Wife has always been big on OC spray, carrying it with her constantly.
I didn’t want to add OC spray to my EDC gear because I carry enough stuff as it is. But a few years ago I had a situation with some dogs and gee it would have been nice to have OC on my person. I’ve had a few other times where OC would have been welcome, and so it’s spurred me to look for OC that could work for me.
Thing is, I’d like my OC can to be in a particular style, a particular way to deploy it, and so on. When I find something that could work, the capacity is small and the distance it shoots is very limited. When I find something that can shoot far enough and have enough capacity, then the ergonomics aren’t what I want. It’s always been a tradeoff and I’ve yet to find something that fits my needs.
Until now.
Sabre makes this model called the Spitfire. Seems to be just what I need. Read a bit about the model and design, and it seems like it’ll be a solid choice. I have ordered some and we’ll see how it works. Yes, I ordered a couple extra cans just so I can try them out and see how they spray. Hopefully it’ll fit the bill, and yes I’ll write about it.
I learned about this particular product via a Facebook posting from Claude Werner. I trust Claude’s take on things. And it has a greater weight when Claude writes it like this:
I tell every class I teach: “If you carry a gun, carry pepper spray. Not having pepper spray implies that all you are willing to do to defend yourself is use deadly force, i.e., kill someone. ‘All I am willing to do is kill someone’ is not a statement most rational people are willing to make if they think about it for a moment.”
I keep a pepper spray (Spitfire) on my keyring so I never leave the house without it. It’s very small and unobtrusive. I keep it in my hand anytime I am walking to or from my vehicle.
One of the great regrets of my life could have been one of the great triumphs if I had just had my pepper spray with me. I learned my lesson from that incident.
Stuff From Hsoi 
‘All I am willing to do is kill someone’ is not a statement most rational people are willing to make if they think about it for a moment.”
There is another choice — “I am willing to avoid trouble as much as I can, including running away, if possible. But IF I can not avoid trouble, I’m ready to use force- including lethal force”.
I can see the other side of carrying pepper spray “Sir, you had pepper spray on your person but you didn’t try to use it. Instead you went straight for your firearm, Why….just looking to kill someone?”
From the studies I’ve reviewed, I don’t see how a person would have time to employ two systems in most crimes. Wouldn’t carrying two defensive systems increase hesitation?
Claude had a follow-up comment in his Facebook discussion thread:
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…pepper spray and firearms serve two different purposes in the force continuum. I wouldn’t pull out pepper spray for an imminent deadly threat either.
The problem is some people have only 1 tool for their force continuum. I consider that a mistake. I have encountered several situations that merited the use of non-lethal force but not lethal force. If all I have is a hammer, then everything looks like a nail, as the saying goes.
The application of Hick’s Law has been modified considerably since its inception. In the psychological community, it’s now only considered applicable in those situations for which there has been no training.
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There are situations where pepper spray may be more appropriate, like with the loose dog from down the street who has a fit when you jog by.
I’ll have to look for the Spitfire locally, they’re not allowed to ship such things to private persons in NY state, as the pepperspray I have is much bulkier.
Speaking of jogging, looks like Sabre has a model specifically for jogging. Seems to involve a strap so it stays put in your hand without effort. Nifty approach.
Said it before and I’ll say it again. No OC Spray. With the wife’s Asthma, it is a VERY bad idea. Used to carry it religiously but don’t even want the stuff around any more. It is potentially deadly to her and that would defeat the purpose of using it if I did deploy it. How you and those you love react to it is important to know BEFORE you decide to carry it.
Very true. You’ve got a situation where OC is a Bad Thing, and so you raise a very key factor in determining if OC is something you can use/carry.
My wife used to carry a Spitfire on her keyring. USED to. After two or three unintentional discharges in her purse she opted to start carrying a more “traditional” type of OC can. I say unintentional (and not negligent) because the Spitfire is supposed to be designed to not discharge while being carried on a keyring. I believe the device would also discharge unintentionally in a pocket.
The other issue with the Spitfire is it’s spray pattern. The OC is VERY diffuse, unlike more “traditional” cans of OC that spray mostly liquid, Spitfire is completely atomized. I found that unless you sprayed it downwind you would end up with more in your face then that of your attacker. I too have Asthma, and an OC induced Asthma attack is one of the worst things I have ever experienced.
I don’t know if they still make the inert training cartridges for the Spitfire, but I suggest discharging a few of those before you discharge an OC cartridge. Although, I also suggest taking a face full of the stuff so you can understand the effects and limitations since it’s likely that you’ll end up with some in your face if you deploy it. It was (excuse the pun) eye opening to take a face full of OC. I learned that (asthma aside) with determination I could still fight and function at a reasonable level despite the OC.
Hrm. Interesting to note.
Yes, I ordered a couple extra so they could be played with before we used them.
One certainly can fight through OC. That’s why it’s got a place, but it’s not the be-all-end-all that a lot of people think it is, or that marketing people promote it to be.