Tuesday, March 10, 2009

Should Stun-Guns be Considered Self-Defense Tools ?

By Peter Vermeeren

When the Stun-Gun was discovered in 1974, most law enforcement departements and civilians have started using them as self defense tools. Stun-Guns are coming in different shapes and sizes but all of them cause the same effect, a high voltage electroshock that neutralizes an attack without causing death or severy injury to the attacker.

The idea of a non-lethal weapon for self-defense purposes is very attractive and in many cases preferred. Conventional weapons like knives and guns are illegal in most places and can also be used against the carrier causing serious injuries or even death. The use of firearms can not only kill or maim the attacked but can also harm innocent bystanders.

How does the law look upon Stun-Guns for Self-Defense ?

Stun gun laws keep changing. The current states where stun guns use by non-military and non-police personnel are completely illegal include Michigan, New York, New Jersey, Wisconsin, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, and Hawaii. Many other states have laws restricting the types of stun guns that are legal, and states also regulate the situations in which stun guns can be used and carried. Even if stun guns are permitted by the state you live in, they might be banned by your city, so when considering whether to buy a stun gun for use as a self-defense tool, make sure you check the laws of both your city and state.

Many stated don't allow you to own or use a stun-gun if you are a convited criminal or when you are under 18

How Stun Guns Work

Stun guns work as a tool for self-defense by incapacitating the person receiving the shock. By using a high amount of volts in combination with a low amount of amps, stun guns send massive amounts of energy into a persons muscles, immediately converting blood sugar into lactic acid, which locks up the muscles of the person receiving the blast from the stun gun. Once the attacker has been incapacitated, the victim is able to flee and seek safety. As a self-defense tool, stun guns are not designed to be used for prolonged exposure, which can be risky for the person receiving the shock.

The Different Types of Stun-Guns that can be used for Self-Defense

Stun guns can refer to a variety of electroshock weapons, including tasers and cattle prods, but the conventional stun gun is the type most readily available to ordinary citizens looking to purchase items for use as self-defense tools such as stun guns. Conventional or standard stun guns are usually pocket-sized and powered by a simple, nine-volt battery. A series of tiny transformers increases the voltage in the current, which can run up to 150,000 volts.

In order to employ a stun gun for use as a self-defense tool, the victim needs only to touch both prongs of the device anywhere on the attacker. Parts of the body most sensitive to electroshock include the upper shoulder, below the rib cage, and the upper hip. Even if the attacker is touching another person, such as his victim, the shock is restricted to the person on whom the prongs of the stun gun are directly placed.

Once the attacker receives the shock from the stun gun, he cannot help but fall to his knees. The attacker is thus disabled for up to five minutes, yet suffers no permanent damage or serious injury, meaning he cannot usually come back and sue the victim for using undue force, as long as the stun gun was used legally, yet another reason why stun guns are viable for use as self-defense tools in many cases.

More About Stun Guns and other non-lethal devices on www.hitechsecurityproducts.com

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