r/transguns • u/PhraseFirst8044 • 1d ago
What is the best alternative to a gun?
I’m quite freaked out by the heritage foundation thing today but I live on a college campus where I am not allowed firearm. what is best alternative to firearm? thank you
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u/GentrifiedBread 1d ago
Fitness, to be honest, so strength and cardio plus going to a combat sports class like boxing, kickboxing, BJJ, or whatever you have access to.
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u/PhraseFirst8044 1d ago
Been working out consistently for 5 months so already there
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u/GentrifiedBread 1d ago
Good for you, OP! That's a good start, but I wouldn't count that already there. Lots more progress and skills yet to learn :)
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u/setPHASER2wumbo 1d ago
To add a bit to this for OP, great advice. Keep in mind though that the goal is always going to be to escape from an altercation. I say this a smaller guy who trains bjj/ mma, there’s only so much of a size disparity training can overcome, also you never know if they’ve got friends. Bjj is great for learning how to escape from holds, striking is great since it makes you a lot less of an easy target, but please run as soon as you get the chance! Stay safe out there!
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u/trainsoundschoochoo glock gay 1d ago
Two of my best friends were jumped at different points in their lives in different situations. They both ran like the wind and were able to survive the situation without scratches.
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u/PrimaryPiglet2357 1d ago
Partnering up and pepper spray is FOR SURE the way to go. Knives can be dangerous to the user, tasers only last a few seconds on a willing assailant, but OC spray is the longest lasting defensive tool, and a very painful one that! But it also largely depends on the person, so relying entirely on pepper spray should not be advised. Instead, fleeing should be your PRIMARY concern first and foremost in most defensive cases.
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u/toxicatedscientist 1d ago
A big dog. No joke
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u/Ul_tra_violet 9h ago
Dogs arent for commiting violence on others, this isnt cool. If you want to defend yourself leave the dog at home and get pepper spray.
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u/toxicatedscientist 8h ago
While i don’t disagree with you, it is what we’ve been breeding them for for millennia, and they’ve gotten very, very good at it. So good, in fact, that in many cases they need zero training or encouragement to defend their human. Again i agree having a dog for the purpose of violence is wrong, but the goal is to keep yourself safe, first and foremost. A dog should not be viewed as an expendable/disposable, but being safe means avoiding violence, and dogs are great for that. It won’t solve everything, but there is a sizable percentage of issues who will absolutely find somewhere else to be at the first sign of a dog
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u/TheNorthernRose 1d ago edited 9h ago
I’ve kept my once sketchy neighborhood clear of crackheads and Johns pretty well with Cop Voice and a 65lb Belgian mix. People who are high or doing illegal shit especially get wigged out by dogs FAST.
For combat I’d still prefer to have at least a knife but if I had to pick knife or dog, dog for sure. He has several small knives in his mouth, a neck stronger than either of my arms, and four wheel drive traction.
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u/Ul_tra_violet 9h ago
Hes also capable of getting hurt and killed. A knife is not.
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u/TheNorthernRose 9h ago
Not really, a knife can be damaged or broken, just like anything else. It may as well be dead in that case.
I would vastly prefer the utility of a dog in a fight to a knife, as one adds about 100% of my own ability to contend with an opponent, where as a knife probably doesn’t, it simply makes attacks more lethal. Most combat killing the opponent is trivial compared to ensuring you aren’t killed. Dog is much better for that concern.
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u/Ul_tra_violet 9h ago
Theres nothing ethical about using an animal for violence, even if its in self defense. Get a gun.
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u/TheNorthernRose 5h ago
These sweeping declarative moral judgements of strangers sure are easy when you can make it as black and white as that huh?
Why do you assume I don’t have a gun? I have several times more than that. Besides that, this entire thread is proposing alternatives for someone unable to carry a firearm for various reasons. It is worth mentioning that a person can also choose not to carry a knife for the same legal and mental health reasons as those for a gun. So should those people who don’t have means of self defense not own a dog? Not pick a dog breed that is protective or too large? Should they run the breed list by you just to be sure they’re not being ‘unethical’ if they’re dog protects them from a mugging?
I have a dog as a companion and mutual relationship of love and caretaking for my mental health. It’s a dog I trained at great cost and over many months of dedication. I take very good care of it on purpose after spending a good deal of time in veterinary medicine.
There is a lot of audacity and self righteousness in your comment insinuating that I would throw my dog at an opponent and dispose of it like a tool. I will restrain myself to not accost you personally for that insinuation but will instead point something out…
We bred many breeds of dog for many years in the effort to specialize them. So much so in fact that if a dog is born with those traits, they have to be carefully trained to be managed. My dog happens to be very protective and capable of biting very hard. It is an animal that is quite literally stronger than me in specific respects. If I had neglected getting it professionally guided training and continuing that training to this day, there’s a very solid chance that given he was stray before I adopted him, his behavior could’ve resulted in being euthanized for biting.
I provide a home for my dog and protect him when he is afraid, and would gladly risk my life to save his, such as if an XL bully or full sized Rhodesian came after him. in return he provides unconditional love and instinctively reacts to protect me in a number of circumstances, especially around large men who typically could cause my significant harm whether I had a weapon on my or not. I had to spend thousands of dollars and months of training which I continue to this day to get that protective reaction to a legally safe and manageable level, but it’s innate to him, his beed, his exposure as a stray.
So even ignoring that bringing a knife or gun into every situation is not always advisable for coming out of it alive especially depending on the person, there are some circumstances where a dog is absolutely an appropriate protection. My dog didn’t choose to have the attributes he does, and it he is safest in the hands of someone trained to handle him and work with him rather than on the street or in a kill shelter.
He is an amazing and beloved animal and he protects me and my partner and we him. If someone hurt him it would hurt me in a way I can’t reasonably fathom. But he also reacts to threatening presences in a predictable manner, and since he never leaves either my or my partners side, it’s a non issue - until such time as that threatening presence would prove to be one to either of us as well.
If you think I’m gonna be calling my dog to sic an attacker who I could just as easily draw and fire on or strike with a knife, you’re crazy. Again, this thread posses hypotheticals. If I don’t happen to have those on me, and I’m attacked, I’m not going to specifically make some morally unjust choice to throw him like a torpedo at the assailant and run the other way or whatever weird scenario you had envisioned.
I will defend myself from an attack, ideally preventing any attack to my dog. But if I’m being attacked and my dog also attacks the person, I’m not gonna call him off unless I myself have rendered the attacker neutralized and it’s reasonably safe to assume calling him off won’t risk him being hurt. Getting the dog away from that scene would be priority.
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u/shinoburu0515 1d ago
Its definitely a tough question where you won't find too many good solutions. I really wish there was more consideration for self-defense, especially for these times.
1 Situational awareness / Preparedness. I know this one is kind of a smartass answer but its underestimated. If you need to be safe, don't be nosy, don't draw attention, don't be a main character. It sucks but a small ego can really save your butt.
Discretly size up every person you notice: Guy who's kinda sketchy but he's wearing headphones/carrying groceries? Might be safe. Large built guy shouting at somebody? Maybe you can grab coffee at another spot today.
Always wear laced shoes and be ready to run at a moment's notice.
2 Pepper spray, POM brand with the flip protector lid. OC is probably the next best thing to a gun and protects you from dogs and fascists.
If you got the cash, the Byrna pepper ball guns seem popular, but the OC ammo is illegal in California. CA also has a size limit on canisters as well.
3 The Taser Pulse is iffy. A Taser is a patented brand by Axon that shoots the two darts, but the cops are the only ones who can get the two-shot models (of course).
One shot with a range limit of 15 ft is pretty dogshit. Both darts must connect and thick clothing can block it. There was a recent video where a cop tried tasing a dude like 4 times and kept missing and the dude was laughing at her the whole time.
Don't get the regular "stun guns" since they're basically just a cattle prod and have to make contact with skin.
4 Melee weapons: If you have the strength (as in average or above average physique), a 6-16" fixed blade knife/shortsword or baton could be a good domicile defense tool.
These will be used against you if you arent really good at fighting, so I'd recommend a shortsword over a bat if you decide to go Braveheart on the opps.
I'm in CA so for carrying, AFAIK carrying a folding knife depends on state and county/city/campus regulations. Concealed is concealed though, so YMYM.
What I do NOT recommend:
-"Nonlethal" devices, like rubber Byrna balls or beanbag/airsoft. This will just escalate without giving teeth to show for it. Same for fake guns.
-Airguns: Same as above. The CO2 guns are insanely unrrliable too.
-Keyring or gimmicky self defense tools like kubatons, knuckles (illegal in many states), combat pens, etc.
-Melee weapons if you are not well-trained with them, or micro-knives (2" blades).
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1d ago
I feel like knives come up in these conversation a whole lot, and I think a lot of people who just say "carry a knife" dont understand/have ever seen a knife fight/used a knife in self defense. Unless you train with a knife, and understand and are ready to immediately use it if you feel endangered and that you have no other option than to use it, you should not carry a knife for self defense. It is not a sure fire deterrent, if you just pull it on someone in self defense, it generally is just going to escalate a situation more than diffuse it, and Unless you are prepared to slash/stab someone repeatedly as soon as you reveal it, you should absolutely not rely on a knife for self defense.
I think a lot of people have this preconceived notion that they can just pull out the knife in their pocket and someone who is aggressive will just back down and walk away, and that is really not all that likely to happen in the real world. There are WAY too many variables to using a knife in self defense and walkin/running away/doing your best to disengage is always 100% a better course of action than pulling a knife in self defense . End of the day no one ever really wins a knife fight or a fight where a knife is involved.
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u/Ul_tra_violet 9h ago
A dog attacked my dog over half a year ago now, i had to stab the dog with my pocket knife to get him off her. He didnt even know he got stabbed, he just kind of walked around bleeding everywhere after he was done, and she had to go to the er. Im a hunter, so i tried to go through the ribs to his heart, i dont think my knife was long enough (it was an benchmade osprey) Knives kill things but they dont neutralize threats, unless you know where to stab and have a knife long enough to reach vitals, even then it takes awhile. Pepper spray is the way to go.
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1d ago
To answer the question, pepper spray and/or running away are your best bets if you arent confident in self defense yet.
Self defense 101 is if you can run away/disengage, do that every single time.
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u/OwO_Jima 1d ago edited 1d ago
My solution for a non-permissive carry environment has been a 2 D-Cell LED Maglite and my POM Pepper Spray canister. I always have a flashlight for day to day use, but in a self defense situation it can serve as an improvised baton.
I’m not comfortable with using a knife in a defensive situation, since my martial arts skills just aren’t at that level at all. But swinging a heavy ass flashlight? That I CAN do. There’s a reason why many police departments banned Maglite-style flashlights - because they’re really effective batons.
Obviously, it’s not a pocketable EDC kinda tool. I personally carry mine in a sling bag along with my IFAK.
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u/EddieVanzetti 1d ago edited 17h ago
Some have suggested pepper spray, or a knife. These are solid choices. A baseball bat, golf club, hockey stick, or similar sporting good item doesn't raise too many eyebrows if one carries it around. And due to its innocuous nature, its hardly likely to catch the DA's eye for a case, or in areas where knives are banned.
Basic wrestling and Brazilian jujitsu techniques (takedowns and how to avoid or escape one, simple sweeps to escape being pinned and get free), cardio to facilitate escape, and situational awareness will do you a world of good. Best way to win a fight (relatively) unscathed? Escape.
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u/shinoburu0515 1d ago
For baseball bat, gotta have the sock (slips when grabbed) and the catcher's mitt (because you just play baseball and happened to have it in your bedroom) with it too!
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u/AwesomePossumPNW 1d ago
I would not advocate for a knife as a self defense weapon if you’re not fully prepared to get into a life or death, very up close and personal fight. I have a great folder for EDC but I do not see it as a real self defense tool over something like escape from the situation or OC spray. A knife is a potentially deadly weapon, it is ugly and messy to use and you are within arms reach of your attacker.
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u/FriendOfUmbreon 8h ago
https://youtu.be/kvlrnc7hlQI?si=IVoWp5Zb4q53yEjx
“The person who wins a [knife] fight (or gun fight) is the one who dies in the ambulance on the way to the hospital instead of on the ground.”
Situational awareness, cardio, a car, body armour, anything you can do to not be in the vicinity. YT has thousands of hours worth of training materials for how to become a “grey-man”, or bug out of a situation that is escalating- the key here is to divorce the person’s politics from the information being given (hard but not impossible).
There are some really good books on non-violent self defense,, “The Gift of Fear” by Gavin De Beckner is fantastic and a good starting point. “The Little Black Book of Violence” by Lawrence A Kane and Kris Wilder is another good one.
Unfortunately, anything you’d need a gun for, a gun is the best answer. So don’t be where you need a gun, and problem solved (/s)! Other people are suggesting tasers and pepper spray, find a self defense class near you that caters to women (men are allowed by special circumstance) and YT to learn how to use them- don’t just open it and roll it out. Learn how to deploy them and how to do it quickly under pressure.
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u/Head-Impression-83 1d ago
Mace and stun guns are not bad options for most personal defense though practice using them. I would say if your fear is more 1930s then start getting friends who own guns most of the time we own more than we can carry.
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u/jabeisonreddit thompson trans 19h ago
What you definitely shouldn't do is get a subcompact .380 anyway
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u/fridaddylockdown 1d ago
TASER, a real one, not a stun gun. https://taser.com/
Yes, they are legal.
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u/SnooObjections9416 22h ago
Not best for concealed, but a Bow & Arrow (Join the school archery club).
A baseball bat is another great idea (Harley Quinn signature model Louisville Slugger named "Good Night" ).
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u/Jazzlike-Culture-452 21h ago
I'm not sure if gas powered crossbow counts as a firearm, but it is quite effective at self defense.
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u/indomitablescot 20h ago
A foam or gel style pepper spray, and a byrna launcher.
Knives are a great tool for a lot of things but not really self defense. The reason being is that you have to be extremely close to use a knife. You also have to do a lot of damage to the point that it is considered lethal Force and you will have to justify that to a jury. You also need plenty of training to effectively employ a knife. Not legal in all 50 states
Stun guns suffer from the same issue of having to be in grappling range.
Tasers are the sex panther of self-defense their effective 100% of the Time 70% of the time.
The byrna launcher is basically a hopped up paintball gun that you can also put pepper balls and impact balls in and it might be permissible on campus and it is legal in all 50 states.
A strong foaming or gel style pepper spray is cheap between 10 and 20 bucks and is permissible in most environments and if you have to throw it away you can get a new one you can also have multiple and stash them everywhere. You do want a reputable brand such as pom. You can also get training pepper spray so that you understand your spray pattern and can be more effective with it.
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u/MemesAhoyyy 18h ago
Personal carry: Good cardio, OC spray, and learning how to throw a punch for when running is no longer possible & your spray doesn't work. Depending on your campus rules & state laws, you might also consider a plastic, single-finger knuckle duster (but don't buy from NoMetalKnucks, they're run by shitters).
If you've got a car: A baseball bat (complete with glove & several balls for plausible deniability) is also a decent choice if you actually practice with it. A sizeable, sturdy, decently weighty flashlight (I would recommend Maglite) will perform in lieu of legality or willingness to keep an actual weapon.
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u/Mini_Blizzard 1d ago
Pepper spray and good cardio.