Quite often when dealing with people face to face they seem to not really understand the way that a stun gun works to keep them safe. A big portion of the misunderstanding is, at least in my belief, the common use of the word taser when shock protection devices are spoken about.
Taser is a manufacturer ( now Axon Enterprise, Inc) of electric self defense weapons of various types. The name taser has become a name used to refer to any of the many types of these very debilitating weapons. Thus the confusion when speaking about a stun gun when thinking about a taser.
Most people these days are familiar with Taser through the law enforcement and military users of the shooting devices used to immobilize a bad guy while not having to use a more lethal form of control. In some instances these very same forces will use a stun gun to bring a subject into compliance, but it is a very different type of electric shock utility between the two.
A taser in the classic sense it a shooting weapon that delivers a set of barbed probes between 15 to 35 feet away that will penetrate the skin of the combatant. These probes are attached to a wire that is connected to the control unit of the system and a current of 50,000 volts pulsates into the person causing the muscles to spasm and then the subject immediately falls to the ground.
The person being tasered is often quite aware of what is going on but is unable to move while the unit is engaged. This period can last as long as 30 seconds on the Pulse+ civilian models and can be applied in multiple 5 second intervals with the law enforcement version. The law enforcement and civilian models can both are designed with the ability to be used as a stun gun if the need arises.
A stun gun is a contact weapon used to allow someone the opportunity to free them-self from the grasp of someone who is attempting to force their will upon them in an unwanted encounter. By placing a stun gun against a person and activation of the trigger mechanism you send a current into the person that will at first give a very, very painful burning sensation and then, according the the milliamperage of the weapon, the brain will become clouded and will effectually lose contact with the legs and then gravity takes over and down they will go.
As you can see these are two very different types of weapons. One shoots and the other is a contact weapon. That’s why I believe so many people are so surprised when I tell them that a stun gun needs to come into contact with the assailant. The words are used interchangeably and the concepts have become muddled.
Both are very good self defense products. Each has it’s place in your personal arsenal of self protection items. Taser actually designs a stun gun into the law enforcement model that can be fired without deploying the probes just for situations that this type of response is more with the nature of the encounter. Each unit has it’s place and it’s use and neither is better to own than the other.
Quality is of major importance when looking for a stun gun to add to your personal defense array. Always look for an established maker of well reviewed and well warranted products. You want to be sure that if and when needed your safety is in good hands. You want a weapon that will last you as long as you need it to and deliver the punch every time it is called upon to do so.
A word of caution for when you shop for your new safety weapon. Don’t worry about the voltage listed on the box as much as the seller would like you too. Voltages are often listed in the tens of millions these days, but the truth be known voltage isn’t the factor that causes the bad guy to go down. It’s the milliamps. Voltage is, lets say, the heat or pain level that the person being shocked will feel while the trigger is engaged. However the milliamperage, which is the level of energy flowing into the person is the factor to putting them on the ground so you can leave.
A quick look at the manufacturers of these devices will quickly reveal that a huge number of these devices are produced with a milliamperage rate of 1.8. *Tom Harris writes in HOW STUFF WORKS that you need at least 3 milliamps to have an effective gun. You need to take these rates into account when choosing what to buy. A stun gun with a milliamperage rating of 4.7 will put an attacker on the ground twice as fast as one just working with 1.8 milliamps. Read the boxes, ask the sellers, know what you are getting and make sure the seller knows his merchandise. Ask about the battery. Does it need to be replaced? If it’s rechargeable how long does a charge last? What kind of charger does it take, is it only one certain type of charger or will others fit it as well?
Don’t go by the sound it makes. That has nothing to do with the ability of the unit. The sound is just the noise of the electricity arcing from one probe to the other. When in use there is actually no sound at all. There is no arcing. All of the electricity is going into the individual so there is no sound made except for the noise they are making.
There are many styles to choose from so look around to find one that fits your lifestyle. Look for quality, and it should have a lifetime warranty. A good stun gun will. When you locate what you want make sure the seller is reputable and will be around when you need something, like warranty. Most of all pick something you will carry. It will do you no good laying on the dresser at home.
A stun gun, well built, and you being ready to use it will help keep you safe when you are out away from your home. Whether it is for you or someone you love, a little research will go along way toward giving you a sense of comfort when out alone with the world.
Be safe and be ready!
*Tom Harris “How Stun Guns Work” 29 August 2001.
HowStuffWorks.com. 21 March 2020