About Legal Self Defense Weapons

Everyone has the legal right to self-defense, especially if attacked in his or her place of residence. The law does state a distinction between the kind of defense they are allowed to make, however. There is a difference between deadly force and non-deadly force. Non-deadly force is allowed when a person perceives to be in danger of injury. Deadly force is only permitted if the danger is perceived to be life threatening. 

Weapons for Self-Defense
While firearms with a permit are legal to possess, those are considered deadly weapons. They cannot be carried on the person unless the owner also has a concealed weapons permit. The process of getting both permits can be slow and costly. Owning and carrying a weapon without them is a crime. In most jurisdictions, however, it is legal to own and carry a non-lethal weapon. These are weapons that are less likely to cause death to an assailant. Non-lethal weapons come in a number of types and varieties with different purposes. 

Pepper Sprays
These are liquid sprays with capsaicin as an ingredient. Capsaicin is the chemical that makes hot peppers hot. When sprayed into a person's eyes it causes stinging and tears, and when inhaled can cause coughing and inflammation. It makes it difficult to see and to breathe, thus hindering an attacker in the course of their attack.

Stun Guns
Stun guns are weapons that deliver an electric shock. An electric shock delivered by a stun gun will cause the attacker pain and it will inhibit muscle actions making it difficult or impossible for them to move. There are stun guns that shoot electrodes to a certain distance. The electrodes are tethered to the power source by thin wires through which the current is sent. Other stun guns require that the unit itself make contact with the body of the attacker. 

Striking Weapons
This includes batons, saps and other instruments used to deliver blows to an assailant. There are collapsible batons that have a weighted tip mounted on a shaft that can telescope, thus allowing the weapon to expand, and there are fixed batons that are solid and cannot be collapsed. Saps are flexible striking weapons, sometimes made of a leather covered baton, or a leather bag filled with pebbles or buckshot. Saps are thought to be less likely than batons to break bones or result in permanent injury.