US Riot Baton

[Aragorn243]

Not super exciting but my yard sale find for today. Seller said they were from the mid to late 60's. claimed they were for longer reach due to using shields but holding the thing, this is a two handed affair. Pictures I've found seem to indicate this as well. Very awkward to use one handed.

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[browningautorifle]

Very awkward to use one handed.

If you use the leather thong for it's intended purpose and you have it up at the top of the flutes and you'd hold a shield in the other hand... Then imagine you're holding the shield up at an angle and aiming your swing at the shins and knees. The shield protects you from downward blows from rioters while you lame them. The whole line moves forward at once working like they're harvesting a field with sickles...

[Aragorn243]

Now that brings back memories. Keep the wood rough and unfinished. A guy in our unit sanded and finished his. Looked great but you could not hold onto it if your hands were wet or sweaty. Guess who that guy was.......

Good to know. I had thought about putting BLO on it because it seems dry but I will leave it as is.

---------- Post added at 10:47 PM ---------- Previous post was at 10:45 PM ----------

If you use the leather thong for it's intended purpose and you have it up at the top of the flutes and you'd hold a shield in the other hand... Then imagine you're holding the shield up at an angle and aiming your swing at the shins and knees. The shield protects you from downward blows from rioters while you lame them. The whole line moves forward at once working like they're harvesting a field with sickles...

You don’t like you have some experience. The lanyard is so big, I can’t see how it works.

[browningautorifle]

The lanyard is so big, I can’t see how it works.

I think you looked at the online document about police use, it's detailed there. It lies across the back of the hand with the thumb hooked, that way if someone gets hold of it you can come out of it and not be dragged... Page four to seven here. https://www.ojp.gov/pdffiles1/Digiti...18816NCJRS.pdf

like you have some experience

Yes, we studied and taught it. Aid to the civil power...

[fjruple]

Use and trained with these batons. One of the levels of less than "lethal" riot control that can be used. At the time we used the heavy old style "flak" vest to protect the main torso with a M1 steel pot with plastic face shield to protect the head and face. The objective was to aim at the legs, knees and groin area. This is not an individual combat with individual but follows the discipline formations very similar what the Roman fighting formations were used. If a "protester" went down or broke through the formation. The second echelon would take him or her to "medical care" or be arrested by local police officers within the formation. Each arrested protester would be photographed or video taped, tagged and flex-cuff. If the protester would not walk to the bus, there were a number of come-along techniques that could be used that make them realize that resistance is futile. Of course if the riot starts to move into another level of violence like looting, shooting and fire bombing, the NG can move to a different level, namely rifles with bayonets. The soldiers with the local police have to be well trained and supervised. After all the rioters may be your local neighbors just acting stupidly.

[browningautorifle]

formations very similar what the Roman fighting formations were used.

That's exactly what it looks like, all the time half stepping forward to push.

[Aragorn243]

Swinging at a down angle wouldn't be bad, I was thinking of swinging high which is awkward. They are heavy to be doing that.

[fjruple]

Swinging at a down angle wouldn't be bad, I was thinking of swinging high which is awkward. They are heavy to be doing that.

The problem with hitting people high in truly vulnerable areas, especially the neck and head, you probably kill them. If you hit them low, they cannot run very far at least fast. I notice that you are from PA, your baton probably was one the ones from a local PA Guard unit.

[Aragorn243]

Probably, the guy said he bought a whole box of them, a couple dozen so they most likely came from a guard unit.

[old tanker]

I remember this grainy slide on the overhead projector and a rather profane sergeant, "Listen up mens! These are the five fatal impact point. Do not hit those &*%%#$ Commie*&&^ hippie*(((^% _ there" Baton can be pretty effective if you use it more like a sword against soft places than a club on hard ones.