Andrew with the Tested Pepper Guns

I tested the Kimber, Ruger, and Mace pepper guns. I shot both of them on paper and a dummy head. The bold text below summaries the good things about all three. The rest of the article goes into more detail about the pros and cons of each.

The Kimber Blaster II shots two gel blobs more than 100 miles per hour. The Ruger pepper gun is a good, small sized pepper gun. The Mace pepper gun shoots a stream up to 20 feet and it has a light.

Watch the video to see them getting tested and a full table top review.

Kimber Blaster II

The Kimber Blaster II shoots it’s two large, gel blobs at more than 110 miles per hour. The range is more than 13 feet. This pepper gun will fight wind better than most any other pepper shooter. The mass of the gel and the speed it moves leaves little time for wind movement. If you live in a very windy area, then stronger consider this pepper gun.

Kimber Blaster II Testing

Unlike, most other pepper gun it has a front and rear sight.

The safety is ambidextrous. Right-handed and left-handed shooters can deactivate the safety with their trigger finger.

With only two shoots, accuracy is super important. There just is not much margin for error with the Kimber Blaster II. Conversely with a spray pepper canister, a defender can move the stream onto an attacker’s face.

Also, the Kimber Blaster II shoots from the bottom hole first. When I tested this, my first shot was low because of this. Is someone using this spray really going to remember to aim high on the first shot? I doubt it. My second shot was more accurate because it was higher and closer to the sights.

Pros

• Front and Rear Sight
• 100+ Miles Per Hour Gel Blast
• Low Wind Movement
• Ambidextrous Safety

Cons

• Only Two Shots
• Bottom Charge Shoots First
• Not Refillable

Conclusion:

If you live in a windy area, then consider this pepper gun.

Ruger Pepper Gun – a.k.a “Lady Jean”

The Ruger pepper gun is mostly a good spray. It’s wide, foggy spray creates a huge area of effect, and reduces the needs for great accuracy. The safety is easy for right-handed shooters to deactivate with their trigger finger. It’s very light and not inconvenient to carry. The trigger pulls back with a nice firm press.

The canister can be replaced. I could not find water practice canisters for this spray. Practicing with a hot can is an option though.

The foggy spray can easily get on the shooter and bystanders especially with wind blowing. This is known as cross-contamination and it’s very bad if it happens. The purpose of a pepper spray is to blind, and choke an attacker to run away or fight away. A defender getting hit with their own spray will make running away or fighting away more difficult.

The safety is not ambidextrous. Left-handed shooters will need to use their right hand to deactivate the safety.

Switching off the safety and test firing

Pros

• Compact Size
• Large Foggy Spray
• Refillable

Cons

• Cross-Contamination Risk
• Wind Movement Risk
• No Sights
• Safety is Not Ambidextrous

Conclusion:

This spray is not great for the left-handed or those who live in windy areas. Other than those things, it’s a good compact pepper gun with a large spray pattern.

Mace Pepper Gun with Strobe

Mace’s pepper gun is one of the most powerful pepper sprays on the market. It shoots a large can and it comes with a light.

The large can allows it to spray up to 20 feet. When I shot this spray, it went a long way. I think it can shoot the full 20 feet. The GIF below shows me spraying it.

The light is plenty bright. It will illuminate out to the range of the spray. The light has two modes. It alternates between solid and strobe each time the trigger is pulled. With short trigger pulls, the light mode can be changed without firing the spray. Once a user has the desired light mode, the trigger can be pulled more to fire the spray.

The trigger, safety, and chamber open lever are easy to use.

A water practice cartridge is included. This is great for getting a feel for how to use it and building confidence.

The Mace pepper gun is large. It’s about as large as my subcompact pistol. You can try carrying it in a front pocket. This might be uncomfortable especially when sitting. A holster or bag might be the best places to carry this pepper gun.

This is my favorite pepper gun.

Watch the video above to see me shoot this in day time and at night.

Pros

• 20 Foot Range
• Dual Mode Strobe or Solid Light
• Lots of Spray
• Refillable
• Practice Canister Included
• Ambidextrous Safety

Cons

• Large
• Holster or Bag Carry Solution Might be Needed

Conclusion:

It’s long range and light make this a powerful pepper gun. If you can carry a large pepper gun, then get this spray. 

Pepper Spray FAQ

Why Carry Pepper Spray?

There are many reasons to carry pepper spray.

One of the most important is that it’s non-lethal. Most self-defense situations involve non-deadly force aggression. As a result, a non-deadly force self-defense tool is more frequently needed than a deadly force tool.

It’s a crime to use deadly force on an attacker who is using non-deadly force.

How to Use Pepper Spray?

There are two things to always do when using pepper sprays.

Pepper spray should be sprayed at one ear and to the other with a continuous stream. This will get the spray in an attacker’s eyes and noise. The result will be involuntary eyelid closure and painful breathing.

Also, vertical, canister type pepper sprays should be shot using the thumb. This will insure a strong grip with 4 fingers grasping the canister. Shooting with the index finger will result in only 3 fingers gripping the can. The picture below shows the right and wrong way to hold.

To learn more about how to use pepper spray, click the underlined text.

Does Pepper Spray Expire?

Yes, pepper sprays lose their effectiveness over time. They are always leaking pressure. After the expiration date, a pepper spray might not effectively shoot it’s contents. To be super safe, you can replace your pepper spray a year before expiration.

Can Minors Carry Pepper Spray?

In many jurisdictions, it is legal for people under 18 to possess and use pepper spray for self-defense. For example, California permits 16 year olds to carry pepper spray in public. It is often illegal for minors to purchase pepper spray.

What’s the Difference Between Mace and Pepper Spray?

Mace is a company that makes pepper sprays. Just like the word “Xerox” was used to refer to copying documents, some people use “Mace” to refer to pepper spray.