Whether you're looking for extra piece of mind when you need to be out by yourself at night, or you want to have extra protection in your house but are reluctant to keep gun, or maybe you just want to have more than one personal defense option, you might have considered several self-defense solutions and you might be wondering if a stun gun is right for you. As with most products, there are pros and cons to consider when making a purchase decision, and stun guns are no exception.
So, is a stun gun a good choice? It can definitely be a great choice if used properly, and the fact that it is the preferred non-lethal weapon for law enforcement officers should definitely be a vote of confidence (see video further down, to get their opinion on it). That said, it's not a fool proof solution and as discussed, they come in several forms, all with different ideal uses. If you don't already know what a stun gun is, or what's the difference between a stun gun or a TASER (or tazer), see our other post What is a stun gun?
Let's discuss some advantages and limitations for each common type of stun gun.
Contact stun guns, like the Strikelight 2, require you to come into contact with the target in order to inflict any physical reaction. That means you might need to get dangerously close to the target to deploy it. The good news, however, is that all stun guns produce a pretty loud and definitely intimidating sound whenever discharged even in air. Most potential attackers will back off and find an easier target as soon as you show them you mean business. The effect of a direct discharge from a contact stun gun is sharp pain in the region. At this point reflexes kick in and even the toughest of attackers will instinctively back off immediately. If you've gotten this far, you're probably dealing with a pretty motivated attacker. It's important to keep in mind that while the affected area might still hurt, the acute pain goes away almost instantly, so that attacker is again able to try to to attack again. This is where the people that question their effectiveness make their argument that now you've just made somebody mad, and they can still come back to hurt you. While a valid argument, the reality is that most people will not risk getting shocked again, so it's important to not assume the situation is over and put your gun away, but instead keep facing the attacker with the device ready while backing away towards safety. Triggering the device again if they come close will remind them of the painful encounter and even determined attackers will likely back away eventually.
So how bad does it hurt? Watch this video to get an idea:
You might be thinking that if a contact stun gun is pretty effective, then a stun gun that shoots electrodes (like the 7CQ) would be the best option ever. After all, it is the preferred option for police officers. The extra range of action of these devices definitely increases their effectiveness in more situations. They also come with an added benefit that might not be as obvious. The design of these stun guns enables them to produce a physical effect in the target called NMI (neuro-muscular incapacitation). In plain words, it causes your muscles to lock up and tense for the duration of the discharge, so you're temporarily completely incapacitated. This is really the reason why police officers prefer it. It completely disables the target most likely causes them to drop any weapon they might be holding and allows them time to get close and restrain the target. That sounds like a definite improvement over contact stun guns. They do have some drawbacks, however. Once they are fired, the shooting electrodes need to be replaced. Some versions have battery packs that are not rechargeable either, so they need some maintenance in order to be re-used. The batteries typically last hundreds of discharges though. The other disadvantage is that they are rather large and an obvious threat. In some situations, they can draw negative attention and turn you into a potential target because you may be perceived as a potential threat.
When it comes to effectiveness, here's what some of the people who actually use stun guns as part of their job have to say about them:
If you think stun guns can be a good choice for you or a loved one, you can browse our curated selection of stun guns that range from small, inconspicuous devices, to police-grade protection.
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