Weapons for Self-defense (and fun!)

Guns | Knives | Sticks | Others

This page has four parts, devoted to the four (in my opinion) main types/styles of self-defense weapons out there. I will tend to write some basic stuff about each of the weapons, give you some info about where you can learn about each weapon, plus some info/thoughts that I have about each. Hope it's helpful!

If you want to use any part of this page for a class, paper, or discussion group, please read the note at the end of the page.

Some Important Comments First!

A couple of thoughts for you to contemplate. A weapon is a tool, no more. It won't work miracles, it doesn't magically cause things to happen nor does it mean that now that you have a weapon, you are safe. You can't go walking into bad sections of town in the middle of the night carrying a bag of diamonds, you shouldn't flip off the local gang leader, etc....

Have a brain, people. I know most of you out there are intelligent people (heck, you got HERE! :-) so use that brain. A weapon is a tool, and that tool can be VERY useful in keeping yourself safe. However, you've got to remember certain things:

Learn to use the weapon: Just having the weapon doesn't mean it'll be any help whatsoever. This is actually a BIG problem, especially with guns----people seem to think it's a magic wand or something. Whatever weapon you carry, you NEED to get trained in it's use, otherwise it won't work for you, or worse yet, it'll work at the wrong time and damage the wrong person. There ARE a number of people each year who die because of ADs (Accidental Discharges) from guns, and a number of children die each year because their parents didn't have the brains to lock up their guns. If people would learn to use their weapons properly, and obey some VERY simple rules, 99% of those accidents would NEVER happen.
Weapons don't work if you aren't holding them.: People, you've got to keep your eyes open, got to pay attention, and have GOT to know how to present and use your weapon of choice----cause if you don't, you won't get a chance to use it. In a bad situation, a gun doesn't help if it's still in it's holster, and pepper spray isn't too useful if it's still in the bottom of your purse.
There are laws about weapons.: Matter of fact, there are LOTS of laws about weapons in general, starting primarily with those about guns, use of guns, carrying a gun concealed, etc-----but there are laws about stun guns, pepper spray, knives, etc----mostly having to do with when such weapons may be used, and under what circumstances. When learning to use the weapon, learn also the LAWS regarding the weapon, and when you can and can't use it legally. (Pulling a gun on a guy because he cut you off is a no-no, no matter what they think in L.A.)
Being a tool, a weapon won't work on it's own.: Weapons aren't malavolent objects, just waiting for a chance to kill someone, nor are they capable of action on their own. It's a tool-----and what it does depends only on what you do with it. When you carry one, it is your responsibility, so bear that in mind.

Firearms (guns, for most of you)

LINK to the Argument page. (For those who have questions about the "knockdown power" of handguns.)

LINK to the Gun Humor page.

LINK to the Targets page.

First off, forget all the nonsense you've heard about carrying a handgun for self-defense. The nonsense that it'll only get taken away from you, the nonsense that with a gun you are much more likely to have a shooting in your home, that your children will accidently kill themselves, that it'll be used in a crime of rage.......forget all that. It's not true, though it has quite an emotional punch to it, which is why it's used.

Yes, there are studies that show the above things----however, all of those studies have been shown to be nonsense, either because the data has been manipulated, the answers they say they got weren't related to the questions they asked, or the questions and sample data was skewed to the point that you could prove anything from it.

The stuff is nonsense. If you want data from studies, provable, repeatable data that has stood up to intense (SERIOUSLY intense) scrutiny, check out the Kleck study, or the recently released study from the University of Chicago. (I'll try to put in various links to useful studies as soon as I can.)

A gun is a tool. Period. What it does depends on who is holding it. If the person holding it is a responsible, intelligent human being who follows simple safety rules, a handgun is an EXCELLENT method of self-protection. When you hold a handgun, as in anything in this world, you are responsible for what happens----so get trained in how to use it, just like any other weapon, just like any other type of self-defense.

Here is an excellent place to go to read some of the myths and truths with regard to guns, self-defense, and gun control. The thing I like MOST about this article is that is backs up everything it says, with footnotes that tell where it gets every single one of it's statistics and conclusions. (Which is VERY different from almost all Gun Control pages, and a number of No Gun Control pages.) Check it out: Myths of Gun Control.

Ok, now to useful things:

In general, there are only four simple rules to remember with regards to a handgun. Learn them, remember them, follow them. Simple as that.

The gun is always loaded. This is fairly straightforward----when you pick up a gun, assume it's loaded. Even if the person that hands it to you shows you it's not loaded, assume it IS---and check for yourself. (And even then, act like it's loaded.) Accidents won't happen if you assume the weapon is loaded.
Never point the gun at anything you are not prepared to destroy. If you aren't prepared to kill them, don't point the gun at a person, if you aren't prepared to buy a new one, don't point it at your TV set, if you don't want to shoot out the window, don't point it at one. If you point the gun at something, you had better be prepared to UTTERLY DESTROY whatever you are pointing at. You can't accidently shoot someone if the gun isn't pointing at them. (Policeman in New York [I think] shot a perp awhile back----the guy was spread against a wall, so the cop used a decocking level to lower the hammer on his gun. It malfunctioned, and BOOM---dead perp. One wonders why the gun was POINTED at the perp, if he wasn't going to shoot him?) Again, follow the simple rules!
Until you are going to fire, keep your finger OFF the trigger. The gun can't accidently go off because you jumped or were startled if your finger was NOT on the trigger. Leave it off, away, not touching, etc---don't put your finger on the trigger until you have something to shoot at, and are about to immediately do so. Can't accidently shoot someone if you aren't touching the trigger.
Identify your target and your backstop. Don't shoot at anything if you don't know what it is. Or you lose Fluffy late one night when you pull the gun out of the nightstand and blaze away because you heard a noice. Or worse. Identify your target---know what you are shooting at. PLUS, know whats behind it---the backstop. Chances are, folks, you are gonna miss at least once----so you had better know where that bullet is going to go, and whether or not you really want to shoot in that direction. There's a sick joke out there told to policeman: "In a shootout, don't use schools and churches as backstops." Know what you are shooting at, and know what's behind it.

Those are all the rules. That's it. If you follow those rules, you won't accidently shoot anyway, you won't blow away your dog late night, you won't blow away some bystander stuck in the middle of the problem. Learn the rules-----and be safe.

Safety in Storing

This part is pretty simple. If you've got kids, lock up your weapons. Don't leave a loaded weapon sitting around, don't leave an unloaded weapon and some ammo sitting where the kid can get it, etc. Have a brain, that's all it takes.

"But how do I have a gun I can use for self-defense in the house if they are all locked up?" you ask.

Simple. Buy a lock case-----there are a number out there. You can open them without a key, using a touch combination in the dark, while blind, when you can't see the lockbox---whatever. But they work. Here is a link to a spot on the rec.guns FAQ that talks about Safety, at least one of which talks about children in the home. There are a number of ways to protect your children-----and don't forget, KNOWLEDGE is a protection too. Educate your children about guns. If they know what happens, they are MUCH less likely to fool around with a gun. (When I was young my father gave me a demonstration of why I shouldn't play with a shotgun. We took my BB gun and his shotgun out to the garden, set up a large Folgers can, and shot at it. There I was: ----and I was proud. My BB went through one side of the can, and dented the other side. My gun was COOL. Then Dad set up. <<<<(((***BOOM***)))>>> After I took my hands away from my ears and opened my eyes, I saw the can blown to bits. And I remembered----you don't play with guns. So educate your kids about guns. It's the best protection.)

Self-defense with Guns

Personally, I think shooting is a lot of fun, so I take out my handguns and plink away every once in awhile, just because I like to. Luckily for me, that ALSO (depending on what kind of shooting I'm doing) keeps me trained in certain aspects of self-defense with said handguns. Simply buying a handgun will NOT prepare you to defend youself with it, and actually, simply going to the range and plinking every couple of weeks really won't prepare you either-----though it's a GREAT start, and a necessary thing (at least once a month or so).

Blatant advertisement: Cheaper Than Dirt (a company out of Texas) has great prices on plinking ammo. If you need ammo to practice with, I highly suggest you buy from them. It is MUCH cheaper than buying from a local retail store.
Cheaper Than Dirt

To prepare yourself, you need to know how to operate your handgun safely and with accuracy, you need to have the handgun accessible and ready, and you need to know when and how to react. If you don't have all of those three, you are in trouble. This is true of any weapon, really, but people continually seem ESPECIALLY surprised when it's true for handguns.

Again, THEY AREN'T MAGIC WANDS THAT MAKE PROBLEMS GIVE UP AND GO AWAY. I wish.

There are a number of good places to learn how to use your handgun. The NRA holds an EXCELLENT series of classes with regards to teaching people about various weapons, and your local shooting range probably does also. There are a number of shooting schools out there, too, which are REALLY good----but the price tends to be somewhat prohibitive to many. You can check out the NRA HOME PAGE for info from them. Also, the rec.guns FAQ has a good section on self-defense and schools here.

If you get a gun for self-defense, then there are a some books I would HIGHLY suggest you read:

TOP OF THE LIST:
In the Gravest Extreme: The Role of the Firearm in Personal Protection, by Massad Ayoob
If you are only going to read one book, read this one. A little dated, but not much, this book tells you a number of things you NEED to know.

OTHER BOOKS LIST FORTHCOMING

Overall, just be smart about guns. Don't get stupid, don't get cocky, and above all, don't EVER assume the gun isn't loaded.

Because it is.

Always.

(For excellent all around info on guns, check out the REC.GUNS FAQ. Plus, check out the rec.guns newsgroup----lots of intelligent, reasonable people there, and they will help out with questions.)

Good Gun Links:

REC.GUNS FAQ Home Page ----one of the best.

NRA Home Page

Women's Firearm Network Good articles here, among other things.

USPSA--United States Practical Shooting Association ----for people who like competition.

Jeff Cooper's Commentaries ---the Old Man with regards to guns. His commentaries are-----interesting. :-)

MY Cooper's Commentaries Archive ----these are listed in a slightly different format, and are much easier to run searches from.

Janis Cortese's Gun Pages ----good stuff for women and lefties.

Cheaper Than Dirt ----excellent source of good cheap ammo and other gun accessories.

Knives and such

Sticks and staffs

Other various weapons

A number of people have written me and asked about using various articles and such from my page---you are welcome to do so. I hope they are of use to you, and that they make you think.

If you are going to use any of these articles for a class, paper, discussion group, etc, please think about contributing to the Nebraska Hapkido Association Training Fund. Right now we are working on putting together a padded attacker suit, and everything you give in return for using my articles will go towards that.

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