Chris
09-14-2008, 05:12 PM
I'm often asked which is better for self defense; stun guns or pepper spray? To answer this question let's compare the two side by side in several different ways and see which one comes out on top.
First let's compare time to effect or in other words how long does it take for the full effect to be achieved, and by full effect I mean for the target to be completely incapacitated. The effects of pepper spray are immediate. The eyes shut involuntarily and within 1 to 3 seconds the individual is having trouble breathing, their eyes and nose are running and their skin is burning. This applies to any person of any size or strength even if they are on drugs or alcohol. The reason for this is that pepper sprays do not rely on pain but work on a purely physiological response.
To figure the time to effect for a stun gun is not such a simple matter. There are many elements that come into play such as the wide range in voltage between different guns. The size of the person being stunned is also a factor in how long it will take to achieve full effect and even their mental condition can come into play. As for being effective on persons under the influence I have heard both yes and no, so I'll leave it up to you to decide which to believe. To make a long story short it can take anywhere from 3 to 12 seconds to reach full effect with a stun gun. If that seems like a long time to you then I think you're right.
Now let's look at effective range. Pepper sprays have an effective range of from 8 to 20 feet. For a stun gun to have any effect at all you must hold it against the person you're using it on, in other words an effective range of 0 feet. Is it just me or is there a pattern beginning to emerge here?
Another way to judge the effectiveness of these two self defense devices is duration of effect, how long they keep a criminal down. Pepper spray lasts 20 to 30 minutes with lingering effects up to 2 hours. The effects of a stun gun lasts from 1 to 5 minutes with lingering effects up to 15 minutes.
I think we have a clear winner here folks. Pepper sprays:
1. Take effect faster.
2. Can be used from a distance.
3. The effects last much longer.
You would have to say that pepper spray is definitely the better self protection weapon. I know no matter what I say some people will still want a stun gun, if this is you make sure to get the most powerful one you can and know that you will have to hold it against your attacker for at least 3 or 4 seconds.
Hope you found this information helpful, Mark
Mark Strong,
I'm 49 years old and loving life with my wife in Ohio. We hope the information and products that we provide can give people a sense of security and peace of mind in a time when both seem to be greatly needed.
http://www.AffordableStunGunPlus.com/wildfire.htm
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Mark_Strong
First let's compare time to effect or in other words how long does it take for the full effect to be achieved, and by full effect I mean for the target to be completely incapacitated. The effects of pepper spray are immediate. The eyes shut involuntarily and within 1 to 3 seconds the individual is having trouble breathing, their eyes and nose are running and their skin is burning. This applies to any person of any size or strength even if they are on drugs or alcohol. The reason for this is that pepper sprays do not rely on pain but work on a purely physiological response.
To figure the time to effect for a stun gun is not such a simple matter. There are many elements that come into play such as the wide range in voltage between different guns. The size of the person being stunned is also a factor in how long it will take to achieve full effect and even their mental condition can come into play. As for being effective on persons under the influence I have heard both yes and no, so I'll leave it up to you to decide which to believe. To make a long story short it can take anywhere from 3 to 12 seconds to reach full effect with a stun gun. If that seems like a long time to you then I think you're right.
Now let's look at effective range. Pepper sprays have an effective range of from 8 to 20 feet. For a stun gun to have any effect at all you must hold it against the person you're using it on, in other words an effective range of 0 feet. Is it just me or is there a pattern beginning to emerge here?
Another way to judge the effectiveness of these two self defense devices is duration of effect, how long they keep a criminal down. Pepper spray lasts 20 to 30 minutes with lingering effects up to 2 hours. The effects of a stun gun lasts from 1 to 5 minutes with lingering effects up to 15 minutes.
I think we have a clear winner here folks. Pepper sprays:
1. Take effect faster.
2. Can be used from a distance.
3. The effects last much longer.
You would have to say that pepper spray is definitely the better self protection weapon. I know no matter what I say some people will still want a stun gun, if this is you make sure to get the most powerful one you can and know that you will have to hold it against your attacker for at least 3 or 4 seconds.
Hope you found this information helpful, Mark
Mark Strong,
I'm 49 years old and loving life with my wife in Ohio. We hope the information and products that we provide can give people a sense of security and peace of mind in a time when both seem to be greatly needed.
http://www.AffordableStunGunPlus.com/wildfire.htm
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Mark_Strong