I can't keep a loaded gun - - too many grandchildren. I've always wondered if I could actually fire a gun at another human being, and I think I'd wait till the last possible moment, and then it would be too late.

Well, I had a faux scare the other night, and it has made me think seriously about self preservation, and the idea of a stun gun came to mind as a preferable choice to a "real" gun,. . .if it would work.

Does anyone have any idea/experience as to whether a stun gun would be useful for self defense? Tell me all you know, or think you know!

-- Granny Hen (cluckin along@cs.com), May 23, 2002

Answers

Geez Granny, hope it wasn't serious! Sorry, I can't help more...but, you know, the folks up the road got burglarized last week, so I'm jumpy too.

Around here you leave the truck running when you go into the grocery store in the winter, so the whole thing was a shocker.

-- Patty (SycamoreHollow!@aol.com), May 23, 2002.

there are several types of stun guns,,the direst contact,, where you have to touch someone wiht the "gun",, once that "shoots" a dart with wire atached,,and special adaptors for a shotgun,, that shoots a "bean bag" for a stun effect. Questions to ask yourself. Do you want to have to touch someone that is attacking you? Will 10 feet be enough distance? The electric stun guns can be defeated with a leaather/heavy jacket. How about a 12 gauge loaded with bird shot/rock salt? Hurts like hell, and makes them think twice, and gives you time to load another round

-- Stan (sopal@net-pert.com), May 24, 2002.

If your going to use a stun gun, a pepper spray is good along with it. "season and shock".

-- Jay Blair in N. AL (jayblair678@yahoo.com), May 24, 2002.

Stan, if you use a stun gun to "stop" someone in their tracks, how long does the stun work? ? Let us assume there are more than one, ( but hopefully not more than two - LOL!), can you immediately use the stun gun again? ?

I've been very remiss in planning/implementing self defense on my homestead, and I am really reluctant to use a gun. The only time in my life I was ever frightened enough to shoot at what I believed was an "intruder", I would have likely killed a family member who came in when not expected.

-- Granny Hen (cluckin along@cs.com), May 24, 2002.

would depend on the stun gun. some could some could not. There is also the power factor, some stun guns wont do much if you dont contact skin, ever see an intruder without a shirt on ? and some of those peeper spray,, the cheap ones, are nothign more than a flavoring. The make stun bullets for 12 gauges and such, rubber bullets and such, how about somethign like that?

-- Stan (sopal@net-pert.com), May 24, 2002.