humane self defense week: tippmann tipx paintball pistol 68cal. $299

David "Reaper" Justin (aka the kilt-clad paintballer) might be the greatest ambassador for the TiPX pistol because he'll use nothing else, and as a jet-setting World champion this vouches amply for the viability of the iconic TiPX marker from Tippmann. You can Google the Reaper, watch some of his videos, view him in action and learn exactly how he sets up his system. You can also visit the plethora of paintball websites and customize your marker according to your preferred tastes. But one thing is clear, due to the lack of ATF regulating, the offerings for air-powered guns (both in weapons and accessories) is truly exciting to behold for traditional gun owners: in the world of cartridge-firing firearms everything is increasingly a potential legal concern. The non-lethal (or what we call Humane Self Defense or HSD) world of weapons is an amazingly un-fenced frontier reminiscent of pre-1934 freedoms. We’re not advocating abandoning your 2A rights, selling your guns or slowing your firearm-collecting proclivities, we’re just recommending an extra string to your bow.

The military-style TiPX is not only a very credible HSD weapon but it can provide hours of fun combat-simulation as you compete with buddies in the woods on the weekend. Also, in order to remain proficient with firearms we must practice, however it’s often difficult to find a suitable range plus ammo scarcity and prices has made us all reluctant to go spend a few hours shooting off valuable bullets. The TiPX affords you the opportunity to maintain hand-eye coordination in your basement or back yard for a fraction of the cost. The beauty of the first-trigger-pull system utilized by Tippmann is it allows you to keep a full un-pierced CO2 cartridge in the chamber at all times: when you need it simply pull the trigger once to pierce and charge the pistol - the second and subsequent trigger-pulls will shoot a round.

If you ever needed to reach for it in the dark of night, and use it as a deterrent, it’s a powerful option that’ll spare you the risk of eardrum rupture (try firing a 9MM, AR or 12GAUGE in an enclosed space without ear protection) and allow your intruder to flee rather than dealing with the bloody and legal aftermath of a fatal shooting. It might even be someone you know like a neighbors delinquent teenager, and you may not even need to call the police afterward. How much more satisfying would it be to call on your neighbors the next day and tell them what their son did without the life-altering consequences of involving law enforcement - and how could the kid lie with three large facial bruises?! Think it over, it’s good to have options.  

Here’s a good video in how to adjust the velocity on a TiPX

Here’s a good price on a TiPX pistol (typically out of stock on the manufacturers website)

Here's where to buy the combat kilt favored by the Reaper