Stun Guns and Tasers

A woman  bought a stun gun from me at one of my presentations and while I was showing her how to use it, she kept calling it a taser. (FYI, Taser is actually a brand of nonlethal weapon that shoots conductive darts and usually used to refer to any weapon which shoots darts into the victim to deliver an electrical shock). I stopped and reminded her and the attendees, the difference between a Taser and a Stun Gun. It's important to know the difference because this lady thought her stun gun would shoot the electricity at the assailant. In a real world situation, she would have thought her "taser" malfunctioned because it didn't do what she thought it was supposed to. What would she have done then? Throw it at him?

So, to explain, a STUN GUN  is a hand-held electroshock weapon that uses a temporary high-voltage low-current electrical discharge to override the body's muscle-triggering mechanisms. The recipient can be momentarily paralyzed by the electricity via two metal probes on the top of the electroshock device which will cause intense pain while the electric current is being applied.  The stun gun's contacts must make contact with the assailant's body to cause the paralyzing effect. A stun gun may not be effective on an assailant wearing heavy or thick clothing such as a leather jacket or a rain coat. If the assailant is wearing such clothing, contact with any exposed skin will do the trick. Keep in mind that stunning an assailant in the eyes may cause permanent damage and could carry some legal ramifications. Most stun guns produce between 7 and 15 million volts depending on the model.

A TASER is also a hand-held conductive energy device which fires projectile darts that pierce the assailant's skin and administer the shock through thin, flexible wires. The recipient will be temporarily paralyzed by the electricity as long as the trigger is held down. Most newer models will only apply a three second burst of electricity. The Taser's projectile darts must make contact with the assailant's body to cause the paralyzing effect and can also be hindered or fail due to heavy clothing. Using a Taser requires more training as accuracy in aiming is critical. A scared trembling shooter may miss the target altogether in a panic which will leave the shooter vulnerable again.

Note: most law enforcement personnel use Tasers, not stun guns.

A drawback with stun guns and Tasers is that once the novelty of knowing you carry a electroshock weapon wears off, the device is eventually forgotten and relegated to the bottom of the purse or under the car seat to gather dust and lint. The charge slowly drains until the device is nothing more than extra weight. These are devices that must be practiced with and kept fully charged at all times. God forbid you should ever need the weapon, only to find it's dead. News Flash! Throwing it at an attacker will NOT have the same effect.

Another drawback to having a stun gun is having a stun gun with excessive voltage. Remember that chances are that an attacker will be a male larger and stronger than you. If the attacker overpowers you while you have your 15 million volt stun gun in your hand, he may most likely remove it from you. If he stuns you with your own stun gun, you may receive a debilitating 15 million volt shock which could cause you more damage than the original assault.  Your incapacitation may leave you more vulnerable than before the initial attack.

As I state in my demonstrations, self defense is about avoiding and or escaping a dangerous situation using the least amount of force using your knowledge and the tools at hand given the situation. Avoid getting in a physical confrontation at all cost unless you get forced into it, and only use deadly force if your life is in danger, someone else's life is in danger, or rape is the intent. The protection of property is NOT reason for deadly force regardless of the value.

Most stun guns have a similar shape as the one above. The stun gun contacts must come in contact with the attacker to deliver the shock. Most stun guns deliver a 7 to 10 million volt shock depending on the model.

Most Tasers have a pistol configuration for accuracy. Note the two wires shooting out of the front of the Taser. The photo on the right shows the "darts" that must penetrate the victim's skin to deliver the shock.

There are several different configurations, styles, and voltage levels of stun guns and tasers on the market which are designed for different purposes and situations, ask your dealer or consultant which type is best for you based on your needs and capabilities, not just the highest voltage. (see the Bigger is Better Mentality post as a reference).

Advent tip. Someone who has had a stun gun used on them may bear visible marks. These marks may appear as two small scabs about a half inch apart. If these marks or scabs are in a target area, it may be a tip off that the subject is a predator.

 

These stun gun marks may appear as red dots or scabs on the neck, face, arms, hands or lower legs. Although they are usually not permanent, but depending on the location, may be the consequences of attacking a woman who attended one of 

my presentations.

Another example of a woman who chose not to be a victim and left her mark.  

Stun guns and Tasers should never be used for intimidation, revenge, or just because you don't like the way they looked at you. In a court of law, you can be charged with assault if you use an electroshock weapon for anything other than self defense.

Don't live in fear. Use knowledge as a defense.