Pepper guns are non-lethal self-defense devices that spray a range of irritants, such as pepper, that can blind and disorient an attacker or give you time to escape. These devices are used by military and law enforcement, but also by civilians for a variety of purposes, such as preventing home invasions.

Stream-style pepper sprays are the most commonly used. They’re easy to aim and release a strong spray of corrosive spray in a short period of time. However, they’re not always as effective as gel-style sprays, which are harder to wipe off and don’t release a spray as quickly.

They can also be less effective at choking an attacker than a gel spray. This means that it’s important to practice using them before you actually need them.

It’s best to use a canister that’s easy to aim and that has a long spray range so that you can keep an attacker at a distance without risking your own safety. It’s also a good idea to invest in a spray canister with a flip-top safety. This makes it easier to carry in a pocket or purse, and it’s more likely to work correctly if you accidentally open the lid.

Some pepper-spray guns are available with a built-in LED strobe light that’s great for disorienting an attacker, especially in a dark environment. The LED light is often as bright as a cellphone flashlight, so it can help you see your surroundings better and disorient an attacker even more.

The safety on these guns usually requires a disengage action before you can fire, so it’s important to practice doing this over and over again. It should feel natural, so you’ll be able to do it in real-life situations when the gun is in your hand.

Another key feature to look for is whether or not the safety on your pepper spray has an ambidextrous design, so that right-handed shooters don’t have to rotate their hands in order to deactivate it. It’s also important to consider your surroundings, so make sure you have enough room to get your hand around the trigger before you begin shooting.

If you’re in a windy area, you may want to opt for a spray with a higher-capacity canister that’s better for fighting the wind. The Kimber Blaster II is a great example of this, as it sprays two large, gel blobs that are more resistant to the wind than most other pepper guns.

They aren’t as effective at blinding an attacker as a stream-style spray, but they are still effective and can still give you time to run away or prepare for a real defense. They’re also less expensive than a stream-style spray, so they can be a good option for first-time pepper shooters or those on a budget.

Some sprays are designed to contaminate bystanders, so it’s important to avoid spreading the spray to people near you in a potentially dangerous situation. You can prevent this by moving away from the spray when you’re not aiming at your attacker and by keeping your eyes on them.