Expandable Steel Baton legal in md?

[PapiBarcelona]

What's the difference in carrying a piece of steel bar stock versus a baton?

 

[joppaj]

Let me throw this out there (as I do every time this conversation comes up)...

Don't ever make the mistake that an ASP is easy to use effectively. It lacks the force of a baseball bat and my honest experience watching trainees is that a solid 25-30% of people actually toss the baton as they try to snap it open. The weapon also requires you to be relatively close to use it, while generally leaving your strong side chest exposed as you swing. Finally it offers you reach over a knife, if the knife attacker is dumb enough to stand at a distance. Inside and up close, it offers you no real ability to get somebody off of you.

All that said, I'm an instructor for the ASP and the PR-24 and carry a collapsible PR-24 on my duty belt. I carry pens to use as kubatons. I LIKE impact weapons and they work well with my particular needs and strengths. I accept that a well trained fighter could be intentionally lethal with one, but that's not me.

Just my opinion, your mileage may vary, this opinion is worth exactly what you paid for it.

 

[obsolete]

As usual, Joppa is right on the money.

Consider this, Nancy Kerrigan was attacked by a very big guy with an ASP. He went after her right knee. Seven weeks after the attack, Kerrigan skated what she considered to be the best two performances of her life and won the silver medal in the 1994 Lillehammer Winter Olympics.

Not exactly a ringing endorsement.

 

[Blaster229]

When I was working the street, the only good use I found for my ASP was to nudge passed out drunks to make sure they were still alive.

 

[Mr H]

Not having trained--or even practiced much--with one, I see it less as a defensive WEAPON, as it is a "spacemaker"... Something to keep the problem far enough away for me to consider my next option.

It's also why I sometimes carry a walking stick, even on days I don't really 'need' one.

 

[Decoy]

I used to carry a baton in my car. I only had to use it once. I was first on the scene of a really bad accident and had to use it to break the rear window. It's not like the movies; it took me a few good swings to break the glass. Then I used it to clear the remaining glass. They may not be a perfect defensive weapon but they can be intimidating and a decent tool. I would rather have a baton than nothing at all.

.02

 

[Blaster229]

A baton becomes deadly force when used against a head.

"He moved".

 

[Second Amendment]

A baton becomes deadly force when used against a head.

"He moved".

I keep one in the car as a glass breaker if needed. I also use it to check my tires for nails because we have a group of vandals in my neighborhood putting nails in tires so when you take off, they stick in further and the
tire(s) have to be plugged. If I catch them, I might find a third use for the baton.

 

[eruby]

A baton becomes deadly force when used against a head.

"He moved".

Al Neri approves.

 

[Second Amendment]

Al Neri approves.

He ended up under a bus.

 

[airsporter]

I find that souvenir baseball bats (usually ~16"- 18" long) make wonderful mementos to have around

 

[sgt23preston]

Expandable Steel Baton legal in md? Reload this Page Reply to Thread

Sgt Preston here...

I keep a fiberglass night stick in my car and...

And I keep a machete & an 18" ASP fully extended & ready to go at my business...

I'm not looking for trouble, but...

Even at 70, Marines simply do not make compliant or good victims...

I'll deal with any legal violations after the fight...

 

[Biggfoot44]

Once again we touch upon the joys of 4-101 . And in particular the case law of it ( and the substantially similar previous Deadly Weapons statute. Other than the obvious open carry only , there is the infamous "with intent" . But the standard of intent in the case law is widely interpeted, nah , contradictlrly interpeted. When interpeted as " to commit a violent crime " we're good. When " to use as a weapon " , it's a lot more problematic.

The problem is that an ASP (aka collaspable baton) has no widely recognized use other than a weapon. A 5 cell flashlight is a common source of light. An actual tire checker is commonly used to actually check tires. ( And is a much more emphatic expedient weapon than a collaspable baton.)

And as Joppa pointed out , it's not a magic wand , and far from intuitive in use.

A collaspable baton is just as legal to carry/ keep at hand as a Bowie knife , shotgun , samauri sword , tommahawk, PR-24 , riot baton , etc

 

[eruby]

He ended up under a bus.

???

In the book, no.

In GF-II he was shot at the Havana Hospital.

 

[Second Amendment]

???

In the book, no.

In GF-II he was shot at the Havana Hospital.

In real life yes. And it wasn't Al Neri that was shot in the hospital, it was the older bodyguard. Al Neri lived through the second GF. He was the one that shot Fredo on the boat at the end. Below is what happened to him in 2006.

Richard Bright -

He was struck and killed by the rear wheels of a tour bus on the Upper West Side of New York City. The bus driver did not even know anyone was struck and kept on driving. Police interviewed the driver, at the bus terminal, and no charges were filed.

 

[eruby]

In real life yes. And it wasn't Al Neri that was shot in the hospital, it was the older bodyguard. Al Neri lived through the second GF. He was the one that shot Fredo on the boat at the end. Below is what happened to him in 2006.

Richard Bright -

He was struck and killed by the rear wheels of a tour bus on the Upper West Side of New York City. The bus driver did not even know anyone was struck and kept on driving. Police interviewed the driver, at the bus terminal, and no charges were filed.

Thankee.

 

[FrankOceanXray]

Not one quote or reference of the law?

 

[Second Amendment]

Not one quote or reference of the law?

The law is an ass.

 

[miben]

I would consider it a defensive weapon. One of the best uses for an asp baton is a strike to the knee to discourage further attack and so you can move away from the attacker. The knee becomes a better target after swiping toward the head.

 

[Brychan]

I do keep a S&W asp in the car, for me my only intent is defensive, or as a tool that requires a long stick. Training I've have enough to get out and away from most situations, although I am fatter, older and slower than I once was, and it's better than nothing. If I was in need of (and probably not to distant future I will be) a good old fashion stout cane or good walking stick would be better. Of course the right to carry a firearm would be my first choice