CCW options, gun, knife, mace, fists, flashlights and strobes
I think those about sum up your options for fighting and maybe if you are in good shape a good kicking foot will do. I primarily count on firearms for self defense because there are levels of threats and levels of criminal intent and showing a gun is enough to deter most crimes when a knife or flashlight really might just make a bad guy laugh at you especially if he’s bigger. I’ve seen first hand that a untrained person with a knife isn’t going to inflict much damage and unless you actually know how to move with a knife, don’t even try and wield it. A tactical knife is a good accessory to concealed carry, but not something for the amateur to fight with.
Something to consider which is showing up more and more in CCW flashlight courses I have sat in on are the strobe flashlights. Now, first of all, I’m not going to tell you that it’s something that is going to stop a threat, I’m just saying that it is something else to consider especially when Streamlight Flashlights only cost you about $50+ dollars and might give you something else to use on a dumb drunk that is really just an annoyance rather than a threat. An unsuspecting drunk isn’t going to like having a 180 Lumen flashlight and a ” Hi, how are you” from a friendly CCW that flashes him in the eyes and then gets into a car and drives off.