What handy defensive weapon can I keep ready ?

Question

My wife and I are both elderly and frail UK citizens.

We can't keep guns, and would be no match for any young thug who broke in or threatened to kill, maim, or harm us

The Government is not interested in us, and the Police would arrest and prosecute us. -not the intruders if we used "Unreasonable Force" (as if we could!)

Has anyone any brilliant, practical ideas on what we could employ that would be "REASONABLE FORCE" please?

We lock and bolt all doors and windows, and have a burglar alarm with Panic button, already, - but I am looking for something more 'aggressively defensive' -if you know what I'm trying to say. - Something a jury would have no hesitation in deciding "He was defending himself ! NOT GUILTY!"

Oh!,- all you wonderful answerers! I wish I could choose you all as "Best Answer", but the Yahoo Rules don't allow it. You've all been so helpful, so I'm not going to choose, but will let it go to a Vote and then if it's a tie, will tie-break it.

Sadly, the lunatics here in charge of the Asylum that's England have made MACE, stun-guns, pepper sprays and anything "noxious" illegal (except to the villains, who use them with impunity).
BUT the GOOD NEWS is that reading your answers gave me the clue to the answer!!

A FIRE EXTINGUISHER!! We have several, -dotted around the house...so whether it's the front-door, back door, or even a window, I'll be able to use a perfectly straightforward household tool to defend myself.. Wowee! we cracked it, folks! -Well, actually YOU DID, Thanks to you all.
Now please vote, and we'll have fun.
Tich

Answer 1

A chemical agent like Pepper Spray.

Its easy to use, its affects are disabling but not ever life threatening or leaving permanent damage. When shot if the attackers eyes, it will put them out of the fight for at least 5 to 10 minutes. Long enough for you to get to safety and summon help.

And, it works on more than one person at a time!

Answer 2

Some suggestions:

Pepper sprays definitely have their place. They Can be used up to 25' away with the new Mace Pepper gun. Most use 10 % OC pepper but there is a "wildfire" available at 18% which is close to what the police use.

Next are stun guns. There are many models and voltages ranging from 100,000 to 975,000. Some are as small as a cell phone. Some are disguised as cell phones. The draw back here is that it has to be applied to the assailant's body unless you use something like a telescopic stun baton that can be applied up to 23" away.

Pepper spray and stun guns are in the high 70 to low 80 % effective ratings in terms of stopping power.

The best is the taser that has 100% stopping power-more than a 22 cal handgun. Range is limited to 15-18 feet depending on model. It shoots two darts out that can go thru 2" of clothing. The new C2 taser is much smaller than previous models and is designed more for women. It has a range of 15'. The price is also less than previous models at $300.00 without a laser sight and $350.00 with one.

Check with your local constable to see what you can legally possess. I don't know the laws in the UK but they sure do.

Good luck.

Answer 3

I am unfamiliar with UK laws. But hands down best defence with a defencive weapon is pepper spray. I advise US gun owners that would use firearms defencively to have it as well. Killing a person even in defence is a terrible experience. If you can't own pepper spray, the next option is likely oven cleaner, the most caustic you can find and states gloves required and fume warning. Another option is battery acid in something like a hypodermic syringe. I do not recommend bats as you have to get close and they can be taken away.

Except for the pepper spray consider the other's short term emergency options. What I really recommend is taking some basic martial arts classes. They will teach you how to handle situations you haven't even imagined. What's more you will transform the image you project to others. The result, criminals most likely pick another victim. On an elderly person, the martial arts will train you how to fall as well. That will save you from broken hips as well as Cowls fracture of the wrist. So, don't think age or even a physical disability prevents you from using martial arts. Get others and I am sure you will find a school or instructor.

A final thought. There are bean bag guns that shoot a canvas bag. These are made to train dogs to retreive birds. If available in the UK, one of these would be excellent. I expect you could get a flare gun for boat emergency. But the consequences of using one of those would be burning down the house.

I am a Reserve Sheriff Officer in Oregon, as well as private gun owner. Both on and off the job I have weapons readily available. Using a firearm for defence is the last thing I would want to use. All I can add is I'm grateful for having Tasers.

If pepper spray is not available in the UK, your government has made a terrible mistake. It is excellent for defence and other than the temporary burn, as harmless as anything imaginable. The effects are over with completely after 20 minutes to 2 hours.

Answer 4

Buy a gun somehow---doesn't mean you have to shoot the burglar or punk, just scare them enough to make them leave or think twice about harming you. UK gun laws make it tough for citizens and easy for bad guys. In America, you have the right to defend yourself to the point of killing an intruder if you feel your life is in danger. Usually, juries will not send an elderly, frail person to prison for defending themselves but UK may be different. Maybe build a safe room inside your house....that is, like a bedroom with a solid door, strong lock and a phone where you can go and bolt the door so you can call the police and be safe until they arrive. Otherwise, make arrangements with neighbors for a signal for help or move somewhere safe. Better to be judged by 12 than carried by 6.

Answer 5

I understand you cannot keep a firearm, so my next choice would be a chemical agent like pepper spray. Try to find ones that use OC as its active ingredient, which from what i just read is not the common type of pepper spray in england. OC is highly effective, lasting for 30-45 minutes, and is an inflamitory not just an irritant like mace. It is derived from peppers in the capsicum family of peppers, being derived from a natural substance, it has low chance of adverse side efects. Even if the intruder had adverse side effects, it couldn't be pinned against you. There are 14 cases in the US of people being allergice to the active ingredient and dying. Be very careful not to spray it in a manner that will get you, this product is made of millinons of tiny particles, and if you spray it wildly into the air, you me be affected by it as well. Proper care to clean up after you use it is quite important as well.

Being a resident of the United states, I have to say I would choose excessive force for someone breaking in my house, the cycling of the action of a pump action shot gun will usually stop someone and make them think twice about progressing any further in your house. Same goes for the bolt going closed on my ar-15. Good luck to you, it sure makes you wonder what this world is coming to when we do not feel safe in our own homes.

Answer 6

In all reality, dont use pepper spray. Lets be realistic , if its in the middle of night, pepper spray will go all over the suspect and suspend in the air affecting you. If the criminal is high on drugs sometimes pepperspray will not even work. In your case since England has a ban on guns, I would go for tazers or anything along those lines. it's less then lethal and extremely effective. The prices are not that exspensive either. even for tazer guns. Or you can move to the USA and live in a state that allows you the freedom of having a weapon. In otherwords anywhere but San Fransisco. LOL

Answer 7

IMHO don't keep any.

Bear in mind any 'weapon' that you have can be used against you. If you use a spray you *may* end up disabling the intruder with it, or you may get it all over yourself or your wife, or all three of you. Modern variants of those sprays are based on solvents and irritants - except they don't work on everyone. Imagine spraying that stuff and you're the only one that's affected?

If you're really worried, make your bedroom door very secure, keep a mobile phone next to your bed and install some cheap PIR sensors downstairs. If you hear a noise, lock your bedroom door and call the police, then shout to your intruder that you've called the police.

Better that than trying to match your speed and strength with a couple of 6 ft 20 something headcases, innit?

Answer 8

I don't know if the UK ban is just on handguns, or all guns. (I live in the US.) When I lived in a rural area with little police protection, I kept a 12 gauge shotgun with pump action. The first 2 shells were loaded with birdshot, and the rest with buckshot. This was a deterrent on 3 levels. The sound of the pump action is very distinctive and frightening. (I know, because I repossessed cars for several years, and heard it a number of times.) If the intruders aren't put off by that, a blast or 2 of birdshot hurts, but rarely kills. If they insist on continuing past that, a blast or 2 of buckshot will finish the job.

Answer 9

Any aerosol spray cleaner in the face would slow down an assailant. Like Lysol or even aerosol hairspray. Ball bats and stun guns require that you get pretty close to the person to be effective, and therefore they may be able to disarm you and use your weapon against you. A dog is effective for deterring criminals, too.

Answer 10

I have cut a wooden closet rod it's light weight and very hard wood, I cut it about 2 ft long and I had to use it once, hold it in the middle and after you hit the burglar with one end it's easy to bop him with the other end, kind of like numb-chucks, and a jury shouldn't find you at fault for a closet rod, it's hard enough to knock someone out with out to much force on your end.