What weapon do you think is most practical to a street fight

[Don Gwinn]

I see what you're saying, Ironberg, and I'm sure that's true for SOME people here (and I'm also sure a lot would object if I assumed it applied to all, which is why I emphasized that word.) But it's so unnecessary!

 

A real and serious understanding of the use of guns in combat can only improve your understanding of the empty-hand art you practice, and it would certainly be folly to depend on a gun to defend you without empty-hand skills and conditioning (that's why I began training in the martial arts in the first place.)

 

Firearms are just weapons, as are swords, knives, staffs, sticks, etc. Firearms have their own strengths and weaknesses compared to the others, although on balance I think firearms are the most effective. What I don't understand is why people who think it's fun to train with swords, knives and sickles (truly gruesome, brutal weapons) somehow find it "icky" to train with firearms.

 

I understand longing for a nostalgic time, although no one here is old enough to remember the days before firearms were commonplace, reliable weapons, but at some point you've got to deal with the real world as it exists. In the real world, not all fighting is an exercise in sport or nostalgia, and it's a bad idea to handicap yourself by refusing to study the most effective weapons.

[KickChick]

That said, Kickchick, I wonder why you choose not to carry a firearm? Permits are apparently not hard to come by in Connecticut. Feel free not to answer this if you don't want to (as if you would answer me if I ordered you

 

No problem I'll answer your question Don.

 

Because I have a few questions regarding my personal usage of a firearm:

 

Will I carry it all the time?

 

Will it be immediately available when I need it?

 

Do I have legitimate confidence in my ability to use it?

 

Could it be taken away and used on me?

 

Am I physically, mentally and emotionally prepared to use it?

 

When I can answer YES to all of the above then I may consider it. But for now I can answer YES to the above when it comes to a self defense "gadget".

[Don Gwinn]

Fair enough. Those are the right questions to ask, and it sounds like you've done a very honest assessment. Again, not to sound like I'm judging your worthiness, but I'm impressed.

[Synaesthesia]

""You are no more armed because you are wearing a pistol than you are a musician because you own a guitar." - Jeff Cooper "

 

 

 

Music cannot be produced by anyone in seconds on a moments notice. Death, destruction and weaponry can be. I'll bet on the vicious, drooling moron with the hand cannon over the high/wide/deep brow champinon any day.

[Synaesthesia]

If neither, I'd try and diffuse the situation, calm the guy down, or say things like i fhe attacked someone with a weapon he could do some serious jailtime (to make him think about consequences).

 

...

 

But once he did commit for a stab or cut, it'd be over for him, that's for sure.

 

That's a terrible idea. I don't mean to be harsh, but a good chunk of people who are going to pull knives on you are not going to give a hoot about jail. If they are likely to stab you with a knife, you can be damned sure that it will ONLY enrage them. DO NOT DO THAT.

 

Second, there are no assurances in knife fights, lest of all for a person who's unarmed. I don't care if you are an ultra grandmaster, it only takes one casual thrust of a knife to inflict a lethal wound. A knife is an overwhelming advantage, and it's effectiveness is multiplied innumerably by letting the knife wielder strike first.

[ZR440]

Again, Don is correct. Firearms can add to the understanding of empty hand fighting. Not every gun toting martial artist will automatically brandish their weapon in a fight because there are so many considerations for defending yourself. Variables in which to consider can be number of opponents, do they have weapons, are they drunk, can you run? I have recently rec'd my permit to carry concealed handguns. I would not think of using it if I were in a fist fight, but if some idiot is about to slice me up in a confined area at night he'll be a statistic. Maybe he'll run after seeing a .40" barrel pointed at him and no shots will have to be fired. Chalk that one up for the intimidation factor of my weapon against theirs. Maybe my modern weapon will even save another person's life in some other altercation. Who knows?

 

I love the MA that I practice, but I wouldn't rely on it in some cases. It might come down to running like the wind or chambering a hollow point. At least I have the choices to pick from.

[jiu-jitsu fighter]

i personally have used my kubaton, i think its pretty handy

[JerryLove]

Coming in very late (been off boards since Oct). From what I can see here, I'm falling squarely in with Don. While there are exceptions to every rule, the preeminent weapon for personal combat is the firearm.

[rb]

Knives or telescoping batons. These are easy to conceal and as the owner you have trained with them. These techniques are transferable to pipes, wood and other debris.

 

I also wouldn't discount the pistol as an effective weapon. A person wielding a stick doesn't invoke as much fear as a person with gun although they both have potential to do lethal amounts of damage.

[Steel_Ghost]

First line, for non-deadly force conflict, once talking it out has failed, A pocket stick such as a Koppo, or some impact weapon that is secure in the hand, that you can open your hand and still retain (the koppo for those un-familiar is like a kubaton, but it has a cord loop for the middle and ring fingers, which really improves the idea of a palm stick) or a Comtech Stinger, that has a T-handle like a push dagger, and can be retained because of that. This and good un-armed skills are excellent, do what needs to be done, and then run away.

 

Right up with that, would be a crook top walking cane... wicked weapon, and you can still take one anywhere.

 

Deadly force apparant, I'd hope to have my hands on a nice pistol. All other things aside, I know I can use a pistol for defense, without hesitating and without freezing up. It cant be much different from shooting a bobcat about to jump on you because you got in the way of its kill. A gun is my second choice to a lethal conflict, my first is to not be there to begin with.

 

If not a gun, if I dont have one (cant carry) or I cant get to one in time, then I'll take a knife. I carry at least one, usually more, all the time. High quality tools, that I've invested good money into, so I'll have something I know i can trust, and invested hours of training with, so I know I'll be able to use them. Getting it out, if its a folder getting it open, and getting it intot he fight when adrenaline hits and fine motor skill goes away, is the biggest challenge, but a couple hundred hours of repetition and more on the way are intended to take care of that.

 

First and foremost, no matter the conflict, no matter the tool needed to resolve it, from verbal judo to Gun-fu, the ultimate weapon, is the brain. Always.