OC/CS Spray

There is nothing technically difficult about using OC/CS Spray i.e. you literally point it at somebody's face and spray. Because of this, many people feel safe and secure because they own and carry a canister of pepper spray or Mace etc. The same is true of many firearms owners; you have a gun and by default this means your safe. A firearm, in many ways is an equally simple weapon as OC/CS Spray e.g. take the safety off, point, and pull the trigger. The sophistication of both tools comes not from their mechanical deployment, but from everything that has to happen in order for them to be correctly deployed and used e.g. if you aren't able to create the time and space to draw either weapon, the fact that you carry either one or both of them will be of little consequence. A can of OC Spray at the bottom of a bag, or a gun that can't be drawn when under stress and duress, creates a false sense of security, that is more of a liability than a security asset. 

To be able to utilize either tool, you need to be able to effectively recognize a threat or danger early enough in the process of an assault - and to judge the appropriate level of response. This is one of the great benefits to carrying pepper spray, even if you also carry a firearm; it's a non-lethal tool that is applicable in situations where the use of lethal force may not be appropriate - which is why law enforcement and security will often carry both weapons. Because OC/CS Spray is a less than lethal option, a carrier should have little or no hesitation in using it i.e. the effects last for about 30 minutes and after that the person sprayed can go about their daily business. Making a judgment call as to whether you are entitled to shoot somebody, and whether you are prepared to live with the consequences of your actions, may cause you to hesitate in a situation, where your life was at risk and you should have acted decisively. 

If you are unable to protect the space around you to a depth of 3 feet, it is unlikely that you will have the time to get to any weapon - unless you have practiced this under duress, and are able to create time and space within a physical altercation. The further back/away you are from your assailant, when the assault begins the greater the chance of successfully deploying your weapon. The sooner you recognize a threat, the more distance you will be able to keep between you and your attacker, and the greater your survival chances will be. It isn't enough just to carry pepper spray, you must be able to recognize danger early enough on, to give yourself a chance to deploy it. 

At first glance, all sprays may seem to be the same however there are many different types, ranging from gels, to streams, to foam etc. There are also differences between the percentage values, the SHU values, and the carrier - whether it is oil or water based etc. All of these things make a difference, both in the effectiveness of the spray, and the way in which it should be used. As with any weapon you carry you should be familiar with its working and the effectiveness of it e.g. what's the capabilities of a small frame revolver, over a hand cannon etc. Just picking up a can of pepper spray, and believing that's the end of your thought process, and you have somehow ticked a personal safety box, is naïve. You should be familiarizing yourself with it, and ensuring/testing that it stays active. Any weapon you carry needs to fit in to an overall self-defense strategy and not be seen as an isolated tool or solution.