Safety Technology Stun Guns FAQ
[ Ed note:] The following piece was written by Michael Gravette, owner and founder of Safety Technology.
I have chosen to copy his article verbatim, as it is very well written and chock full of valuable information. I sincerely hope that you read it thoroughly and find it helpful if your are investigating or in the market for a stunning device.
–markz
Personal protection is a very serious matter. The police do good work, and we are fortunate to have them patrolling the streets. But there are times when waiting for the police to arrive is not possible. Those are times when immediate self-defense is absolutely critical. In many such cases, a stun gun is the perfect weapon for keeping attackers at bay.
This is your comprehensive guide to stun guns. We recommend that you read it entirely, along with other research materials, before deciding on whether or not to purchase one for yourself. Stun gun sales are not allowed in every state, so keep that in mind. Your local municipality may have restrictions as well.
Your decision to purchase a stun gun is a decision to take responsibility for your own safety. We encourage you to take the next step after your legal stun gun buy. That next step is to take some self-defense courses in your local area. Every step you can take to ensure your safety is a step in the right direction.
What Is a Stun Gun?
From a scientific and technical standpoint, a stun gun is an electroshock weapon. It is designed to incapacitate an attacker by delivering an electrical shock that inflicts pain, disrupts muscle function, or a combination of both. Stun guns are purposely designed to be nonlethal.
A nonlethal stun gun will stop an attacker in their tracks, but it will not cause permanent injury. An electric stun gun also will not kill an attacker. It will simply incapacitate them long enough for you to get away. If you’re lucky, it will also scare your attacker enough to prevent them from coming after you again while you wait for police to arrive.
Stun gun manufacturers make their products in a variety of shapes, sizes, and form factors. Your typical personal stun gun is a small, hand-held device easily carried in a pocket or purse. This sort of device is sometimes referred to as a personal defense stun gun in that it is used by average consumers as a self-defense weapon in lieu of something more lethal.
Note that safe stun gun use doesn’t necessarily require any formal training. But you should be familiar with how your self-defense stun gun works before you start carrying it. You should also know that there is a difference between a stun gun and a Taser device.
A stun gun is a contact weapon. That means the device has to make contact with the attacker’s body in order to be effective. A Taser device can be used at a distance. It fires a projectile connected to a wire that carries electric current from the device to the attacker. While you could consider either one an electric shocker stun gun, the Taser device doesn’t force you to make direct contact with your attacker.
A Stun Gun for Personal Protection
Be aware that stun guns are not toys. A stun gun is an effective self-defense device intended to help you stop an attacker in a nonlethal way. Also be aware that a stun gun, though not lethal, is not something to be careless with. It behooves every stun gun owner to fully understand how their device works and to ensure that it is always treated with respect.
You might be interested in a stun gun for home defense. If so, you’re not alone. The home defense stun gun is a weapon you can use against burglars, abusive family members or guests, or anyone else who acts aggressively against you in your own home. You have the legal right to protect yourself against physical injury or death, which is what stun gun protection is all about.
Perhaps you are interested in a stun gun for self-defense outside the home. Again, you are not alone. Adults all across the country have chosen to carry a personal protection stun gun whenever they leave home. They carry when they go to work, when they go shopping, when dining out with friends, etc.
In short, a self-defense electric stun gun affords you the opportunity to protect yourself should the need arise. As self-defense weapons, stun guns work. This is not a question. All that’s left for you to decide is which type and model is right for you:
- Small and Discreet – Some stun guns are small and discreet, no bigger than a large MP3 player; they are designed to be carried in a purse or pocket. They can generally be deployed quickly, before an attacker knows what’s coming.
- Larger and More Powerful – Other stun guns are larger and more powerful. Attackers see them coming, but they may not know just how powerful the devices are until contact is made.
- Disguised Stun Guns – Still other stun guns are disguised as innocent-looking devices. More on that in the next section of this guide.
Safety Technology brand stun guns offer quality, reliability, and affordability in a single package. Note that we also carry stun guns from other manufacturers. We recommend that regardless of your choice, you stick with a U.S. brand for your purchase.
The Hidden Stun Gun
A hidden stun gun is essentially a disguised stun gun. In other words, it is disguised to look like something other than what it really is. One of our most popular models in this category is the cell phone stun gun. To the naked eye, it looks like a typical smartphone.
Imagine an attacker demanding your money and phone. It happens more frequently than most people realize. At any rate, as you reach out to hand them what they believe is your smartphone, you make contact with their hand and push the button. The attack is over as quickly as it began. Because you are carrying a stun gun disguised as a cell phone, your attacker never saw it coming. This is the whole point of carrying a disguised stun gun.
Additional hidden stun gun options include:
- Pen Stun Gun – Disguised as a larger fountain pen
- Flashlight Stun Gun – Disguised as a battery-operated flashlight
- Lipstick Stun Gun – A stun gun housed in what appears to be a lipstick container.
The advantage of a disguised stun gun device is its ability to allow you to make contact with your attacker’s body before that person has time to understand what’s going on. This puts you in a position of strength for the simple fact that your attacker will not know enough to try to knock the device out of your hand or prevent you from making contact.
How to Use a Stun Gun
There are right and wrong ways to use every self-defense weapon, stun guns included. Unfortunately, stun gun stores do not necessarily educate their customers in the proper way to use their devices.
We don’t want to be that kind of company. If you intend to buy an electric stun gun, we want you to know how to use it.
Here are six tips to get you moving in the right direction:
1. Know the Law
First and foremost, it is imperative that you know the law in your state and local area. Stun guns are legal in all fifty states. However, there are restrictions in Illinois, Hawaii, Massachusetts, Michigan, Rhode Island, and Wisconsin.
There are some cities with their own restrictions as well. For example, you cannot legally carry or use a stun gun in Chicago – even with a valid FOID card. If you are at all unsure about the laws in your area, contact your local police department and ask.
2. Learn About Stun Gun Safety
Once you make your purchase, it is important that you understand how to safely use your device. Do all the research you can. If you can find a self-defense expert in your local area, make contact and ask about self-defense training that includes stun gun use. Being safe with your stun gun ensures that attackers are the only ones who will ever experience what it’s like to be hit by your weapon.
3. Learn About Contact Points
Experts recommend hitting an attacker anywhere from the bottom of the neck to the waist. This includes the arms. Why? Because the torso is the largest possible target and gives you the best chances of making contact quickly. Remember that stun gun range is effectively zero. You have to make physical contact with the attacker’s body for the weapon to work.
Take note of the fact that an attacker will not fall to the ground within one or two seconds of contact. You may have to maintain contact for up to five or six seconds before your attacker is incapacitated. Needless to say, while a stun gun is an effective self-defense weapon it doesn’t incapacitate quite as quickly as a lethal weapon.
4. Practice Deploying Your Device
Unfortunately, Hollywood does the general public a disservice by incorrectly portraying how stun guns work. It is important that you learn how to use your device, including the best place to stun-gun someone. And of course, practice makes perfect. The more you practice deploying your device, the more it becomes second nature. That’s the whole point of repetitive practice.
5. Keep Your Stun Gun Charged
A dead stun gun is an ineffective weapon. Make a point of keeping your stun gun charged at all times. Checking every few days is a good idea. In most cases, charging once per week should be sufficient to keep the weapon operational.
6. Keep Your Stun Gun at the Ready
Finally, it is important that you keep your stun gun at the ready simply because it is a nonlethal weapon. When you are out and about, either carry it in your hand or place it in a location that makes it easily accessible. The moment you feel like you might be threatened, get your hand on the device, and get ready to deploy it.
At home, a stun gun buried in the bottom of your junk drawer won’t do you much good. Keep it in a place where you can easily access it. That said, your stun gun should also be stored in a location that is inaccessible to children or pets.
What Is the Best Stun Gun to Buy?
One of the most frequently asked questions in our business is, “what is the best gun stun to buy?” Unfortunately, there is no straightforward answer. Stun gun manufacturers make some particularly good devices that are well worth every penny spent on them. And of course, some stun gun brands are better than others.
In terms of manufacturers and brands, we obviously recommend the Safety Technology brand. We stand behind every stun gun device we sell. We also recommend other reputable American-made brands including Mace, Cutting Edge Products, Sabre, and Zap.
Obviously, you are going to want a powerful stun gun that is more than capable of getting the job done. What is the strongest stun gun? Again, we cannot point to any particular brand or model as the strongest stun gun available. We can recommend that you look at product specifications when you shop.
Specs tell you exactly what you are getting. For example, the Safety Technology Hotshot offers 4.8 mA and ninety million volts of stopping power. That’s more than enough power to get the attention of your typical attacker.
Moving on, purchasing a quality stun gun is also important. This is why we recommend our own brand alongside reputable American brands. A reputable brand represents your best chance at finding a reliable stun gun you can carry with confidence.
One last thing to consider is finding a rechargeable stun gun you can actually use comfortably. So in addition to shopping for the strongest stun gun made, consider how you plan to carry the weapon, your physical size and stature, your ability to wield the stun gun, etc. You ideally want a weapon you can use without having to work so hard to deploy it that you fail to make contact.
Where to Buy a Stun Gun
By now you might be asking yourself where you can buy a stun gun. Before we go any further, a quick reminder about the law: before you buy a stun gun, make sure you can legally possess it in your state and local area. It would be truly unfortunate to invest in a stun gun purchase only to discover later on that possession is illegal where you live.
As for your buying options, the most convenient choice is to buy a stun gun online. Buying online affords the opportunity to shop on your terms. You can take as much time as you want to research different manufacturers and models. And you can do so whenever you have the time, rather than being locked into traditional business hours.
If you would prefer brick-and-mortar shopping, you still have plenty of options for finding a stun gun for sale. For example, buying a stun gun at a local safety and self-defense store is easy enough. Most major metropolitan areas offer retail shops that specialize in self-defense products.
Stun Gun Purchase FAQs
Where can I find a cheap stun gun?
Although going cheap is not necessarily a good idea, there are times when you can find substantially lower prices compared to traditional brick-and-mortar retail. Flea markets and gun shows are two excellent examples. You might find a cheap stun gun for sale at that weekly flea market on the outside of town. And as for gun shows, you can purchase a stun gun at virtually any of them.
Where can I buy a stun gun near me?
Online wholesalers like Safety Technology frequently get questions like, “Where can I purchase a stun gun in my local area?” While we cannot give recommendations for local brick-and-mortar businesses, we recommend going online and searching for self-defense retailers using your ZIP Code. A ZIP Code search might be your best bet for finding a local outlet.
Is there any such thing as a stun gun store?
Yes and no. We work with some brick-and-mortar retailers who stick exclusively to stun guns and other similar devices. But such retailers are rare. More often than not, stun gun sellers carry a complete inventory of self-defense products. The larger their inventory, the more opportunities for making a sale.
Is it better to buy online or from a store?
Where you purchase a stun gun is less important than making sure you get a quality product. We recommend you purchase your stun gun online if convenience and brand access are important to you. Online shopping certainly wins in both departments. On the other hand, you may have an immediate need for the cheapest stun gun you can find at a local stun gun shop. Purchasing from a brick-and-mortar retailer will be your best option.
An electric stun gun online shop affords you the opportunity to make your purchase without ever leaving home. But if your desire to find ‘a stun gun for sale near me’ because speed is of the essence, shopping online will probably not do. You will have to wait at least a day or two – even with overnight shipping.
In short, there is no right or wrong in terms of where you buy a stun gun device. Whether you decide to purchase online or in-person, it is more important that you pay attention to things like brand, quality, warranty, and customer service.
How Much Does a Stun Gun Cost?
The potential cost of a stun gun can frighten some consumers away. This is understandable if your only knowledge of stun gun sales relates to top-of-the-line products from the most reputable manufacturers. But like any other product, stun guns are sold at a variety of price ranges.
The most inexpensive stun gun we have ever seen costs less than $10 online. We cannot speak to the quality of that particular brand or manufacturer because we aren’t familiar with it. We can say that the least expensive Safety Technology stun guns can be had from most of our retailers for anywhere between $10 and $20.
Stun gun prices essentially start in the $10 range and go up from there. There are plenty of mid-range devices in the $25-$50 range. The Safety Technology MultiGuard and Hot Shot models are two good examples. Both offer plenty of stopping power along with high quality craftsmanship and materials.
If a stun gun price of up to $100 doesn’t scare you off, you have a larger selection of more powerful devices. And if you are willing to spend up to $200, you can certainly find professional grade stun guns capable of incapacitating just about any attacker in short order.
Our recommendation is that you do not obsess over stun gun price. It’s fine to ask, “how much is a stun gun?”, but don’t let price be the overriding factor in your purchase decision. Stun gun cost is only part of the equation. Treat your purchase as though your life depends on it. It might someday.
The Perfect Nonlethal Weapon
In concluding this guide, we think it is fair to say that a stun gun is the perfect nonlethal weapon for incapacitating attackers, thereby giving you enough time to escape and get help. There are lots of things to consider before purchasing a stun gun device. Hopefully, this guide has made this much clearer.
If you are looking for a stun gun for sale cheap, start over and read this guide again. Cheap is good to a point, but it is not everything. Help yourself by learning everything you can about stun guns before you buy. An informed purchase is the best kind of purchase. On the other hand, buying without knowing what you’re getting is an invitation to trouble.