Taser

The Taser (Thomas A. Swift's Electric Rifle) is a less-lethal weapon manufactured by Taser International. It is used by many law enforcement agencies around the world as a way to subdue potentially dangerous targets where normally a lethal weapon would have been used. The Taser works by firing small canisters of nitrogen gas to propel two electrode darts up to 160 fps that can pierce clothing and will stick into your skin. Each dart has conductive wires trailing behind them to carry the electric charge from the main unit. The electric shock lasts for 5 seconds (10/30 for civilian models) and will deliver 0.02-0.04 amps which will cause neuromuscular incapacitation, in which the target's nervous system would have no control of the muscles causing instant and unavoidable incapacitation. The Taser can double as a standard stun gun by removing the cartridges.

The Taser and variants can be seen in the following films, television series, video games, and anime used by the following actors:

Air Taser Model 34000

The predecessor to the Taser M26, the Air Taser Model 34000 is the first Taser product that pioneered many features in later Taser models.

Introduced in 1994, the Model 34000 is a refinement of the earlier TASER TF-76, using compressed air instead of gunpowder to propel its darts, thereby bypassing classification as a firearm and the accompanying restrictions on who could buy and use them. It was also the first model to introduce the AFID (Anti-Felon Identification) tags that emerged whenever a Taser cartridge was fired, as a means of providing evidence of use and identifying the weapon used, because conventional ballistic fingerprinting cannot be used with Tasers. Like the later models, the Air Taser 34000 can also be used as a conventional stun gun if cartridges are not loaded.

When first introduced, this model did not come with a laser sight, but an external laser sight accessory eventually became commercially available. Its power source, fitting its early-1990s origins, was a 9-volt alkaline battery rather than the current lithium-ion batteries powering more modern Taser models, and in practice this meant it was neither as effective at incapacitating targets, nor capable of delivering as many shocks as later models could.

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The Air Taser 34000 with cartridges loaded and a laser sight on the yellow "power handle."

Film

Title	Actor	Character	Notation	Date
Looper	Noah Segan	Kid Blue		2012

Video Games

Game Title	Appears as	Mods	Notation	Release Date
Syphon Filter series	Air Taser	Completely black, needles emerge from the top edge of the weapon	Cannot be used in "Drive Stun" mode, has unlimited ammunition and battery power, and in several games possesses enough charge to set targets that are shocked for long enough on fire	1999 - 2007

Advanced Taser M26

Released in 1999, the M26 was the first widely-adopted Taser model that is still being manufactured to this day and used by different law enforcement agencies and military personnel for less-lethal take-downs. Refinements over the Model 34000 include an ergonomic pistol-like shape, basic iron sights, an integral laser sight, and the use of lithium-ion batteries to allow for more effective incapacitation and increased battery life.

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Advanced Taser M26

Specifications

Type: Handgun

Range(All are LE only unless otherwise noted): 15'(Civilian), 21', 25', 35'

Pulse Cycle(All are LE only unless otherwise noted): 5 seconds, 30 seconds(civilian)

Fire Mode: Nitrogen gas propellant

Film

Title	Actor	Character	Notation	Date
Exit Wounds	Matthew G. Taylor	Useldinger		2001
Hannibal	Ivano Marescotti	Carlo		2001
Collateral Damage		FBI Agent		2002
Paycheck	Joe Morton	Agent Dodge	All lack	2003
National Treasure		Henchman		2004
The Cutter	Aaron Norris	Anthony Maylam		2005
Death Race	Jason Clarke	Ulrich	Had a scope attached	2008
Nine Dead	John Terry	Shooter		2010
The Sweeney	Ray Winstone	Jack Regan		2012
Fruitvale Station	Alejandra Nolasco	BART Officer Salazar		2013

Television

Show Title	Actor	Character	Notation	Air Date
24 - Season 2	Peter Outerbridge	Ronnie Stark		04/15/03
My Name is Earl	George Frangides	Officer Bob Smiley	S1E09 & S1E17	2005
Burn Notice	Gabrielle Anwar	Fiona Glenanne		2007
Heroes	Jack Coleman	Noah Bennett		2007
NCIS	Pauley Perrette	Abby		2007
My Name is Earl	Randy Brenner	Cop	S4E21	2009
Sanctuary/ "Hero II"			Used without cartridge in contact mode	2010

Video Games

Game Title	Appears as	Mods	Notation	Release Date
Tomb Raider: The Angel of Darkness	"K2 Impactor"	fully black finish, no blast doors		2003
S.W.A.T. 4	"Taser"		Cannot be used in "Drive-stun" mode	2005
Secret Service	"Taser"			2008
Mirror's Edge			not usable	2008
Bloody Good Time	"Taser"		Slightly modified	2010

Anime

Title	Character	Note	Date
Full Metal Panic?: Fumoffu			2003
Aria the Scarlet Ammo			2011

X26

The X26 is the smaller but upgraded version of the M26. The X26 is 60% smaller in size than the M26 but produces greater incapacitating effects due to its Shaped Pulse Technologies. The cartridges are interchangeable with the M26.

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X26 Taser with safety cap on

X26 Taser fitted with an XDPM (Extended Digital Power Magazine), a battery pack with a grip extension that can accept a spare cartridge

Specifications

Type: Handgun

Range(All are LE only unless otherwise noted): 15'(Civilian), 21', 25', 35'

Pulse Cycle(All are LE only unless otherwise noted): 5 seconds, 10 seconds(civilian)

Fire Mode: Nitrogen gas propellant

Film

Title	Actor	Character	Notation	Date
Ninja Assassin		Various Europol agents	Modified and Changed to fire taser darts	2009
District 13: Ultimatum	Cyril Raffaelli	Damien		2009
Salt	Angelina Jolie	Evelyn Salt		2010
Piranha	Elisabeth Shue	Sheriff Julie Forester		2010
Thor	Kat Dennings	Darcy Lewis		2011
Courageous		Police		2011
Cosmopolis	Patricia McKenzie	Kendra Hays	With XDPM and spare cartridge	2012
21 Jump Street	Channing Tatum	Jenko	holstered	2012
21 Jump Street	Jonah Hill	Schmidt	holstered	2012
Fruitvale Station	Chad Michael Murray	BART Officer Ingram		2013
Fruitvale Station	Kevin Durand	BART Officer Caruso		2013

Television

Show Title	Actor	Character	Notation/Episode	Air Date
CSI: NY		NYPD Officer	"Uncertainty Rules" (S06E16)	2004-Present
Future Weapons			Less-Than Lethal	11/29/07
Prison Break - Season 2	Wade Williams	Brad Bellick	with yellow finish and XDPM	2006 - 2007
My Name is Earl	Ethan Suplee	Randy		11/08/07
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation	George Eads	Nick Stokes		05/01/08
FlashForward		NCAP Guard		05/27/10
Law & Order: Los Angeles	Skeet Ulrich	Det. Rex Winters	"Harbor City"
Deadliest Warrior				04/20/10

Video Games

Game Title	Appears as	Notation	Release Date
James Bond 007: Blood Stone	"Stun Gun"	Used by Bangkok police	2010
Ghost Recon: Future Soldier	"UB Stun Gun"	can be mounted on ACR, 5.56A-91, AK-200, AKM, AN-94, HK417, Mk 14 Mod 0 and TAR-21	2012

Taser X12

The Taser X12 is a recent development that takes a standard Mossberg 500-series shotgun and modifies it by giving it ghost ring sights, a new barrel, yellow furniture to indicate it is a dedicated less-lethal weapon, picatinny rail, and the Radial Ammunition Key to prevent the firing of lethal 12-gauge shells. The Taser XREP (EXtended Range Electro-Muscular Projectile) shell, on the other hand, can be fired out of any 12-gauge shotgun.

Given the high cost of the ammunition (the shells were essentially flying, self-contained stun guns good only for a single hit, and may or may not have been recyclable after use), issues with effectiveness in the field, and concerns about its ability to cause inadvertent lethalities, TASER International discontinued sales of the Taser X12 and the Taser XREP ammunition in April 2012. It is therefore unlikely that either will appear in live-action productions after that date.

Taser X12

Mossberg 590 XREP with underbarrel X26, XREP Shells

Specifications

Type: Shotgun

Range: Max of 100'

Pulse Cycle: 20 seconds

Fire Mode: Pump-action, 12 Gauge

Television

Show Title	Actor	Character	Notation/Episode	Air Date
Hawaii Five-0 (2010) - Season 1	Alex O'Loughlin	Lt. Cmdr. Steve McGarrett	"Powa Maka Moani" (S1E17)
Hawaii Five-0 (2010) - Season 1	Daniel Dae Kim	Chin Ho Kelly	"Powa Maka Moani" (S1E17)
Future Weapons			"Less-Than Lethal"	11/29/07

Taser X3/X2

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TASER X3

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TASER X2

The Taser X2 and X3 are the newest tasers on the market. They fire different cartridges than the X26, have a more detailed LCD screen, and a new button on the side of the gun. The difference between the X2, and X3, as the name states, are the amount of cartridges they hold.

Specifications

Type: Handgun

Range: 15'(Training only), 25', 30'

Pulse Cycle: 5 seconds

Fire Mode: Semi-Automatic

Television

Show Title	Actor	Character	Notation/Episode	Air Date
The Day of the Triffids (2009)	Eddie Izzard	Torrence	Episode 1	2009

Video Games

Game Title	Appears as	Notation	Release Date
S.W.A.T. 4	"Cobra Taser"	Not directly based on the X2 (game was made before the release of the taser)	2005
Ghost Recon: Future Soldier	"Stun Gun"	black finish, incorrectly shown to be single-shot	2012