best non firearms defense

[grymster2007]

How 'bout a slingshot? Not much good up close and reloading is slow, but I I'm pretty sure one 0 buckshot to the chest or face, while not lethal, would give a BG a few seconds to reconsider his actions.

Couple years ago I bought a Saunders Folding Falcon. Never really used it 'til recently and discovered that the tiny handle dug into my palm and hurt like hell. I designed and made an ABS plastic replacement handle and tried it today. Very comfy and I could consistently hit a yellow-jacket trap hanging in a tree, 60 feet away.

Mr. Primitive

[MrSardonicus]

when I was a freshman in the community college near here, a guy came into the library and said I was using "his" computer, when I wouldn't move he pulled out an old compass (the kind used in mechanical drawing) and stabbed me in the shoulder with the needle part. It went clean to the bone and just stuck there. From the look on his face I think he was as shocked as I was at the way it just kinda stuck there. I recovered from my shock before he did from his, and I proceeded to use my fists to locate his nose around on the other side of his face. When the campus cops ~goons~ pulled me off of him the compass was still stuck in my shoulder and I had forgotten all about it.

Take some basic hand-to-hand training for close up work. For the most part, inside 10 to 15ft most BG's with a knife can cut you before you clear leather on a CCG any way, let alone if you are fumbling for some other "inconspicuous" weapon-but-not-a-weapon.
Best thing to do is plan. Be observant, play out scenarios in your head in each of the environments you find yourself in on a daily basis. Stay alert and have a plan. Ultimately and unfortunately you have to make a choice many of us make on a daily basis where CC is involved.
Which do you value more...your safety or their rules. There are consequences for braking the rules (or laws), and if you are going to break any rule (or law) first and always....plan on getting caught. Examine the consequences and decide if it is in your best interest to do so.
Sorry for waxing a little philosophical on ya there...

[grymster2007]

when I wouldn't move he pulled out an old compass (the kind used in mechanical drawing)

When draftsmen attack!

[Jon80]

In situations where I can't even carry my Kershaw folder like going to a Red Sox game where they frisk you before you go in, I just keep cash in my front right pocket and an old wallet in my left with old credit card offer cards and nothing else in it. I'd have no problem handing it to someone that pulled a knife on me after the game walking the streets (it happend to my friend).

[Hirlau]

You're
Brain

[grymster2007]

You're
Brain

Some brains have more stopping power than others.

call me Mr. 25 Auto

[RustyShackleford]

Can't go wrong with big a$$ Maglite either... I bet I could put quite a number on an attacker with a 3 cell and it would be an absolute mess with a 6 cell

[vytoland]

homeTop.jpg

[Re4mer]

I know how you feel, I go to a no carry school but thankfully at least we have an armed police force. As far as your personal protection goes you should consider a knife or mace. I prefer mace simply because you can keep distance, its non-lethal and allows you to stop more than one person at a time without getting too close. I have been in multiple attacker situations before and distance is everything when you need to get away.

Another option is to take some martial arts/self defense classes. If you achieve a high level of skill your odds of survival go way up if you are unarmed and attacked. Although truthfully if you opponent has a gun that's not going to help much either.

If you are able to live off campus where your rights are not infringed upon I would do so. Dorms are notorious for their ridiculous rules so if you can live off campus and have a firearm in your home I would go that route so at least you are protected there.

[obxned]

Nike!

[BlayGlock]

You should carry a rabid wolverine in your book sack.
Honestly, you should petition the school and in the mean time use your head about where you are going. A good 3" knife would not hurt to carry either.

[BoulderTroll]

Holy crap! Guys, I'm all for self defense but the OP said he was refering primarily to a college campus. Some of the suggestions; baseball bat, machette, tire iron...come again???

School campuses are often very against weapons of any type. I think it would be unusual to find a school that would allow knives, OC spray, ASP's, etc., much less a machette.

And in some states (like the oddball one I live in), carrying a concealed knife is a felony. Carrying a concealed handgun is only a misdemeanor.

If I went to a college where I felt the need to arm myself with a machette while sitting in class I think I'd try to find a new college. Some of these responses I'm hoping are strictly jokes. For a serious answer to the OP, if the school allows OC spray I'd recommend that over a knife, ASP, or anything else besides a gun (I can't immagine any school that allows tasers, or that would be my choice above OC).

I've used all of these (minus the gun/ knife) on people in real life (non training): Winchester baton, ASP, OC, taser. Taser is the most effective, followed by OC (I'm on my 6 or 7th can). But really, as a student I think discretion would be the better part of valor. Best defense? Common sense and some good running shoes.

[SPUSCG]

My wallet has sentimental value, a gift from my dad. No way in hell a bad guy will get it. My school has no armed people on campus (besides bad guys.) They are so bad, they wont even allow off duty police to carry, even though theres a federal law protecting the police the school will still terminate enrollment. Theres been 2 (maybe 3 by now) rapes reported already, youd expect them to want police. Funny thing is, culinary arts students have a bag full of knives and are required to but a leatherman would get me booted. The school doesn't have a pepper spray policy, and campus security seems okay letting girls carry it. Ill carry my OC and call it good.

[Ginger]

Can you carry a taser on campus?

[SPUSCG]

no. no batons/bats/clubs either.

[Ginger]

Hmmm...I think cc on campus should be a no-brainer. More education is obviously needed in the general student population.

[R1145]

Most of the time, common sense prevails if there is a justified use of force for self-defense. Common sense should also be used when examining force options.

Here in Kalifornia, ironically, carrying batons, sticks, martial arts weapons, disguised knives, brass knuckles, etc, is a FELONY, whereas carrying a concealed handgun is usually treated as a MISDEMEANOR (it's a "wobbler" that can be charged as a felony, depending on circumstances).

So, you might as well carry a gun rather than that street gang crap if you're headed into harm's way...just don't get caught.

That's bad advice, though. The smart thing is to obey the law, because even if you end up defending yourself legitimately, you're on a slippery slope legally if you end up using a weapon that's not legal for you to own and/or carry.

I think for most people, the odds of getting into a legitimate self-defense situation are far outweighed by the chance of getting into trouble for possessing an illegal weapon.

Remember that a felony conviction will probably bar you from eventually being able to CCW legally (and, indeed, gun ownership).

Legal options include stun guns and pepper spray (if allowed in your jurisdiction): Hey, better than nothing, maybe. A small folding knife with a very sharp serrated edge (don't use it for anything else) would probably be an option.

Something small and hard you can hold in your hand (no, not THAT...). I mean, a kubotan or something. An umbrella, carried if it's raining, in the car or locker if it's not, would not be questioned. A cane, well, that's a stretch unless you're disabled somehow.

Remember, context is important. A baseball bat or golf club might be perfectly legal to own, but carried in an alley at 3am, be considered a felony offense.

Martial arts training is a great confidence builder, that, along with situational awareness, should get the average person through nearly all scenarios (along with a good pair of running shoes).

Certainly, improvised weapons are potentially useful. If you have some stick fighting, well, anything can be a stick (pool cue, bottle, rolled up magazine, uh, stick...).

[grey sky]

Canes. Is it illegal to carry a cane anywhere? All wood stout heavy, depending on type. I have some realy nice ones that are not out of place on my evening constituional
A fellow in my neighborhood caries a bat while walking his dog. Looks out of place to me.

[Maromero]

Judo chop.

Seriously, carry a legal size knife or if the size restriction is too much get a Swiss Army knife multi-tool which comes with a nice size blade. If pepper spay is legal, by all means.

You can also live off campus and keep your gun(s) home and get a CC permit if available in your state. I believe you can CC on public land/property outside the university property (thinking the university is inside a city/town).

[scorpion_tyr]

Good old fashioned H2H. Take some classes, watch a bunch of bruce lee movies, or just hang out with some rough and rowdy folks and you'll learn all sorts of stuff really quick.

[Mello2u]

Gun Free Zones = Liberal created Predator Playgrounds. Increasing crime is a consistent "unintended consequence" of the liberal so called solution to violence.

[mrt949]

I HAVE A OLD WOOD CANE THAT I CARRY .WHEN I GO TO FLEA MARKETS .BEING OLDER NO ONE IS SUPRISED .

[hogdogs]

Go biker style... I had a large bronze snap, my keys, a full set of roller chain repair links... (2 masterlinks, 2 inner and one outer link making a 4 or so inch string) and a 6 inch cresent wrench... would result in much "BFT" to a noggin!
Brent

[EricReynolds]

I worked security on a large college before and now I work security for an inner city high school. I worked both unarmed. The college I was with the Public Safety division of the SUNY University Police Department. There were between 2 and 12 armed cops and another 70 officers that were unarmed. The best defense you really had was your radio. You could call for back up that would be there within a minute. If you had a serious emergency, armed help would come also. Aside from that, you just used common sense, kept your distance when in a dangerous situation and reported what you saw while waiting for help. Numbers was the best weapon we had. The college was a medical school with a level 1 trauma center hospital. We got in more than a few hairy situations. Everything from 5 related shootings arriving to the ER at once to a psychiatric patient refusing to take his meds and swinging on patients. I don't care how tough or crazy you are though, nobody is taking on me and a dozen guys who do this all the time. If I was really in a bad spot though, let's not kid ourselves, a bic pen will serve as an effective enough stabbing tool. The college and the high school I wear armor every day. Outside of work, the best non firearm weapons I ever had were 2 German Shepherds, Max and Kato. They're in Heaven now but I'd take them over a bat, club or knife any day. A gun will run out of ammo, Max will keep coming at you. Spray Kato with oc spray, see what that does for you. I have a Boxer pup named Punch that has the makings of a good guard dog. I'm surprised no onje else said dog.

[James K]

Under the circumstances, a heavy 5-cell flashlight will work as well as a baton or bat; those would be considered weapons, where the flashlight would be a normal thing to carry at night. A plus is that the mere presence of a light may discourage an attack. Also, the light can blind an attacker or light up a scene the BG might not want illuminated. (Use a shock resistant bulb; it is better if you can batter in a skull without putting the light out.)

I have said this before, but someone who really feels the need to carry a gun will carry a gun (if he/she can get one at all) and damn all the laws, rules, and regulations.

But don't overlook perfectly ordinary objects that can be weapons. At times in certain places, I used to carry a rolled up copy of the old large-size Life magazine, a highly dangerous and deadly weapon, and not one likely to be banned on a college campus. A friend who works for the telephone company and has to go into some bad areas carries a 2-foot long piece of 200 pair. What is more natural than a piece of telephone cable carried by a telephone installer? But it is guaranteed to smash a skull or break an arm if used that way.

Jim