it puts out. A durable housing and tempered glass lens will be sufficient, and your flashlight should be able to easily withstand being dropped to the ground from six feet.
If you don’t have a lot of money, here is an affordable tactical flashlight that is sturdy enough to get the job done.
4. Tactical Pen
Really, they make tactical pens? You bet they do. The biggest advantage to a tactical pen is how inconspicuous it is in comparison to other weapons such as a stun gun, taser, or knife. However, it can also be an extremely useful weapon to protect yourself from attack.
Tactical pens don’t have a bladed edge, but rather a dull pointed edge that you can use to punch into an attacker and cause extreme pain, which should hopefully stop them long enough for you to get away. I personally have a Strikepen and I really like it.
5. Bean Bag Guns
Beanbag guns are actually more harmful than many people realize. They can deliver a heavy non-lethal blow to an attacker that knocks the wind out of them.
Beanbag guns are spring loaded, gas powered, and designed to launch bean bags at speeds of up to one hundred fifty feet per second. All you need to do is point and shoot. Overall, it is a very simplistic but effective way of halting attackers dead in their tracks.
While a bean bag gun won’t stop an attacker entirely, it will disorient them temporarily and give you the opportunity to get away.
6. Brass Knuckles
Brass knuckles are designed to make your punches even more damaging than they already are. They can be used for both offensive and defensive use, and can also be easily carried around in your pocket.
The best types of brass knuckles consist of a single piece of metal with cutouts for your fingers. Some also have spikes or protruding areas to punch through skin and flesh and add power to your blow.
A strong enough hit from brass knuckles can cause severe injury or possibly even death, and can even potentially break the skull or the spine. It is for this reason that brass knuckles are considered to be one of the most effective defense tools you can get.
7. Kubotan
First invented in the late 1960’s, a kubotan is essentially a small bat that you can connect to your keychain. As a result of its small size, it’s only really useful in extremely close combat, but any strong whack to the body of your assailant could give you enough time to get away.
The most important quality to look for in a kubotan is its weight. Your kubotan needs to be light enough that it can be easily carried around on your keychain, but also heavy enough that it can inflict damage when you need it. Find the right balance.
You also need to make sure your kubotan is long enough as well. At the very least, your kubotan will need to be five inches long. The idea is that you can wrap your fist around it, and then still have an inch or so visible on each side.
Finally, make sure your kubotan offers you a secure grip and uses a non-slick material. It should ideally be grooved so it will not slip around in your hands even when you sweat,
8. Pepper Spray
Pepper spray is a classic self-defense item. The reason why it’s so popular isn’t just because it’s effective but because it’s easy to use and easy to carry around. Pepper spray causes extreme irritation to the eyes and respiratory system of your attacker.
However, you also need to know that pepper spray will never stop an attacker, it will only slow them down. It’s not a weapon that you use to stop an opponent, but rather a weapon you use to help you get away.
The best pepper sprays come with a UV marking dye so you or law enforcement will be able to identify your opponent should they flee after attacking you. You can buy police-strength pepper spray online.
9. Pepper Spray Gun
An alternative to a pepper spray canister is the pepper spray gun. A pepper spray gun will offer significantly improved range over a can, not to mention they are easier to aim.
Some of the best pepper spray guns currently available on the market include the following, in alphabetical order:
- JPX Pepper Spray Gun
- Kimber Pepper Blaster
- Mace Pepper Gun
- Salt Pepper Gun
- Salt Supply Pepper Spray Gun
10. Stun Gun
A single shock from a high-quality stun gun will be more than enough to temporarily stop an opponent and hopefully give you enough time to escape. Using your stun gun for half a second on an attacker will be enough to repel them, while two seconds will be enough to make them become dazed mentally.
Three seconds of volts will cause them to become disoriented, lose their balance, and maybe even lose control over their muscles.
11. Taser
The taser is a great choice for a self-defense weapon if you want something that will stop an attacker before they reach you but you’re somewhere guns aren’t allowed. Most tasers are effective at distances of around thirty feet. Your taser will immobilize your attacker for a minimum of five seconds.
Many people prefer them over guns or even a knife because they can stop attackers without threatening their lives.
Conclusion
Remember, each of these weapons will be utterly useless if you don’t know how to use them. This is why receiving special training and practicing with each of these weapons is critical if you want to be able to defend yourself effectively.
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How about using the “gray man” concept to select your daily clothing?
1) Wear clothes that do not make you stand out.
2) do not wear blatantly expensive jewelry( a watch is worn to tell you the time of day. Who gives a #$%^& if you wear a Rolex or a Timex? Robbery teams have been known to have look outs working in an expensive club. The look out makes a cell phone call. then the Rolex owner gets robbed in the parking lot).
3) Do not carry your cell phone in your hands. keep it in a pocket when not in use. Carry your lap top or note pad computer in a backpack.
4) people have been shot by robbers who wanted their Air Jordan sneakers.
5) a car is owned to get you from point A to point B. ( a car thief walks in to a parking lot. He sees two cars.#1 is a 2022 corvette.#2 is a 1972 Toyota. which one do you think will be stolen?
Other effective weapons:
A japanese saw (loks like a saber), axes of all sizes as well as Tomahawk (very effective), knives of all sizes, swords, bows and crossbows (of all sizes), slingshots, Molotov cocktails (easy to do), metal balls and parts, darts…
These will be used against NEO-NAZIS in Austria and Germany who want to force us to get injected with poison.
Small nunchaku – minichaku
Easier to carry and conceal than a standard size nunchaku.
The sharp ends can be used like a kubotan or poke.
Buy from South Africa, Pretoria. We mail also internationally. To order, click on the link.
Do you do RPG too?
We need them for taking on the neo nazi thugs in Asutria who want tpo force inject us with poison posing as ‘vaccines’?
Whomever is moderating these comments apparently don’t want you to know the murder statistics of London vs NYC. Saving us from that damnable truth.
Best is a pry bar or crow bar.Multiple uses and applicable as self defence tool.
First, you need to check local laws on legality of any weapon, both state and municipal.
Second, you better get trained on how to use it effectively. As a former MP, we were trained not to use a baton (bat, baton, asp in this article) on head, spinal column, or joints. Those targets are potentially lethal or can cause grave injury. Any of the sprays can blow back on you.
Third, get yourself a criminal lawyer on retainer. At least go get your Will done with one so you already have a relationship. Best bet: get legal “insurance” that will cover you for use of any legal weapon in civil and criminal matters.
Fourth, don’t count on these weapons to actually stop an attacker. You can find plenty of videos online where stun guns and tazers don’t even slow down perps.
When reading through to the end of this article, I noted that the author mentioned “special training and practicing with each of these weapons is critical”. People who attempt to use any type of weapon should indeed have training, AND a plan on how to use that weapon. Just like something as simple as defensive driving – have a plan on what to do if someone in the other lane suddenly swerves towards you, or tries to change lanes into your car.
My father and I took a tear gas pepper spray training course years ago offered by the FBI. It was really great! I make my own paper spray I throw habeneros and ghost peppers and the seeds I have left over when I clean. Dried peppers into a food processor with water and purify it. Then I add Chinese pepper oil and some dish soap. I strain it and add more water and then load it into my canisters. Then the portion that I strained I add more water to and use it in my garden. It is way stronger then the spray you can buy and you really want training so you know things like how to hold it and where to stand in relation to your spray after a quick wind test.
I suggest folks have a can of wasp spray by their door. You can resist at a distance and it is not usually viewed as a weapon.
Exactly! Buy a good kind, like Raid or Black Flag Wasp and Hornet Spray. It will temporarily blind and disorient your attacker.
Illegal (federal law) to use for other than labeled purpose. Can you get away with it? Best talk to a criminal defense lawyer.
So anything used off-purpose is illegal but we can kill somebody with a gun, except they want us to not own those.
What really gets me is there are states that do not have a “Stand Your Ground” law. You just have to retreat and retreat. Even in your own home. NY may have this; possibly only NYC. Maybe neither. But i do know there are states that care this little about their citizens. Or possibly they care this much about their criminals.
Off-label use is illegal at the federal level. That said, if you are going to have to go to prison, federal is the best choice. Check with a criminal lawyer (don’t Call Saul though).
Husband has pepper spray while my daughter living in a city and working an hour from home carries a stun gun. I’m thinking of going for concealed carry. I’m not thrilled with taking a life but I feel my life or my family and and friends would be worth defending if lethal force is coming against any of us.
Non of these are legal in the UK
Its better there its safer than any place. Im at peace when im there. Im not stress in any way about my safety. So its not that significant really to carry one.
Even though there were more murders in 2018 in London (knife) than NYC had?
When SHTF, I doubt if uniform security personnel will be able to do much of anything…especially protecting its citizens. You do what’s necessary to protect your live ones. Chaos will be rampant and the bad guys will be out in force. Dont back down because of laws that will not protect you.- – I won’t.
What? Guns arent legal in the United Kingdom? So your saying the average citizen over there cant own a gun legally?
How bout illegally are they hard to come by?
The UK hasn’t “allowed” their citizens to have firearms for decades. My understanding is it is VERY hard and i imagine expensive to get a black market gun.
No offense, I love the Brits. But the UK seems determined to commit national suicide. No guns or knives allowed, and there is very little control on millions of immigrants who don’t want to integrate into British society. British police and soldiers are being attacked on their home soil by violent Islamic terrorists. Why are the Western democracies seemingly embarked on national suicide? Why don’t we defend ourselves and our national cultures from these assaults?
Don, Knives are still allowed. Enough that London in 2018 had more murders by knife than NYC had of all murders.
What’s wrong is we have pussified entire generations.
Yep! Just like in Malaysia.