How effective is an expandable baton?

[FourTeeFive]

Please site the RCW that says this.

I stand corrected. Upon looking at it further the laws were for Everett only. Not sure about other cities:

Title 10 Div. IX Weapons | Everett Municipal Code

www.codepublishing.com

10.78.010 and 10.78.030

 

[QualityControl]

Just a comment…

The guy in the video makes a few good points…if you are just making the assumption the person using a baton has minimal training. Don't get me wrong, I like the shorter whips like the Sjambok or even the one he's using in the video. We've fought with them and also fought using mismatched weapons against them. An effective tool…yes. But flexible weapons are also easily defeated if you know what you are doing.

What is minimal training? Someone who gets a baton and thinks they can use it? Someone who does a one day seminar and thinks they can apply it? Yes. Even someone who does a couple of training seminars a year and doesn't train the tactics they may have learned regularly I would consider to have "minimal training".
Any tool you think you may want to utilize you had best train regularly with. In the case of this thread - the baton. Learn to, understand, and apply the different striking tactics and timing manipulations the weapon can be used for. Whipping strikes, jabbing strikes, fluid strikes, broken strikes, circular strikes, drawing strikes to create openings behind your opponents attacks (fill the hole behind their strikes), thrusts, direct weapon attacks, on angle, off angle, etc… Then understanding footwork, angles, and ranges and then combining that with the weapon tactics so that you can you can move and strike while also being able to switch tactics on the fly.

Add in the live hand for when things get into close range to be able to strip, grab, eye jab, punch, slap, and elbow in conjunction with striking with the punyo or butt end of the baton. Add in knees, stomps, strips, throws, and take downs as well. Locks and chokes are also possible in the mix. Lower percentage to pull off on a fighting opponent, but knowing how to take advantage when/if the opportunity presents itself is also a plus.

Stick/baton grappling is another facet to train for when you may end up on the ground. As I always tell people, it's good to know what to do on the ground, but it's the last place I want to go. Incidents where people have friends will teach you that real quick.

Anyway, the point to my ramble is that the baton "sucks" only if you don't know how to use it. With training it might "suck" in some situations if you are constrained by use of force restrictions. It will 'suck" if it's a baton against a firearm…but then so will just about any other edged or impact weapon. But, it can be an effective weapon in many other instances if you know how to use it.

 

[DangerDog]

Only as effective on how one uses it. Not that it's practical as an edc, I bought a 42" Sjambok from Midwayusa years ago and I've whipped plenty a dogs with it and thwarted some scumbags. Of course I have my Glock, KaBar and spicy spray, but this thing does the trick. It's on me on walks, hikes, in the truck and at the dog park.

 

[FourTeeFive]

Only as effective on how one uses it. Not that it's practical as an edc, I bought a 42" Sjambok from Midwayusa years ago and I've whipped plenty a dogs with it and thwarted some scumbags. Of course I have my Glock, KaBar and spicy spray, but this thing does the trick. It's on me on walks, hikes, in the truck and at the dog park.

Just bought one for myself and my stepson recently. How do you typically carry it? Not quite stiff enough to use like a walking stick.

 

[DangerDog]

Just bought one for myself and my stepson recently. How do you typically carry it? Not quite stiff enough to use like a walking stick.

I strut with it like a Marine and his sword. Semper Fi.

 

[The Heretic]

 

[NW48]

So after a recent dog incident in the neighborhood, I purchased a 26" expandable baton as an alternative to using a gun and to supplement the liberal use of pepper spray.

ASP 26" Airweight Expandable Baton

Made from a lightweight alloy that's 455 lighter and just as durable and dependable as the original ASP® baton. Excellent for undercover or detective use. B...

www.galls.com

It was totally a impulse buy, but now that I have it and have been beating on the heavy bag with it, I am really impressed and pretty curious about other uses for it, specifically to carry as a replacement for a firearm in a non permissive or non legal environment like work or California.

So my understanding of its various uses is as follows:

Level 0: create space by pushing away with tip of the baton, or even hammer fisted blow with the butt.

Level 1: strikes to broad meaty areas like the thigh and gut for pain compliance (this doesn't really apply to me)

Level 2: strikes to joints and arms, knees etc will cause possible permenant damage and hopefully take someone out of the fight.

Level 3: strikes to neck or head might be fatal and should be considered lethal force.

Is this accurate or just legal training CYA stuff? If all I have is a baton, and I am trying to defend myself from someone using lethal force such a knife or gun, will a strike to the head actually knock them out or kill them?

Would a strike to their forearm break bone or just hurt?

NOT asking for legal advice, just wondering how effective these things are if needed.

I've been in law enforcement for 24 years. Get a can of bear spray. Works from a distance and very stunning to attacker/animal. Less probe to civil litigation. And if its used against you if it happens to get taken away, won't kill you.

G

 

[NW48]

I've been in law enforcement for 24 years. Get a can of bear spray. Works from a distance and very stunning to attacker/animal. Less probe to civil litigation. And if its used against you if it happens to get taken away, won't kill you.

G

*prone not probe, thats different

 

[Geardo]

I've been in law enforcement for 24 years. Get a can of bear spray. Works from a distance and very stunning to attacker/animal. Less probe to civil litigation. And if its used against you if it happens to get taken away, won't kill you.

G

I have a big can of pepper spray, baton is backup.