OC Spray

[Drac]

Expiration dates of oc/pepper very seldom checked, they should be check every on a regular basis.

Yes.. An EXCELLENT and often overlooked task..

Most users, when /if they can, should use their arm or hand to cover their own face area when using, they could be down wind or in a cross wind. Even in a building, vent. systems, AC units etc. can cause a wind effect.
Most victims will tell attacker that they have mace before it is even out, they should just take it out. Only point it at the attacker when he gets into range of the mist. If you point it to soon he will change his attack mode, probably by covering his own face with his shirt/jacket etc.
This is just some of my experience with the "airbourne" stuff.

More EXCELLENT points..
1.Don't announce that you have mace/OC, just use it..
2.Cross contamination SHOULD be a concern

And above ALL make sure you are pointing the "business end" toward your attacker..Recently heard a story where a local copper decide to spray this resister..He pulled his canister and wound up spraying himself in the face..

 

[LawDog]

When most people pull out their cans of OC they will fumble with it and most of the time they will be looking at the OC can instead of their wood-be attacker. Looking down is not good brecause,
*In a darkened area you could loose sight of him,
*Not see a second attacker hiding off in another area.
This could help.
Take a coffee cup stirrer, cut it down to about a 1/2 inch to 1 inch in length. Now place it on the upper portion of the OC can, (vertically), and directly under the cans spray nozzel. Using black electrical tape, secure it to the OC can. In this way, when you pull the OC can out your hand can feel where the top of the OC can is and which way the nozzel is pointing. You will not have to look away from the wood-be attacker.

 

[Drac]

When most people pull out their cans of OC they will fumble with it and most of the time they will be looking at the OC can instead of their wood-be attacker. Looking down is not good brecause,
*In a darkened area you could loose sight of him,
*Not see a second attacker hiding off in another area.
This could help.
Take a coffee cup stirrer, cut it down to about a 1/2 inch to 1 inch in length. Now place it on the upper portion of the OC can, (vertically), and directly under the cans spray nozzel. Using black electrical tape, secure it to the OC can. In this way, when you pull the OC can out your hand can feel where the top of the OC can is and which way the nozzel is pointing. You will not have to look away from the wood-be attacker.

An EXCELLENT suggestion....

 

[jks9199]

When most people pull out their cans of OC they will fumble with it and most of the time they will be looking at the OC can instead of their wood-be attacker. Looking down is not good brecause,
*In a darkened area you could loose sight of him,
*Not see a second attacker hiding off in another area.
This could help.
Take a coffee cup stirrer, cut it down to about a 1/2 inch to 1 inch in length. Now place it on the upper portion of the OC can, (vertically), and directly under the cans spray nozzel. Using black electrical tape, secure it to the OC can. In this way, when you pull the OC can out your hand can feel where the top of the OC can is and which way the nozzel is pointing. You will not have to look away from the wood-be attacker.

Great point.

At work, our OC canisters are designed so that we can feel front from back (in fact, the safety cover keeps you from pushing the button until you turn it around). For civilians, I always advise them to make sure that whatever OC canister they buy, they can tell front from back without looking at it. Too many of the "nifty keychain gadgets" or "self defense aerosols" out there are ROUND, with no way to tell front from back. Hell -- I think that there are a few out there that'd be hard to tell top from bottom!

 

[Cruentus]

The coffee stirer thingy is good thought, but it seems a little drawn out. I don't think that people are likely going to go through that trouble (particularly women and such who carry it).

I say just get the kind that jks uses with the thumb safety so that you can kinestetically reference where it is pointing (and you can't point it at yourself on accident), and just keep it in a seperate pocket. It doesn't go in the pocket with your keys, or in your purse where you have to dig for it. It gets it's own pocket or compartment.

We have found that this provides easiest access with less accidental discharges...

 

[holger_danske]

I've personally used OC twice.
The first time was on a drunk and it had no apparent effect.
The 2nd time was a direct shot in the eye of one of two young hicks trying to jump me. In that instance, the guy I squirted dropped to the ground and his buddy was so confused/concerned because he didn't see what happened that I had about a 10 sec window of opportunity to get in my car and drive away.
Even though my results were mixed, I still think OC is a valuable tool. In the 2nd scenario, had I been forced to go hand to hand with these two guys, we were all likely to get hurt. Had I been carrying a gun or knife instead of OC... well, I don't want to think about what might've happened. My OC made it possible for a very dangerous situation to be diffused without any serious damage.
I guess my message is that while I think OC can be useful, it shouldn't be your sole method of defense.

 

[LawDog]

I agree with the last posting, I have also had mixed results. It is still a good, non lethal weapon/tool.

 

[Drac]

I agree with the last posting, I have also had mixed results. It is still a good, non lethal weapon/tool.

I agree with LawDog and holger_danske...

 

[LawDog]

I miss the old mace / pepper spray, it utilized alcohol as a suspension solution. If the pepper or mace ingrediants didn't work you could always change it into a flame thrower.
Years ago a bad guy was smoking a cigar when the alcohol based pepper spray was fired. Great Balls of Fire!

 

[Drac]

I miss the old mace / pepper spray

Not me..Worked as a bouncer before entering LE..There were always lot of fights and the boss had a can of the "good-ole-stuff" he would use when there was a large group that wouldn't disperse..Well his eyesight wasn't all that good and many of his employees wound up getteing sprayed it and the damn stuff burned...

 

[LawDog]

I was just kiding on using the old stuff, especially the oc and tear gas. The pepper seems to have the best overal performance so far.

 

[Drac]

I was just kiding on using the old stuff, especially the oc and tear gas. The pepper seems to have the best overal performance so far.

I feel better..

 

[Infinite]

I have a follow up question. How hard is it "realisticly" to train to use OC effectively?

I mean a gun takes years of practice and constant vigiliance (actually pretty much any weapon does). So is OC better in that th learning curve and the practice length for effective use is shorter for the consumer?

Or are we putting a tool in their hand they can't use ?

 

[LawDog]

To train realisticly to use OC properly should be broken down into two main areas,
Professionals:
The majority of their training comes from their fellow,(long term), veteran officers and their own on the job experience. The use on non lethal force is always formost in their thoughts, especially against an unarmed confrontation.

Non Professionals:
Many receive little or no training in the use of OC. Most have never had an occasion to use the OC so they tend forget about it until a need arises. Then a mild form of panic will set in and everything that they have been trained or told about the use of OC will be forgotten.

 

[LawDog]

Examples of training.
Professionals:
Every day the put their firearm on, placing in the same location. Then they make sure that their OC and impacting type weapons are placed in a certain location on their person. Every night they remove them. Every day they are handling these weapons/tools twice a day. This will make them self aware of the weapon and where they are located all of the time. This is much like your working out in the dojo, every time that you throw a front punch you become aware of what it is and what it does.

Non Professionals:
Most of the non professionals who carry OC will place it somewhere so that it will be on their person or around them all of the time. Example, in the cars glove box, in a purse etc. Then they forget about it.
What they should do is every morning or every time they go out take th OC in hand and place it on their person, everytime that they return home they should remove the OC and place it in a place safe. Now they will handle the OC twice a day and become self aware of what it is and where it is. As I stated before this is much like the training in the dojo.

 

[Carol]

To train realisticly to use OC properly should be broken down into two main areas,
Professionals:
The majority of their training comes from their fellow,(long term), veteran officers and their own on the job experience. The use on non lethal force is always formost in their thoughts, especially against an unarmed confrontation.

Non Professionals:
Many receive little or no training in the use of OC. Most have never had an occasion to use the OC so they tend forget about it until a need arises. Then a mild form of panic will set in and everything that they have been trained or told about the use of OC will be forgotten.

LOL! Well said.

I think it has a value and has its place. I don't personally carry it since our state requires a license for it but I may reconsider if I get approved for my Class A license to carry.

Personally I prefer a tactical flashlight over OC spray but that's just me. I have more uses for a screamingly bright light than I do for OC spray

 

[Drac]

Personally I prefer a tactical flashlight over OC spray but that's just me. I have more uses for a screamingly bright light than I do for OC spray

Plus there is no worries about cross-contamination...

 

[Cruentus]

Plus there is no worries about cross-contamination...

That depends on which direction you point the light.. lol

have a follow up question. How hard is it "realisticly" to train to use OC effectively?

It's not hard, but it is no different then training for a regular self-defense situation. The best way to train with this is to get "inert" spray, and learn both SD skills and how to carry and deploy spray, and then run scenarios with a padded assailant where one uses the inert spray in scenarios. The padded assailent has to react realistically, of course.

So you basically train for what it is, which is simply another tool in the toolbox...

 

[Drac]

That depends on which direction you point the light.. lol

True..There are a whole lot of variables to consider..

 

[Cruentus]

True..There are a whole lot of variables to consider..

I was totally kidding though... I sure hope no one "beams" themself instead of the attacker!