Stun guns have evolved over the past decade to become more effective, safer to use, and more discreet. It is now the case that a stun gun is capable of generating 200,000 volts and up, which is enough to floor a man and leave him disabled for approximately 20 to 30 minutes. The gun works through being pressed against the attackers body, before releasing an electronic charge that is high in voltage, and low in amps, meaning that it is effective at disabling the attacker while reducing the chance of causing damage. When an assailant comes in contact with the charge, they will go through a few seconds of excruciating pain, their muscles will spasm, their blood sugar level will become depleted, and the victim should have sufficient time to escape and contact emergency services.

In order to understand the advantages and disadvantages of stun guns, it is firstly necessary to gain an appreciation of how the device works ? and the misconceptions that surround it. Stun guns will not cause long term damage to the attacker, even if they have a heart condition, because the high voltage is multiplied by a low current rendering the charge less deadly. Unlike an electrical chair, which has the purpose of killing a person, a stun gun is a product that is developed as a means of disabling, rather than causing damage to, the attacker. When compared to other personal safety equipment and apparatus, it is often considered to be one of the most attacker-friendly options, despite the abrupt and certain nature by which it will disable a person. Another common misconception surrounds whether or not the victim can get a shock through touching the attacker. The answer to this is no, with the reason being that the attackers body will absorb the charge.

An advantage of stun guns is that they now come in many shapes in forms, making them easier to use quickly and effectively. Many new shapes are more discreet and also more practical to carry. Various types of stun guns include the cell phone stun gun, the stun gun flashlight, the stun baton, the stun pen, the raptor stun gun, the small fry mini stun gun, the stun stick, the expandable baton and other variations such as the rechargeable stun gun. A stun gun can be particularly effective when a victim has already been grasped by the attacker and the stun gun is available for use. Stun guns also require less accuracy than other devices and are often enough of a threat to deter an attacker from actually attacking in many cases.

Although there are many advantages of using a stun gun as your personal security instrument of choice, there are also a few disadvantages that have to be considered. First, the victim will have to get close enough to the attacker in order to touch them with their weapon. In the instance where the attacker has a larger weapon, or gun, the stun gun could be rendered useless. The same applies when the attacker is discreet enough to approach from the back or side, although it should be noted that the victim could still be able to arm themselves provided their stun gun is easily accessible.