Domestic defence

kapisko1PL

Hello all,

Apologies for a stupid question, I do not want to look like an absolute numpty but...

I am looking at purchasing a baseball bat purely for domestic self defence. We live on the ground floor apartment and there has been an increase in anti social behaviour in our area (shops having glass windows broken, public amenities vandalised etc). Moving out is not an option at the moment.

With the self defence laws being what they are in ROI, would say, a purchase of a baseball bat from Amazon and having it delivered, attract attention of the law enforcement officers?

Again, apologies for the thread but not sure where to ask.

Thanks all.

El Tarangu

Buy a hurl instead:

- cheaper
- easier to sell on
- greater range available in your locality
- you are more likely to get an opportunity to use it for its intended purpose
- support local businesses

KaneToad

kapisko1PL wrote: »

With the self defence laws being what they are in ROI, would say, a purchase of a baseball bat from Amazon and having it delivered, attract attention of the law enforcement officers?

This is Ireland. Not North Korea. Your Amazon purchases are not being monitored.

Samuel T. Cogley

No one is going to care you have/order a baseball bat and if inside your own dwelling you may find the law is not as against you as you think.

I think we can add more sympathetic Jury to the excellent list above. Buy a Hurl.

Samuel T. Cogley

KaneToad wrote: »

Your Amazon purchases are not being monitored.

Amazon and a myriad of their thrid party partners might disagree.

seamus

Short answer is that the purchase of sports equipment, like a baseball bat, is not going to draw anyone's attention.

It is, for all intents and purposes, not permitted to possess a weapon for self-defence in Ireland, either inside or outside your home.

If you have a baseball bat to use as a baseball bat, then you have sports equipment. If you have a baseball bat to use in self-defence, then you have a weapon.

As said above, buy a hurley instead. And a box of tennis balls. and use it from time to time, because why not?

If you ever end up in hot water you can say that you use the hurley often, but you keep it in your bedroom to prevent an intruder using it against you.

Much harder to make the same claim with a baseball bat.

KaneToad

Samuel T. Cogley wrote: »

Amazon and a myriad of their thrid party partners might disagree.

I meant that they are not being monitored by "law enforcement", as per the OPs question.

Wildsurfer

A Hurley will sting but a bat will be lights out. My bat is a wall ornament I picked up as a memento of my trip to America, honest your Honour. And if you've protected yourself or your family you wont mind too much of the legal consequences.

D3V!L

Wildsurfer wrote: »

A Hurley will sting but a bat will be lights out. My bat is a wall ornament I picked up as a memento of my trip to America, honest your Honour. And if you've protected yourself or your family you wont mind too much of the legal consequences.

Depends on which way it comes in contact with the "ball"

s1ippy

If you use the narrow edge of the hurley it's going to be bad news for whoever is on the end of it. No harm to leave it untaped as well.

D3V!L

s1ippy wrote: »

If you use the narrow edge of the hurley it's going to be bad news for whoever is on the end of it. No harm to leave it untaped as well.

My point exactly. I'd rather get a smack of a baseball bat than the sharp edge of a hurl.

FintanMcluskey

I’m fascinated by this topic.

A break in is likely to be carried out on an empty house by more than 1 offender.

If those carrying out a break in on a house they know is occupied, that immediately becomes a contrasting scenario regarding the intent of those carrying out the break in.

With multiple offenders met in a hallway, how effective is a Hurley or bat really going to be to an average male?

A safe escape plan is much more effective tbh, or a Doberman/Alsatian.

BattleCorp

D3V!L wrote: »

My point exactly. I'd rather get a smack of a baseball bat than the sharp edge of a hurl.

I don't think you realise the damage a baseball bat to the noggin will do.

Not only will it be lights out, it quite easily could be lights out forever.

Plus, get the angle wrong and the hurl snaps and can't really be used again. The baseball bat isn't going to snap. I'd much rather tackle someone coming at me with a hurl than a baseball bat.

Duarte1974

OP I think you need a mag light 6D size just in case of power outages. Also the logical place to keep this is beside your bed.

A baseball bat or hurley is not likely to make a great self defense weapon - think about it - any confrontation inside your house is likely to be at close quarters - you're not going to have the space to take an effective swing to generate enough power to do any damage to a potential attacker.

Duarte above has the right idea.

kapisko1PL

Thank you all for the replies.

I would still rather have something than nothing. Hurl is also a great alternative, I agree. But might actually go for something like Duarte has pointed out, and it is practical too.

2Mad2BeMad

My father keeps an old style guarda baton beside his bed. It's like a mini baseball bat and would give you the same result if hit hard enough on the head. It's small enough to give a good swing in tight places and he's used it before when I was a kid when 2 knackers tried to Rob our house.

No charges brought against him either and he nearly killed 1 of the fellas. This was 25 years ago so I'm not sure how much damage you could get away with now on someone if they invaded your home. But I think I speak for everyone here in saying we would kill (or at least attempt to severely injure) anyone attempting to Rob our homes if our children were in.

Bikerman2019

I am aware of a real instance a few years ago, where someone hit a guy with a bat. The gardai mentioned that it was not an issue as there was a ball present, and it was obvious that it was self defence. No requirement to see the ball however.


The guy hit was known to the gardai. So if you have a bat - have a ball.

screamer

I’ve a nice long metal curtain pole in my bedroom, which they’ll get home alone style if they come up my stairs. In addition I’ve a nice lump hammer under the bed in case of close contact encounters. If they’re close enough to get a belt of a lump hammer, they’ll deserve what they get.

L1011

screamer wrote: »

I’ve a nice long metal curtain pole in my bedroom, which they’ll get home alone style if they come up my stairs. In addition I’ve a nice lump hammer under the bed in case of close contact encounters. If they’re close enough to get a belt of a lump hammer, they’ll deserve what they get.

If someone gets close enough to you for contact with a lump hammer, you aren't going to get the lump hammer from under the bed

Lots of delusional wannabe heroics on this thread.

FintanMcluskey

L1011 wrote: »

If someone gets close enough to you for contact with a lump hammer, you aren't going to get the lump hammer from under the bed

Lots of delusional wannabe heroics on this thread.

That’s the problem with civilised people.

If you need to ask for advice, which civilised people do, your unlikely to be of character to swing a bat at an assailant and possibly cause serious injury.

The person who will do it, won’t ask (doesn’t mean they aren’t civilised, but they have such personal confidence they don’t ask questions).

spaceHopper

Deep heat spray, for my sore back Garda - how the whole can got unloaded into the gentlemans face is a mystery

seagull

spaceHopper wrote: »

Deep heat spray, for my sore back Garda - how the whole can got unloaded into the gentlemans face is a mystery

Surely no more than half the can to the face. You need something left to use on that nasty bruise in the intruder's groin.

Pro-tip: if you stick a football sock over your baseball bat (or hurley, for that matter), it makes it extremely difficult for the target to grab it and/or yank it out of your hands. They end up with a football sock in their hand and you end up getting a second swing.

IAMAMORON

By an axe and leave it within sight of the back door.

They usually run quicker when they see you going for it.

My 10 cents.

Grolschevik

IAMAMORON wrote: »

They usually run quicker when they see you going for it.

Usually?

Get a good alarm system and CCTV

If they are breaking in when someone is there, they will probable have more weapons and experience with them than you do.

If a golf club, bat or hurl gives you peace of mind, fine but a can of deodorant is probably easier to use for the average person.

An old school Garda baton is still a baton, zero defence if found with it unless he was a Garda.

Peregrinus

IAMAMORON wrote: »

By an axe and leave it within sight of the back door.

They usually run quicker when they see you going for it.

Grolschevik wrote: »

Usually?

Not usually. Usually, they pick it up themselves on the way in and, when you meet them, they are already armed with your axe.