Re: Tesla ray gun

["Tesla list" <tesla@xxxxxxxxxx>]

Original poster: "Drake Schutt" <drake89@xxxxxxxxx>

Yes, as I recall, last season on Future Weapons (discovery channel) 
they featured a variety of 'less than lethal' weapons including a 
tesla coil.  It appeared to be a SSTC (drsstc? i dont really know the 
difference) in a black container about the size of a duffel bag.  I 
think it had part of the seconday protruding and a VTTC type 
topload.  It produced about 4' purple streamers and looked pretty 
frightening.  I think they said it was more of a psychological 
weapon, because it actually wouldnt shock you.  Is this true?  If I 
recall SSTC's run at lower voltage and higher amperage than 
SGTC's.  What kind of a sensation would a small to medium sized coil 
produce?  Anyone alive to tell about it?

thanks,
drake

On 1/16/07, Tesla list <<mailto:tesla@xxxxxxxxxx>tesla@xxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
Original poster: <mailto:Esondrmn@xxxxxxx>Esondrmn@xxxxxxx

In the latest issue of Discover magazine (Feb. 2007) there is an
article on future weapons that have been talked about for many
years.  One section is on Ray Guns.  Here is a quote from the article:
"Companies like Ionatron and Xtreme Alternative Defense Systems have
developed competing zap guns.  Both weapons use pulsed lasers to
create a conductive path in the air away from the gun's barrel and
then use a simple Tesla coil to generate a painful bolt of
electricity.  Both rifles are the size of a briefcase, weigh 25
pounds, and can shoot electricity wildly at 12 feet or consistently
at 4 feet.  Occasionally, the flashing purple discharge kicks back
and lashes the bejesus out of the poor guy holding the gun."

Ed Sonderman