Air guns for protection?

Outta Air · Apr 7, 2019

Or more appropriate: air pistols. I have mixed feelings about it but what do you think. Civilian and LE or retired LE/military as well, please! I haven't seen any threads about it but I have watched several videos by firearms CCW holders.

Mark75H · Apr 7, 2019

bad idea

Huckleberry · Apr 7, 2019

You planning to shoot their eye out?

If your or your family's life and safety are at stake then for the love of God, you need to use enough gun to control and end the situation in your favor.

Outta Air · Apr 7, 2019

Huckleberry said:
You planning to shoot their eye out?

If your or your family's life and safety are at stake then for the love of God, you need to use enough gun to control and end the situation in your favor.

Well, here's how I see it, and I think you're right. With a top notch, brand new CO2 cylinder, a CO2 pistol, the max velocity is only about 500 fps, and that's when it's hot out. If it would shoot that fast, which I doubt with a 7.4g pellet, you're only talking about 4.107 fpe according to CHAIRGUN. It takes 9 or 10 just to kill a squirrel. The only "shot" you would really have is a shot to the eyeball, when you don't have the fire power.

The only other thing I can figure is you better pray to The Almighty that what you have is more intimidating that what they have and they run like you know what!!!

That's what I'm thinking too, Mark!

And while it only takes 163 fps to penetrate skin and 213 fps to penetrate bone, if you don't have the mass behind it, you're kind of
S O L

BigTinBoat · Apr 7, 2019

IMHO not a good idea, unless for protection from small/medium sized animals. If however you really need to have a pistol, but are disqualified from carrying, I would say the below is your best bet. Not small, nor concealable by any means, is only a single shot, but does have just about the same muzzle energy as a .22 short.
https://www.airgunsofarizona.com/usedguns.html/quackenbush-pistol-.25-50-ft/lbs-w/scope-used/

Batt816 · Apr 7, 2019

I do have a couple of rabbits that seem to be trying to stalk me over the past few weeks. I'm not sure what they carry but I'd like to have adequate protection! :lol2:

(no offense meant, just making a joke.)

geda · Apr 7, 2019

Lets take this in a different direction and try to build a .40-.50 cal PCP pistol that shoots mini arrows. Arrows do not kill with KE the way bullets do, they cut you open and let you bleed out. This lets you get away killing deer with only 30ft-lbs of KE, but a gaping 1" slice though some important bits. The downside is that there is zero knock-down power, so best case hit their heart, you then have a very angry person who has 10-20 seconds to retaliate on you with nothing to lose.

Now I kind of want this, and I cant find any! I would like to downsize this thing:
https://www.airgundepot.com/sam-yang-dragon-claw-air-rifle.html

This is the closest thing I could find, they claim 95ft-lbs, no mention of arrows, and the layout would be hard to holster or conceal:
https://www.airgundepot.com/evanix-rex-pellet-pistol.html

I would like something laid out over/under like the dragon-claw, only enough air for one shot and roughly the size of TC encore with a 12" barrel. Have it shoot a 12" arrow with one of those fancy 2" expanding broadheads like the rage hypodermic. Damn that would be a fun to hunt with. Self-defensive wise, i could still need 10-20 seconds of fist defense, but maybe the sight of the weapon would freak the assailant out like a shotgun racking.

Outta Air · Apr 7, 2019

BigTinBoat said:
IMHO not a good idea, unless for protection from small/medium sized animals. If however you really need to have a pistol, but are disqualified from carrying, I would say the below is your best bet. Not small, nor concealable by any means, is only a single shot, but does have just about the same muzzle energy as a .22 short.
https://www.airgunsofarizona.com/usedguns.html/quackenbush-pistol-.25-50-ft/lbs-w/scope-used/

As long as you hit with the first shot, I'd say that would work. But I was definitely waiting to hear your take on it with all your experience!

Sorry fellas, my bad!!!

https://www.mdshooters.com/showthread.php?t=164436

DutchV · Apr 7, 2019

If things have gone truly sideways, I think I'd want a Polymer80 Glock, or something in a reasonable caliber. .38 Spl or .380 Auto would be the minimum. Plan for the worst; hope for the best.

Airguns have their uses but humans require a certain amount of force to put down reliably. Not seeing that from anything air powered.

marko · Apr 7, 2019

If I were bugging out, I would not bring my Gamo SuperQuiet ( not )
with me. The Ruger 10/22 covers that base, and likely I would NOT bring that as well.

Outta Air · Apr 7, 2019

DutchV said:
If things have gone truly sideways, I think I'd want a Polymer80 Glock, or something in a reasonable caliber. .38 Spl or .380 Auto would be the minimum. Plan for the worst; hope for the best.

Airguns have their uses but humans require a certain amount of force to put down reliably. Not seeing that from anything air powered.

That's very true. And of all the gun owners I know, there's at least two rules:

don't point it at anything you don't intend to shoot, and
don't shoot it unless you intend to kill it, PERIOD!!!

I think if you did shoot them, you'd have more success at pissing them off than anything else

Alan3413 · Apr 8, 2019

The only air gun I trust with my life is one capable of launching a 3.5g projectile at 55,000 psi. And be capable of doing it as quickly as I can pull the trigger.

Outta Air · Apr 8, 2019

But some of us, Alan, are unable or disqualified to buy arms, hence, we are stuck with airms instead. But it doesn't disqualify us from wanting to protect our loved ones or ourselves or our property.

Occam · Apr 8, 2019

I was thinking more the Dukes Of Hazzard arrow-with-dynamite-stick method. They were prohibited, too.

I feel bad for the prohibited folks who are no longer serving time or actively crazy. Maybe a can of long-range bear spray? Even the Kimber style pepper goo gun may prove a better tool at buying you some getaway time, more than the brief deterrence of a superficial pellet gun strike.

Blacksmith101 · Apr 8, 2019

Air Wolf said:
But some of us, Alan, are unable or disqualified to buy arms, hence, we are stuck with airms instead. But it doesn't disqualify us from wanting to protect our loved ones or ourselves or our property.

A better choice would be Muzzleloaders with black powder. The only thing an air gun (with the exception of "Big Bore" airguns http://pbbairguns.com/ and keeping them charged might be a problem) would be good for is as an intimidating object and a non firing replica of a real gun would do that job better than an air gun. Spears/pikes, baseball bats, machetes, crossbows, swords, are what you should be considering, strategically located around the house and learn how to use them. When you are away from home a stout walking stick and martial arts training are better than nothing.

Doctor_M · Apr 8, 2019

If it came down to an airgun or baseball bat for self defense, I would definitely go with the Louisville Slugger. In a self defense/home defense situation, you need to eliminate the threat. Just can't count on an airgun to do that.

gwchem · Apr 8, 2019

geda said:
Lets take this in a different direction and try to build a .40-.50 cal PCP pistol that shoots mini arrows. Arrows do not kill with KE the way bullets do, they cut you open and let you bleed out. This lets you get away killing deer with only 30ft-lbs of KE, but a gaping 1" slice though some important bits. The downside is that there is zero knock-down power, so best case hit their heart, you then have a very angry person who has 10-20 seconds to retaliate on you with nothing to lose.

Now I kind of want this, and I cant find any! I would like to downsize this thing:
https://www.airgundepot.com/sam-yang-dragon-claw-air-rifle.html

This is the closest thing I could find, they claim 95ft-lbs, no mention of arrows, and the layout would be hard to holster or conceal:
https://www.airgundepot.com/evanix-rex-pellet-pistol.html

I would like something laid out over/under like the dragon-claw, only enough air for one shot and roughly the size of TC encore with a 12" barrel. Have it shoot a 12" arrow with one of those fancy 2" expanding broadheads like the rage hypodermic. Damn that would be a fun to hunt with. Self-defensive wise, i could still need 10-20 seconds of fist defense, but maybe the sight of the weapon would freak the assailant out like a shotgun racking.

Good, thinking, but your 10-20 seconds of defense is off by possible orders of magnitude. I've shot deer in the heart with a broadhead. Passed clean through. That deer ran hundreds of yards and died 10 minutes later. I'd not want to fistfight a bleeding drugged up junkie for 5-10 minutes after an arrow shot.

Best plan for a prohibited person is a black powder revolver or two, and hope that's enough shots.

knastera · Apr 8, 2019

If you cannot get a firearm and want to go with an airgun, get a Tippmann TiPX paintball gun and a tube of 68 caliber 10x hot pepper shots. It's a big scary gun that makes a loud noise and the pepper shots are devastating. You can get them all on Amazon with no license required.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

copasetic · Apr 8, 2019

I agree with everyone else who said that airguns are a bad idea. You are better off with a hunting slingshot and heavy shot...

Depending on why you are not allowed to have a firearm, you might still be allowed to have taser... that gives you reach and incapacitates (but only one person).

What about a crossbow? At least for home use.

randomuser · Apr 8, 2019

I'm surprised that the mention of a black powder revolver has not been brought up yet.

OP, have you given consideration to them? I'd rather have that for defense than an airgun.

Air guns for protection?

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