DiscussMormonism.com

You Guys,

I'd like to see what you have to say about the purse stun guns that are listed in the following review.

https://www.pewpewtactical.com/best-stun-guns/

Questions:

1. I've got the Vipertek VTS-880 sitting in my AMZ cart. It's pink. It's only 11-ish $ so does that mean it's cheap because it's junk?

2. Is there reason to think that all such personal stun guns are junk?

3. Would bear spray be better?

4. with regard to stun guns. Where would I test it out? Are they loud enough to draw the attention of neighbors who might call LE?

I need something that I can operate myself that could zap a dog, wildlife, or human, even if all it does is buy me time to get a head start to get away.

Thanks if you have anything to say that will help me.

Jersey Girl

I don’t know much about these things, but I think the term “stun gun” can be misleading because it often refers to something more like a cattle prod, that doesn’t shoot anything but has to be held in contact with the target by hand. So those things might be useful to police trying to restrain someone but they could be tricky if you just want to get away. As soon as you step away from an attacker, you’re not shocking them any more, and now they’re mad and they know that you have a shock stick. So they can grab you again and be sure to hold your arm this time so you can’t shock them again.

Maybe such a gadget could help, perhaps in making somebody let go of you so you could run. Just don’t expect to be able to shoot someone and stun them, even though it’s called a stun gun.

The ranged shock weapons all seem to be called tasers. A fun fact is that “taser” was originally an acronym standing for “Thomas A. Swift’s Electric Rifle,” because the inventor was a fan of the old kid-lit inventor hero Tom Swift (and presumably because it sounded like “laser”, which is also an acronym but less silly).

If I recall correctly, you mentioned that you weigh around 100 pounds. So, even if you possess a stun gun, your effectiveness may be limited, as the majority of men would likely be able to seize your wrist and disarm you. Stun guns can be effective; however, they necessitate that the assailant is in very close proximity, which poses significant risks for a 100-pound woman.

A pepper spray is what you need, not bear spray, it allows you distance. When purchasing it, consider buying three or four cans. This way, you can keep one on hand while using the others for practice, ensuring you know how to effectively use it. Ask a loved one to wear a Tyvek suit, along with a mask and goggles, and then have him run you at a run so you can practice spraying them in the face. Practice it at least a dozen times to ensure you can effectively spray someone if the need arises in a high-stress situation.

Merely possessing a stun gun or pepper spray does not guarantee that you will use it effectively in a high-stress situation.

Just so you know, in some states spraying someone with bear spray is illegal.

I agree with HoH that pepper spray would be a better self-defense option.

The "crackle" of a stun-gun arcing can be a good deterrent in itself, but when it comes to a scenario where it would need to be used, the necessity of being in close proximity, and needing to make continued contact, makes it a less-than-ideal option for self-defense.

I had a friend use one on me once when I was younger, and stupid things seemed like fun ideas (the basic style with the two prongs that cause an arc, that have to make skin contact), and while it hurt (and I do mean hurt), what it mainly did was make me really pissed off. Like instant adrenaline rush and rage. Also, the standard civilian self-defense stun-guns don't seem to work on people like they do in movies. The likelihood of it making someone go unconscious is pretty much nil. They might go stiff, fall, and take a minute to regain muscle control, but it's usually very temporary.

The spray I buy for friends and family as a gift is SABRE 3-in-1 (yes, I'm a weirdo, and buy women I know pepper spray as a gift). It has pepper spray, 2-chlorobenzalmalononitrile (the stuff used in tear gas), and a UV dye. The added CS covers your bases for people that might have a natural or built-up resistance to capsaicinoids. It's been a little while, but from what I recall they run about $20 for a three-pack, so you can practice with one or two to get an idea of spray distance and angle. The stream lasts for quite a while on them (10+ seconds), so it's incredibly forgiving if at first you aren't hitting your target you can continue to spray while you adjust where you're spraying it.

ETA:
If you ever end up needing to use it, don't keep the one you've used. Even if you only had to spray it for a brief second. It's worth the peace of mind and added reliability and safety of having a fresh one on hand.

Hound of Heaven wrote: ↑

Thu Aug 21, 2025 11:51 am

If I recall correctly, you mentioned that you weigh around 100 pounds.

80-85-ish pounds give or take a pound one way or the other. I've been very sick for 2 years. Lost approx. 30 to malnutrition.

So, even if you possess a stun gun, your effectiveness may be limited, as the majority of men would likely be able to seize your wrist and disarm you. Stun guns can be effective; however, they necessitate that the assailant is in very close proximity, which poses significant risks for a 100-pound woman.

Let me clarify if it might help. I have a lady friend I've known for 30 years by now. I saw her reply to a thread on NextDoor and said something about how a purse taser is always a good idea. Searched it up and I saw that the words taser and stun gun were used interchangeably. Finally came up with multiple lists of the "best" and used one for the OP here.

I know what you're saying about arm reach of a man. I've pointed that out any time someone in real life or on the board advised me to get a gun for defense that a man or large woman could easily disarm me. We own firearms and I know how to use some of them but it's never been my intention to use them incase of home invasion out here in the sticks where we live. Just throwing that in and I've never wanted to carry a pistol for personal safety.

A pepper spray is what you need, not bear spray, it allows you distance. When purchasing it, consider buying three or four cans.

Yeah I can see you're not the only reply here that recommends pepper spray. I think discussed pepper spray in the past here somewhere. I also think I've read that bear spray is difficult to use but I don't recall why.

This way, you can keep one on hand while using the others for practice, ensuring you know how to effectively use it. Ask a loved one to wear a Tyvek suit, along with a mask and goggles, and then have him run you at a run so you can practice spraying them in the face. Practice it at least a dozen times to ensure you can effectively spray someone if the need arises in a high-stress situation.

I can use Jersey Boy. He so deserves it. He's got a gas mask (don't ask) would that work just as well? He can't run right now but I wouldn't mind trying to use him as a target. I tend to handle high stress pretty well. I'm the one everyone normally calls to walk through fire for them, defend them, or advocate for them. I could tell you stories but i understand the idea of being alone and having someone coming right at me and how that could be dramatically different high intensity-wise.

Merely possessing a stun gun or pepper spray does not guarantee that you will use it effectively in a high-stress situation.

Got it.

Just so you know, in some states spraying someone with bear spray is illegal.

Colorado. I doubt it's illegal here. Even if it were we live out in the sticks, the response time from LE can't be counted on, probably 95% of residents are armed to the teeth but read on. We have two trail systems near the house. I want to walk them and I want/need to do it alone. I don't need a lecture about that. I have advance outdoor skills and taught it for several years. But the situation is such that I need to be able to do it alone. I've been sick for a long time. I need to get on a trail and even if my husband could do that with me right now I don't want to hear another human voice talking to me out there. The trails are mostly visible roadside but not completely everywhere. There's never been an incident on either system. One trail system is on a large plot of forested land that kinds of loops in and away from the roadside. There are folks walking in pairs, alone, on horseback, and with dogs. We also have wildlife...coyotes, bobcats, mountain lions, coons, foxes, bears, and it's not unheard of for folks from town to dump their dogs out here.

If I feel skiddish about the trails I can always start at the trail head and use part of the trail kind of back and forth stopping where it goes into the trees for my purposes. I need to build muscle, Hound. I could use the fence line of our property but I need to get out of here if that makes sense. It's been a long 2 years, weather is starting to cool down, and I'm finally able to do it now.

Thank you for your reply, Hound. I wish you would post this way more than your other style. I think you'd find that you do have a place in this community as a co-discussor or adversary instead of the antagonistic tone you usually use. Your typical tone makes you sound like a crackpot which is why I put you on ignore and I don't think you are that at all. You don't do justice to yourself.

Thanks again!

Doctor Steuss wrote: ↑

Thu Aug 21, 2025 8:17 pm

I agree with HoH that pepper spray would be a better self-defense option.

He really explained it well, Steuss.

The "crackle" of a stun-gun arcing can be a good deterrent in itself, but when it comes to a scenario where it would need to be used, the necessity of being in close proximity, and needing to make continued contact, makes it a less-than-ideal option for self-defense.

In my post reply to Hound I explained how I came up with the "stun gun" term. It originated with a purse taser comment I read and when I googled it, they were alternately called tasers and stun guns.

I had a friend use one on me once when I was younger, and stupid things seemed like fun ideas (the basic style with the two prongs that cause an arc, that have to make skin contact), and while it hurt (and I do mean hurt), what it mainly did was make me really pissed off. Like instant adrenaline rush and rage. Also, the standard civilian self-defense stun-guns don't seem to work on people like they do in movies. The likelihood of it making someone go unconscious is pretty much nil. They might go stiff, fall, and take a minute to regain muscle control, but it's usually very temporary.

Sounds like the heart shock I have to get at the ER without the propofol!

The spray I buy for friends and family as a gift is SABRE 3-in-1 (yes, I'm a weirdo, and buy women I know pepper spray as a gift). It has pepper spray, 2-chlorobenzalmalononitrile (the stuff used in tear gas), and a UV dye. The added CS covers your bases for people that might have a natural or built-up resistance to capsaicinoids.

It's not clear to me what "added CS" means.

It's been a little while, but from what I recall they run about $20 for a three-pack, so you can practice with one or two to get an idea of spray distance and angle. The stream lasts for quite a while on them (10+ seconds), so it's incredibly forgiving if at first you aren't hitting your target you can continue to spray while you adjust where you're spraying it.

I think it'd be fun to practice on the Boy. Or I could use our firing range, put up a human target even. Or use the Boy as a target. Or a tree. Or the Boy. Or a fence post. I'm leaning towards the Boy.

ETA:
If you ever end up needing to use it, don't keep the one you've used. Even if you only had to spray it for a brief second. It's worth the peace of mind and added reliability and safety of having a fresh one on hand.

Okay so go out with a fresh can that's never been fired/sprayed every time. I won't forget that! I'll check out the one you get and get that. 5 bucks the Boy tries to tell me there's a better kind. Yeah.

I think I'll use the Boy.

Physics Guy wrote: ↑

Thu Aug 21, 2025 11:13 am

I don’t know much about these things, but I think the term “stun gun” can be misleading because it often refers to something more like a cattle prod, that doesn’t shoot anything but has to be held in contact with the target by hand. So those things might be useful to police trying to restrain someone but they could be tricky if you just want to get away. As soon as you step away from an attacker, you’re not shocking them any more, and now they’re mad and they know that you have a shock stick. So they can grab you again and be sure to hold your arm this time so you can’t shock them again.

I think I understand that now.

Maybe such a gadget could help, perhaps in making somebody let go of you so you could run. Just don’t expect to be able to shoot someone and stun them, even though it’s called a stun gun.

It sounds to me like the only real use for it is the sound it makes. If an attacker were intent on doing harm, I doubt the sound would make them take off. It might tick them off and act faster.

The ranged shock weapons all seem to be called tasers. A fun fact is that “taser” was originally an acronym standing for “Thomas A. Swift’s Electric Rifle,” because the inventor was a fan of the old kid-lit inventor hero Tom Swift (and presumably because it sounded like “laser”, which is also an acronym but less silly).

You always come up with something interesting and unusal to share. Thanks PG!

One other thing I've learned about tasers that I find reassuring is that police training includes getting tased. A relative of mine who is now a cop went through this recently. He said it was really bad. So police who use these things do know what it feels like—at least in some jurisdictions.

And a couple of years ago there was a sad case near me of a big, strong guy who turned out to be paranoid, committed a murder while in a weird mental state, and was tased while resisting arrest. It worked to restrain him safely, no bystanders were hurt, he's now in a psychiatric institution instead of a grave, and the awful memories of the case that the police officers involved have to carry at least don't include them killing anyone. So these things can really work. I'm just not at all sure whether they are the best choice for self-defense by a smaller person. I don't feel knowledgeable enough to advise on that.

Jersey Girl wrote: ↑

Thu Aug 21, 2025 6:04 am

1. I've got the Vipertek VTS-880 sitting in my AMZ cart.

Does “AMZ” mean “Amazon.com?”

Dr. Shades wrote: ↑

Fri Aug 22, 2025 12:57 pm

Jersey Girl wrote: ↑

Thu Aug 21, 2025 6:04 am

1. I've got the Vipertek VTS-880 sitting in my AMZ cart.

Does “AMZ” mean “Amazon.com?”

It means "a market zone." It implies one is shopping via internet.