I need some information on stun guns.

Question

I have a few questions.

1. What voltage is recommended for a standard handheld stungun? I have options of 100,000 to 750,000 volts. I do realize the bigger the number the better, but what is the point of a human being severly injured as far as volts go? I would like to avoid such an incident, while still protecting myself.

2. can I legally carry it on myself in PA for defensive purposes?

Answer 1

Hello Joe. It is NOT voltage that makes stun guns effective. It is the cycles per second. Also, what harms  a person (and can be lethal) is amperage. It takes as little as 2 amps to kill a person. Stun guns are rated in milliampers ( thousandths of an amp) and as such, are not harmful, even to a person wearing a pacemaker.

To explain just a little more, you have major nerve centers though your body with nexus points in the abdomen, under the armpits, in the gluts ( your butt cheeks) and at the base of the brain stem ( medulla oblongata). I want to add that using a strike point at the base of the brain is specifically forbidden in all stun gun classes.



A civilian model stun gun cycles between 14-17 cycles per second. A police model cycles between 20-24 cycles per second.

When you use a strike point, a one second application in a nerve nexus is going to send 20 "messages" to each nerve ending. The solar plexus area has over 1200 nerves. This would yield 24,000 messages that is sent to the brain instantly. It overloads the capability of the brain to function with the result that you pass out. The brain shuts down for a few moments.

If you are shopping for a stun gun, look for the cyclic rate, not the voltage.

You would have to call your local Police to find out if it is legal to carry in your jurisdiction.

One other point I do want to add here. You need to have actual physical contact for the stun gun to function properly. Heavy winter coats can reduce or even negate the charge going into the body ( which is why they offer stun guns in such outlandish voltages). The point I am making is that you are leaving yourself open for counterattack while you are attempting to use the stun gun. It is something that is used close and personal.

Best of luck and I hope this is useful to you