A Taser can shoot anywhere from 15 to 45 feet, depending on which model is in the hand and which cartridge is loaded in it. Civilian models generally top out at 15 feet. Law enforcement models reach 25, 35, or 45 feet with the right cartridge. The useful hit distance is always shorter than the maximum, because both probes have to land far enough apart on the body to actually work.
What Sets the Maximum Distance
The hard ceiling on any Taser shot is the length of copper wire coiled inside the cartridge. Each probe trails a thin insulated wire that unspools as it flies, and once the wire runs out, the electrical connection breaks. A 21-foot cartridge cannot deliver current past 21 feet, no matter how far the probes themselves travel.1College of Policing. Conducted Energy Devices (Taser)
That means the device doesn’t set the range; the cartridge does. The same weapon can reach 15 feet with one cartridge and 35 feet with another. Police agencies stock longer-range cartridges to keep distance between officer and subject. Civilian models ship with shorter ones and don’t accept the longer cartridges.2Royal Military College of Canada (DRDC). Electrical Testing of Taser X2 and Taser X26P Conducted Energy Weapons
Range by Model
Police Models
These figures are the maximum wire lengths available for each device. Individual agencies may authorize shorter deployment distances in their own policies.
- X26 and X26P: Cartridges come in 15, 21, 25, and 35-foot lengths. The 21-foot cartridge is the most common law enforcement issue.2Royal Military College of Canada (DRDC). Electrical Testing of Taser X2 and Taser X26P Conducted Energy Weapons
- X2: Standard cartridges reach 15 or 25 feet, with a long-range cartridge extending to 35 feet. Probes exit at a 7-degree angle on standard cartridges and 3 degrees on long-range versions, which keeps the spread manageable at distance.3Journal of Forensic Sciences. TASER CEW Distance Determination for Models X26P, X2, and TASER 7
- Taser 7: Every cartridge holds 25 feet of wire. Two cartridge styles change the probe spread angle instead of the range. Close Quarters cartridges use a 12-degree angle for encounters as close as 4 feet. Standoff cartridges use a 3.5-degree angle optimized for 11.5 feet and beyond.4MyAxon. AXON TASER 7 Cartridge Live Close Quarters 12-Degree3Journal of Forensic Sciences. TASER CEW Distance Determination for Models X26P, X2, and TASER 7
- Taser 10: Reaches 45 feet, with probes traveling at 205 feet per second. It holds up to 10 individually targeted probes.5Axon. TASER 10
Civilian Models
Axon’s current civilian devices, the Pulse and the Bolt 2, both top out at 15 feet. Each fires a single pair of probes and delivers a 30-second incapacitation cycle intended to give you time to leave the area. Civilian Tasers don’t accept interchangeable cartridges with different wire lengths, so 15 feet is the fixed maximum. Older civilian models like the X26C have been discontinued.
Why the Useful Range Is Shorter
Taser probes don’t fly in parallel. The bottom probe exits at a downward angle, so the two probes spread farther apart the longer they travel. That spread is intentional. Probes landing close together on the body cause only localized pain, while probes spread across a larger area disrupt muscle control through the region between them. About 12 inches between contact points is the minimum for reliable incapacitation.3Journal of Forensic Sciences. TASER CEW Distance Determination for Models X26P, X2, and TASER 7
For the X26P and its 8-degree probe angle, spread works out to roughly one foot for every seven feet of distance.6MyAxon. Aiming and Probe Placement At seven feet, expect about 12 inches of spread. At 21 feet, around 36 inches. The math is different for other cartridge angles. A Taser 7 Close Quarters cartridge at 12 degrees spreads probes much faster than a Standoff cartridge at 3.5 degrees, which is why one works up close and the other works farther out.
The problem at maximum range isn’t the electricity. It’s accuracy. At 25 or 35 feet, the probes have spread so far apart that one or both may miss the target, especially if the person is moving. Most law enforcement training sets the optimal deployment window at roughly 7 to 15 feet: close enough for both probes to hit, far enough apart for adequate spread.1College of Policing. Conducted Energy Devices (Taser)
When Probes Miss: Drive Stun
Every Taser has a fallback for failed probe deployments. If a probe misses, both land too close together, or a probe pulls loose, the front of the device can be pressed directly against the target and activated in drive stun mode. The effective range here is zero. It requires direct physical contact.
Drive stun is a pain compliance tool, not full incapacitation. The contact points on the device sit less than two inches apart, nowhere near the 12-inch spread needed to override muscle control. Officers are trained to treat standalone drive stun as a last resort. The more useful technique is completing the circuit by pressing the device against the body while one attached probe is still embedded, which creates the wider electrical path needed for incapacitation.
What Cuts Into Range in the Real World
Heavy Clothing
Taser probes are small barbed darts. Thick winter jackets, layered clothing, or heavy canvas can stop one or both probes from penetrating deeply enough to make electrical contact with skin. If even one probe fails to connect, the circuit breaks and the device has no effect. This is one of the most common causes of Taser failure in the field, and it’s more likely at longer ranges where the probes have lost velocity.
Cartridge Age
Taser cartridges have a five-year shelf life. Past that expiration date, the compressed nitrogen may have lost pressure, which can reduce probe velocity and shorten effective distance. Police agencies check expiration dates at the start of every shift. Anyone carrying a civilian Taser for self-defense should do the same.
Wind and Movement
Taser probes weigh almost nothing. Crosswinds can push them off target, particularly at longer ranges where the probes spend more time in flight. Wire insulation keeps rain from affecting the circuit itself.
Movement matters more than weather. Tasers are designed for relatively stationary targets. When either the shooter or the target is moving laterally, the odds of both probes landing in the right spread zone drop fast. That’s another reason the practical deployment window sits well inside the maximum range. At closer distances, there’s less time for things to go wrong.