| Being in the self-defense and security industry, I'm | | | | make them even more useful. |
| always looking for new innovations in the | | | | Some of the newer technology has produced stun |
| self-defense weapons market. I've spent a lot of | | | | guns that have flashlights built right in. So you can |
| time and money over the last few years researching | | | | carry an inconspicuous flashlight while walking at night, |
| and buying stun guns. Some of them are truly | | | | and still be prepared to deliver a shocking surprise to |
| awesome; some of them are truly lame. | | | | any would be attacker. |
| It never ceases to amaze me at what some | | | | Other stun guns have built in personal alarms that |
| manufacturers will develop in an effort to stay ahead | | | | allow you to draw attention to your situation, and if |
| of the market. The next few paragraphs will attempt | | | | that doesn't scare off your attacker, the high voltage |
| to describe some of the more innovative ideas and | | | | electrical shock will stop them in their tracks. |
| try to steer you away from some of the less | | | | I've even seen stun guns with pepper spray built |
| effective ones. | | | | right into the device, although the few that I've |
| To begin with, let's first describe what a stun gun is | | | | actually purchased have turned out to be inferior |
| and what it does. | | | | quality and I would never sell them on my own |
| A stun gun is a self-defense weapon that takes the | | | | website. |
| electrical energy from an ordinary battery and | | | | Some stun guns are rechargeable so you don't have |
| increases that energy through a set of coils to | | | | to purchase batteries, just plug them into a wall |
| produce a high voltage current. The energy from a | | | | outlet and recharge the internal battery. Although, |
| simple 9 volt battery can be increased to produce as | | | | this technology is still fairly new to me so I can't |
| much as much as 400,000 or 500,00 volts, and with | | | | personally testify as to how long the battery will hold |
| multiple 9 volt batteries or lithium batteries, some | | | | a charge, or how many times it can be recharged |
| stun guns can produce as much as 1,000,000 volts of | | | | before it stops working. |
| current. | | | | One other great feature on some stun guns is the |
| When a person is touched with the electrodes of a | | | | wrist strap disable pin. Put your hand through the |
| stun gun, and the button is pushed, the current does | | | | wrist strap and if the stun gun is taken away from |
| a great deal of work very quickly. The electrical | | | | you, the pin comes out, disabling the device so it |
| current overloads the neuro-electrical impulses from | | | | can't be used against you. |
| the muscles to the brain causing muscle spasms, loss | | | | In my opinion, the most interesting thing about the |
| of muscle control, mental confusion and loss of | | | | newer stun gun technology is the ability to disguise a |
| balance. These effects can last for about 5 or 10 | | | | stun device as an everyday object. |
| minutes, allowing you to get away from an attacker, | | | | In my travels, I've come across stun guns disguised |
| or allowing law enforcement officers to handcuff an | | | | as cell phones, pagers, flashlights, pens, umbrellas, and |
| assailant without much resistance. | | | | even gloves with a stun gun built right in. |
| Nowadays, stun guns do more than just produce high | | | | I can only imagine what someone will come up with |
| voltage for self-defense. Many of the newer stun | | | | next. But if it's out there, I'll find it, and when I do, I'll |
| devices on the market also have added features that | | | | let you know about it. |