Expedient Weapons: Rolled Up Magazines

Rolled up magazines, like pen lights, make excellent Yawara sticks; And, because they are very common, they are more likely to be available as expedient weapons than most other objects. Any tightly rolled up magazine will make a useful force-multiplying weapon. Rolled up magazines can be carried everywhere and will attract no attention.

The rolled up magazine’s usefulness as a weapon is similar to that of the pen light as described below.

By grasping the rolled up magazine in the middle with the ends extending out from both sides of the fist the magazine multiplies the potential of the fist. The diameter is such that the barrel of the magazine reinforces and solidifies the fist increasing the effectiveness of the knuckles.

Four different striking modes are available with the magazine held in this manner.

Ridge hand strikes
Hammer fist strikes
Front of the knuckle punches (straight, reverse, hook, upper cut, etc)
Back fist strikes

The magazine is long enough to protrude more than two inches from both sides of the fist. However, it isn’t very effective when used as a lever to pressure the bones of the fingers or wrist because the diameter is too large and the rolled up magazine is not quite rigid enough to concentrate pressure into a point or line.

Link to other topics in the Special Report: Expedient Weapons