|  | Public Health Safety | Community

Stun Gun Drawbacks

Once a device used primarily by the police, military and security personnel, stun guns have made headway into the consumer marketplace, and you may be considering purchasing one for personal protection. Before you purchase any device that is meant to be used for protection and can inflict serious harm on another person, you should know the drawbacks. For stun guns, they include effectiveness, malfunction risks and legality.

  1. Effectiveness

    • While stun guns are advertised as a highly effective tool for repelling an attacker, their effectiveness remains in question. As Bob Hunicutt, publisher of The American Rifleman, noted in an article by the New York Times, "It's too bad they're called guns. They're more like a mini-cattle-prod and should be called stun prods or stun boxes.'' While some products may imply that a stun gun can repel an attacker from a distance, this is never the reality. You must put your stun gun in direct contact with the attacker's body, often times for several seconds, and so you must be in close proximity to the attacker. This makes for a dangerous situation.

    Malfunction Risks

    • Many new models come in a variety of sizes and with a number of unnecessary accouterments that could limit your stun gun's abilities. Stun guns with strobes or personal alarms attached do, in more cases than not, drain the battery and limit your stun gun's ability to perform its primary function: stunning. Also, Sam Van Cleave, a sales representative at Guardian Security Products Inc., notes that while they sell a number of sizes of stun gun, many get smaller, less effective models so that they can be easily concealed. But, the smaller your stun gun, typically the less effective and -- in some cases -- more difficult to operate.

    Legality

    • Stun guns are not legal in all states, and the restrictions on carrying them can vary from county-to-county, as well. Be sure you know the laws and local ordinances of your state and county, before you purchase, carry and conceal a potentially dangerous weapon.

    Conflict and Avoidance

    • Studies have shown that those that choose to carry a weapon, be it concealed or not, are 50 to 80 percent more likely to become engaged in a physical altercation that will lead to injury. Speculation abounds as to why this is the case, but some experts suggest that those with weapons may be less willing to avoid or walk away from a potentially dangerous situation. It is important to gauge your natural reaction to conflict, and remember that a stun gun should be considered a weapon for protection, as a last resort. Avoidance of a physical altercation should always be your top priority.

Community - Related Articles