How to Operate a Stun Gun

Stun gun technology has evolved through time. Today’s devices are generally smaller, sleeker and of a higher built quality than those from just a few years ago. But no matter which model you choose, it is up to you to properly operate the device. Without knowledge and steady practice, all would be lost in a tension filled encounter with an opponent determined to do you harm.

SM-Multi Stun Gun

Fortunately, operating a stun gun is not complicated no matter which model you choose. While models may differ in their switching layout, all serve the same functions. Here are the main controls followed by operating procedures in an encounter.

1.      By law, the main “on” switch must be separate to an “activate stun” button. So first and foremost, learn the location of these two controls. Most main “on” controls are of the sliding switch variety; slide from “off” to “on”.  This arms the device. The “activate stun” button or rocker switch is of the momentary switch type, press to activate, release to stop the stun.  Practice locating these two controls, first by site and later by feel alone. It may be dark in an actual encounter and these movements must be automatic. Yes, it’s OK to discharge the unit in the air for brief moments.

2.      Your unit may have a flashlight feature.  The control arrangements vary by model but usually a sliding switch goes from “stun” to “flashlight.” Practice this move also. A steady light shining in your opponent’s eyes can blind temporarily-- to your benefit.

3.      Stun devices (stun guns and batons) are powered by either replaceable batteries or rechargeable ones that charge inside the device. A good rule of thumb is a “top off” every 30-60 days. Read your manual because charging times vary by model. DO NOT leave the unit plugged into a wall outlet indefinitely. You can spot a weakening battery by briefly discharging the unit in mid-air and/or by turning on the flashlight and gauging the brightness.

4.      You’ll need to figure out how best to carry your stun gun. Most come with holsters but you may want to have on in your car or in your carry-all bag. If you are walking alone in a dark place, by all means turn the main switch ON. Then all you have to do is press the “activate” button in an encounter.  

5.      The stun gun must be touching your assailant to work. Your stun gun will penetrate through clothing up to 2 inches in thickness. When you have to use your stun gun, push the stun gun against any part of the assailant's body with the contacts on the assailant. For maximum effect, the best areas of the body to aim for are the shoulder, neck, torso or hips. Of course, if you are ever in a situation where you have to use your stun gun, you may or may not be able to direct it where you want. That is why any part of the body will still get the effects of your stun gun. Hold the stun gun on your assailant for as long as you need to bring him/her down. Don’t expect to hear the zapping sound when applied against the body. It IS working. 

For more details of stun gun operation go to www.stungunsupply.com 

Are Stun Guns Really Effective?

Are stun guns effective?  To answer this question, you need to know how stun guns work. First, remember that a stun gun, unlike a TASER, needs to be applied directly to the person's skin. Firing the stun gun in this way produces a high voltage, low milliamp charge to the person's skin or clothing causes the musculature to lock up. The normal glucose supply to the nerves and muscles is rapidly depleted, replaced by lactic acid. The assailant experiences loss of balance and muscle control, confusion and disorientation for five to ten minutes. The effect on the heart is insignificant. 

Because the amount of current is relatively low, there is considered to be a 'margin' of safety by most medical experts. To date, the scientific literature finds no permanent effects when applied to reasonably healthy individuals. The effect is directly related to time of application, either repeated or prolonged. Do do continue the application beyond what is necessary to bring the assailant down and immobilized.


You can apply the stun effect anywhere on  the torso. The best points of contact would be the upper hip, below the rib cage or the upper shoulders. This is due to there being nerve centers at those points so the effect travels far from the site. Do not overlook the thigh as a target as this muscle can cramp rather easily causes the assailant to go down.

So now you see how stun guns work. They are an excellent means of self protection. Carry one often and keep it armed and ready in high stress environments.

Stun Gun and the Canine Question

As a customer service representative for Stun Gun Supply, hardly a day goes by that I am not asked about stun guns and their effectiveness on animals. There is an evident need for these people to control unwanted advances from aggressive dogs. It's a complicated issue and I don't want to recommend a product designed for the nervous and musculature system of humans. Here are some things to keep in mind if you want to go this route.

First of all, there are products on the market specifically designed to control canine aggression. Mace Security makes a product called Muzzle Dog Repellent that is EPA approved. It is a pepper spray product that can spray up to 10 feet. Pepper spray (OC) is a known effective tearing agent that works in most cases. Some individuals, and canines by extension, can "fight through" the effects so it can not be considered effective in all cases.

Another product to consider is the Super Dog Chaser. This small hand held unit uses two ways to repel a dog. One is a discomforting high frequency sound above the range of human hearing. The second is a super bright LED flashing strobe that temporarily confuses the dog. The manufacturer claims effectiveness up to 40 feet.

I can find no peer reviewed controlled study that examines the effectiveness of stun guns on animals. There is some anecdotal evidence that suggests that the devise may produce the desired effect on canines at least in some situations. Adam Katz, owner of dogproblems.com, recommends the stun gun. "If you see a stray or unleashed dog approaching you, press the button a couple times," he says. "We've found that the electrical charge hits ultra high frequency sound waves that only the dog can hear. About 50% of the dogs would immediately turn tail and run away." He says that if the dog gets any closer, use the stun gun.

The Times Herald-Record of April 13, 2006 details the use of a TASER gun by a Monroe, NY police officer to subdue two attacking pit bulls on a golf course. The dogs which escaped from their home had been menacing golfers at the Monroe Country Club and golfers were left defending themselves using golf clubs. The officer zapped the dogs twice forcing the dogs to return home.

In another incident, Police officers in the UK armed with a stun gun tasered a dog after it was reported to have 'turned on its owner' in Blackburn, Lancashire. The dog, thought to be a Staffordshire Bull Terrier, is said to have attacked its 45 year old owner who was out walking it at the time on Sunday. Ambulance staff arrived at the scene to treat the woman's injuries but withdrew after the dog attacked them. A police officer arrived at the scene armed with the taser device and stunned the dog before approaching it and tying it up and taking it to a Lancashire police station. The dog's owner was treated for her injuries in the hospital for leg wounds. Police or paramedics did not suffer any injuries in the incident.

The stun baton is perhaps the ideal stun gun weapon to use on a dog. The cattle prod, a progenitor of the modern stun baton, has been used for decades to control farm animals. The stun baton's 16"-22" length enables an application with the arm outstretched. Standard rectangular stun guns top out at about 9" tall and require very close proximity to the animal that could pose a danger to the user. Most stun batons emit an electrical charge along the upper part of the shaft. So even if you can't employ the tip, a strike of the baton's shaft to an animal's flank would be just as effective.

The disclaimer here is that no study has been conducted to ascertain the effects and safety of stun guns on animals. Until more is known, I recommend limiting stun baton use to 400,000 volts of power for large dogs and 300,000 volts for small dogs. Don't use the device in a prolonged manner. If a 3-5 second application produces no effect, a longer one won't be any more effective.

We recommend that walkers who would likely encounter aggressive dogs also carry canine pepper spray and the Super Dog Chaser device. If one method proves ineffective on a particular animal, the other may. Before purchasing a stun gun or pepper spray, check your state's regulations as some restrict the use of these devices.

Product Review -The SM-CELL Cell Phone Stun Gun

Introduction

One of the most popular stun gun models is the Stun Master SM-CELL cell phone stun gun. This 800,000 volt self defense product contains the stun effect, a bright LED flashlight and a 120db alarm. The unit resembles a cellphone, not the latest ultra slim flip phone but still a convincing simulation of a small cellphone. It measures 4 inches tall, 1 7/8 inches in width at the waist and 1 1/8 inches thick. It is, of course, a self defense product and does not operate as a cell phone.

Up Close

The case is silver and the buttons are black. The simulated display is large with a group of icons typical of a cell phone. The black panel above the display reads "Stun Master." The product comes with two CR123A lithium batteries and a nylon holster with belt loop. A black wrist strap is a safety device. Wrap it around your wrist and if your attacker grabs the SM-CELL from you, the strap will detach and the unit will be left completely inoperable. The unit has a limited lifetime warranty.

Operation

The SM-CELL sports four functional buttons above the non-functioning dial buttons. You push the "power" button to turn the unit on. Two red LED lights come on. The "electroshock" button discharges the unit with a spark arcing across the two electrodes. The "alarm" button activates a loud high pitched alarm as long as the button is pressed. The "flashlight" button activates a very bright "white light" three LED flashlight. Pressing the "power" button again turns the unit off.

The SM-CELL is certainly full featured. It is the only unit to this reviewer's knowledge that includes both an alarm and a bright LED flashlight. As a bonus, the $59.95 retail price includes two CR123A batteries free. Go to Wal-Mart and these two batteries will cost you about $10.00.

All stun guns operate in the same way. The electrical charge is high in voltage but low in amperage. The high voltage enables the charge to be effective through clothing but the low amperage keeps the unit non-lethal. The units effectiveness varies with the length of application. A 1/2 second will cause some pain and muscular contraction, one to two seconds will cause muscle spasms and a dazed mental state. Three to five seconds will cause loss of balance and a confusion. You will not suffer a charge-back to your own body, so you can feel safe even if your assailant is touching you.

The best strike areas on the body are the upper shoulders, lower rib cage and upper hip. A stun gun requires direct body contact to be effective. Pepper spray can be applied from a distance of perhaps 5-8 feet. Consumer Taser darts can be propelled from a distance of up to 15 feet. Unlike pepper spray, stun guns are unaffected by wind. Furthermore, there are reports of an approaching attacker running away when confronted with the arcing snap of a stun gun's electrodes.

Summary

Stun guns are effective self defense products and safe when used in a common sense moderate fashion. The SM-CELL is one of the best cell phone stun gun models available with a three-in-one multi-function operation: stun gun, alarm and flashlight. It is an outstanding value in a compact stun gun.

News Article Notes Rising Non-Lethal Weapons Purchases

A recent news story in the South Florida Sun-Sentinel documents the rising sales of stun guns and pepper spray. News writers Brian Haas and Maria Chercoles quote several sources as saying the popularity of these "less-lethal" defensive weapons is on the rise. The chief reason, they assert, is that citizens want self defense products against crime but are uncomfortable with lethal weapons where they may have to kill someone.

"They want something in the middle. A big part of our society is that way," said Jeff Dillard, president of National Law Enforcement Distributors in Davie. "There's not a day that goes by when we don't have four or five customers come in here discussing this."

After noting that both electric stun guns and pepper spray are legal in Florida, they then list the pros and cons of both.

Pepper Spray:

Pepper spray is inexpensive and comes in several forms including the popular "disguised" models that look like pens, lipstick or pagers. Dillard likes pepper spray because it incapacitates an attacker for up to an hour left untreated. Drawbacks include possible blow-back during high winds. Also, there have been reported cases of some individuals fighting through the pain and discomfort. This makes a case for buying the strongest available such as Wildfire 18% pepper spray.

Stun Guns:

Robert J. Leitner, chief operating officer of Tactical Products Group in Delray Beach prefers stun guns. "You only need a second or two to touch the assailant and it also has a powerful deterrent," Leitner said. "In our experience, criminals fear them more than pepper sprays." Limiations here are the on-person contact that is required. Plus the effects don't last as long as pepper spray.
But often a display of the arcing electrodes is enough to thwart an attack. Stun guns are also inexpensive with models starting at about $20. Cell phone stun guns are perhaps the most popular "disguised" models.

Tasers:

The newest "less-lethal" device, Tasers shoot two electrified wires with barbs on the end. They lodge on the perpetrators clothing or skin and fire automatically for 30 seconds. Shooting range is about 15 feet. Taser International spokesman Steve Tuttle says it has none of the disadvantages of stun guns or pepper spray. "I don't want to get one foot away from them and try to apply something to them directly," Tuttle said. "Place it on the ground, let it do the work for you and get to safety."

The authors end their article by warning that these weapons are not toys and must be used safely. If you purchase one, you should treat it as a firearm: realize that it is a weapon and make sure to keep it far from the reach of children. Dillard also warned against storing pepper spray inside a car. The Florida sun can weaken the seal and cause leakage.

Review of the Stun Master SM-FLEX Telescopic Stun Baton

The Stun Master Telescopic Stun Baton SM-FLEX is designed to repel attackers by the touch of the device on any part of the body. It's in a class of self-defense products known as non-lethal deterrents. The manufacturer claims it will transmit it's shock effect through 1/2 inch of clothing. It is rated at 800,000 volts which puts it at the upper echelon of power. These and all other stun devices rely upon high voltage to overcome the resistance of the human body and low amperage to keep the administration safe and the effects temporary.

The Stun Master Telescopic Stun Baton is a rechargeable unit that comes with a plug-in re-charger. It also includes an integrated flashlight and alarm as well as a holster with belt loop. The manufacturer recommends letting the device run down before re-charging. The unit carries a life-time warranty.

The stun baton closed is 12 3/4 inches long. The widest part is at the integrated light which is 2 3/4 inches across. The circumference of the shaft at its base is 5 inches. Fully extended, the baton measures 21.5 inches. The unit weighs just over one pound. The baton is black with two chrome side rails along the shaft. The expanded telescopic part is in three sections, each bit smaller so they nestle inside each other when collapsed. The handle is ridged for a positive grip.

The three controls on the baton are easily accessed when holding it. There is a rocker switch which arms and disarms the unit. By your index finger is a ridged oval switch which serves double duty. You press this to first expand the baton. It expands quickly with a decided snap. Then this switch will activate the stun effect as long as you hold it down. The third switch by your thumb turns on the flashlight in the first position. Push it further and the siren goes off. The flashlight is bright and the siren gives off a very piercing wail. For safety, there is a small plastic set piece lying in this switch canal. You must remove this to operate the switch.
You collapse the unit by pushing in on the shafts till it seats. It's all very well thought out. That's a good thing because you don't want to be hampered by a poor design when you have to react in a hurry under duress. Also noteworthy is the fact that the full length of the metal rails is electrified. If the attacker tries to grab the Telescopic Stun Baton from you, he will be shocked. The shock will not transfer to you if the attacker is touching you.

The included black vinyl holster is a thoughtful addition. The collapsed shaft end goes into the holster while a Velcro loop above fastens around the base of the handle. Because the unit is so light, a night watchman or security guard could wear this around a belt with no discomfort.

This is a handsome unit with impressive features. Expandable/collapsible stun batons have an advantage over hand held rectangular stun devices. With those you must be very close to your attacker to apply the charge. (Hand-helds are typically 4-6 inches tall.) With a maximum range of 21.5 inches and with an outstretched arm, you could repel your assailant from 3 to 4 feet from your body. That's a distinct tactical advantage.