Ruger Collector wrote:Whatever you feel comfortable with, just remember to get training and practice frequently with any weapon you carry just as you would a firearm.
Great point!
Ruger Collector wrote:With the OC spray a determined attacker will try to grab at it before you can deploy it, possibly getting the chemicals on the hands that seconds later might be on you or your wife. Not to mention the fact that you'll be at the mercy of the wind in an outdoor situation.
I've heard these arguments against OC before. However, in my experience I don't think it's likely that they are valid arguments. In the military I had to go through some introductory OC training in order to be certified to carry it. Part of that training included standing on the bow of our ship (outside, for you land-locked lubbers!) while it was underway (not full cruising speed, for safety so we wouldn't accidentally stumble overboard... but I recall a pretty decent wind) at a distance of more than 20 feet (in my estimate, though I never measured it... however the width of our ship at the point we were standing I know to be about 50 feet and from my recollection the distance covered between me and my "assailant" covered at least half that width) and being sprayed directly above the eyes as I advanced rapidly (though not running, again for safety) towards him with a baton. I can tell you from my experience the pain that kicked in within about 1 second was so immediate and intense that it caused me to suddenly and momentarily involuntarily close my eyes. In that time-period, sure, I might have some on my hands and GROPING for the assailant but he can easily side-step me in my blindness and assault me from the rear (which my trainer did).
I doubt any reasonably quick-thinking person that deployed OC would actually get some rubbed on their face by their assailant.
We also had a handful of other guys surrounding us to provide safety and help ensure neither of us got too close to the edge and toppled overboard... I don't recall any reports that any of them were hit with wind-driven overspray. And I recall that it was fairly windy at the time b/c after each trainee went through that ordeal they flushed their head in 2 buckets of water and went up to the very tip of the bow where we hung over the railing for an hour or more allowing the cool strong wind to relieve us of some of the pain (everytime we tried to leave the windy bow the pain was too great, forcing us to return to the bow).
So, in theory those reasons sound pretty plausible... however, in practice, I doubt they'd be any more likely to occur than an assailant taking your knife or firearm from you and turning them on you... and yet we carry those too!
Personally, I'm a fan of OC b/c I know (unless you are that 1% of the population who is immune or extremely hopped up) how debilitating it can be and yet how fairly simple it is to deploy. Even if a guy struggles to "fight through it", which you can do, the few seconds for him to realize what's happened and overcome the pain buys me time to distance myself and draw my firearm.
Ruger Collector wrote:For the home I highly recommend one or two big dogs.
Haha... it's sad that my HOA doesn't allow big dogs... what about a 10# Rat Terrier??? She *THINKS* she's big and mean and would NOT hesitate to take on either one of your big dogs... do you think she counts????
