WHAT IS A STUN GUN ???

A stun gun is a hand held, electrical self defense device that uses high voltage to stop an attacker.  Touching a person with the contact probes on the gun quickly immobilizes the attacker by causing intense pain and loss of muscle control.  However, because the amperage is very low, no serious or permanent injury is inflicted.  They are used by police departments, security agencies, and individuals desiring protection against attack.  They have been proven to be an excellent defensive device as they have incredible stopping power and yet remain non-lethal.  Typically they operate on one or two 9-volt batteries and range from 85,000 volts to 625,000 volts (my personal opinion, anything under 100,000 volts is pretty useless if you are actually trying to defend yourself).

A stun gun is designed to send a high voltage, low current pulse at extremely high frequencies into and through the body. The sudden burst of electricity forces the muscles to do an extraordinary amount of work in a very short time. This exertion converts the blood sugar to lactic acid, thus robbing the muscles of their necessary fuel for some time. The amount of time of control loss depends on the duration of the stun. Typically, a stun of half a second causes muscle contractions and pain. A stun of one to two seconds causes disorientation and spasms, and a stun of three seconds or longer can cause loss of balance, muscular control, or sometimes unconsciousness. Some describe a four to five second stun as the equivalent of falling two stories onto a concrete sidewalk.  Sounds like a lot of fun on the receiving end, huh ???

HOW DOES A STUN GUN WORK ???

The pulse keys into the nervous system, causing disorientation and a loss of balance, but no permanent damage. In fact, the average stun gun only produces about half a joule of energy, as opposed to the ten joules it takes to cause a heart attack.   It takes one Ampere to kill someone, and stun guns only operate between one and two thousandths of an Ampere.  A person with a pacemaker could get hit with a stun gun with no threat to the operation of the device.  Yes, of course one can use a stun gun to kill, just as one can use a coffee mug to kill. It takes a concentrated effort and a lot of willpower to beat someone to death or to hold a stun gun on someone long enough to kill them. Stun guns are perfectly legal in most states (See Legal Issues section), and many people carry them for personal protection. They are rather inexpensive (the ones at New World Warehouse start at $24.95), and easy to maintain (9 Volt Battery).

WHAT DIFFERENCE IS THE NUMBER OF VOLTS ???

The voltage that a stun gun delivers is not necessarily the most important variable in whether or not a stun gun is effective.  Although higher voltage can translate into a more effective stun gun, equally important is the delivery and the amperage of the charge.  A lower voltage stun gun with a better method of delivery may be more effective then the stun gun with higher voltage.  

SOME FACTS ABOUT STATIC DISCHARGE:

Now the stun guns that I use are all from the MuscleMan brand of stun guns.  They seem to be one of the bigger and better brands on the market and are very dependable (They come with a one year manufacturer's warranty).  They all use Static Discharge as their means of zapping.

STATIC DISCHARGE: (9-20 electrical watts @ 100,000-500,000 static volts)

SOME FINAL RUMOR CONTROL

Although not impossible, it is highly unlikely that if you reach into a purse or bag for your stun gun that you will shock yourself.  There is an on/off safety switch on the side of the gun.  Not only would the switch have to be moved into the "on" position, the trigger would have to be depressed as well.  Many people I have talked to have said they did not want to get one due to this fact.  The sheer power of a stun gun can be very intimidating to have around you, but keep in mind, this same intimidation goes for the person that may be about to attack you.  If they see you with a stun gun, there is a much less likely possibility that you will be approached.  With the rising number of assaults on women these days, I highly suggest that every woman carry one in their purse.  It is a very small price to pay for protecting yourself.  Don't wait until the time comes and you wish you had gotten one.  Practice some preventive medicine.