Bear spray test

[Hitch]

I tested an old can of bear pepper spray, dated to expire in 2011, this afternoon. I've kept this can in my vehicle for the 2 legged bears, but thankfully never needed it.

My father and mother are leaving for a long camping trip into bear country, so I told them about this product. I thought it might be a good idea for them to bring it. I offered them my can, though didn't realize that it expired 6 years ago. Once I realized just how old this thing was, well...

So, my father and I took it out back, to see what this old bear spray could do...

Wow. The spray blasted out of the can with a big whoosh reaching out maybe 30-40 feet. It was high pressured, all pepper and power. Cock and balls, in a can. If you hit someone directly in the face with this product, you'd disable them from the attack, instantly. Any living thing would drop from this stuff.

6 years expired, and, would have saved my life if I needed it. I'll be replacing this shortly.

This is the product:

http://www.mace.com/mace-bear-pepper-spray

[crimethink]

Expiration dates are "we guarantee this to work by" and not truly "this product will be worthless after this date." Almost always a legal liability matter, and not a functionality matter.

Not that I care if one needs to use it for self-defense, but there is potentially civil & criminal liability if one uses "bear spray" on humans and humanoids, even for self-defense.* Will you be prosecuted if you use it for bona fide self-defense? Probably not, even in California. Could you be sued? Much more likely. "My client was only trying to make new friends by letting himself into the house, and the defendant used bear spray on him, inconsistent with its labeling!"


* Bear spray is legal in nearly all states for bears, but many states prohibit "tear gas weapons" against humans/humanoids. In California, the legal limit for peons (non-cops, non-elite) on pepper spray ("tear gas weapon") is 2.5 ounces (70 grams). Bear spray is usually three or four times that.

[Hitch]

I hear ya, but if my life is threatened, and all I've got to defend myself is this bear spray. I'll use it. This is CA, I can't keep a loaded gun in my car.

Bear spray is legal to keep. If you have a camper, like me, you need it for bears anyway. If a person attacks you, and it's all you've got to defend yourself, and you use it, while in fear for your life....what court is going to argue that? I doubt a blast of pepper would even prompt someone to file a civil suit. It's a temporary learning lesson pain. It'll go away, but the lesson should remain permanent.

[crimethink]

I hear ya, but if my life is threatened, and all I've got to defend myself is this bear spray. I'll use it. This is CA, I can't keep a loaded gun in my car.

Bear spray is legal to keep. If you have a camper, like me, you need it for bears anyway. If a person attacks you, and it's all you've got to defend yourself, and you use it, while in fear for your life....what court is going to argue that? I doubt a blast of pepper would even prompt someone to file a civil suit. It's a temporary learning lesson pain. It'll go away, but the lesson should remain permanent.

Oh, no question: use it if you're under attack, by a bear or a two-legged predator. Judged by 12 rather than carried by 6, if it even gets to that.

[crimethink]

In addition to being chemically more powerful than people pepper spray, bear spray is like a flamethrower compared to the typical keychain pepper spray:

[hoarder]

My bear spray is a S&W .44 Magnum. It sprays lead.

I had a large can of bear spray years ago and I had similar results when I tested it years after expiration. What usually goes wrong with spray products is partial solidification of the liquid resulting in clogging. Since pepper spray is an organic compound I assume they used an adequate amount of preservative.
The main reason bear spray hasn't caught on more than it has is that the reliability is not as good as a firearm nor is it as fast on the draw.

[crimethink]

My bear spray is a S&W .44 Magnum. It sprays lead.

I had a large can of bear spray years ago and I had similar results when I tested it years after expiration. What usually goes wrong with spray products is partial solidification of the liquid resulting in clogging. Since pepper spray is an organic compound I assume they used an adequate amount of preservative.
The main reason bear spray hasn't caught on more than it has is that the reliability is not as good as a firearm nor is it as fast on the draw.

My preference is a rifle. Bear Spray has its place: when a firearm cannot be deployed, or by those who won't handle a firearm (stupid, but such is life).

[osoab]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C7JZzY3hawc

[hoarder]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C7JZzY3hawc

Note to self:
If I ever make a youtube video of myself spraying bear spray, make sure I spray it downwind.

[hoarder]

My preference is a rifle. Bear Spray has its place: when a firearm cannot be deployed, or by those who won't handle a firearm (stupid, but such is life).

My preference would be a 50 caliber machine gun, but a 44 mag revolver is more along the lines of something I would be likely to be carrying in bear country unless it's elk season, in which case I would have my 3006.