Stun Guns Vs. Tasers

For some of our visitors, we have found that not everyone already knows what the difference between a stun gun and taser is. We will start by explaining the difference and then move onto the advantages of each type.

Difference between a stun gun and a taser

Some people think that a stun gun and taser is the same thing or they will refer to a stun gun as a taser. This simple mistake is HUGELY incorrect. It is important to note the difference as there are specific laws set forth that pertain to either stun guns or tasers. First we will start with what a stun gun is and then explain tasers. A stun gun is an electrical device that has probes or prongs attached to the device. When the stun gun safety is in place after depressing the button, you will see an electrical shock that arcs to connect the probes. Sometimes stun guns will also have more than 2 probes and they will have 4 or more. Generally 2 of the probes will have an arc of electricity between them and the other 2 probes you will not see the electrical arc but they will have electric current running through them, usually even the same amount of voltage as the 2 probes that have the electrical arc. The only reason the other probes will not show an electrical arc is because of the distance between them is larger. This greater distance would require more electrical current for an arc to be seen by your eye. Another important thing to note is that a stun gun will not shoot any electrical projectile when activated.

A taser is an electrical device that shoots an electrically charged projectile at the target. Depending on the model of taser you choose, there will be either 1 or several projectiles that shoot toward the target. You can think of a taser as a mini electrical spear gun. The tips of the projectiles look like a small spear so they can penetrate clothing. Even if the projectile does not make contact with the skin of the attacker, the electrical shock will still be functional within usually a 2 inch area on civilian stun guns and 2 inches+ on law enforcement issued tasers.  The differences between civilian and law enforcement style tasers is that the law enforcement issued tasers will be more powerful, have more projectiles, have further range and also shoot at a higher rate of speed. However, as a civilian you cannot legally own the higher end taser models without the proper training. Some security officers/guards can also carry the higher end law enforcement models but they will need to pass a training class and will only be allowed to use the device when on the job. It is also important to note that some tasers also feature a stun gun just in case the attacker comes running at you as he’s been tasered.

So in short here are the differences:

Stun Gun – Has electrically charged probes that you must make contact with the attacker.
Taser – Shoots an electrically charged projectile(s) at the attacker within a specific range.  Range is usually 15-30 feet at most.

 

Stun Gun Pros/Cons:

Pros

  • Very inexpensive (Usually from $50-$150 for a quality stun gun)
  • No training required
  • No registration required (most tasers require that you register your taser with your personal information before the device is activated)
  • No background check
  • Most stun guns have rechargeable batteries (some tasers do not have a rechargeable battery)
  • Smaller and easier to conceal
  • Most stun guns also have more voltage
  • If you fire your stun gun in the presence of an attacker, the attacker might re-consider leaving the situation, ending in no confrontation at all. (some tasers have a stun gun feature, some don’t)
  • No additional charges such as new cartridges (taser cartridges cost between $25-$50 each time you fire a shot)

Cons

  • Cannot stop an attacker at a distance

 

Taser Pros/Cons:

Pros

  • Can stop an attacker at a distance before things get personal

Cons

  • Very expensive (from $300-$1000)
  • Minimal training required such as watching instructional DVD’s and practicing using a target (remember each time you fire a cartridge it will cost $25-$50 each, so the minimal practicing can get costly)
  • Registration is required for tasers. You will be required to register with your personal information before the device is activated. You will also need to have a clean record as a background check will be performed on you prior to activation.
  • Background check is required when registering your device
  • Most tasers do not have a rechargeable battery. When this battery dies you’ll need to contact the company for assistance or replacement of the device. (some manufacturers of tasers do have rechargeable batteries)
  • Most tasers are larger/heavier and harder to conceal. You/your wife don’t want to always have to carry a heavy taser around.
  • Most tasers has less voltage than a stun gun
  • Some tasers have a stun gun built in as well which is what you want when buying a taser/stun gun unit. However, some tasers do not have a stun gun built in, so if you miss your target, you better run FAST and defenseless. If you have a taser without a stun gun built in, and you miss your target, you would have been better off with a stun gun.
  • More expensive because of replacement cartridges.
  • Most civilian taser models shoot out hundreds of tiny confetti pieces onto the attacker with your taser serial number on the confetti pieces. This is used in the event of a police investigation so that they can trace the event back to you. Also some tasers also immediately alert police when used and your location is sent to the police. So if you own a taser, you can plan on having to deal with the police or a police report. Sometimes this can lead up to your arrest depending on the events that took place or how you handle yourself during the situation at hand.

 

Conclusion

As you can easily see, a taser has many more cons than a stun gun. This is why we are firm believers in stun guns rather than tasers. The only downside is that it’s hard to find a quality stun gun. When on the other hand, it’s almost impossible to find a low-quality taser. At the end of the day, we always recommend buying a stun gun over a taser for the obvious reasons. If money is not a problem for you, we recommend that you buy a stun gun and a taser and use them according to your situation. If you’re at home, a gun(not stun gun) is always the way to go. If you’re on the street or in a car, then a stun gun is just as useful as a taser. If you’re indoors, then a stun gun is more appropriate.

21 Comments/Reviews

  • Mwitma says:
    5 stars

    Thanks to this article I feel very much informed in the difference and effectiveness of both stun guns AND tasers

  • Darrell says:

    In a illegal lstate can you have a stun gun in the lock box.

  • Choose Reality says:
    5 stars

    Zimmerman did society a big favor.Perood. The dindu problem is so out of hand that average honest people will be taking thingsbinto their own hands. The lroblem of rapes robbery shooting and murder carjackings. Have fun mfers.

  • Lisa Megan says:

    This article is extremely helpful for those who do not know the importance of carrying stun guns with them. I am a working women and always prefer to have the one.

  • Stoneturner says:

    Thank u 4 valuable info & 4 incl specific state references. Really like ur site. I’d like these answers as well, from your customers. Edited 2 shorten. Q#1 Larry31 on 1/17/14 Is there ideal specific voltage 4 a stun gun? Big range-not sure what’s most effective, useful or just too much. Q#2 Paul on 7/30/15 If u use stun gun against attacker’s body, does personal contact b/t u & attacker cause shock of stun gun 2 affect u as well as him? From me: if 1st stun doesn’t work, can u use stun gun immed again or must recharge? 2″ thick- will it work thru a jacket? Obviously depends on thickness, or better 2 use on exposed skin ie: neck or face if u r able? Just started my research & part way thru ur site.

  • Paul says:

    Question: If an attacker grabs hold of you and you are able to use a stun gun against his body, does the personal contact between you and the attacker cause the shock of the stun gun to affect you as well as him?

    • fox says:

      To Paul. Your question if bodies are touching, does the stun on the intruder affect yourself. The answer is an affirmed NO. fox

  • bre says:
    5 stars

    thank you very good information oood job

  • Larry31 says:

    Is there a specific voltage to look for when shopping for a stun gun? I see such a big range so not sure what’s most effective, useful or just too much.

  • Dan says:
    1 stars

    I have a feeling the site will delete this comment, but their above “advice” is dangerously incorrect and biased. The cheap stunguns they are touting as so effective are, in reality, inferior to tasers.

    Tasers work on the same frequency as the signals between brain and muscles, essentially hijacking them and rendering the target immobile for quite a while afterwards. It forces all muscles to contract repeatedly and quickly, stopping them dead. As in physically UNABLE to move. A stungun, on the other hand, is simply a painful electric charge that hurts, but has none of the above effects.

    One of the civilian taser models (I think it is the C2) will keep shocking for a half minute after it is deployed, even if you drop it and run. Which is exactly what the company advises, and will replace it free of charge with a police report. Long story short, tasers are expensive, but they WORK. Stunguns are cheap, and May work. Don’t cheap out on your lives, people.

  • yep says:

    C.J.
    If you think you need to use your stun gun then forget about their friggin health!

  • Mr2Tim says:
    5 stars

    Too bad Zimmerman did not have a stun gun when he was mugged by a drug addled Trayvon Martin.

    • PRINCE OF GEORIGA says:

      @ Mr2Tim, You sound like pure white trailer trash… Know your facts before speaking. Trayvon Martin ( innocently lost his life because of some racist creepy white cracker. ) So to sit here and create a pathetic joke is absolutely preposterous.

      • Rhonda says:

        Hey, you are full of crap. Trayvon Martin did not innocently lose his life, he was out doing something he should not have been doing. And it is too bad that there was not a stun gun or taser available as he would still be alive and maybe change his behaviors that would not cost him his life. Every time a white person has a comment about a black person getting shot or killed, we are racist. I don’t want to see anyone lose their life to violence, only we can stop this violence if we banned together and quit calling each other names and felt that whites and blacks hated each other. The only thing that will ever work is love one another as self and treat each other with respect. That comment was totally uncalled for and you know it.

        • Skip Gregory says:

          Good response, Ronda. There are far too many deaths. And as in Chicago (Detroit, Baltimore, and Washington, DC) too many are caused by blacks. And too many of their other woes might be from leaving the control of the cities in the hands of 1 political party for 85 years straight (54 in Detroit, 45 in Baltimore, and 41 in DC). Time for us all to change.

        • Magee says:

          You need to read up on the incident that caused him his life. How is walking and eating candy a crime? He had visited that same gated community several times with his father. If Zimmerman would have minded his own business, none of this would have happened but he didn’t. Zimmerman was a wanna be cop! Oh, BTW, I retired in 2011 from law enforcement.

      • Mylon L Stark says:

        Correct re: Zimmerman. He was a predator. He tracked the young man down like he was stalking a wild animal.

        Zimmerman continued to justify his reckless, ridiculous conduct. Everyone learns, in CCW training, you’ve lost any defense you have when you stalk v. evade.

        The role of a CCW citizen is to avoid, recognize, escape FIRST! Zimmerman violated a fundamental rule: one does not seek out engagement.

        Further, his claim to be a community watch “whatever” was and is nonsense. Even if he HAD been a neighborhood watch volunteer, the training THOSE people receive (as a former LEO, I used to conduct this type of community outreach training) includes being the eyes and ears – not to engage.

        The Ultra Right Wing Extremist Fanatics will go to the mattresses for Zimmerman – and those of his ilk. There is no hope for those Fanatics.

  • C. J. says:

    Can a stun gun or taser be fatal to a person with a pacemaker implant?

    • Admin says:

      Hello C.J. – According to the American Heart Association they have found Tasers/Stun Guns to not cause any irregularities or effects to the native rhythm of the pacemaker.

      Obviously you may not know if an assailant has a pacemaker or not, but if it’s someone you know personally that has a pacemaker, we recommend not using a stun gun or taser on them. The reason we do not recommend this for an individual with a pacemaker is because each stun gun is built differently and unless its guaranteed safe to use, we recommend against it. I have included a link below to the research conducted by the AHA (American Heart Association) that explains their findings of the test.

      http://circ.ahajournals.org/cgi/content/meeting_abstract/118/18_MeetingAbstracts/S_592-b

  • tinasman says:
    5 stars

    thanks for the information guys, extremely helpful

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