non-lethal force

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redbird

Enlightened
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Dec 25, 2000
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If you visit the incandescent forum here you will see lots of threads asking about using a surefire 6P or E2 as a self defense aid.

With all the recent upgrades to hotwires and lots of us having 800+ lumens as our defacto standard and with awr's regulator it got me thinking that perhaps someone could develop a great non-lethal defense aid.

Those of us old enough to remember the PR25 type flash bulbs of years ago. When you were taking a picture and used the bulb it left the subjects of the picture temporarly blinded for a few seconds. Complete with spots before their eyes for about a minute.

Now, imagine if you could automatically strobe to some extent a 800 lumen 2C mag or something on that line. It would incapacitate the bad guy for a sufficiently long time to disengage and depart the area.

Any thoughts as to the possibilities?
 
Depending on a flashlight as your only line of defense is sheer foolishness (unless it is a 6D Mag used as a club). What if the guy can run faster than you? What if he has a gun and you really **** him off by shining a bright light in his face? Odds are the thug will have some sort of physical or hardware advantage over someone just carrying a flashlight for defense, after all, most crooks depending on intimidation or physical attack to get what they are cowards.

If I ever carry a light for "self-defense" purposes, it is always backed up with at least a knife and usually pepper spray and a baton. Never depend on a light as a primary means of defense. Using a non-lethal method of defense against an attacker using a lethal means of offense is inviting serious injury. A Tigerlight is great for self-defense in that it can be used as a "tactical" light, as a club, and it has pepper-spray built in.

-Keith
 
Don't take a knife (or a flashlight) to a gun fight!

Are there exceptions to not using devices solely designed for producing light for self defense use? . . . . . . well, how about a 155mm Illum round fired in the direct fire mode? . . . . . but I guess that wouldn't be "non-lethal".
 
redbird said:
I
Those of us old enough to remember the PR25 type flash bulbs of years ago. When you were taking a picture and used the bulb it left the subjects of the picture temporarly blinded for a few seconds. Complete with spots before their eyes for about a minute.
Click to expand...

During Jethro Tull's "War Child" US tour, they flew omni-directional skeletonized light spheres, each loaded with about 100 PR25 flashbulbs. They would flash them about 20 at one time, synchronized with recordings of explosions. Even 75 feet away, it was overwhelming visually. BIG long lasting spots, and much fight-or-flight reaction in the audience. There were Vietnam Vets hitting the deck! In R.O.T.C. myself, I was already bent over and to my knees when my logical (and EE-photographer wanna-be) brain kicked in, and I recognized what was happening.
 
I may have been misunderstood as to the intentions of this type of light. It goes back to the opening statement that lots of people ask about using 60 lumen or 120 lumen for thap purpose.

I was thinking of a new mod possibility. Sort of like a selector switch on an M16 if you will for those who are familiar with the concept.

I agree that to "depend" on ilumination is fallacy. That is not the intent of the question I posed. The 100 PR25 bulbs at a concert were blinding and that is my point. Entertainment value? I don't know but was thinking and wondering if the level of current technology is ready for this type of switch?
 
What about the Night-Ops / Gladius light? It has a strobe function that is supposed to be disorienting. A friend of mine was on the receiving end of the strobe function of one and said it was indeed disorienting.

-Keith
 
Yeah, I see where you're coming from, redbird. Not using a utility beam, more of a flashbang without the bang. I'd say it's definately a possability, if somebody has the stuff to do it.

The only light I'd rely on for defense is a traser round, though ;)
 
Would a 800plus lumen bulb work with a flashing function though? My bike lights take a while to cool down so I'm not sure how much difference turning it on and of 8times a second would make to it's normal blinding effect (which is rather large since it's a overdriver 35watt MR16 bulb)
 
Andrew, I agree with you a flashing incandecent is much less distrubing than something with a short on/off time like an LED.
 
I have in mind hooking up a motionsensor detector to something powerful enough to momentarily blind a burglar.

Now with "no knock" warrents, LEOs can enter without announcing themselves, and all too often, they screw up and pick the wrong address.
If you mistake them for a burglar and try to use (legal) deadly force, you will wind up dead.

But a motion detector with a more than normally powerful floodlight would alert you and give you time to assess the situation, without causing more than temporary incapacitation to folks you may not want to hurt.

Any suggestions?
 
A 1kw halogen floodlight is allways effective :-)

or you could buy a cheap used theatre spotlight in the 1kw range, even more powerful beam :-)
 
OK, for the technical aspects of how to hook it to a motion detector...?
 
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