| Stun Guns have been an integral tool in the world | | | | electrified barbs that dose your assailant with a |
| of self-defense for over three decades. The | | | | heavy pulse of stopping power. Both designs are |
| modern stun guns took a lot of time and trial to | | | | effective self-defense tools with their own |
| come into being, because electricity�s use | | | | advantages and disadvantages. |
| as a weapon has been studied and applied since | | | | The first model is ineffective at a distance, but |
| the latter half of the nineteenth century. Thomas | | | | normally your attacker will get very close, even |
| Edison endorsed the use of the electric chair as | | | | grab you, or in the case of a rape, try to take |
| capital punishment in 1888, and by 1890 this new | | | | you to the ground. If this is the case, the stun |
| form of execution was put into practice. | | | | device will work perfectly to incapacitate your |
| Electricity�s use was varied in the | | | | attacker so you may escape safely. The second |
| twentieth century, unfortunately it was widely | | | | type of stun gun allows you to keep an assailant |
| used in the interrogation techniques of many | | | | at bay without getting too close. The |
| different militant and law enforcement agencies, | | | | disadvantage is you could miss, but again, these |
| because of the mass pain it could induce without | | | | situations are normally in very close quarters. |
| causing any long term affects, and because it left | | | | Stun Guns come in a various range of voltages, |
| little to no trace it was ever used. Electricity was | | | | some exceeding one million volts. Although a |
| also used in devices like cattle prods. Different | | | | higher voltage may be more painful on contact, |
| models were constantly being invented throughout | | | | fifty thousand volts is enough to do the job. In |
| the twentieth century, becoming lighter, easier to | | | | order to understand how the stun gun works we |
| assemble, and easier to use. By the | | | | need to take a look at the internal functions of |
| 1940�s portable electric cattle prods had | | | | the human body. When your brain decides to |
| been introduced, which started to resemble in | | | | move a body part it sends an electrical message |
| shape the modern hand held stun gun. | | | | to that particular appendage and it then responds. |
| In the 1950�s similar stun gun devices to | | | | When the body gets stunned those signals get |
| the cattle prod were now being described as | | | | scrambled and the body cannot function properly. |
| non-lethal weapons. Some of these weapons | | | | The muscles break down and are rendered |
| were proposed for spec-ops, to replace the | | | | useless and thus the person, no matter how |
| unstealthly sound of loud gunfire. Throughout the | | | | tolerant to pain, will be stopped, giving a victim |
| 50�s and 60�s, various stun guns | | | | ample time to get away. |
| were used by law enforcement for riot control, | | | | Stun guns are effective self-defense tools that |
| as a competent and effective restraining device. | | | | have no long-term repercussions. Using an actual |
| By the 1970�s, manufacturers of these | | | | firearm against someone, even if justly |
| stun guns began marketing them, as personal | | | | motivated, could leave an emotional scar for the |
| protection devices for civilians against would be | | | | rest of your life. Stun guns will do the job |
| attackers like muggers and rapists. Since then, | | | | necessary without killing or maiming your attacker. |
| many different styles of stun guns have been | | | | Even though an unusually high voltage is |
| marketed for home use. | | | | sometimes used, this is not enough to cause the |
| Modern stun guns exist in two general designs. | | | | stun gun to be lethal. The variable in this equation |
| One requires the attacker to be within a distance | | | | is the amperage. While a very high voltage is |
| to actually touch the stun gun to his body. Shaped | | | | used, it is paired with low amperage, usually no |
| like a cell phone, beeper, baton, flashlight or any of | | | | more than 3 milliamps. Electrocution occurs when |
| various other designs, the electrified tip leaks | | | | the amperage is much higher than contained in a |
| electricity into the attacker upon contact. The | | | | stun gun. Some modern stun guns contain more |
| second design more resembles a firearm, and in | | | | voltage than put out by an electric chair, but the |
| fact that is exactly what it is. Propelled by | | | | electric chair has a much higher amperage, which |
| gunpowder, air, or liquid, the stun gun shoots out | | | | is the deciding factor in its lethality. |