[USGuns]

http://www.taser.com/ctwo/index.htm

Looks good for concealed carry but no weight or dimensions seem to be given on the website yet. I know which color I WON'T be choosing!

[DoubleTapDrew]

Call me old fashoned but if someone is within 15' of me I'd rather have a "more lethal" weapon in hand because I won't have time to switch if things escalate.

[pcosmar]

My wife got this in an Email, busted me up. You guys may enjoy it.



> ONLY A GUY WOULD DO THIS
>
> Pocket Taser Stun Gun, a great gift for the wife. This was submitted by a
> guy who purchased his lovely wife a "pocket Taser" for their anniversary.
>
> Last weekend I saw something at Larry's Pistol & Pawn Shop that sparked my
> interest.
>
> The occasion was our 22nd anniversary and I was looking for a little
> something extra for my wife Toni.
>
> What I came across was a 100,000-volt, pocket/purse-sized taser. The effects
> of the taser were suppose to be short lived, with no long-term adverse
> affect on your assailant, allowing her adequate time to retreat to
> safety.... WAY TOO COOL!
>
> Long story short, I bought the device and brought it home. I loaded two
> triple-a batteries in the darn thing and pushed the button. Nothing! I was
> disappointed.
>
> I learned, however, that if I pushed the button AND pressed it against a
> metal surface at the same time; I'd get the blue arch of electricity darting
> back and forth between the prongs. Awesome!!!
>
> Unfortunately, I have yet to explain to Toni what that burn spot is on the
> face of her microwave. Okay, so I was home alone with this new toy, thinking
> to myself that it couldn't be all that bad with only two AAA batteries,.
> right?!!!
>
> There I sat in my recliner, my cat Gracie looking on intently (trusting
> little soul) while I was reading the directions and thinking that I really
> needed to try this thing out on a flesh & blood moving target. I must admit
> I thought about zapping Gracie (for a fraction of a second) and thought
> better of it. She is such a sweet cat. But, if I was going to give this
> thing to my wife to protect herself against a mugger, I did want some
> assurance that it would work as advertised. Am I wrong?
>
> So, there I sat in a pair of shorts and a tank top with my reading glasses
> perched delicately on the bridge of my nose, directions in one hand, taser
> in another. The directions said that a one-second burst would shock and
> disorient your assailant; a two-second burst was supposed to cause muscle
> spasms and a major loss of bodily control; a three-second burst would
> purportedly make your assailant flop on the ground like a fish out of water.
> Any burst longer than three seconds would be wasting the batteries.
>
> All the while I'm looking at this little device measuring about 5" long,
> less than 3/4 inch in circumference; pretty cute really and loaded with two
> itsy, bitsy triple-a batteries) thinking to myself, "no possible way!"
>
> What happened next is almost beyond description, but I'll do my best.....
> I'm sitting there alone, Gracie looking on with her head cocked to one side
> as to say, "don't do it master," reasoning that a one-second burst from such
> a tiny little ole thing couldn't hurt all that bad.. I decided to give
> myself a one-second burstjust for the heck of it. I touched the prongs to my
> naked thigh, pushed the button, and HOLY MOTHER, WEAPONS OF MASS
> DESTRUCTION@!@$$!%!@*!!!
>
> I'm pretty sure Jessie Ventura ran in through the side door, picked me up in
> the recliner, then body slammed us both on the carpet, over and over and
> over again.
>
> I vaguely recall waking up on my side in the fetal position, with tears in
> my eyes, body soaking wet, both nipples on fire, testicles nowhere to be
> found, with my left arm tucked under my body in the oddest position, and
> tingling in my legs.
>
> The cat was standing over me making meowing sounds I had never heard before,
> licking my face, undoubtedly thinking to herself, "do it again, do it
> again!"
>
> Note: If you ever feel compelled to "mug" yourself with a taser, one Note of
> caution: there is no such thing as a one-second burst when you zap yourself.
>
>
> You will not let go of that thing until it is dislodged from your hand by a
> violent thrashing about on the floor. A three second burst would be
> considered conservative.
>
> SON-OF-A-.. that hurt like hell!!! A minute or so later (I can't be sure, as
> time was a relative thing at that point), collected my wits (what little I
> had left), sat up and surveyed the landscape.
>
> My bent reading glasses were on the mantel of the fireplace. How did they up
> get there???
>
> My triceps, right thigh and both nipples were still twitching.
>
> My face felt like it had been shot up with Novocain, and my bottom lip
> weighed 88 lbs.
>
> I'm still looking for my testicles? I'm offering a significant reward for
> their safe return.
>
> Still in shock,

[tellner]

I've been saying for years that a Taser which isn't shaped like a handgun is more than just an excellent idea. It's almost criminal that it hasn't happened. It doesn't matter how well trained you are. If your Taser is the same shape as your pistol there is a chance that under stress you will use the gun when you didn't want to use deadly force or the Taser when you did. Which of those is worse depends, as Ghastly's Ghastly Comic says, on which end of the tentacle you're on.

If they are unmistakably differently shaped those unfortunate accidents will be a lot rarer.

[Lucky]

Drew, isn't one of the most repetitive discussions that of 'stopping power'? Tazers can drop a bull, in it's tracks. I don't think lack of 'lethality' is the Tazers' problem - it's lack of follow-up shots.

[raghorn]

That thing has a 30-second cycle. :eek: No need for a follow-up shot, you can be long gone before the cycle stops.

Having been hit with the X26 for just five seconds I think I'd actually PREFER getting shot to taking the 30-second ride.

[Lucky]

I was thinking more along the lines of "What if you miss."

[Wes Janson]

I dunno, I don't like the aesthetics behind making the taser look like a phaser. It could make those Trekkie conventions truly dangerous.

[Rotorflyr]

I was thinking more along the lines of "What if you miss."

Not real familiar with Taser's, but as I understand it if you miss then it can be used as a contact weapon like a stun-gun.

[raz-0]

Personally, i'm more interested in the background search before you can use it bit.

Wonder what's actually going on there.

[MudCamper]

Call me old fashoned but if someone is within 15' of me I'd rather have a "more lethal" weapon in hand because I won't have time to switch if things escalate.

Well if you live in a county in California where you will never be allowed to carry a real weapon, this is finally starting to look like a reasonable self defense weapon. Yeah, only one shot. That sucks. If I were jumped by a group of thugs, I wouldn't even draw it. But if my wife were attacked by a single deranged maniac, she'd love to have it. It beats your bare hands. Especially for a petite woman.

If they managed to make this thing less than an inch wide, and less than 6 inches long, I think they'll sell like hotcakes here in CA. And Hot Pink! So damn smart of em. So many women will want them as a result. I commend Taser.

[Soap]

That thing looks awesome. It is about time they came out with a civilian model!

[MudCamper]

They've actually had a "civilian" model for some time, but it was prohibitively expensive - $999. This one is much more reasonably priced. Plus, the fact that it is not pistol shaped is great, for a couple reasons. First, it won't draw attention. People will think it's just another techno-gadget on your belt. ("Oh is that the new Microsoft I-Pod thingy?") Second, it won't scare women away from buying it as much.

[Baba Louie]

Personally, i'm more interested in the background search before you can use it bit.
Wonder what's actually going on there.Trying to keep it out of the hands of recorded bad guys, doing a pretty smart CYA in these litigious days methinks.
It also pops out some confetti when used, leaving something at the scene for CSI types to wonder over.

[dc2wheel]

It's interesting that I can't seem to find voltage/current/power rating on Taser's website relating to the 'civilan' model, whereas they list all that info & more for the police models. I'm curious to see how 'dumbed down' this model is in performance from their X26 model that's so popular with law enforcement.
-dc2wheel

[Jeff White]

With the 30 second cycle time, are you supposed to drop it and run? If you do, you've just armed the bad guy.

I don't think the taser is a good idea for civilian use. Most police departments don't employ it with just one officer present. Why? Because when the juice is turned off, the badguy is no longer incapactiated.

I work alone and backup can be 30 minutes away. I don't carry a taser for this reason: If I got in a situation where I have to employ a taser, I would most likely be alone. If one barb misses or fails to penetrate, I have to throw the taser down and go hand to hand. If the subject is one of the small percent of the population the taser doesn't successfully work on, then I have to drop it and go hand to hand. It's the kind of tool that is most properly used when other force options are immediately available.

Jeff

[MudCamper]

I don't think the taser is a good idea for civilian use.

But what if you are a 110 pound women who lives in CA where you cannot ever legally be allowed to carry a firearm or other real weapon? 30 seconds to run away is better than nothing. And as for arming the criminal, he won't be able to buy new cartridges. And taser has always had this policy, and it hasn't been a problem so far.

[Jeff White]

MudCamper,
What does the 110 pound woman do if she only sticks her attacker with one barb? What does she do if her attacker pulls the barbs out? Where is her backup?

No self defense weapon, from OC to a .50 M2 Browning Machine Gun is guaranteed to work on every attacker, every time. Police departments back up tasers with other force options for a reason.

Personally, I think OC would be a better option for the 110 pound woman. It works on about the same percent of the population a taser does, it incapacitates longer and is easier to employ.

As for Taser International restricting the sale of the cartridges making dropping the taser and running an option that won't arm the bad guy, would you like a list of things that are restricted or downright illegal that are readily available in our society?

I'm not saying that you shouldn't buy one or buy your significant other one. I'm saying I wouldn't buy one or recommend it's use for someone who would have to employ it alone without an immediately available backup force option.

Jeff

[hso]

Jeff,

Does the fact that it can be used as a contact stun gun if the darts miss help improve it's usefulness?

I do think that the chemical approach is better simply because you can bolt for safety while the OC continues to do it's job. The question that comes to mind is, aren't there debilitating effects that continue for a few minutes even after the juice is turned off? From what I've seen on the videos the "subjects" aren't able to get off the ground right away (I'm referring to "normal" humans as opposed to those rare mutants/druggies that aren't going to respond to Taser or OC anyway.)

I wonder about the idea that you're arming the BG if you use the Taser and have to drop it to escape. It's not that any restricted material isn't available for a price because I agree that you can get anything with enough money and effort. I just wonder is the hassle would be worth it to a BG who could get a gun easier. OTOH, since it works as a contact stunner I can easily see some stop and rob types or rapists using that feature to enhance their antisocial activites, but goes back to the mutant or missed points.

[MudCamper]

Police departments back up tasers with other force options for a reason.

True. But like I've said our problem is living in an area where effective weapons are not allowed. Also I've been trying to research the effectiveness of various electric weapons, and it appears to me that none of the handheld stun guns are even remotely effective, yet the Taser seems to work quite well. But yeah, one shot only - miss, pull out the barbs, etc. and you're screwed...

Personally, I think OC would be a better option

Yeah. I guess I'll have to look into these. I was under the impression that they aren't effective either, but I haven't done my homework yet...

[tellner]

Tasers and OC are both third or fourth best. Wouldn't trust either of them in a serious self defense situation. But they beat screaming for help