Abstract: An actuator assembly for a stunning gun has a trigger valve in addition to a second shiftable nose piece valve. In use, the trigger valve is manually depressed to open and the user then moves the stunner such that the nose piece shifts as the animal is engaged, whereupon the second valve opens. The stunner will fire only when both valves are simultaneously open, and thus the possibility of inadvertent actuation is significantly reduced. The pneumatic valve assembly requires very little force to operate, in contrast to mechanical trip actuators.

Abstract: An improved animal stunning device is provided which allows the user a quick, easy and cost effective method to kill animals in a slaughterhouse operation. The animal stunner preferably includes a pneumatically activated stunning gun having a trigger assembly provided with a manually operable safety block shiftably mounted on the trigger; movement of the safety block permits selective actuation of the gun or, alternately, prevents such actuation. The gun includes an elongated, reciprocally mounted stunning element having a bored, concave, stunning tip. An elongated, tubular, protective, support nose passageway is provided for slidably supporting and directing the stunning element during operation. Exhaust ports are advantageously provided in the support nose which communicate the interior of the stunner with the atmosphere for proper pneumatic venting; these ports can be selectively blocked to maintain the desired pneumatic compression within the stunner during operation.