The assailant goes down in front of his vehicle; you go down next to yours. 
You have a bullet wound in your leg and it’s bleeding badly.  
 
You’re able to dial 911, and EMS tells you help will arrive in 10 minutes, but with the rapid loss of blood, 10 minutes will be too long for you to still survive. What can you do to save your own life?
 
Now we admit in this scenario we’ve been a bit drastic, however there is a point we want to make with you.  How to provide medical care for yourself if you are injured during a self-defense incident.

The truth is, a wound to one of your extremities could cause a severe disability or even death if it is not dealt with immediately and in the appropriate way.  EMS might not always be in close proximity ...especially if you live in a rural area, where the closest medic service or fire station may be well over half an hour away.
 
It is for reason we want to raise awareness on the benefit of carrying a Tourniquet.

Over the next few articles, we’ll go into more detail about how to use and carry a Tourniquet for self-defense medical emergencies.
 
Here is a request: If you have a personal experience of a Tourniquets saving your life, will you share it with us? Leave your comments here in the blog and we’ll respond to you personally.
 
Not on our list? CLICK now and join us for more self-defense and situational awareness information.

As we continue with our article, we cannot express this advice strongly  enough: If you plan to travel, and choose to do so with a weapon, always, ALWAYS check the laws of your destination, and the laws of various places that may become a pit stop along the way.
 
Air travel is the most common method of long distance transportation and the TSA (Transportation Security Administration) sets the guidelines for what you can travel with and how to pack what you’re allowed to travel with.  Specifically regarding firearms, here are the rules set by the TSA:
(This information may change at any time. Always go directly to the source for the most recent guidelines: https://www.tsa.gov/)

• When traveling, comply with the laws concerning possession of firearms as they vary by local, state and international governments.
• If you are traveling internationally with a firearm in checked baggage, please check the U.S. Customs and Border Protection website for information and requirements prior to travel.
• Declare each firearm each time you present it for transport as checked baggage. Ask your airline about limitations or fees that may apply.
• Firearms must be unloaded and locked in a hard-sided container and transported as checked baggage only. As defined by 49 CFR 1540.5 a loaded firearm has a live round of ammunition, or any component thereof, in the chamber or cylinder or in a magazine inserted in the firearm. Only the passenger should retain the key or combination to the lock unless TSA personnel request the key to open the firearm container to ensure compliance with TSA regulations. You may use any brand or type of lock to secure your firearm case, including TSA-recognized locks.
  
• Firearm parts, including magazines, clips, bolts and firing pins, are prohibited in carry-on baggage, but may be transported in checked baggage.
• Replica firearms, including firearm replicas that are toys, may be transported in checked baggage only.
  
• Rifle scopes are permitted in carry-on and checked baggage.

With ammunition there is a separate set of guidelines:

• Ammunition is prohibited in carry-on baggage, but may be transported in checked baggage.
• Firearm magazines and ammunition clips, whether loaded or empty, must be securely boxed or included within a hard-sided case containing an unloaded firearm. Read the requirements governing the transport of ammunition in checked baggage as defined by 49 CFR 175.10 (a)(8).
• Small arms ammunition, including ammunition not exceeding .75 caliber and shotgun shells of any gauge, may be carried in the same hard-sided case as the firearm.

Look at the very first rule: when traveling, comply with the laws concerning possession of firearms as they vary by local, state and international governments.  Abide by these rules, and follow local and state laws and you will be okay.  Check these rules relatively frequently, as sometimes laws may change.

We at SDTG follow the laws and trends related to firearms in the US. We do not provide legal advice or specifics, however we can provide you with a starting point for your research.  Follow this link to set up a Q and A session today!  

 Ref: TSA Firearm Guidelines:  https://www.tsa.gov/travel/transporting-firearms-and-ammunition

Recently we touched on the importance of checking the laws regulating firearms and weapons BEFORE you travel if it is your intent to arm yourself. 
 
Rules can vary by state, but they can also vary by county, districts and so on.  During our next few posts we’ll try to lay a foundation for best practices.
 
The current climate of the United States has altered in a manner that has made traveling with a weapon less and less of a consistent process. 
 
Your destination, how you plan to travel, and what weapon you plan to traveling with are all factors in determining the legality of bringing the weapon with you, on your vacation, as well as providing possible extenuating factors, if you need to defend yourself. 
 
There have been multiple instances of people being detained at their destination, or even along the way, on the journey, for possession of a weapon that was legal in their resident location.
So at what point can a weapon go from legal to illegal during your travels?  As stated it can be complicated and each step of the way should be researched beforehand.
 
Such was the instance of a man who was detained in New Jersey with an unloaded firearm he had legally checked into his baggage while at Salt Lake City.  His circumstance was unfortunate, he had legally checked his firearm with his baggage, but was stranded in New Jersey. He chose to go to a hotel to wait for the correct flight.  When he voluntarily disclosed to the TSA officer (Transportation Security Administration) that he was checking-in a firearm, the man was detained for “possession of a firearm in New Jersey without a New Jersey license.” 
 
The man was held for 10 days before posting bail. The police dropped the charges a few months later. The man attempted to sue the police for detaining him, by citing  a law that allows licensed gun owners to take their weapons through any state as long as the weapons are unloaded and not readily accessible.  Regardless of that law or the outcome of the suit, it’s plain that the man did not avoid his detention nor the inconvenience that comes with an arrest.

A woman was detained in New Jersey as well,  for traveling with a firearm that was legal and registered in Pennsylvania, her place of residence, but was not legal in New Jersey, where during her travel she was pulled over for a traffic infraction.  Again, she voluntarily disclosed to the officer that she was carrying a firearm in the vehicle, and this led to her arrest.  She was held for 40 days in Atlantic County before posting bail.
 
These examples are not put forth to discourage people from traveling to New Jersey, (even though NJ arguably has the strictest gun control laws in the country). We share this information as evidence that all precautions should be taken, (with carrying weapons)  whenever and where ever your travels may take you.
 
Just because various weapons might be legal in your resident location, does not mean they are legal at your destination, or even along points to your destination, or in the different modes of transportation you may be taking.
 
Travel/vacation season will soon be upon us and some people travel as a matter of lifestyle! If you’d like to discuss some to the ways you can intelligently research the travel guidelines related to firearms and other weapons, connect with us.  We at SDTG follow the laws and trends related to firearms in the US. We do not provide legal advice, however we can provide you with a starting point for your research.  Follow this link to set up a Q and A session today!  

 Ref: TSA Firearm Guidelines:  https://www.tsa.gov/travel/transporting-firearms-and-ammunition

Tasers and stun guns, they’re the same thing right?
 
While you may hear the names taser and stun gun used interchangeably, they are actually different weapons.   
 
A taser deploys prongs from a distance and sends the current through the prongs and into the target, which completes the circuit.
 
A stun gun must be used in closed contact to your assailant. . 
 
Police tasers and civilian tasers operate differently.  The police version has an effective range of roughly 30 feet, while the civilian variant has about half the range.  The civilian taser current is effective for up to 30 secs.; this can give you enough time to get away.  The police taser is good for about 5 seconds, enough time for a trained officer or professional, to approach and control the suspect. 
 
The first step in deciding between a stun gun and a taser should be to learn your local laws. Some states bar civilians from owning tasers and some bar civilians from owning stun guns.  Some areas may ban both. Check your local laws prior to deciding on either.

Let’s assume your area allows you to consider both; then the question is do you opt for a taser that offers distance, or the surety offered by the stun gun?  For the taser to be fully effective, both prongs must make contact and be embedded in the target. . If a prong misses or gets caught in clothing, the taser won’t administer the current, and your target is still standing. 
 
If you’re not willing to accept this risk, a stun gun offers a more sure method of incapacitation.  In some situations the mere threat of being tased or stunned is enough to deter a would be assailant. 
 
My personal recommendation,  should your area allow you to own one, is a taser. While the price tag is more hefty, the advantage of maintaining some distance from the target will allow you avenues of escape. Being within grasping range of an assailant is more dangerous, especially if the stun gun does not have the desired effect.
 
This ends our series of non-lethal self-defense weapons.  In conclusion I hope you can see that all of these weapons have viability, depending on the laws in your area.
 
Your knowledge on the use of multiple methods of self-defense is your best defense!  A firearm, pepper spray a taser or even a key chain knuckle on your person allows tiered responses to various threats as well as options for various locations. 
 
If someone is menacing you but hasn’t yet done something to be a threat to your life or the lives of your loved ones, pepper spray is viable.  If you’re somewhere where you’re not sure of your backdrop, which eliminates the safe use of a firearm, a taser might be the appropriate measure.  Check all local and state laws prior to buying a non lethal, and if you’re going on vacation, check the state and local laws of your destination.
 
Follow this link to Connect with us today and start building your defense strategy with firearms training or with more advice on non-lethal defense solutions

As we continue in our series of non-lethal self defense, let’s explore the use of Batons.  Batons are a fairly obvious and straightforward non-lethal option, and yet as with all, weapons there are some pros and cons to consider.

This weapon is more likely to be carried off-the-body, in something like a backpack or purse.
 
The sizes of the batons and the materials in which they are made have a great deal to do with their effectiveness. So while a baton can be intuitive and can massively compound the striking force of the user on their target, much of a successful outcome depends on the size of the baton and what it is made of.

Many of the concealable batons are retractable and constructed of lightweight materials. While this may be a plus for carrying the baton around, it can become a minus if you find yourself in a situation, because a light-weight baton may not provide enough striking power to stop an assailant or it may bend/warp/break or simply not hold up for enough strikes to allow you to get out of harm’s way.  
 
Do your research. Multiple companies make expandable batons, and their weights and construction vary.  When selecting a baton as a nonlethal weapon, you need to determine the value in the tradeoff between weight and strength. Your decision could be the different between successfully defending yourself or not. 
 
Just keep in mind, while heavier batons may not be as easy to carry, they are usually stronger and are more likely to retain their shape for more powerful and effective strikes.
 
Speaking of strikes, even though the baton may appear to be a simple weapon, it can be callous in the injury it can produce.  In trying to free yourself from a situation, aim your strikes for joints and for the torso.

And remember, SDTG is available for advice, training and consultation.  #AreYouDefenseReady? is a question we always want you to be confident in answering. 

Follow this link to Connect with us today and start building your defense strategy with firearms training or with more advice on non-lethal defense solutions

Keychain knuckles are the contemporary variant of a blast from the past, the brass knuckles. 
 
As with its older counterpart, "keychain knuckles" use your own body’s mechanics to inflict damage on an attacker. 
 
These knuckles are manufactured using either metal, stiff polymers or a dense plastic.  They fit in your hand and have holes for your fingers to slip through like in the example shown, and some have grooves on the sides for your fingers to fit in for a better purchase (more secure)

Keychain Knuckle devices are fairly innocuous. Some may even make it past TSA (The Transportation Security Administration)….which I am not recommending!  They are good during the summer when the attire may not allow the carrying of anything on the body.  Most are fairly light, weighing around 5 ounces or so.  Some are heavier, especially if they are made of metal.

So what are the negatives? To be effective, you’d need to be in close proximity, and having to be in a head-on confrontation may not be the best, depending on your circumstances.  Still, if you can throw a punch, you’ll be able to use these effectively. 
 
Some Keychain Knuckles, (structured like the example shown), have “ears” or prongs that allow for slashing and puncturing.  In preparation for using Keychain Knuckles, I recommend heading to a local flea market, or better yet, your local gun show to gain some experience on the look and feel . Slip one on and test the way it feels in your hands.
 
You want to ensure the Keychain Knuckles you select fit comfortably, and not too bulky or too heavy.  I recommend taking a striking class if you intend on purchasing these. The better and more effective your standard punch is.  The more damage you can do to your opponent without suffering as much yourself.

In closing, as with all weapons, look up the legalities in your area.  Some jurisdictions may declare Keychain Knuckles’  illegal, while others may allow use.  Be sure to check the laws of places you’re traveling to as well, as they may have more restrictive laws than your state.
 
As always, SDTG is here to offer you advice and guidance.  We’ll help you create a unique plan to work with your lifestyle.  Just connect with us.