When to Use a Stun Gun

Jeremy Pollack September 13, 2016 A non-lethal, legal weapon is always a highly preferred choice for self-protection. Even if you’re legally allowed to carry a lethal defense weapon, like a gun or a knife, you don’t want to have to use it. So, carrying pepper spray, a stun gun, or a Taser are the best options for self-defense. But to legally carry and use the latter two, you better know when and how to use a stun gun properly. The following are some tips on how and when to use a stun gun, the difference between stun guns and Tasers, and how Tasers for civilians differ from those carried by law enforcement.

When and How to Use a Stun Gun 
Legally, a stun gun is ONLY to be used in matters of self-defense—when you can reasonably articulate that you had no other option to defend yourself against an attack. It’s of course always best to try and avoid potentially dangerous situations altogether, if you can help it. But should you need to walk to your car late in the evening after work, for example, you’ll need to take measures to stay safe. And if an assailant were to accost you, and you felt you could not defend yourself reasonably, then this would be the ideal to time to use a stun gun in self-defense. As you encounter any potentially dangerous situation, you’ll want to keep your stun gun ready in hand, not in your purse or pocket. You should be aware of your surroundings at all times and be prepared to use your stun gun if you need to. Your stun gun protects you from attacks at close range, meaning 0 to 3 feet away. If attacked, be certain you hit your target with your weapon before you press the button to begin the electric shock. You need to hold the stun gun against your attacker for about 3 to 5 seconds, depending on the voltage of the stun gun. Try to keep your body physically safe while also in range to execute the prolonged stun. Stunning your attacker will not electrocute you.

Stun Guns vs. Tasers
Some people think that stun guns and Tasers are the same weapon. They’re not. You use stun guns at close range, while Tasers protect you from assailants that are up to 15 feet away or more. Stun guns and Tasers have similar purposes, but quite different capabilities. Stun guns require direct contact with a perpetrator, and they make it necessary for you to hold this contact for a few seconds. Stun guns immobilize an attacker by overworking the muscles in a rapid amount of time, depleting the person of blood sugar. They shock, immobilize, and cause extreme pain. Tasers also shock, immobilize, and cause pain, but they’re meant to help you repel someone from a safe distance, typically between 10 to 15 feet away. They shoot out 2 probes, which remain attached to your Taser via cords. Because the probes shoot out away from each other, they deliver greater electrical range throughout the assailant’s body, making it often easier to immobilize an attacker with a Taser than a typical stun gun. Civilian Tasers vs. Law Enforcement Tasers Civilians and law enforcement personnel carry different kinds of Tasers, because the immediate needs and capabilities of each differ. If you’re considering purchasing a Taser, its critical you know how to use a Taser designed to keep civilians safe. Normal civilians Tasers hold a shock for about 30 seconds, which gives the weapon holder enough time to immobilize an attacker, put the Taser down, and run to safety. The Taser brand says that if you’re attacked and you need to put your Taser down to run, you can contact you local law enforcement agency to file a police report, and then Taser will replace your weapon free of charge. Civilian Tasers have a range of around 15 feet. Law enforcement Tasers emit a shock for 5 seconds, which is supposed to be all the time needed for an officer to restrain an assailant and handcuff him or her. Tasers for law enforcement have a range of around 21 feet. These are just some of the ways and times to use a stun gun, and the differences between stun guns and different Tasers. To find out more, there are many stun guns and Taser products you can review at StaySafeDefense.com . All of them will help keep you safe, but depending on your particular needs and typical environment, you may find one is better for you than the other.

Author: Jeremy Pollack is a self-defense and security expert. He has been teaching martial arts since 2001, with high-level rankings in several disciplines. Jeremy is also former reserve military for the state of California, where he was a member of the Military Police unit, as well as a California licensed private security and firearms operator. He holds several security certifications, including the Military Emergency Management badge from FEMA, the US Army’s Anti-Terrorism Level 1 certificate, California’s PC832 Firearms & Arrest certifications for Law Enforcement, and the California Military Department’s Security Force certification, among others.

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