Taser International's C2 taser on sale now

While we're not exactly sure whether to be pleased or concerned that Taser International recently posted record quarterly sales, the firm's C2 consumer stun gun is nevertheless hitting the market. As of this week, civilians who fear for their life or have severely rambunctious children can snap up the C2 at a number of retail locations, and those interested can look forward to wires that fire 15-feet and carry 50,000-volts in order to "temporarily incapacitate a person." Interestingly, Taser must know that there's quite a few proactive ladies that are pondering a purchase as well, as the consumer C2 will reportedly be available in a variety of colors -- including pink. Hurry it up, grab one before your friends do!

[Via Wired]

[nih @ Jul 24th 2007 6:48PM]

Stunning. I'm electrified by this decision. I can't wait for the shocking outcome.

[Marty @ Jul 24th 2007 6:53PM]

I so want one. If I were to taze a gadget, would it die? I'm gonna go to the Chicago Apple Store and taze peoples iPhones. hhahhahaha bye bye tech. Will this ubermag (very magnificent) piece of weaponry fall into the 2nd ammendment right to bear arms? I also plan to shock my sister. She's not an engadget LOVA like I am. GFY tazer int!!!!!!!!

[andy @ Jul 25th 2007 9:35AM]

Yes, most legislatures have deeme this a weapon.


Which means that it is a FELONY to carry this thing in most states, and a FELONY to own one in IL unless you register it and you with the state and pay the fees (or fines, whatever you want to call them).

Understand though, that it is ILLEGAL in every state to carry one of these without a concealed carry license. That means that in the murder capital of the country (Washington, DC), there is no way to legally carry one of these.

There's your tidbit for the day.

[Richard Cartwright @ Jul 24th 2007 6:58PM]

This looks disurbingly like the ST:NG phasers. Having suffered being electrocuted myself (a helpful ghit flipped the breaker box right as I was working on an outlet) I would not wish that on anyone.

[pork_musket @ Jul 24th 2007 8:28PM]

Electrocute (v): to kill by electric shock

I'm fairly certain you weren't electrocuted.

[Mike Lane @ Aug 3rd 2007 12:50PM]

I dare say you were hit with 15-20 amps? The Taser C2 puts out .0019 amps. Big difference!

[Simon @ Jul 24th 2007 7:09PM]

Personally...I don't think this sort of thing should be available to the general public. True, it can be used for protection, but some people will probably be a lil too trigger-happy.

[Spydy @ Jul 24th 2007 7:31PM]

Guns are pretty much available to the general public in the US. I think tasers like this would be a much safer alternative to that.

[Simon @ Jul 24th 2007 7:40PM]

Well...my point really applies to all weapons...i live in the UK, and i am VERY glad that not very many people own guns here, and if you do, there's a lot of stuff you have to do so its legit. I don't see why ANYONE should have the ability to kill another person by the pulling of a trigger! Except those people here to protect such as the police.

[Mike @ Jul 24th 2007 7:44PM]

Trigger happy is right. Including the police.

At least when someone with proper training picks up a firearm they realize they must use restraint. I'd rather my neighbour carry a handgun than a Taser. At least then they know they are carrying something that will, if used, be deadly force.

I don't see a taser as a personal defense weapon. A taser is used to subdue someone who is otherwise unruly but not dangerous. I personally do not like that concept.

[James @ Jul 25th 2007 11:44PM]

Simon, you're mislead: plenty of criminals in the UK have guns, the only difference from the USA is that they know their victims will be unarmed. Besides which, how many people do you think there are that are desperate enough to mug you with a gun, but who wouldn't be desperate enough to mug you with a knife if a gun were unavailable?

Mike: you say "I don't see a taser as a personal defense weapon. A taser is used to subdue someone who is otherwise unruly but not dangerous. I personally do not like that concept." I don't even know where to begin -- you "don't see" a taser as a personal defense weapon? Uh, it's marketed that way, it can be used to stop a mugger, burgler, or rapist much like a gun (except it doesn't work from quite as far away....) and your chances of killing the criminal you're defending yourself from are quite a bit lower. Also, if you're unfortunate enough to get hauled before some kangaroo court like the 9th Circus (because the criminal or his next of kin sues you for defending yourself -- it happens more than you'd like to think), you can get points in your favor for intentionally using a non-lethal weapon.

And it's used on people who are "unruly but not dangerous"? WTF? I guess you could use a taser for crowd control, but you'll probably have a lower accidental death rate with tear gas or even just a club-wielding SWAT team. This type of projectile stun gun is pretty much ideally suited to firearm replacement. Could you maybe tell us why you don't think it's worth using against "dangerous" people?

[James @ Jul 25th 2007 11:44PM]

Simon, you're mislead: plenty of criminals in the UK have guns, the only difference from the USA is that they know their victims will be unarmed. Besides which, how many people do you think there are that are desperate enough to mug you with a gun, but who wouldn't be desperate enough to mug you with a knife if a gun were unavailable?

Mike: you say "I don't see a taser as a personal defense weapon. A taser is used to subdue someone who is otherwise unruly but not dangerous. I personally do not like that concept." I don't even know where to begin -- you "don't see" a taser as a personal defense weapon? Uh, it's marketed that way, it can be used to stop a mugger, burgler, or rapist much like a gun (except it doesn't work from quite as far away....) and your chances of killing the criminal you're defending yourself from are quite a bit lower. Also, if you're unfortunate enough to get hauled before some kangaroo court like the 9th Circus (because the criminal or his next of kin sues you for defending yourself -- it happens more than you'd like to think), you can get points in your favor for intentionally using a non-lethal weapon.

And it's used on people who are "unruly but not dangerous"? WTF? I guess you could use a taser for crowd control, but you'll probably have a lower accidental death rate with tear gas or even just a club-wielding SWAT team. This type of projectile stun gun is pretty much ideally suited to firearm replacement. Could you maybe tell us why you don't think it's worth using against "dangerous" people?

[Chuckles McGee @ Jul 24th 2007 7:10PM]

"Grab one before your friends do!"

Set tasers to FUN!

[Mike @ Jul 25th 2007 7:09AM]

Just make sure you dont leave it next to the shaver. That would clear your bleary morning eyes!
Thing like this take all the fun out of mugging.

[halkonlar @ Jul 24th 2007 7:19PM]

class action in waiting. this ought to be an interesting fox news special...

[Jman196 @ Jul 24th 2007 9:14PM]

I don't like this idea, what would happen if a serial killer got a hold of this? They could just temporarily incapacitate someone and do their sick bidding. At gun point you at least have a choice.

[James @ Jul 25th 2007 11:47PM]

Wow, you make absolutely no sense at all. Serial killers can also get a hold of sedatives, ether, or even an animal tranquilizer if they want to knock you out. Now, if said serial killer happens to try something on a victim that's armed with one of these, that's another story...

[BananaBoat @ Jul 24th 2007 9:10PM]

If this were in gun form (ala the kind the police have) I would buy one right now. But honestly, this is a good thing for women to have, especially single women. Next time criminals think about victimizing a woman, maybe they will stop and think about how the girl they pick might whip out a taser and give them a good helping of pain.

[Pedro @ Jul 25th 2007 8:16AM]

this is the gun form... shoots out and everything. Was designed for women to have in their purses... hence the stylish colors.

[Van Dempsey @ Jul 30th 2007 1:26PM]

Get one of the older Taser M-18s. It looks like a big black bad-ass .45 - good intimidation factor, and formerly a police issue.
I got mine on EBay.

[Greg Koenig @ Jul 24th 2007 9:17PM]

Tasers for civilians are a bad idea; carrying a pistol (after having gone through some safe gun handling training and a background check) is a much better option:

- Like pepper spray, police officers who carry the Taser have all been tased themselves. They recognize the effects and the repercussions.

- When police officers use the taser, they typically try to do so with backup readily available. If the taser doesn't work or if the subject resists, they tend to go ballistic.

- This is a one-shot device. A scared civilian with adrenaline pumping through their veins is likely going to miss with that one shot; even with the installed laser.

The population of US concealed pistol license holders have proven - much to the chagrin of the anti-gun folks - to be perfectly responsible citizens who stay out of trouble, do not go all vigilante at the drop of a hat and have a better record of lethal force use then the police (they fire less rounds, those rounds tend to not miss and their incidents of shooting the wrong person are FAR lower).

In short, the Taser is a great tool for cops who are also carrying pistols and have backup either at the scene or very close by. For civilians, this product has a lot of issues and a pistol is still the best means of defending yourself.

[SPOOOOCK! @ Jul 24th 2007 11:07PM]

Umm, the person that you're trying to defend against can have a pistol just as much as he can have a taser.

At least with the taser your less likely to kill someone, unless they have a rare heart condition or something.

[GAK @ Jul 24th 2007 11:22PM]

Umm, the person that you're trying to defend against can have a pistol just as much as he can have a taser.

The vast vast majority of criminals will not be using Tasers. Black market firearms are readily available and weapons used by criminals tend to be bottom of the barrel pieces of junk. Even the hip-hop culture favored Glock (a mid-market priced weapon compared to Sigs and HKs) is a relatively rare thing for the police to find on criminals. Why spend $500 for a Taser when you can spend $35 on a Raven (a junky "saturday night special" pistol)?

Remember, these are thugs- they do not care about killing people or following gun laws.

At least with the taser your less likely to kill someone, unless they have a rare heart condition or something.

As great as Tasers are, non-lethal technology is not yet at a point where it is as reliable as a modern firearm at stopping someone who poses a threat. And not to sound too cold hearted, but the decision to initiate violence is entirely in the hands of those who use violence as a means to steel from, rape or injure innocent people. If even a few more percent of victims defended themselves from criminals with lethal force, I think crime rates would go down precipitously. "An armed society is a polite society."

[Mischa Lockton @ Jul 25th 2007 3:32AM]

You really believe an armed society is a polite society? Just look at the UK vs. the Wild West over here; I think you are a loon trying to sound intelligent when you really just get a boner from guns.

[Greg Koenig @ Jul 25th 2007 6:12AM]

Sure, let's look at the UK vs the USA.

In the USA, we have something like 17,000 deaths from firearms every year. The vast majority (roughly 62%) of these deaths are from suicide (as per the CDC). Of the 7000 remaining deaths, the majority of those (a rough figure is 70%) are related to drugs and gang violence- thugs in street wars with each other and good citizens caught up in crossfire.

The fact is that gun laws have zero effect on these people. They already obtain their firearms illegally, their possession of them is a felony and the vast majority of them are involved in a drug trade (read: they already have the means to import contraband into the country without the authorities doing anything about it).

Now as to the UK- there are very VERY few firearm deaths BUT - firearm deaths are increasing, even though guns are virtually outright banned. Knife deaths are also on the rise. In fact, the kind of guns getting confiscated off the streets of London put the kind of guns pulled off of American criminals to shame (full auto AK-47s, RPG rocket launchers). What has happened in the UK is what I noted above- people in the drug trade know how to import contraband.

At the same time, England is a very dangerous place when it comes to burglary, robbery, petty crimes, rape and assault. Compared to the US, the UK's crime numbers are absolutely out of hand - the London police have apparently stopped responding to house break-ins and car thefts because they are so busy dealing with other crimes. The police there are ineffectual, criminals know that they are dealing with an unarmed population and the judicial system is clogged to a point where minor offenses receive almost no punishment.

[andy @ Jul 25th 2007 9:44AM]

While I fully agree with you in principal Greg, you have one mis-statement:


The taser is a one shot device. However, after a cartridge is fired, there are exposed electrodes at the end of the device itself that allow the hand held portion to be used as a stun gun.

So yes, it's one shot, but there is some defensive ability left even if you miss.

[good PR @ Jul 24th 2007 10:03PM]

Tazer fight!!!

[ark_v2 @ Jul 24th 2007 10:04PM]

Actually....the design is pretty cool for being a Taser.
I'd get one.

[Don't Panic! @ Jul 24th 2007 10:32PM]

I'm geeting one before they're illegal!

[mattboy90201 @ Jul 24th 2007 10:38PM]

Anyone ready for a taser death match. Ill whip out mine and you whip out yours ala texan cowboy style.

[Mosey @ Jul 25th 2007 12:39AM]

Cool. Designer killer toys. I'll order the ipod one thanks.

[justout @ Jul 25th 2007 6:16AM]

I believe when it is discharged it leaves hundreds of confetti like serial numbers that the police can use to trace back to the owner.

[fortressman @ Aug 3rd 2007 12:52PM]

Not hundreds - about 30-40.

www.fortressenterprise.com

[andy @ Jul 25th 2007 9:40AM]

They're already illegal in all 50 states and DC unless you have a concealed carry permit and are in a state that permits concealed weapons.

cheers.

[Mike Lane @ Aug 3rd 2007 12:44PM]

You have any references you can refer me to to back that statement up, big boy?
www.fortressenterprise.com

[ypod @ Jul 25th 2007 10:49AM]

Will it blend?

[Don't Panic! @ Jul 26th 2007 9:04PM]

Why conceal it? This would look just dandy in a beltclip holster beside your PDAphone. Just imagine the one in that picture hanging beside your iPhone...

[Seth @ Aug 15th 2007 7:21AM]

Hey Greg -- since you're so great with statistics and research (Greg Koenig, Jul 25: "Of the 7000 remaining deaths, the majority of those (a rough figure is 70%) are related to drugs and gang violence- thugs in street wars with each other and good citizens caught up in crossfire."), can you look into the alcohol-related firearm deaths around the prohibition-era? Then maybe check out if the number of drug-related firearm deaths spiked in any way after the Nixon administration implemented the categorization and criminalization of a large number of drugs which had formerly been regulated by the private sector.
Maybe I can save you a bit of time: Criminalizing drugs (including alcohol) in a "free" is anathema to the very notion of that type of society, and will always have immediate and often violently deleterious effects. We all know by now that people will, very simply, buy and sell the products they desire, harmful or not. Prohibition of these things may interrupt the timeliness of the deliveries, but it also creates a threat to the general public. You can call them "thugs" or believe that they are bad people, but you would be wrong. They are Capitalists, and they are Americans, and a paranoid and overreaching government of 50 years ago tried and succeeded to turn them into pariahs. They are providing goods and/or services, and should have every right to do so in a free society. As long as the products and services do not interfere with official business or subvert the government or cause undo harm to the general populace, the people that provide them are just as "good" as your idea of a "good citizen." Our government-sanctioned authorities are the real "thugs;" they are trying to impede business between consenting adults! If you really think they are not "good" Americans, then you don't understand what America is all about: supply and demand economics and Keynesian economics. These things are what finally overcame the great depression. They defeated Communism, for Christ's sakes! Why is everyone OK with it when the government engages in these anti-American practices? Drug dealers would happily pay a ton of tax if they didn't have to carry around a bunch of weapons just to stay out of jail and/or alive. The tax would be offset by the amount not spent on firearms. There would also be a hell of a lot less demand for weapons like this one.

[Onetruebill @ Oct 9th 2007 2:55PM]

You are all mssing the point completely...


IT COMES IN PINK!!!

I am buying 2, so I can ebay one when they stop selling the pink ones.

Think investments people!