Effects

• Stun guns are designed to affect the nervous system, and do not have a significant effect on the heart, brain, or other internal organs, nor do they cause permanent damage to the body or the nervous system. No matter where on the human body the stun gun is applied, the affect will be the same. What actually matters is the voltage, and the amount of time that the electrical charge is released. The larger the person, the longer it may take to produce the full range of effects, as long as 3 to 5 seconds.
  
  

Capability

• Stun guns have a high voltage of anywhere between 50,000 and 300,000 volts. However, they have a low amperage level of up to 3 amps, which prevents serious injury to the victim. The general rule-of-thumb when using a stun gun is that a half-second will repel and startle the victim, cause some minor pain and muscle contractions. One to two seconds causes muscle spasms and leaves the victim in a dazed mental state. Three or more seconds causes the victim loss of balance and muscle control, mental confusion, and disorientation.
  
  

Action/Reaction

• Police Issue Stun Gun - Photo by: Junglecat
  
  Power goes from a 9-volt battery to a circuit, consisting of a set of transformers designed to increase and transfer energy from one area to another. This circuit transfers the power from one transformer to the next, as it gains voltage through the passage of each transformer. The charge is then sent through an oscillator, where it receives a fluctuating current, and generates the right amount of amperage. The power is then sent to a capacitor, where it receives a quick charge, and is sent out through the two electrodes, and delivered to the nervous system of the victim through contact with the prongs.
  
  In a manner of seconds, the stun gun releases its energy into all the nerves in the body, generating high-frequency electrical pulses that cause rapid, involuntary muscle contractions. This reaction almost instantly overworks the muscles, and causes the conversion of blood sugar into lactic acid. Lactic acid builds up in the muscles quickly, depleting them of all available energy. The loss of muscle control makes it very difficult for the stunned victim to move around. The victim is left in a mentally confused, passive state, and disorientation can last for up to 15 minutes.