Do Nothing or Kill Someone?

Let's face it, nobody takes a concealed carry course, then goes out looking for trouble. In fact, most individuals get their concealed carry permit to have peace of mind and to take safety into their own hands, instead of waiting for law enforcement to show up which may or may not be in time to protect you. The only downsides to a concealed carry permit and the use of deadly force are:

1. Can you articulate the multiplying of force to express how shooting the aggressor wasn't excessive?

2. Are you willing to go to court and be picked apart on the stand by prosecuting attorneys?

3. Could you live with ending another human being's life, even if it is to protect your own?

At Tampa Carry, we believe that every single person should always carry a less-than-lethal defense option with them. Less-than-lethal simply means that if you deploy this means of defense, the bad guy on the receiving end won't be too happy, but at least he isn't dead.

One extremely viable Less-than-lethal (LTL) weapon is an electronic device, such as a Taser, or stun gun, for instance. With a Taser, however, baggy clothing, poor contact between the device and the bad guy, or even a bad guy under the influence of drugs, can decrease the efficiency of the Taser's electric discharge. This means that even though you did everything correctly, as luck would have it, the Taser didn't neutralize the threat. Enter OC spray, also known as mace, or pepper spray.

How To Use Pepper Spray

This less-than-lethal weapon option is about as primitive, yet effective, as they come. Before discussing using pepper spray, let's understand how mace works. (When we’re discussing this, know that “pepper spray”, “mace” and “OC” all refer to the same thing.) The OC, in OC spray, is simply an acronym for oleoresin capsicum. Oleoresin capsicum is a naturally occurring substance found in most hot peppers, and it contains the compound capsaicin, which is responsible for the burning in your mouth, the watering of your eyes, and the snot nose, when biting into a particularly hot chili. Get this, approximately one milligram of pure capsaicin is enough to cause blisters to form on your skin! Yikes! We were blown away by that little nugget of wisdom, as well, here at Tampa Carry.

OC spray, a less-than-lethal weapon, is mixed with an oil, or water solution, and a propellant, to dilute the capsaicin and to assist in shooting the solution from its canister. What's so great about mace is that not only does it come in a variety of canister sizes, is easily concealed, and makes a great fist pack for those nitty-gritty encounters, but have you ever been chopping jalapeños and then wipe your face? You know that burning, miserable sensation? Imagine that, multiplied tenfold, when using OC spray as a less-than-lethal weapon option. That, by itself, is enough to make a would-be attacker think twice, giving you ample opportunity to deploy your lethal alternative, or make space and run away.

Our goal here is to assist in optimizing your personal safety, and when given an opportunity to get away, we encourage you to make space and run to safety, and only then contact the proper authorities. We aren't in the business of vigilantism and should only use deadly force when backed into a corner with no other option. Mace, pepper spray, OC spray, whichever less-than-lethal weapon moniker you prefer, is a safe, effective, less-than-lethal option that should be invested in. Personally, I would recommend Sabre Red products. They are police strength. The Sabre Red Magnum 120 has a flip top and the Sabre Red 3-IN-1 Magnum 120 comes in their "tactical size".

Always remember that a threat has to be able to see to effectively engage, so, if we can neutralize an aggressor's eyes, then we already have the upper hand.

Our goal, therefore, is to create as much space between ourselves and the assailant as we can safely and cautiously do--whether this means turning and running, or backing away slowly (depending on the situation). Then grab your less-than-lethal weapon (in this case, pepper spray), give it a shake like you would a can of spray paint, and then spray.

So when learning how to use pepper spray, keep in mind the 3 S's when using less-than-lethal OC spray:

1. Space

2. Shake

3. Spray

Is Pepper Spray Legal In Florida?

As a less-than-lethal weapon, it is legal to buy, carry, use and ship pepper spray in Florida, but the container cannot be bigger than 2 ounces. Convicted felons cannot possess pepper spray. But don’t worry because in 99% of encounters you have with an assailant, 2 ounces of pepper spray is going to be more than enough to incapacitate them and leave them clawing at their eyes--rather than chasing after you.

That's all I have for today. So until next time keep training and stay safe...Talk to you soon,

Ryan G. Thomas

P.S. You’re one step away from getting your Florida concealed carry permit….FAST & EASY…

And for a limited time you can watch the concealed carry course online for free... Click here to get started...