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I'm considering buying a Taser for my wife. She is personally terrified of guns, having witnessed a loved one sommit suicide with one. She is glad that I own and carry, but she cant stand handling them or even looking at them herself. I took her shooting once and she got physically ill, so I would like for her to have something in the house for protection that she can use if I'm not there.

How well do Tasers actually work? Do you actually have to stick both of the "darts" into the flesh of the target, or will one work? And what effect, if any, does clothing have?

Opinions and recommendations from those who have actually used one would be appreciated.
 
Guns are a fear your wife can overcome. Things that "bad guys" can do, maybe not so much. If she has this fear of guns, what happens when a human instills fear into her? Will she fear humans?

I only ask this because if you can work with her, often, even in your home getting more comfortable with guns, you may be able to get her to one day want to have one around for protection. Also if she can overcome the fear of guns, overcoming other fears will be easier.

A taser is a means to an escape. It is meant to put the bad guy down long enough for her to get out of there. Do you have children? Can she get them out in time also? Will she run into a bad guy who, like on many videos, can take a taser hit, and not be affected much? If so, what happens next?

I am not trying to be an *** or anything, just letting you know she needs to realize a taser is a means to a possible escape. If there is more than one agressor, she has to get close enough on the second to physically touch them with the taser, as most popular tasers have one shot, then they require close contact.

A taser for now would be a good idea, especially if you can find one that is somewhat gun-shaped, and get her used to the thought, but honestly, help her however necessary to get over her fear of guns. If she ever is in the situation where she needs a taser, in the back of her head, she'll be wishing it was a gun.
 
There are a few things to consider when considering a taser.

1. You have ONE shot with a 15' or 21' cartridge. Then you have to use it without the cartridge and "drive stun" the individual with it. This entails removing the cartridge and shoving the taser into the individual and depressing the trigger. If you miss on either of these scenarios you are in a world of hurt.

2. You have a very close range to utilize the taser.

3. When LE employes the use of a taser they generally always utilize a cover officer with lethal means as a backup.

4. The darts are not always effective. Sometimes hitting your target with a perfect hit does not guarantee incapacatation. There are several reasons for this and very few if any are due to drug/alcohol useage. I'm not sure if it is a good idea to post these reasons in a public forum.

5. Training. Where are you going to find decent taser training?

6. Cost of a taser is very similar to the cost of a decent handgun. Each cartridge is over $20.

If you want a good defensive weapon I'd personally look for another weapon other than a taser. I understand the reasons your wife does not like firearms and hopefully she will have a change of heart.
 
Soberups,

Seems like we are mostly gun people. I need to be schooled as much as you. Guess you are better off just googleling the topic, wiki, etc. Maybe get some f2f at a local gun/security store. There is The Security Store here in Hillsboro. I am not fond of them but they have Tasers and you can ask questions. Sorry I can't do better.

Besides Tasers, there are other non-lethal stuff you both might consider adding to your "arsenal", like knuckles, pepper spray, mace, stun guns, combos of the above, personal alarm, telescoping steel batons, martial arts training, etc.

Time, therapy, God, might diminish or heal her repulsion to guns. Don't bank on it, though. There is nothing you can do if she is not willing and wanting to overcome it.
 
A taser can work great, under ideal circumstances. Also, when the cycle is over, the person's recovered as though nothing happened. If your wife's in a bad enough spot to have to use a taser, she should use 10 percent OC spray (fogger type) and try to run. Really, she should run before it comes to that or be prepared to use a gun. Tasers are en vogue for law enforcement right now to solve the unpopularity of hands on solutions, not to replace deadly physical force. I've used physical force and the taser and wouldn't entrust my personal safety to the taser.
 
Last Edited:
There are a few things to consider when considering a taser.

1. You have ONE shot with a 15' or 21' cartridge. Then you have to use it without the cartridge and "drive stun" the individual with it. This entails removing the cartridge and shoving the taser into the individual and depressing the trigger. If you miss on either of these scenarios you are in a world of hurt.

2. You have a very close range to utilize the taser.

3. When LE employes the use of a taser they generally always utilize a cover officer with lethal means as a backup.

4. The darts are not always effective. Sometimes hitting your target with a perfect hit does not guarantee incapacatation. There are several reasons for this and very few if any are due to drug/alcohol useage. I'm not sure if it is a good idea to post these reasons in a public forum.

5. Training. Where are you going to find decent taser training?

6. Cost of a taser is very similar to the cost of a decent handgun. Each cartridge is over $20.

If you want a good defensive weapon I'd personally look for another weapon other than a taser. I understand the reasons your wife does not like firearms and hopefully she will have a change of heart.
100% agree with these statements.

I would also add:

1. Not only are tasers not always effective (heavy clothing, etc.), but they often fail to perform as they are designed. Probes have been known to travel in weird directions, wires break, etc. Taser cartridges are nowhere near as reliable as a centerfire pistol cartridge. (They work as intended about 3/4 of the time)

2. Gun equals deadly force. Taser equals something much less than that. One is not a substitute for the other. Either you are in a situation where need to use deadly force or you are not.

3. A taser is a great tool to try to take someone into custody. Although marketed as such, it is not really a defensive weapon. It is more of a compliance/capture tool.

You'd be better off buying her a hickory axe handle to keep in the house. It is much cheaper, much more reliable, much easier to use, and much more effective than a taser.

I think that money spent on self defense classes would be a better investment. It sounds like your wife may have more of a mind-set issue than anything else. A class that discusses defensive tactics and mind-set might help her overcome her opposition to firearms or allow her to decide on her own how she would like to meet a deadly threat. Also, a third party might be able to have a more frank discussion about this topic than a husband. Sometimes an outside voice can discuss things in a way that a loved one cannot.

If your wife doesn't mind driving to Portland for a few weeks, the City of Portland puts on free Womenstrength classes. The classes teach self defense techniques, situational awareness, mind-set, and how to use your surrounding environment to your advantage.

And, lastly, I think, by your very question, it shows that you get this...but, I don't think that anyone who is not 100% comfortable with a firearm and 100% sure of the when, why, and how they would use a firearm, has any
business planning on using a gun for self-defense. I think that when a person is not prepared to use a firearm (or any weapon) and then they introduce a weapon into a conflict, they just create a situation where they are likely to arm their attacker. If she isn't comfortable, she isn't comfortable.
 

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