Multiple individuals have been incarcerated as a result of using or threatening to use a handgun when accosted by a person with actual or potential bad intentions when other options might have been available. Armed defenders should know their state’s laws regarding the use of deadly force. There are at least three basic elements in play:
- Ability: Does the person (or persons) have the physical means to seriously injure or kill me right now?
- Opportunity: Is the person close enough or otherwise in a position to utilize those abilities right now?
- Intent: Does that same person intend to seriously injure or kill me right now?
A deadly force response is never warranted if any one of those three elements is lacking. A major problem for armed defenders is that in some instances the intent to seriously injure or kill is either absent or hidden, or the other person simply lacks the physical ability at that time to seriously injure or kill another person. That is often the case with intoxicated or otherwise mentally impaired persons. If words alone are not enough force and a handgun is too much, then carrying tools that can bridge that gap make good sense. Two tools that might meet that criteria are Pepper Spray and small impact weapons like saps and blackjacks.
While Pepper Spray (also known as oleoresin capsicum, or “OC”) is most definitely not Sub Noir, it is likely a better tool than small impact weapons than saps and blackjacks in the majority of instances when a less lethal weapon is needed. OC contains an active ingredient called capsaicin that irritates the eyes, causing temporary blindness and a burning sensation. Use of OC is more likely deemed the equivalent of an empty hand response. Unwarranted use of OC is not normally deemed aggravated assault, and it may very well be the best tool for a confrontation with an enraged motorist, an encounter with an angry drunk who wants to fight, or an overly aggressive person who insists on making an unwanted sexual overture after being warned to stay back. The size and physicality of the criminal offender doesn’t typically matter and most people’s eyes are susceptible to OC. If this the case, why might there still be a need for a sap or blackjack?
OC is difficult to use against an attacker rushing us at a full run from close distance, and this especially so once they are close enough to get their hands on us. There are people out there that are no less dangerous after being sprayed once they become entangled with the defender. A sap or blackjack is definitely a defensive tool that can be used to bridge the gap between OC and a firearm that can force an attacker to break contact because they wanted to (pain or fear of greater injury) or had to (disable limb, rendered unconscious, or even fatally injured). I believe that it is important to understand not only the Use of Force laws in my state, but the possible criminal penalties associated with using force inappropriate for the circumstances. I am going to do my very best to avoid striking another person with a sap or blackjack, and if I do so I am going to target those areas of the anatomy that are unlikely to seriously injure (check the definitions of serious injury in your state) or kill unless I absolutely believe I am in danger of getting seriously injured or killed myself.
Now that some of the negatives are out of the way, how do I use a sap or blackjack to its best effect? Cadets in police academies are typically taught to target key areas of the body to achieve compliance through pain control. When I went through the academy at what seems like light-years ago we focused on fleshy parts of the torso and the limbs while avoiding the joints, head, and spine. The reason for that is obvious: the goal is to enable compliance, not seriously injure or kill. The flip side of that is that if that same person is trying to seriously injure or kill us and actually represents a deadly threat then hard strikes to joints, bones in the hands and wrists, clavicle, jaw, side of the neck, temple, and back of the head might be what is required to prevent them from doing so.
Users that torque their hips and put their upper body in it when striking or thrusting (yes, thrusting) can maximize the impact of both the blackjack and the sap. One advantage the sap may have it is that it is somewhat easier to moderate the power of the strike by hitting with the flat (impact is distributed over a large surface) or the edge (impact is distributed over a small surface) contingent upon the present circumstances. I definitely think that the blackjack hits harder, which is a plus for many people. Being somewhat indecisive, I have both.
Persons truly capable of competently defending themselves with a handgun require more than mere possession of it. If they do not know how to shoot it with an acceptable degree of accuracy and where to shoot their chances of success go way down. The same is true with saps and blackjacks (if not more) since physical contact with another person at grappling distance is frequently involved. Students sometimes forget that their opponent also has a say in the matter and will likely do their very best to avoid getting hit. In most instances once they can get their hands on the defender his or her ability to use a small impact weapon effectively is greatly diminished. Having said that, even then all is not necessarily lost if the defender has had some training under a qualified instructor.
This article is written for educational purposes only and does not constitute professional advice.
Steve Moses is certified as a a Rangemaster-certified Master Firearms and also holds instructor certifications in Tactical Anatomy, Empty Hand Knife Defense, OC/Less Lethal, Small Impact Weapons (saps and blackjacks), Active Shooter Response, Force-on-Force, Defensive Shotgun, and other disciplines. Steve is a retired Deputy and a Brazilian Ju Jitsu brown belt.
*Photo from RECOIL Magazine
