How doesa Taser feel

The widespread use of ECDs, with more than a 1,070 estimated worldwide uses per day, as reported by TASER manufacturer Axon, has led many to wonder: What happens to the human body after being tased?

TASERS, also called "electrical control devices," have been used by law enforcement since the mid-1970s, with the intention to help subdue resistant suspects without physical contact or the use of firearms.

We’re always looking for new and better gear, so if you have a stun gun that you trust, let us know in the comments. We review most of our tested gear annually so we can try to get it in the next roundup round and see if it will beat out our top picks.

Without cartridges, you can always use the contact stun method, but you’ll just have the range of a much cheaper device. Still, if you want both reach and stopping power, this entry-model TASER is proven and effective. With great range, power, and dependability, the TASER Pulse 2 is up for any self-defense task.

Viperteks’ flagship model packs a big punch with a relatively small profile. The flashlight makes it even more useful for carrying on your walks or just having it by your side every day. 51M volts is more than enough to go through clothes, so you don’t even have to be very accurate with the VTS-979.

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Stun gun vs Taser

However, TASER currents don’t reach the heart. Humans have protective mechanisms: The skin, which provides high resistance to electricity, and soft tissue, which surrounds muscles and organs like the heart, also reduce the current.

Stun guns are an ideal choice for anyone looking for non-lethal protection. The merits of pepper spray versus a stun gun have been debated, but they are very different solutions. A stun gun is much more painful and immediately incapacitating than pepper spray, but the pain also subsides quickly.

If you mess with the wrong person that is prepared, you might be in for a shock. You can be that prepared person, just by getting a stun gun or taser for self-defense. The non-lethal weapons are small enough to carry when you are out and about and can pack an incapacitating punch. There are many brands and types of stun guns to pick from and they don’t all perform the same.

How doesa Taserworkon the body

TASERs stick to the main self-defense function typically, but have the reach advantage and can pierce clothing more effectively than traditional stun guns.

Taser for women

TASER self defense

If you need to set some self-protection without breaking your budget, the Vipertek VTS-880 Mini Stun Gun is what you’re looking for.

All of our experience and the testing we do to determine the best stun guns are useless without listing our research sources and references. We leaned on these for the book knowledge that we paired with our hands-on testing and practical survival experience:

We considered a wide range of stun guns ranging from tactical-duty ranged TASERs to tiny disguised flashlights and pens.

On skin, the most common affects are superficial burns or small puncture wounds, caused by the metal probes that deliver the current not being immediately pulled off after a person has been tased. Scrapes are often seen across the skin surface because the person shocked by the TASER my convulse uncontrollably.

In the United States, stun guns (and TASERs) are illegal in Rhode Island, Hawaii, and the Virgin Islands. They are legal in all other states when they are used only for self-defense by someone 18 and up and without a felony record.

Not much point to a stun gun if it’s not powerful enough to stop anyone. Mostly, this is measured in volts, but as anyone familiar with electricity knows- amperage and the time applied affect the stunning effect.

The taser delivers 19 short pulses per second over 5 seconds, with an average current of 2 milliamps, according to TASER manufacturer Axon. It creates an electric field, which stimulates nerve cells called alpha motor neurons to send an electrical impulse. The impulse travels to muscles and causes short, sustained muscle contractions.

Warning: While stun guns are called non-lethal, they still can be lethal in rare cases or when applied to people with pre-existing conditions.

Can a taser kill you

TASERs can sidestep some of these with the darts they shoot. While a stun gun only hits with a shock when applied, and can stun between 5-15 seconds- the TASER model we suggest applies a shock for a whopping 30 seconds, incapacitating someone for several minutes, if not longer.

An ampere, or amp, is the unit used to measure current. A small current -- 200 microamps –- applied directly to the heart can cause a fatal rhythm called ventricular fibrillation.

Since most stun guns are meant to be on you every day, they have small designs and low weight so they can fit in your hand easily without being an everyday burden.

Using a TASER or a stun gun in a self-defense situation is no trivial task. It takes courage to stand up to an attacker, and proper training and preparation can help. Having the right gear is a step in the right direction, but nothing beats training- especially when it comes to how you react in fight-or-flight moments.

Besides the Pulse itself, it comes with plenty of accessories, including a neoprene holster, two cartridges, a practice target, a Plano Gun Guard case, and a handy quick start guide.

Serious injuries represent less than one percent of injuries from TASERs, as noted in a 2009 study published in the Annals of Emergency Medicine that looked at more than 1,200 uses of conducted electrical weapons by law enforcement officers against criminal suspects.

A taser is a battery-powered, handheld device which delivers a short, low-energy electrical pulse. Two electrode wires are attached to the gun's electrical circuit. Pulling the trigger breaks open a compressed gas cartridge inside the gun and flings the electrodes into contact with a body and a charge flows into the muscles.

Their patent ran out for the projectile dart stun guns a few years ago, but they are so far ahead it’ll be a while before any real competitors catch up. One downside related to this is that both the battery and cartridges are not reusable, so firing the device with cartridges will cost you $25 – $30 per shot to replenish:

The current -- either direct, DC, or alternating, AC -- is the rate at which electrons going down a wire travel per second. Alternating current is what is typically used in wall sockets and it's more dangerous, according to the Journal of the American Medical Association, causing more extreme muscle contraction.

Highest legal stun gun voltage

The rubberized grip, lanyard disable pin, and safety switch all make it so you can stay in control regardless of conditions or your situation.

The amount of money you spend on something like a non-lethal self-defense tool shouldn’t blow out your entire budget. There is a wide range of prices depending on the features you are looking for, so it shouldn’t be too problematic if you just stick to a plan. There isn’t much recreational or practical use beyond self-defense, so you’re typically just looking to buy one and not a collection.

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TASER has a wide range of models of projectile and traditional stun guns, but the Pulse 2 takes the cake. The Pulse 2 improved on the original by upgrading the durability of the housing. While the original Pulse had pretty good durability already, the improvement is welcome. It held a charge fantastically in our tests, and the battery is expected to last 50 firings.

TASERs cause muscle contractions, but do not appear to trigger the release of the muscle enzyme associated with muscle cell damage -- creatine kinase. If levels of that enzyme are high, it causes a condition called rhabdomyolysis, which can lead to kidney failure. Current research has shown that the muscle contractions induced by the TASER cause a small increase in CK, but do not appear to pose a direct risk for rhabdomylosis, according to a review of research by Forensic Science International.

You will need a license to own a stun gun in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, and Wisconsin. A handful of states require a permit if you conceal carry a TASER.

Rubberized high-impact polymer designs do best unless you are using it daily for your job like a law enforcement officer. But at that point, you’re getting issued one that costs thousands of dollars.

Levine, S., et al. (2007). Cardiac Monitoring of Human Subjects Exposed to the Taser®. The Journal of Emergency Medicine. Volume 33. Issue 2. Pages 113 -117 (Source)

Howdotasers workdiagram

For example, a current applied to the arm will be reduced to .001 percent of the original signal by the time it reaches the heart. TASERs have a 2 milliamp current and it takes at least 1,000 milliamps -- 1 amp -- to injure muscles, nerves and the heart. Higher amps, starting at 10,000 milliamps or 10 amps, cause the heart to stop and produce severe burns, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

When you are in self-defense situations, things can get pretty hairy. You don’t want your gear to break on you as you are about to use it or pull it out of your bag just to find it inoperable.

Vipertek isn’t done yet, they have their micro version that stands about half the weight and size. It packs enough punch to be felt, with 15M volts that you can apply straight to your attacker. It’s a lot of voltage, but the effectiveness can drop through clothes so you’ll want to target exposed skin.

This is where we come in. We’ve researched the best TASERs and stun guns, tested them, and now the results are in: the overall best, a budget option, and an upgrade pick. If you need a non-lethal self-defense solution, one of our suggestions will bring the power.

When you get the right blend of these, you can find a non-lethal self-defense weapon that will help you stand your ground. Below, we break down what each of these features means for the TASERs and stun guns that truly set themselves apart.

For people without heart isssue, the electrical discharges of the TASER device are too short to affect the heart muscle or cause abnormal heart rhythms. Even for those with heart conditions, the proper use of the device does not appear to cause issues. One of the first study of TASERs on humans, published by the Academy of Emergency Medicine in 2006, looked at their effect on individuals with a known heart disease or diabetes. The study participants were shot in the back with a TASER and researchers measured blood markers of heart damage and did a test called an EKG, or electrocardiogram. They did not find any negative effects.

Of course, police officers and medical personal should assess subjects subdued by a TASER for injuries. Existing medical or psychiatric conditions and the use of alcohol or drugs in the suspect may lead to behavior or reactions after the use of the TASER that need medical evaluation.

The taser has two modes: the first, pulse mode, causes neuromuscular incapacitation as the neural signals that control muscles become uncoordinated, and muscles contract at random. The second mode, drive-stun, uses pain to get compliance.

Many stun guns have additional features and alternate functions. Stun batons can give you a bit of length and can double as a blunt instrument as well. Most stun guns include a flashlight, which can turn out to be quite useful.

Goudswaard, M., et al. (2020). Tasered: medical consequences of the use of electric stun guns. Nederlands Tijdschrift Voor Geneeskunde. Page 164. (Source)

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You never want to spend too much money on one resource when it comes to self-defense. It’s better to diversify your spending to make sure you are covered for a wide range of situations.

I'm Sean Gold, the founder of TruePrepper. I am also an engineer, Air Force veteran, emergency manager, husband, dad, and avid prepper. I developed emergency and disaster plans around the globe and responded to many attacks and accidents as a HAZMAT technician. Sharing practical preparedness is my passion.

We presented quite a lot of information, but as always: if you have any questions let us know and we would be happy to help. Our testing found the Vipertek VTS-979 Stun Gun to be the best option given its value, stopping power, durability, size/weight, and versatility.

Kroll, M. (2009). Physiology and pathology of TASER® electronic control devices. Journal of Forensic and Legal Medicine. Volume 16. Issue 4. Pages 173 – 177. (Source)

You might think that a stun ‘gun’ shoots projectile darts with leads to electrocute the target, but you’d be mistaken. That’s TASER, a brand that held the patent on projectile stun guns up until a few years ago.

With a high voltage shock that’ll severely incapacitate anyone in a small easy-to-grip tool, it’s easy to see why the Vipertek VTS-979 Stun Gun tops the rest.

Some of the professional TASER models can creep up in weight, but those are typically stored in their own belt holsters.

Our research narrowed the field down to a few brands and types of stun guns that we compared: TASER, Vipertek, SABRE, Guard Dog, Streetwise, Tiger-USA, Police Force, and more.

Complications related to the brain or nervous system are rare, but do occur, including loss of consciousness, seizures, abnormal brain activity and confusion. This is more likely to occur if a subject is shot at a close distance or directly to the head, which is not usually the case since those are not the recommended targets. The probability of causing a seizure is very low.