4oz Pepper Shot

Our 4 ounce Pepper Shot™ is a favorite with security guards and gives great protection at home. Get the leatherette holster with belt clip to carry on your belt. It is available in a stream or fogger. 4 oz. stream has a range of 15-18 feet and 21-22 one second shots.

Large size cans ensure you have enough pepper spray to get the job done. A blast of this stuff in their face will have them screaming in pain and all they want to do is find some water.

In addition to causing an attacker pain, Pepper Shot pepper spray swells the mucous membranes, which makes breathing difficult and swells the veins in the eyes, causing the eyes to close. These effects last up to 45 minutes and cause no permanent damage.

All sprays have locking actuators for extra safety. All Pepper Shot brand pepper sprays have identifying dye. These larger size pepper sprays are great for in your home, RV, or when you need to carry just a bit more protection.

Some states have restrictions on Pepper Sprays. Check if your state has restrictions here: Shipping Restrictions

Chemical Compounds

When you are considering adding pepper spray to your self-defense capabilities, there are a number of factors that come into play. One of the first and most important is which chemical compound a specific product uses.

There are three different chemicals commonly used in pepper spray products.

• CS (Orthochlorobenzalmalonitrile)
• CN (alphachloroacetaphenone)
• OC (Oleoresin Capsicum)

These work in different ways. The first two, CS and CN, are irritants. They cause stinging pain and watering eyes. They work ok, provided you bear in mind their limitations. First, the effects are not immediate and can take up to 30 seconds to be felt by the assailant. Second, they often don't work as well on people who are drunk or under the influence of drugs. The reason for that is alcohol and other drugs can inhibit the pain receptors.

OC, on the other hand, is not an irritant but an inflammatory agent. When sprayed, the assailant's eyes will slam shut, no matter what chemicals may be in their system. OC will also dilate the capillaries in the eyes, causing temporary blindness. Further, it will swell tissues used during breathing, making it very difficult to get air.

The idea behind defensive sprays is to incapacitate your assailant so you can escape. Pepper Spray, such as the 4 ounce model sold at the top of this page, is made with OC.

Spray Patterns and Capacity

Previously, we talked about the different chemical compounds commonly used in pepper spray products. Here, we'll talk about other considerations to keep in mind when comparing products, namely spray pattern and capacity.

Spray pattern refers to the way the chemical is delivered to the assailant.

Typically, there are two basic spray patterns.

1. Stream — the chemical shoots out as a thin line, rather than a mist. This works better in windy conditions and is easier to aim than the other pattern. However, because the chemical needs to hit the eyes and/or be inhaled, aiming for the face is paramount.
2. Fogger — the chemical shoots out as a cone-shaped mist or fog. Because it is a fog rather than stream of liquid, the chemical is more easily inhaled and thus the time it takes to be effective is shorter. But, the mist is fairly subject to the winds or breeze and could be blown off target or even back at you.

As for capacity, most pepper spray products note the capacity in terms of number of bursts. A burst usually lasts 1-2 seconds and one is hopefully going to do the trick. But, it is always better to have more than you think you'd need. And don't be afraid to use too much when it counts!

More to Consider

Finally, there are three factors that come into play when it comes to being successful when using pepper spray.

First, it is vitally important that the chemical hits the assailant in the face. If it doesn’t, then no matter what chemical it is, it won’t work.

Second, pepper spray isn’t going to work if you leave it at home. You need to have it with you.

Third, you need to practice to be effective. You need to be able to pull the pepper spray from your purse or belt and spray an assailant without having to first look down to make sure your fingers are in the right place. Go through the motions several times to make sure you got the hang of it. This muscle memory will be crucial if you need to use your pepper spray.

Consider getting a pepper spray to practice with so you can see the stream or fog come out. You can practice with an inert canister so you won't accidentally get yourself sprayed.