Self Defense - suggestions please

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flippakitten

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Hey All,

Would like some suggestions on self defense gadgets.

Reason being, we live on a small holding and there has been a spate of house robberies in the last few weeks and I only own a sword and some pepper spray.
Not sure if it's just the holiday homes but anyway.

I have been looking into the following and would like your guy's thoughts on this.
Crossbow.
Good distance, the right shot can be lethal
Slow reload but should immobilize.
Pretty quiet.
Useless against a gang.

Auto Paintball gun with combo of pepper and hard ammo
Relatively close range and very likely non lethal unless I use the sword in a combo.
Quick reload and should be good against small group to get away

Gun
Don't really want one around the house and I need a license

Any other suggestions you guy's have?

Thanks
 
Has been discussed many times, your only proper option is a real firearm. When you raise a pepperball gun to someone with a real gun, its game over
 
Get a paintball gun that can handle 600FPS+ and load it with a mix of mace and rubber balls.

Mine (Modified Tippmann) hits 5 rounds per second with a 650FPS barrel velocity. Let's just say anything within 20m of it is not going to have a nice day, doesn't matter what they are carrying.

A crossbow is problematic because you have (at most) 2 arrows loaded, and under the influence of adrenaline it his hard to hit your mark.
 
rakabos3 said:
Has been discussed many times, your only proper option is a real firearm. When you raise a pepperball gun to someone with a real gun, its game over
Click to expand...

you still have to aim a gun. an assailant firing at you with mace in his eyes and a cracked rib is not that difficult to dodge - and he has max 10 rounds - you have 300

Obviously if he is carrying anything bigger than a handgun, like an AK, its game over whether you have a handgun or not.
 
Last edited:
stricken said:
you still have to aim a gun. an assailant firing at you with mace in his eyes and a cracked rib is not that difficult to dodge - and he has max 10 rounds - you have 300
Click to expand...

You need to hit the person several times and even then it will incapacitate them only slightly. One bullet is enough to stop someone.

And I can promise you if you raise a toy gun to someone who is carrying a fire arm, there will be only one winner
 
sonic gun?

dont know if any of those can be brought on the open market?
would be interested to find out if its even avalible to buy;
 
As an anti gun person I have toyed with this but a crossbow us as dangerous so you might as well have a gun.

Paint-ball marker feels like a better idea because its more forgiving and you dont need to worry about who you shoot at... however if you pull one of those out it does mean that the other person can respond with actual gunfire as you apeared to be armed.
Remember the cops will see you with this and they also wont be able to tell if its just a marker.

If you want a gun just go through the process of getting a gun.

If you get the marker (like I might) then just be aware of the pitfalls.
 
rakabos3 said:
You need to hit the person several times and even then it will incapacitate them only slightly. One bullet is enough to stop someone.

And I can promise you if you raise a toy gun to someone who is carrying a fire arm, there will be only one winner
Click to expand...

I do agree but then you must just understand this limitation. The peperspray is for the scenario where you see someone in your garden and you shoot from your window to try scare imoblises them.

If there was such a thing as a stun gun that would be my preference.
 
stricken said:
Get a paintball gun that can handle 600FPS+ and load it with a mix of mace and rubber balls.

Mine (Modified Tippmann) hits 5 rounds per second with a 650FPS barrel velocity. Let's just say anything within 20m of it is not going to have a nice day, doesn't matter what they are carrying.

A crossbow is problematic because you have (at most) 2 arrows loaded, and under the influence of adrenaline it his hard to hit your mark.
Click to expand...

Getting a real firearm is the correct answer, but it's a long process to get a licence. Plus you have to be willing to kill someone if the situation demands it. Don't even touch a gun unless you're willing to use it to it's full extent.

If that sounds a bit too hardcore for you, Stricken's answer is the correct one. It'll be cheaper than getting a gun, less lethal (which will save you the paperwork afterwards if you do end up killing an attacker) and provides decent protection. Yes, there are cases where people high on drugs can shrug it off, but I can tell you now getting hit with a number of mace/rubber balls in quick succession will put down 99% of people out there, or at least chase them away.
 
rakabos3 said:
Has been discussed many times, your only proper option is a real firearm. When you raise a pepperball gun to someone with a real gun, its game over
Click to expand...

That is one of the things I have considered. But as TehStranger pointed out, it's getting a license and then being willing to shoot someone but if it's my family... Easy answer there but I have no problem


eg2505 said:
armed response not an option OP?
otherwise sonic cannon/gun like this?
Click to expand...

We have Armed response but unless they're in the area, it takes 30 - 45 mins to get here and I have a crazy neighbor who has offered to come over and shoot people.
 
flippakitten said:
Hey All,

Would like some suggestions on self defense gadgets.

Reason being, we live on a small holding and there has been a spate of house robberies in the last few weeks and I only own a sword and some pepper spray.
Not sure if it's just the holiday homes but anyway.

I have been looking into the following and would like your guy's thoughts on this.
Crossbow.
Good distance, the right shot can be lethal
Slow reload but should immobilize.
Pretty quiet.
Useless against a gang.

Auto Paintball gun with combo of pepper and hard ammo
Relatively close range and very likely non lethal unless I use the sword in a combo.
Quick reload and should be good against small group to get away

Gun
Don't really want one around the house and I need a license

Any other suggestions you guy's have?

Thanks
Click to expand...

I live on a small holding in a farming area in cape town. Here is my take on safety :

Crossbow will not help you if you are asleep. They break into your house when you sleep.
Same with paintball gun. In fact, with both the paintball gun and crossbow you will just piss them off if you miss.
Why would you take a toy to a gun fight???

The best thing to do is sharpen up security around your house. eg.

Burglar bars
Good lighting around your house
ADT security
Get involved with your locals(we have a 911 Telegram group)
Get rid of stuff outside that they would like to steal and sell
A dog that sleeps in the house is the best alarm ever.
 
terencej said:
I live on a small holding in a farming area in cape town. Here is my take on safety :

Crossbow will not help you if you are asleep. They break into your house when you sleep.
Same with paintball gun. In fact, with both the paintball gun and crossbow you will just piss them off if you miss.
Why would you take a toy to a gun fight???

The best thing to do is sharpen up security around your house. eg.

Burglar bars
Good lighting around your house
ADT security
Get involved with your locals(we have a 911 Telegram group)
Get rid of stuff outside that they would like to steal and sell
A dog that sleeps in the house is the best alarm ever.
Click to expand...

Agree with every single point
 
[XC] Oj101;16051414 said:
Either a firearm or compliance. Anything less than a firearm but more than compliance is going to get you killed.
Click to expand...

It's not as black and white as that. People have been compliant in the past and still killed. Similarly the attackers aren't always armed with guns, which can tip the balance in your favour if you have something like a paintball gun with mace and rubber.

It's all about assessing the situation and taking the best course of action.

If I come around the corner in my house and see 5 guys with guns all pointed at me, I'm probably going to be compliant until an opportunity presents itself, or they leave. However if there are three guys with knives, I'm going to do my best Usain Bolt impersonation and make them regret steeping inside.
 
Install a couple of these strategically around your property. At 180 they're cheap as chips and if on the boundary (and set up smartly) - they will EITHER give you advanced warning of pending danger. Or they will frighten the bejeezuz out of the inbreekers...

http://www.bangalert.co.za/

I have 4 at home. Linked to the only "soft entry spots" I could identify. And one mounted under my motorbike seat which I connect to a pole a few cm away from where I park my bike. Its only a .22 short blank - but in the middle of the night... Its FEKKING loud !
 
TehStranger said:
It's not as black and white as that. People have been compliant in the past and still killed. Similarly the attackers aren't always armed with guns, which can tip the balance in your favour if you have something like a paintball gun with mace and rubber.

It's all about assessing the situation and taking the best course of action.

If I come around the corner in my house and see 5 guys with guns all pointed at me, I'm probably going to be compliant until an opportunity presents itself, or they leave. However if there are three guys with knives, I'm going to do my best Usain Bolt impersonation and make them regret steeping inside.
Click to expand...

If you use a toy against someone who is armed you're more likely to end up dead than by complying. What are you chances of being able to do a Bolt impersonation straight after waking up to three guys in your house armed with knives? What are your chances of even being able to deal with one effectively straight after waking up? I would rather be unarmed and take my chances with compliance than try to scare them off with a toy, as by doing so I've now given them all the reason they need to get physical.
 
stricken said:
Get a paintball gun that can handle 600FPS+ and load it with a mix of mace and rubber balls.

Mine (Modified Tippmann) hits 5 rounds per second with a 650FPS barrel velocity. Let's just say anything within 20m of it is not going to have a nice day, doesn't matter what they are carrying.

A crossbow is problematic because you have (at most) 2 arrows loaded, and under the influence of adrenaline it his hard to hit your mark.
Click to expand...

Never mix rounds.

The rubber has a different trajectory and you will miss.

Paintball guns are only good for chasing the occasional obnoxious tramp that won't leave. It will not hurt a burglar much either.

The pepper ball cloud is quite small and take a seconds to 'work'. Even with a good hit then it isn't a stopper. Spray cans are far better.
 
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