Tasers effectiveness as self-defense

[Still a Democrat]

For personal protection both in your home and in public, how effective are tasers as opposed to firearms?

[Angry Dragon]

1. The police killed a man in Vegas just recently with them

[X_Digger]

2. Against an unarmed opponent? mediocre. Anything else? SOL.

You may get one shot, if you're lucky, and their clothes don't inhibit the shot.

[ManiacJoe]

3. Assuming they are legal in your state,

you are looking at a limited range (30 feet?) weapon with a single shot capacity. A leather coat will often defeat them. For the most part, there are better less-than-lethal options out there for individuals.

[diveguy]

4. i have fired a taser 6 times

Only one time did it stop a suspect. And thats just because he didnt have a shirt on. There is no way i would use a taser against an armed person. Best to try to get away or use a firearm

[Euromutt]

5. Not very effective, I'm afraid

For starters, the cartridges Taser will sell to civilians have a range of 15 feet, much shorter than the ones they'll sell to government agencies or even private security firms.

Second, Tasers are one-shot devices; if you miss, you need to ditch the old cartridge and insert a new one. If your assailant was within 15 feet to begin with, you probably won't have time for a second shot. Moreover, Taser doesn't sell practice cartridges to private citizens, so the only way to practice with one is to spend $25 a shot with a "live" cartridge.

Third, Tasers incapacitate the target only for as long as they can apply a current. In normal conditions, the battery is good for fifty 30-second "applications," which means you have two options: keep zapping the target every thirty seconds until the police arrive, and hope they take less than 25 minutes, or ditch your $350 Taser and run like Hell, hoping that you'll get far enough to lose your assailant in the (now less than) 30 seconds you have until it cuts out and he starts to recover.

The long and short of it is that Tasers work for cops because they have certain things private citizens do not have. Standard doctrine in Taser deployment is that the officer has to be supported by at least one other cop who is keeping a firearm aimed at the suspect, and ideally another cop or two who can jump in and place restraints on the suspect.

Perhaps most importantly, Tasers can be lethal, so if you, as a private citizen, find yourself having to defend your use of one in court, the same criteria of justifiability apply as if you'd used a firearm.

Frankly, Tasers suck except in a limited set of conditions that typically don't apply to private citizens. If you want to the less-lethal route, I'd say go with pepper spray. The Kimber PepperBlaster (http://www.kimberamerica.com/products/less-lethal/) is a good competitor for a Taser C2; it has a range of 13 feet against the Taser's 15, it has two shots against the Taser's one, it costs $40 against the Taser's $350, and you can get practice units (which shoot blue dye) that cost $36.

[safeinOhio]

6. For personal protection

I'd rather have the hand held zapper that you touch em with than one that fires the darts. Would be better for a lady defending against an unarmed rapist or an unarmed mugger. Bear spray is another good choice as long as you have the wind at your back.
Far better to avoid dangerous situations. Places with muggers or bears. Be careful where you park your car. Travel in groups and be aware of your surroundings at all times.

[oneshooter]

7. I'll take a Tazer, with a 45 as backup. n/t

[Glassunion]

9. Insert joke about 9mm here...

[oneshooter]

11. A 9mm is a 45 set on "stun". n/t

[Glassunion]

12. Xactly!

[OneTenthofOnePercent]

8. Legally, Tasers are in the same boat as firearms.

In mose juristdictions, if a situation allows you to legally use a taser then you can have use a firearm. Why limit yourself to 30ft and one shot with something that MAY incapacitate even if you don't make any mistakes.

[Kennah]

10. Different tools for different problems

Guns are lethal force. Tasers are not.

Yes, Tasers can kill and gunshot injuries do not always kill.

Under the law, if lethal force is not warranted, then you can't use a gun.

Tasers and stun guns before them, pepper spray and mace before it, have been hawked as effective rape repellent by some really unscrupulously people who are often selling a product.

[Hoyt]

13. Tasers don't inspire the same "lust" as guns.

[X_Digger]

14. Care to clarify? n/t

[Hoyt]

15. Ever hear of a marketing promotion for assault tasers or a 12 shot taser? Does that help?

Just doesn't appeal to those who like to carry deadly weapons in public.

[X_Digger]

16. No, I was referring to your 'lust' comment.. care to be more specific? n/t

[Hoyt]

17. Actually, I was trying to edit "lust" to "pleasure" when you posted .

Although, I really think a few public carry permit holders I've known chose their bores with lustful intent or something.

[X_Digger]

18. So do people who carry small guns not suffer from this 'lust/pleasure' idiosyncrasy?

Let's hear your theory.

Do you claim that "carry permit holders I've known" are representative of anything other than people you know?