Need advice regarding stun guns and tasers

[MadAngler1]

This of course is not for myself, but for my girl friend, who has yet to shoot a gun. An apartment adjacent to hers was recently robbed by 3 assailants who over powered the owner of the apartment after they knocked on his door. A month ago, she actually called the police on three men who were snooping around her building, and apparently, her description fit the victim's description. These guys have a lot of balls, so I wouldn't be surprised if they tried again.

Regardless, she has never shot a gun yet. I think it would be stupid for her to run out and buy one, especially considering that she does not have a conceal carry permit. I think in Indiana, a conceal carry permit is required to carry a taser, but not a stun gun. I'm not sure about stun guns. Doing a quick web search, I'm not a fan of most of the websites I've come across nor the stun guns they sell. They look to cheap and sleazy for my tastes.

Do you guys have any recommendations? I was thinking of something like a collapsible baton or a Surefire style light that doubles as a stun gun. I really wish Surefire made something. I'm definitely making it a point to teach her how to shoot and take her to a Gunsite class in Indiana next year (assuming she's ready by then). She will be applying for a conceal carry permit soon.

 

[redneckmedic]

Leave the taser to Leo's. Any expectation you have on performance is from Hollywood...and is false. Taser are used to keep officers safe in a less-than-leathal situation. Tasers act as the compliance officer as the user acts as the restraining officer.

Does your girlfriend plan on restraining her perp?
What will she do after the taser dischargers?

Either bring her to the batter's cage and put a sling on a Louisville Slugger or have her test fire a few guns, buy one and train like her life depends on it.

Take it from a guy that's been tased multiple times in training.

 

[CPT Nervous]

Indiana does not have a concealed carry permit.

 

[IndyDave1776]

There are plenty of things I can do well. Each of them has in common that at one time I did it for the first time. The same applies to your GF. Just because she has not previously handled a firearm does not mean that she should have any trouble learning, even in a compact period of time. You can start training right now. Either find or draw her pictures of the front sight, rear sight, and both aligned properly with the target over the front sight. Have her study these. Invent possible intruder scenarios and have her decide how she is going to react at each step. You can make a great training exercise out of that. Also discuss fundamentals regarding whatever weapon she may be acquiring. You will be amazed at how much of a head start you can create here. I highly recommend avoiding aerosols and electricity as both have a limited useful time in a critical situation even if she manages to employ them effectively from the beginning which is not guaranteed. A contact stun gun would be the absolute worst choice.

As for picking a weapon, within the aggregate of suitable weapons, there is no substitute for putting fingerprints on guns.

 

[Valvestate]

Three guys vs stun gun/taser. She might bring one down for a bit but if she's not a skilled fighter, the other two would likely beat her ass and maybe even rape/kill her just for taking their buddy down. Don't be stupid and tell her she can't handle a firearm.

No license needed if in your home/curtilage.

 

[IndyDave1776]

A good pump shotgun in addition to a handgun would be a good combination. If they try to visit when she is home, the shotgun is one of the best tools of motivating a sudden sense of decency ever invented. (Incidentally, I would put a compliant surrender and a corpse lying still both within the category of decent behavior.)

 

[scottka]

I agree that a taser/stun gun is probably not a great choice, particularly for multiple assailants. To clear up the license/permit thing... Indiana does not require a license for having a gun in your home/dwelling. To carry a handgun, one must obtain a "License To Carry a Handgun" aka LTCH.

 

[You'll shoot your eye out]

I have no experience with a taser, but a 300,000 volt stun gun is one of our favorite toys at my house. My boys and I are fooling around constantly with the thing. I can take it in my ribs for a full minute and just look at you. One son holds it to his neck and I see smoke rise after a short time, another son will burn his chest until the battery goes dead.

While I can see a guy jumping into traffic if you were to catch him by surprise, a stun gun is in no way adequate for personal defense. It does not stun at all. as a matter of fact the only lasting effect at all is the rage that rises from getting the crap shocked out of you.

I am a crippled-up old man and I can still surf the net unhindered at the same time that a ungrateful jerk of a son is pressing 300,000 volts to the back of my neck. if you see it coming it is NOTHING at all, let alone a deterrent. How do you think an angry street thug would respond to catching a few sparks?

 

[hoosierdoc]

You can get 800,000 or 1 million volts relatively cheaply so the 300,000 isn't a great comparison. That being said, stop zapping yourself with 300,000 volts!

I agree though, tasers and stun guns are a last resort. May be a deterrent if they snap and crack though. Question: if she has a stun gun in her hand and active, do you think someone could smack the arm hard enough that even with getting a bit of a zap she's going to drop it?

I believe IN forbids citizens from having a taser/stun gun that shoots a projectile to deliver the current.

IC 35-47-8
Chapter 8. Regulation of Electronic Stun Weapons, Tasers, and Stun Guns

<A name=IC35-47-8-1>IC 35-47-8-1
"Electronic stun weapon" defined
Sec. 1. As used in this chapter, "electronic stun weapon" means any mechanism that is:
(1) designed to emit an electronic, magnetic, or other type of charge that exceeds the equivalency of a five (5) milliamp sixty (60) hertz shock; and
(2) used for the purpose of temporarily incapacitating a person.
As added by P.L.318-1985, SEC.3.


<A name=IC35-47-8-2>IC 35-47-8-2
"Stun gun" defined
Sec. 2. As used in this chapter, "stun gun" means any mechanism that is:
(1) designed to emit an electronic, magnetic, or other type of charge that equals or does not exceed the equivalency of a five (5) milliamp sixty (60) hertz shock; and
(2) used for the purpose of temporarily incapacitating a person.
As added by P.L.318-1985, SEC.3.

<A name=IC35-47-8-3>IC 35-47-8-3
"Taser" defined
Sec. 3. As used in this chapter, "taser" means any mechanism that is:
(1) designed to emit an electronic, magnetic, or other type of charge or shock through the use of a projectile; and
(2) used for the purpose of temporarily incapacitating a person.
As added by P.L.318-1985, SEC.3.

<A name=IC35-47-8-4>IC 35-47-8-4
Applicability of handgun provisions
Sec. 4. IC 35-47-2 applies to an electronic stun weapon or taser.
As added by P.L.318-1985, SEC.3.
<A name=IC35-47-8-5>IC 35-47-8-5
Stun guns; purchase, possession, and sale; use in commission of crime; use on law enforcement officer
Sec. 5. (a) A person eighteen (18) years of age or over may purchase or possess a stun gun.
(b) A person who sells or furnishes a stun gun to a person who is less than eighteen (18) years of age commits a Class B misdemeanor.
(c) A person who uses a stun gun in the commission of a crime commits a Class A misdemeanor.
(d) A person who uses a stun gun on a law enforcement officer while the officer is performing the officer's duties commits a Class D felony.

 

[Hoosier Cowboy]

Not a fan of her using a taser for the reasons mentioned by others already in this thread. Get her trained with a firearm ASAP. Sounds like she lives in a high crime area and if she lives alone or has kids even more of a reason to be properly and safely trained and armed. If she refuses to use a gun then you might look into the tasers or even a pepper ball gun but I highly don't recommend either because a non-lethal response to a possible life threatening situation isn't safe for your gf, if she won't carry her best bet would be to move to a better area.

 

[hoosierdoc]

Update:
I guess we civilians can get a taser, it has a 30s cycle on it rather than 5 so you can drop and run. I just spoke with a Martinsville officer who clarified it for me.

TASER C2 | CIVILIAN TASER C2 | Lowest Price + Free Shipping

 

[MadAngler1]

Thanks for the replies.

I understand the gun laws. She does not need any permit to own a handgun, rifle or shotgun inside her dwelling. My point is that it will take her at least 2 months to get a conceal carry permit in Marion County (it took them 2.5 months to process mine 4 years ago). I'm not worried about her inside her apartment as much as when she walks between her car and apartment door. Hence, the need for a conceal carry permit for a handgun and even a taser (yes, tasers need CCW permits in Indiana if you plan on using one outside of your dwelling... the state police's website explains this very well). Going out and buying a handgun is fine right now, but it's useless outside of her apartment when she lacks the conceal carry permit. Mind you, she has not fired a firearm ever, so I would prefer she shoots a few of mine first before deciding on what to get. Some girls like Glocks vs. M&Ps vs. Sigs I'd imagine, etc.

I was trying to figure out if there was something she could use as a stop gap until that point in time, that would enable her to buy time to flee to her car or apartment away from the thieves to call the cops. From what I've read on this forum and others, it sounds like tasers and stun guns are useless. I've read such crappy things about stun guns that I'm no longer thinking about it right now. She already has mace, which sounds like it's very effective when used right. There are different and better cans of mace out there, so I'll have to do some more research. Again, the point is to buy herself time to run to her apartment or back to her car to flee the scene and call the cops. 5-10 seconds is all it takes.

I'm definitely going to teach her how to shoot this winter, but that's a process that takes time in order to learn it right. I'm also going to try to make her take the Indian 3 day Gunsite class as well this spring or fall. I have a Glock 19 she can start practicing with, in adddition to a Ruger 10/22. Once she's comfortable, we can pick out a conceal carry pistol and/or night stand firearm. In an ideal world, a suppressed short barreled 5.56 NATO carbine (think Mk 18) with 75 grain Hornady TAP would be the ultimate home defense weapon, since as intelligent people know, 5.56 NATO with fragmenting bullets have a lower risk of over penetration compared to even most JHP pistol rounds (see Doc Roberts ballistic info on M4carbine.net). However, she is not getting a gun trust any time soon nor spending that type of money for a single firearm with a suppressor. We'll have to make ado with a handgun, a Surefire flash light and possibly a pistol carbine (less blast indoors) of some sort.

 

[IndyGunner]

Leave the taser to Leo's. Any expectation you have on performance is from Hollywood...and is false.

That^

 

[IndyGunner]

Update:
I guess we civilians can get a taser, it has a 30s cycle on it rather than 5 so you can drop and run. I just spoke with a Martinsville officer who clarified it for me.

TASER C2 | CIVILIAN TASER C2 | Lowest Price + Free Shipping

To quote their site...

Stop attackers from up to 15 ft. (4.5 m) away.

Anyone ever heard of the 21 foot rule?

 

[VUPDblue]

Good pepper spray would be better than an electric shock weapon. Might I recommend Freeze+p? The "mace" that you buy at Walmart is better than nothing but there is better out there. Freeze+p and DefTech MK4 are both excellent chemical agents IME....

 

[CPT Nervous]

Thanks for the replies.

I understand the gun laws. She does not need any permit to own a handgun, rifle or shotgun inside her dwelling. My point is that it will take her at least 2 months to get a conceal carry permit in Marion County (it took them 2.5 months to process mine 4 years ago). I'm not worried about her inside her apartment as much as when she walks between her car and apartment door. Hence, the need for a conceal carry permit for a handgun and even a taser (yes, tasers need CCW permits in Indiana if you plan on using one outside of your dwelling... the state police's website explains this very well). Going out and buying a handgun is fine right now, but it's useless outside of her apartment when she lacks the conceal carry permit. Mind you, she has not fired a firearm ever, so I would prefer she shoots a few of mine first before deciding on what to get. Some girls like Glocks vs. M&Ps vs. Sigs I'd imagine, etc.

I was trying to figure out if there was something she could use as a stop gap until that point in time, that would enable her to buy time to flee to her car or apartment away from the thieves to call the cops. From what I've read on this forum and others, it sounds like tasers and stun guns are useless. I've read such crappy things about stun guns that I'm no longer thinking about it right now. She already has mace, which sounds like it's very effective when used right. There are different and better cans of mace out there, so I'll have to do some more research. Again, the point is to buy herself time to run to her apartment or back to her car to flee the scene and call the cops. 5-10 seconds is all it takes.

I'm definitely going to teach her how to shoot this winter, but that's a process that takes time in order to learn it right. I'm also going to try to make her take the Indian 3 day Gunsite class as well this spring or fall. I have a Glock 19 she can start practicing with, in adddition to a Ruger 10/22. Once she's comfortable, we can pick out a conceal carry pistol and/or night stand firearm. In an ideal world, a suppressed short barreled 5.56 NATO carbine (think Mk 18) with 75 grain Hornady TAP would be the ultimate home defense weapon, since as intelligent people know, 5.56 NATO with fragmenting bullets have a lower risk of over penetration compared to even most JHP pistol rounds (see Doc Roberts ballistic info on M4carbine.net). However, she is not getting a gun trust any time soon nor spending that type of money for a single firearm with a suppressor. We'll have to make ado with a handgun, a Surefire flash light and possibly a pistol carbine (less blast indoors) of some sort.

Not sure where you live, but getting a CCW in Indiana is impossible. We do not have a conceal carry permit.

 

[jsharmon7]

Not sure where you live, but getting a CCW in Indiana is impossible. We do not have a conceal carry permit.

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RFZrzg62Zj0[/ame]

 

[CPT Nervous]

I was at Barnaby's on Jefferson, waiting in line for drinks, when a man approached me, and asked me if my Glock was a real gun or a taser.

I explained to him that it is illegal to possess or carry a taser in the city of South Bend.

He thought it was scary that it was so easy to obtain a LTCH, (yes, a LTCH, not a CCW...)

Oh, and I care. That's who.

 

[revance]

You should never teach your girlfriend to drive a stick shift, row a boat, or shoot s gun.

Send her up to Boone Co Sherrif for his ladies intro to defensive pistol.

If you haven't taken a defensive shooting class, sign up for the co-Ed version and take it together.