I’ve been looking into a non lethal for my grandmother because she never liked guns, scared to death of them, and won’t go near one because she doesn’t want to kill anyone. I being a firearm carrier for years, have tried everything to get her over that fear but in vain. I finally found something she is comfortable with.
The Byrna is a non lethal Launcher that will shoot hard plastic balls and pepper filled balls that will definitely choke you out. The plastic hard balls hurt like hell and will leave a great big bruise on the suspect. I have been trying to see if there is any law against non lethal weapons to carry on you when you are out and about and if she will be able to conceal it? North Carolina aren’t very specific about non lethal weapons and are her vague what they consider non lethal. Any legal minds out there?
Most states allow less-lethal, such as stun guns and pepper spray. I personally would be concerned about carrying that, even if it is legal, as its appearance is too much like a real handgun. If I saw that, I wouldn’t know it was just a pepper ball device. In public, I would suggest pepper spray, such as POM, it comes in a cylinder, about 3 1/2" x 1". I just bought a 4-pack for about $45, so that everyone in my family can carry one.
Welcome aboard! Great question. I’m pretty honest and straight forward, so here goes! I would tend to think that non lethal weapons only infuriate the bad guy, like using a paintball gun to bear hunt. Bear/bad guy becomes really annoyed.
If what you have pictured in your hand is non lethal, if she pulls that out anywhere in public whether under duress or it falls out, or seen in her purse during a traffic stop, it looks real enough that anyone within 50 yards is going to assume it’s real. We both know that’s dangerous for a whole host of reasons. Second (I’m no lawyer) the only non lethal weapon allowed concealed in NC is pepper spray.
That looks like a great item to practice with. Maybe set up targets in a backyard and practice.
As far as non lethal is concerned, I started my daughters with Kimber pepper spray. I chose the Kimber specifically because you grip it like a firearm.
They graduated to a 22lr after being invited to the range. After a while of watching, (boredom) all I heard was “can I try?”
So then and there, they were introduced to lethal firearms, but felt like a cap gun to them. Then they asked if they could join me on the range again, from there they graduated to rifle.
My point is patience and a slow introduction to the dangers of the world around us, self defense is a very important WAY OF LIFE. No one here wants to “kill” anyone, we just want to even the odds. There is a great disparity of force when it comes to us pre elderly people.
Take grandma out to the range only to watch you practice, then pay for lunch! Hopefully you have an outdoor range. Way more comfortable and not as loud as indoors. A day at the park.
I’ve been teaching a lot of things for a long time. One thing I noticed, is you can’t teach relatives! I can teach a stranger how to disassemble my AR blindfolded, try that with my wife, and I could be seriously hurt.
If you dont have it in you to shoot someone who wants to do you serious harm you should not carry a lethal weapon. Pepper spray ( gel) is good. Shooting pepper balls takes practice. Haven’t seen to many bgs that care about some pain if they think they can overcome you.
Don’t we already have this in a topic? I am almost sure we do because I remember saying how dumb of an idea this is. If someone we’re to pull this on me, I would pull my gun and shoot, because I have no clue it’s not a real gun.
We tried that but she said it wasn’t intimidating enough. I go her an orange one and she’s become quite the shot with it. I would like to see a person try to be able to even breathe with this stuff! I just barely went to the cloud it produces and it will knock you on ass!
Nose running, can barely see or breathe, eyes watering shut, no whoever gets hit with this stuff, isn’t going to be able to know where they are at!! She is the wife of a Sheriff who was very respected in our area so I dont think she will have any problems with the Law since they know her very well. We look out for each other here and I know she’s going to be ok when I am deployed again in January.
You state she has immunity from the law, most of us do not. If intimidation is her criteria, and a handgun is pointed at someone, even if it is fake, the reality is a person only needs to be in fear of their life or great bodily harm to press charges. People have gone to prison for armed robbery even when using a fake firearm because the victim thought it was real - the law is quite clear on that.
As we are always told here, the first one on the phone to 911 is the victim. I would not use a fake gun for non-lethal, a jury would likely, as I and everyone else here, see that as a firearm and not a non-lethal device. Add to that her intent to intimidate. The intimidation, I would assume, is do to its looking like a firearm, which by law is a lethal weapon.
I would not count on it debilitating someone immediately. There are numerous videos of people testing all sorts of non-lethal on themselves. Some people have greater tolerances to these devices, and someone amped-up on drugs or adrenaline will likely be able to continue doing what they intended on doing.
The Byrna uses a CS gas, pepper gas, or solid 62 Cal pellet (at 320 FPS). When the pellet strikes an object or person the CS is permeated into the air adjacent to the impact . CS gas is no joke… as a former Marine I can tell you it will take the fight out of any human or mammal for that matter… its hard to fight when you cant see, your nose is flowing mucus and you can’t effetely breath correctly… I carry one where I’m not legally able to carry a concealed firearm. My wife carries one as she is not comfortable with firearms but is OK with the Byrna (because she knows she is not likely to kill a person… only debilitate them temporally…knowing my wife I’m not sure what would happen to an assailant once debilitated but that’s why we have lawyers)
