Stun Guns have been an integral tool in the world of self-defense for over three decades. The modern stun guns took a lot of time and trial to come into being, because electricity�s use as a weapon has been studied and applied since the latter half of the nineteenth century. Thomas Edison endorsed the use of the electric chair as capital punishment in 1888, and by 1890 this new form of execution was put into practice. Electricity�s use was varied in the twentieth century, unfortunately it was widely used in the interrogation techniques of many different militant and law enforcement agencies, because of the mass pain it could induce without causing any long term affects, and because it left little to no trace it was ever used. Electricity was also used in devices like cattle prods. Different models were constantly being invented throughout the twentieth century, becoming lighter, easier to assemble, and easier to use. By the 1940�s portable electric cattle prods had been introduced, which started to resemble in shape the modern hand held stun gun.

In the 1950�s similar stun gun devices to the cattle prod were now being described as non-lethal weapons. Some of these weapons were proposed for spec-ops, to replace the unstealthly sound of loud gunfire. Throughout the 50�s and 60�s, various stun guns were used by law enforcement for riot control, as a competent and effective restraining device. By the 1970�s, manufacturers of these stun guns began marketing them, as personal protection devices for civilians against would be attackers like muggers and rapists. Since then, many different styles of stun guns have been marketed for home use.

Modern stun guns exist in two general designs. One requires the attacker to be within a distance to actually touch the stun gun to his body. Shaped like a cell phone, beeper, baton, flashlight or any of various other designs, the electrified tip leaks electricity into the attacker upon contact. The second design more resembles a firearm, and in fact that is exactly what it is. Propelled by gunpowder, air, or liquid, the stun gun shoots out electrified barbs that dose your assailant with a heavy pulse of stopping power. Both designs are effective self-defense tools with their own advantages and disadvantages.

The first model is ineffective at a distance, but normally your attacker will get very close, even grab you, or in the case of a rape, try to take you to the ground. If this is the case, the stun device will work perfectly to incapacitate your attacker so you may escape safely. The second type of stun gun allows you to keep an assailant at bay without getting too close. The disadvantage is you could miss, but again, these situations are normally in very close quarters.

Stun Guns come in a various range of voltages, some exceeding one million volts. Although a higher voltage may be more painful on contact, fifty thousand volts is enough to do the job. In order to understand how the stun gun works we need to take a look at the internal functions of the human body. When your brain decides to move a body part it sends an electrical message to that particular appendage and it then responds. When the body gets stunned those signals get scrambled and the body cannot function properly. The muscles break down and are rendered useless and thus the person, no matter how tolerant to pain, will be stopped, giving a victim ample time to get away.

Stun guns are effective self-defense tools that have no long-term repercussions. Using an actual firearm against someone, even if justly motivated, could leave an emotional scar for the rest of your life. Stun guns will do the job necessary without killing or maiming your attacker. Even though an unusually high voltage is sometimes used, this is not enough to cause the stun gun to be lethal. The variable in this equation is the amperage. While a very high voltage is used, it is paired with low amperage, usually no more than 3 milliamps. Electrocution occurs when the amperage is much higher than contained in a stun gun. Some modern stun guns contain more voltage than put out by an electric chair, but the electric chair has a much higher amperage, which is the deciding factor in its lethality.

Stun Guns are legal in most U.S. states and are easier to obtain then a handgun. Providing an excellent option in the field of non-lethal self-defense, stun guns fill a much-needed niche in personal and family safety. Models exist in many different shapes, lengths and configurations, from the telescopic stun baton, to the nine-millimeter shaped M18 Advanced Taser. From twenty dollars to well over a thousand, there is a stun gun to fit every budget. Finding the right stun gun can be a big step toward something we all seek, peace of mind.

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Curtis Johansson is a Martial Artist and writer from California. He is an independent consultant for Sultan Security, where you can find a variety of stun guns and all of your other self-defense needs. sultansecurity.com