What's the difference between stun guns and Tasers?
It's safe to saw that law abiding Florida residents know the rules and regulations that govern carrying handguns.
But what about carrying a stun gun or a device such as a Taser?
Florida statutes say it is not against the law for a person to conceal a non-lethal stun gun for self-defense.
Highlands County Sheriff's Deputy Joe Noto said tasers are a different story and do require a permit.
And the reason for that? Because tasers fire probes.
"If I could hold it in my hand and shoot something at you … 20 feet away from me … you need a concealed carry license for it," Noto said.
He compared stun guns to pocket knives.
Lots of residents keep small pocket knives in their pockets and don't need a license to carry them.
To use stun guns for self-defense, a person would have to get close enough to shock, hence they don't need a permit.
Overkill?
Jim's Pistolarrow owner Jim Morris once tried to get a Taser for a customer. He swears he won't go through the ordeal again.
"I think the tasers are really overkill," he said. "I don't think they need to be in the public's hands.
"It's for the cops, and I'll leave it to the cops."
Practice makes perfect if a person wants to use a Taser, according to Morris. He said both probes have to hit the attacker for the current to be successfully administered.
Morris thinks there is too much paperwork required to get a Taser. They are also quite expensive, with additional costs coming from back-up batteries and cords, he said.
If a person Googles Tasers, they'll find some that sell for $384 and others that run upward of $810.
What Morris does stock are stun guns, but they're not big sellers. He estimates it's been about 10 months since he last sold one.
That's not to say other weapons aren't selling. In the week following January's shooting in Arizona, Florida gun sales were up 16 percent, according to a WTSP 10 News report.
It didn't say what percentage of those may have been stun guns.
"Who has them? Mostly it's women," Morris said.
And while stun gun sales may be small, Morris said those not interested in a firearm for self-defense will snatch up mace.
What's the appeal?
Mace doesn't require a person to get up close and personal with their attacker the way a stun gun would.
"The mace is what you get, because you can shoot it anywhere from 10 to 20 feet," Morris said.
But what about carrying a stun gun or a device such as a Taser?
Florida statutes say it is not against the law for a person to conceal a non-lethal stun gun for self-defense.
Highlands County Sheriff's Deputy Joe Noto said tasers are a different story and do require a permit.
And the reason for that? Because tasers fire probes.
"If I could hold it in my hand and shoot something at you … 20 feet away from me … you need a concealed carry license for it," Noto said.
He compared stun guns to pocket knives.
Lots of residents keep small pocket knives in their pockets and don't need a license to carry them.
To use stun guns for self-defense, a person would have to get close enough to shock, hence they don't need a permit.
Overkill?
Jim's Pistolarrow owner Jim Morris once tried to get a Taser for a customer. He swears he won't go through the ordeal again.
"I think the tasers are really overkill," he said. "I don't think they need to be in the public's hands.
"It's for the cops, and I'll leave it to the cops."
Practice makes perfect if a person wants to use a Taser, according to Morris. He said both probes have to hit the attacker for the current to be successfully administered.
Morris thinks there is too much paperwork required to get a Taser. They are also quite expensive, with additional costs coming from back-up batteries and cords, he said.
If a person Googles Tasers, they'll find some that sell for $384 and others that run upward of $810.
What Morris does stock are stun guns, but they're not big sellers. He estimates it's been about 10 months since he last sold one.
That's not to say other weapons aren't selling. In the week following January's shooting in Arizona, Florida gun sales were up 16 percent, according to a WTSP 10 News report.
It didn't say what percentage of those may have been stun guns.
"Who has them? Mostly it's women," Morris said.
And while stun gun sales may be small, Morris said those not interested in a firearm for self-defense will snatch up mace.
What's the appeal?
Mace doesn't require a person to get up close and personal with their attacker the way a stun gun would.
"The mace is what you get, because you can shoot it anywhere from 10 to 20 feet," Morris said.
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