FLASHLIGHTS FOR SELF DEFENSE

As strange as it sounds, some flashlights are used for self defense quite often in daily life.
Sometimes by professionals Police Officers in a way to avoid using deadly force in confrontations with suspects, and other times by civilians that are not permitted to carry lethal weapons.

In the US we have it quite good in that we are allowed to carry short knives and some others implements but in the majority of Europe such activities are illegal or highly frowned upon by the authorities.

If you defend yourself with a baseball bat even in your own home in certain countries you have to give reason for why you have such an implement with you.

One of my flashlights that I promote in the States as the Search and Rescue 852 lumens to use in emergency vehicles such as ambulances, fire trucks, helicopters etc. because is too heavy and too long to be easily portable (it is based on the Maglite 4 D). I have found appreciative customers in the European market to be used as self defense tool by civilians that go out for a stroll or to walk the dog situations.

Other lights use others means of incorporating defense mechanisms in their construction. I am thinking now about the ARES Defense Companion, a Maglite with 3 cells that incorporates a shotgun of 410 gauge (only one picture is circulating in the Internet and I think is not in production) or the Tiger Light that incorporates a pepper spray canister, or the several models of Surefire that come with crenellated bezels (one example is the popular E2D executive Defender).

Surefire was the first (to my knowledge) at popularizing the crenellated bezel and the SureFire Institute offers a class in basic defensive tactics called “The power of Light” which is open to all qualified civilians as well as law enforcement professionals .
The course is taught by certified instructor Steve Tarani (shown below delivering a carotid strike).




My own MAG 951 II or the EXP 852 can be had with the optional heavy stainless steel crenellated bezel that I offer in a limited production run.
Such bezels add 3 ounces to the weight of the head and the bezel even that is not actually sharp will be a good imitation of the broken beer bottle.
I don’t think that an aggressor, if he is in his right mind, will confront such a weapon that first will blind him with 951 lumens and then is ready to rearrange his facial features.



Some handy accessories have been produced to increase the defensive use of the Maglite. I am thinking of a quality item made with great care and good materials called the Piggy Back; it will keep a container of Pepper spray quite handy by screwing the accessory to the end of the MAG tail-cap.



Or from the same company the accessory tail-cap with carbide insert capable of breaking automotive glass.



My own Quick Detach Swivel, when used only with the nub for the lanyard, can be very hard on skulls and noses.



This MAG 951 sports the heavy 3 inch head (the head is now out of production), more resembling a medieval mace. This is also a fantastic throw monster reaching over several hundred yards.



I have in my long association with the flashlight Industry seen a few models which spray OC from the front of the lens, flashlights that also incorporate a screaming siren, flashlights that incorporate a stun gun and others weird contraptions all of them gone from the market now.

What seems to prevail is just a good weight reliable flashlight that can be used as a baton or with the new crenellated bezels and the introduction of really powerful MEGA lights capable of blinding an assailant.

Best regards,
Black bear

> If you defend yourself with a baseball bat even in your own home in certain countries you have to
> give reason for why you have such an implement with you.

In the UK, a flashlight that is an offensive weapon (eg crenellated) will likely be treated by police like any other offensive weapon. That it has a second use as a torch won't help you. The fact that you chose to buy a weaponised flashlight instead of a normal one will damn you.

Those are not "crenelations". They're scalloped openings in the lens hood. Offensive? I never considered the possibility. I use them the way they're supposed to be used... to allow me to see if my light is on when I set it on a table. What else would you do with them?

;-)

Do you expect British police to believe that? Do you think they are all stupid? Is lying to them really the best way forward?

I dunno. They apparently believe outlawing weapons makes society safer. They're already irrational.

Unless they find the flashlight covered in blood with bits of meat hanging from the pointy parts, I would expect my manner, dress and race would determine whether or not they buy the explanation.

So yeah, I think it'd work. It'd work here, depending on who you are, how you look and where you were when it became an issue.

> They apparently believe outlawing weapons makes society safer.

The police don't make the laws. And let's not get sidetracked into politics.


> I would expect my manner, dress and race would determine whether or not they buy the explanation.

All the more reason not to lie to them and act as if they were fools.

I never called them fools or stupid. You assumed I think they are because of what I'd say. There are other explanations...

Sometimes, the police seem to want to let you go, if only you'll stop being an idiot for a few minutes. I know. My brother's a cop. Give them a plausible explanation that's not an obvious lie, act like you're "one of the good guys", and most of the time, you get to go one with your life.

So. It's not a weaponized flashlight. It's a gift from the wife, with the nifty lantern feature that allows light to come out while standing on end. Said with the enthusiasm of a flashlight nerd, complete with demonstration, discussion of pros and cons relative to other lights you own, recommendation for them to get one, they'll really like it! questions about their own lights, etc.

If you want to disagree about this, and whether you think it would work, great. But please... stop putting words in my mouth.

Any flashlight (torch) of sufficient weight and length can be used as an effective weapon. In fact, it can be a rather devestating one even in the hands of the untrained. I have friends in uniform, both LEO and .mil, and I don't envy their jobs very often. But one thing is for sure, their jobs can be very "situational". And although they don't make the laws, they not only enforce them, but they interpret them to some degree. They can also choose to selectively apply them based on experience and "gut" instinct.

I wouldn't lie to a cop, but I might selectively answer and leave things out. And should the matter warrant something more than a traffic ticket, I would use my right to keep my mouth shut and just not say anything until my lawyer showed up.

Are you saying that guns stir up politics? LOL

A flashlight is a tool, not a weapon. Just like a hammer, wrench, or screwdriver. But ANYTHING can be used as a weapon. If you are defending yourself, then that implies that you were attacked. Because the attack was so sudden, you did not have time to retreat (if you live where that is a legal requirement before you can defend yourself). You instinctivly brought up your hands to defend yourself from this attack, while still holding your flashlight. It made contact with your attacker. That really made him mad. Maybe you remember him making additional threatening statements or becoming more agressive. Now you are in fear of your life or the lives of your family. Your attacker is now more determined than before. You strike or gouge your attacker until he is in a position that you can restrain him/retreat/get a better weapon to hold him at bay. If you do not have any warrants for your arrest, nor do you have a history of using your flashlight as an offensive weapon, I write up a report and list you as the victim and the other guy as the suspect. He goes to jail, and you go home.

This is not legal advise, just the way we look at things in my part of the world.

The way I always judge these things, is not what I say to a Police officer but to a court. You would have to hope for a really useless prosecutor to get away with carrying something like that. I think some of the mods are already banned, which would make it worse.

I am looking hard at the Inova T series, esp the T1. Carrying anything that is modified for self defense use is against the law. Carrying anything for self defense use is against the law, people have been done for carrying rolled up newspapers, the use is all in the UK.

One thing to keep in mind is that in this modern world your blade or gun could be at home because you are in a certain type of public places.