After carefully watching the training videos and reading the manual, I aimed the laser in the center of the torso on the enclosed practice target sheet, held the C2 in a vertical position, pointed the laser in the center of the torso, and gently pressed the trigger.

One of the prongs went into the exact spot where I had pointed the laser. The second prong never hit the target, bounced back, and hit me just above my knee. It went right through my blue jeans, but somehow managed not puncturing my skin although it definitely hurt when it hit my skin.

The attendant confirmed that the second prong never hit any part of the target (there was no secondary hole), saw where the second prong entered my clothing just above my knee, and directed me to the ladies room where I could privately remove the prong from my blue jeans.

I have tried to call Taser International several times, but you can never talk to a live person and always have to leave a voicemail message. I have never received a return phone call.

I am extremely scared to use my Taser C2 to fire a real cartridge as it could easily bounce back again and not only hit my body but give me a very painful and disabling electric shock.

The manufacturer says the battery has a shelf life of 5+ years, however, what they do not tell you is that after the battery is installed in the C2, there is a trickle that makes the C2 dead in a few months. DEAD. You will pull it out in a critical situation and nothing will happen.

The battery and the unit is NOT RECHARGEABLE. You need to replace the $50 battery (if you can remember) every 3 to 5 months or the unit will not work.

I threw mine away after it did not work in a dangerous situation. I had to do some research to realize the poor battery life of the unit, even when it is off, not used, and not armed. Buy a unit that is rechargeable instead, for your own safety.