The Truth About Consumer Self Defense Pepper Sprays
What is a Self Defense Spray made from? There are three types of chemicals used in Self Defense Sprays. The first two are type of tear gas and are called CS and CN. These man made chemicals are irritants to the mucous membranes (eyes, nose, throat, and lung). In large quantities, they cause heavy flow of tears and produce mucus and some choking.
The third and perhaps most common chemical today is OC (Oleoresin Capsicum), commonly known as pepper spray. OC is an inflammatory agent made from hot cayenne and other peppers. Upon contact to the soft mucous membranes, it causes an intense burning sensation, temporary blindness, restricted breathing and disorientation. Pepper spray is a hot selling product on the market now.
How does tear gas and pepper spray compare when used? With tear gas, you generally cannot fight through the pain. Since the tearing and choking is uncontrollable, it will blind and choke the victim if it contacts the mucous membranes. However, tear gas isnt as effective for drug crazed, drunk or super tough assailants.
Tear Gas isnt effective on wild animals or dogs, pepper spray is.
Tear gas as the name implies, disburses into a gaseous form; you dont have to nail the attacker in the eyes. You just have to get it close. With pepper spray, you have to either hit the attacker in the eyes or mouth for it to be effective.
Tear gas takes take longer to be effective, anywhere from 5 seconds to 30 seconds, while the effects of pepper spray are almost instantaneous.
Pepper Spray can be washed off with soap and water. Tear gas takes longer to wear off and the chemical residue can last for days. Recently, manufacturers have begun to combine the chemicals together to make a super potent spray with the characteristics of each chemical. Called Mace Triple Action, this formulation is super dependable when you need it. They even add in UV dye, so the bad guy can be easily identified by the police.
What's the advantage of self defense sprays? They have proven to be extremely reliable when used correctly. That's why they are still heavily used for crowd control by police all over the world. In addition, it's a non-lethal self defense weapon which allows people to use it without hesitation in the event of an attack. Early intervention can save your life instead of waiting until you are really in danger to strike back. Pepper sprays are cheap to keep, and legal to carry and use, almost everywhere.
Even so, you should still be aware of its limitations. Pepper spray may take a few seconds to disable and attacker, so that assailant may be able to take your canister away from you, before the effects of the spray kick in. That means your own weapon may be used against you. Also, wind and rain may reduce its range and effectiveness. You may get spray-back when sprayed against strong wind.[I:0:T]
How do I compare various pepper sprays? Pepper spray is rated in 2 ways: OC% and SHU rating. The % you see listed on the package (10%, 15%, etc.) explains how much OC is in the container relative to the other ingredients (propellant, dyes, etc.). However, this percentage cannot always be used to compare the "hotness" of different pepper sprays, and there are mixtures of various potencies of OC.
The other standard rating for pepper spray "hotness" is the Scoville Heat Unit or SHU. This number represents the amount of capsasin in the OC. Since different manufactures use different grades of OC, the percentage of OC in a spray becomes irrelavant. It's the SHU or amount of capsasin that matters. Look for a SHU rating of 2 million or higher for a real punch in your pepper spray!
What's the shelf life of pepper spray? The truth is that OC doesn't degrade with time. Sometimes however, the propellant goes bad. You should plan on replacing it when it reaches the expiration date, which is stamped on the sides or bottoms of the container. Usually however you should plan on replacing it yearly.
How long do the effects last? The burning takes a few seconds to kick in, and usually lasts from 15 minutes to an hour, depending on the SHU rating. The UV Dye can "tag" a person for up to a week!
When is it OK to use the pepper spray? Whenever you feel truly threatened. Just keep in mind that you have to use it in defense of life, and not in defense of property. You are now allow to use sprays in an offensive manner, only self defense.[I:2:J]
What's better: foam, spray, gel, or fogger? It depends on your situation and preference. Mace brand gels and foams are preferred by many as they are really hard to wipe off. The spray is actually a stream, and is easier to aim into the eyes and mouth. Foggers are used for crowd control.
Storage of pepper spray? Always store it at room temp as the propellant is under pressure. Keep it away from children and don't leave in you car on a hot day. You might get a surprise!
Think in advance how you want to carry your pepper spray. In a typical assault, you get no warnings and you will get attacked when you least expect it. Carry your pepper spray with you whenever possible, and keep it in the same place. You can put it in a loose outer pocket of a jacket or inside a pants pocket, or in a purse with an open pocket. Try a few different carrying methods and find good accessible locations for you. Practice and make sure you can draw it quickly in an emergency situation.
The keychain pepper sprays are very convenient, and you are more likely to carry them with you all the time because of their smaller size.
What should I know about MY pepper spray? It's important that you get some practice with the specific spray you are going to use. Study the canister, the nozzle, and the dispenser. Take your canister to an open field, make sure the wind, if any, is at your back, and fire it for about two seconds. How far will it spray? Is the spray a stream or a foggy mist? How did it react to the wind? Can you spray it into the eyes of an attacker?
When threatened, make sure you have distance between you and the attacker. Don't get too close to them or they could grab your spray! Fire 2 or 3 second bursts directly into the eyes of the attacker. If it is not working, give them another two seconds. The small pocket or purse size will give you between 5 and 10 seconds of continual fire. Once the threat is stopped, run immediately and call the police. If your spray contains UV dye, tell that to the police.
Is Pepper Spray Legal in my state? Pepper spray is LEGAL in all fifty states. However, some states and cities have specific regulations pertaining to the purchase, possession and use of defense sprays. Please check with your local law enforcement agency for any regulations your state may have.
New York: the sellers must be local licensed firearm dealers or local pharmacies. Massachusetts: the buyer is required to obtain a Firearms Identification Card (FID); the sellers must be local licensed firearm dealers. Michigan: OC Pepper Spray can be no stronger than a 2% concentrate. CS is the only Tear Gas accepted. Both must be no larger than 35 grams per can. No combination sprays allowed. Wisconsin: Pepper spray only. No Tear Gas, UV Dye or combination sprays. OC Pepper Spray can be no stronger than a 10% concentrate. The can must be between 15-60 grams only. They must have safety feature. California: Canisters cannot be more than 2.5 ounces. Animal Repellents such as bear spray and dog spray are legal and can be shipped to New York, Wisconsin and Michigan.
Is there anyplace where I cannot carry pepper spray? Yes. You cannot carry any pepper spray on an airplane or in carry-on luggage or in the passenger area. The FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) allows one Pepper Spray (up to 4 oz) per traveler in your checked luggage only.
Can I wash pepper spray off? If you get pepper spray on yourself, dont panic. Water, soap and time are all that is needed to decontaminate you. Exposure to fresh air should help, too. Remove all contaminated clothing. Flush the affected area with cool water. Warm water may intensify the burning and inflammation. Do not rub your face! Wash the affected area with non-oil or cold cream based soap. Don't apply oily lotions--they will trap OC resin onto your skin. Have a doctor examine the exposed area if any irritation or pain persists after the decontamination procedures.
The third and perhaps most common chemical today is OC (Oleoresin Capsicum), commonly known as pepper spray. OC is an inflammatory agent made from hot cayenne and other peppers. Upon contact to the soft mucous membranes, it causes an intense burning sensation, temporary blindness, restricted breathing and disorientation. Pepper spray is a hot selling product on the market now.
How does tear gas and pepper spray compare when used? With tear gas, you generally cannot fight through the pain. Since the tearing and choking is uncontrollable, it will blind and choke the victim if it contacts the mucous membranes. However, tear gas isnt as effective for drug crazed, drunk or super tough assailants.
Tear Gas isnt effective on wild animals or dogs, pepper spray is.
Tear gas as the name implies, disburses into a gaseous form; you dont have to nail the attacker in the eyes. You just have to get it close. With pepper spray, you have to either hit the attacker in the eyes or mouth for it to be effective.
Tear gas takes take longer to be effective, anywhere from 5 seconds to 30 seconds, while the effects of pepper spray are almost instantaneous.
Pepper Spray can be washed off with soap and water. Tear gas takes longer to wear off and the chemical residue can last for days. Recently, manufacturers have begun to combine the chemicals together to make a super potent spray with the characteristics of each chemical. Called Mace Triple Action, this formulation is super dependable when you need it. They even add in UV dye, so the bad guy can be easily identified by the police.
What's the advantage of self defense sprays? They have proven to be extremely reliable when used correctly. That's why they are still heavily used for crowd control by police all over the world. In addition, it's a non-lethal self defense weapon which allows people to use it without hesitation in the event of an attack. Early intervention can save your life instead of waiting until you are really in danger to strike back. Pepper sprays are cheap to keep, and legal to carry and use, almost everywhere.
Even so, you should still be aware of its limitations. Pepper spray may take a few seconds to disable and attacker, so that assailant may be able to take your canister away from you, before the effects of the spray kick in. That means your own weapon may be used against you. Also, wind and rain may reduce its range and effectiveness. You may get spray-back when sprayed against strong wind.[I:0:T]
How do I compare various pepper sprays? Pepper spray is rated in 2 ways: OC% and SHU rating. The % you see listed on the package (10%, 15%, etc.) explains how much OC is in the container relative to the other ingredients (propellant, dyes, etc.). However, this percentage cannot always be used to compare the "hotness" of different pepper sprays, and there are mixtures of various potencies of OC.
The other standard rating for pepper spray "hotness" is the Scoville Heat Unit or SHU. This number represents the amount of capsasin in the OC. Since different manufactures use different grades of OC, the percentage of OC in a spray becomes irrelavant. It's the SHU or amount of capsasin that matters. Look for a SHU rating of 2 million or higher for a real punch in your pepper spray!
What's the shelf life of pepper spray? The truth is that OC doesn't degrade with time. Sometimes however, the propellant goes bad. You should plan on replacing it when it reaches the expiration date, which is stamped on the sides or bottoms of the container. Usually however you should plan on replacing it yearly.
How long do the effects last? The burning takes a few seconds to kick in, and usually lasts from 15 minutes to an hour, depending on the SHU rating. The UV Dye can "tag" a person for up to a week!
When is it OK to use the pepper spray? Whenever you feel truly threatened. Just keep in mind that you have to use it in defense of life, and not in defense of property. You are now allow to use sprays in an offensive manner, only self defense.[I:2:J]
What's better: foam, spray, gel, or fogger? It depends on your situation and preference. Mace brand gels and foams are preferred by many as they are really hard to wipe off. The spray is actually a stream, and is easier to aim into the eyes and mouth. Foggers are used for crowd control.
Storage of pepper spray? Always store it at room temp as the propellant is under pressure. Keep it away from children and don't leave in you car on a hot day. You might get a surprise!
Think in advance how you want to carry your pepper spray. In a typical assault, you get no warnings and you will get attacked when you least expect it. Carry your pepper spray with you whenever possible, and keep it in the same place. You can put it in a loose outer pocket of a jacket or inside a pants pocket, or in a purse with an open pocket. Try a few different carrying methods and find good accessible locations for you. Practice and make sure you can draw it quickly in an emergency situation.
The keychain pepper sprays are very convenient, and you are more likely to carry them with you all the time because of their smaller size.
What should I know about MY pepper spray? It's important that you get some practice with the specific spray you are going to use. Study the canister, the nozzle, and the dispenser. Take your canister to an open field, make sure the wind, if any, is at your back, and fire it for about two seconds. How far will it spray? Is the spray a stream or a foggy mist? How did it react to the wind? Can you spray it into the eyes of an attacker?
When threatened, make sure you have distance between you and the attacker. Don't get too close to them or they could grab your spray! Fire 2 or 3 second bursts directly into the eyes of the attacker. If it is not working, give them another two seconds. The small pocket or purse size will give you between 5 and 10 seconds of continual fire. Once the threat is stopped, run immediately and call the police. If your spray contains UV dye, tell that to the police.
Is Pepper Spray Legal in my state? Pepper spray is LEGAL in all fifty states. However, some states and cities have specific regulations pertaining to the purchase, possession and use of defense sprays. Please check with your local law enforcement agency for any regulations your state may have.
New York: the sellers must be local licensed firearm dealers or local pharmacies. Massachusetts: the buyer is required to obtain a Firearms Identification Card (FID); the sellers must be local licensed firearm dealers. Michigan: OC Pepper Spray can be no stronger than a 2% concentrate. CS is the only Tear Gas accepted. Both must be no larger than 35 grams per can. No combination sprays allowed. Wisconsin: Pepper spray only. No Tear Gas, UV Dye or combination sprays. OC Pepper Spray can be no stronger than a 10% concentrate. The can must be between 15-60 grams only. They must have safety feature. California: Canisters cannot be more than 2.5 ounces. Animal Repellents such as bear spray and dog spray are legal and can be shipped to New York, Wisconsin and Michigan.
Is there anyplace where I cannot carry pepper spray? Yes. You cannot carry any pepper spray on an airplane or in carry-on luggage or in the passenger area. The FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) allows one Pepper Spray (up to 4 oz) per traveler in your checked luggage only.
Can I wash pepper spray off? If you get pepper spray on yourself, dont panic. Water, soap and time are all that is needed to decontaminate you. Exposure to fresh air should help, too. Remove all contaminated clothing. Flush the affected area with cool water. Warm water may intensify the burning and inflammation. Do not rub your face! Wash the affected area with non-oil or cold cream based soap. Don't apply oily lotions--they will trap OC resin onto your skin. Have a doctor examine the exposed area if any irritation or pain persists after the decontamination procedures.
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