How Do Stun Guns Work?

Stun guns are electric self-defense weapons that emit a high voltage shock on touching. They are also known as Taser devices.

Stun guns are direct contact weapons whereas a Taser device delivers electricity through metal prongs that are fired from up to several yards away. Here’s how they work.

Electrodes

Depending on the model, stun guns deliver electric current to an attacker via electrodes that extend from the end of the weapon (like cattle prods) or wired contact strips, pads or rings that run along the shaft of the device. The electrodes must make direct contact with the attacker in order to send a pulse of electric current into his or her skin and cause pain.

These pulses are optimized to overstimulate the skeletal muscles in a target area, interrupting the assailant’s ability to control these muscles through neuromuscular incapacitation. In most cases, this is enough to deter the assailant or force him or her to flee.

Stun guns also can fire electrodes at distance, but this requires good probe spread and the ability to close a circuit when the probes hit their target. In this mode, stun guns are similar to Tasers in how they create their effect.

Stimulation

Stun guns send a high-voltage electrical pulse into your attacker. This pulse disrupts muscle functions and causes extreme pain. This can distract the assailant and give you time to escape or take other defensive actions.

Many studies claim that stun gun stimulation does not affect the heart, but these studies typically use conservative device settings and experimental designs that do not reflect a clinically relevant or worst case scenario. Furthermore, they ignore the fact that a pulse must be delivered for a long enough duration to depolarize cardiac cell membranes and induce mechanical contractions.

Stun guns are a close-range defense, but the prongs on a TASER gun can extend up to 15 feet and hit different parts of the body. Even though it isn’t a firearm, you should treat it with the same level of caution and only use it with appropriate permission.

Voltage

The more volts a stun gun has, the stronger its shock. However, the voltage of a stun gun can be misleading. Some companies claim their stun guns deliver up to 100 million volts, which is impossible.

Stun guns are designed to disrupt the nerves that control muscles and cause pain. The frequency of the electrical pulses and the duration are optimized to incapacitate an attacker without damaging internal organs.

Stun guns are primarily meant for close-range protection. They are typically powered by 9-volt batteries and use electrodes that stick out or are fired from the stun gun. Clothing reduces the transfer of energy, but even a single contact with the electrodes can make an assailant feel intense pain. However, a stun gun is not lethal.

Amperage

Although they come in a variety of sizes and styles—some look like lipstick tubes, cellphones or flashlights—all stun guns require direct physical contact with an attacker. Most models have a pair of electrode prongs on the end of their base and when activated, the current jumps between them to complete the circuit.

The body’s nerves register the low-voltage shock as pain, but when it comes to incapacitating an attacker for a period of time, amperage is the key. Typically, you need at least 5 milliamps to disable someone—our best stun gun model, Runt, offers 4.5mA on full battery.

Some manufacturers claim that their stun guns can produce up to 100 million volts. While that’s impressive, it’s also physically impossible. Sadly, there are no industry or government standards that hold companies accountable for false claims.

Safety

Today’s stun guns are small enough to conceal and powerful enough to deter attacks. They operate by bombarding the attacker with electrical voltage. This causes muscular pain and weakness, allowing you to get away from the attacker and escape to safety.

Unlike static electricity, stun gun shocks do not cause skin irritation or electroporation. The pulse frequency and duration of the current also prevents it from causing any significant injury.

Some manufacturers make claims of up to 100 million volts, but this is physically impossible given that the electrodes are spaced a centimeter apart. Clothing does reduce the effectiveness of a stun gun, so try to stick it on the skin as directly as possible.

Most stun guns have multiple safety measures in place to prevent accidental zapping, such as an on/off switch and activation button that needs to be pressed to discharge the weapon. Check the product manual for details.