Weapon of Choice

[CletusMusashi]

One thing I'd forgotten until recently is that crossbows can fire other things besides arrows. During certain points in history, "Bullets" or "stones" were not uncommon. So if there's a lot of clay in the local soil, you could make a lot of cheap, portable ammo. Save the arrows for deer hunting.

This flexibility of ammunition something I wish they'd address on the show. Come on, who doesn't want to see Daryl go all "Dukes of Hazzard" and fire a lit stick of dynamite at somebody?

[bravelittletoaster]

Oh, man, that would be awesome.  They could bait a bunch of zombies into a field and then Ka-Boom!  I know that would bring more zombies, but I just really feel like we need to make more efforts to cull the zombie herd.

[KarateKate]

Wrist-rocket slingshot.

[Persnickety1]

I've been hankering for one of these babies since I saw it on Doomsday Preppers.  Looks like it could definitely come in handy for a multitude of things.

 

[mustbekarma]

The Crovel Extreme 2 survival shovel for the win, Persnickety1. I want one, too. That would definitely come in handy during a Zombie Apocalypse.

[mustbekarma]

If a Zombie apocalypse happens, or any kind  of apocalypse, I want one of these.

[kikismom]

Sorry, got to disagree. That's a beautiful beast...but it gets 8 miles per gallon, can't be turned or reversed in close quarters, can be spotted from outer space, tough to maintain (would you even want to change a tire on that?)

My uncool, unbeautiful nominees all get at least 69 mpg, very agile, easy to hide when stopped, easiy to maintain, so affordable that they could be used as personal vehicle for everyday needs...making it a lot more likely to be blessed with a bug-out vehicle when TEOTWAWKI strikes.

http://www.romahome.com/model-range/romahome-r10/

http://www.wheelhome.info/vikenze

http://www.campervanlife.com/micro-camper-van-peugeot-bipper

http://www.curbsideclassic.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/1999_Daihatsu_Midget_II_citroen_hy_1.jpg

 

http://www.rvguide.com/blog/2010/09/16/mini-piaggio-camper-unveiled/

Edited July 4, 2014 by kikismom

[Jeezaloo]

First of all, you're gonna want body armor. Raid a police station or just a sporting goods store. No exposed flesh for biting!

 

Whoever is opting for melee weapons is walker-bait. The walkers can only fight close-combat, and they tend to swarm and overwhelm. Ranged weapons, people! Ranged weapons! Don't get caught up in the skirmish.

 

But, I admit: sometimes, you can't avoid a little hand to hand with the horde, especially indoors. So you want a ranged weapon that can be repurposed in a pinch for close quarters clubbery.

 

A rifle seems like a good fit, here. Great for picking off walkers before they get close enough to be a threat, and you can bash away with the butt if need be.

 

But ammunition will be in short supply, and over time will simply become useless with age. We need a ranged weapon whose ammo has a very long lifespan, is reuseable, and can be repurposed as a melee weapon.

 

That, my friends, is a bow weapon. Simple, compound, cross, whatever: you put your projectile in a walker's skull and then yank it back out and reuse. You can even manufacture your own bolts/arrows with simple skills and supplies. Melee repurposing? That would be a fistful of arrows, jabbed in a walker's head. Not very flashy, gets the job done.

 

Added bonus: walkers are attracted to noise, so firearms are just an invitation to party. Bow weapons? Nice and quiet. Stealthy. Don't want to get swarmed by walkers? Don't incite a riot in the first place.

 

You all can kill each other over the last, barely-functioning shotgun shell. I'll be sneaking by in the background, waiting for the walkers to converge on your rowdiness so I and my crossbow Lucille can slip on by unnoticed.

Edited July 4, 2014 by Jeezaloo

[walnutqueen]

I am extremely good at remaining anonymous, which is my only defense, now that I'm "disabled" and "old".  I've lived in the same house since 1988, and am "friends" with 2 neighbors (say HI & know phone #'s friend), passing acquaintance with a couple more - that's it.  The grocery store clerks who see the piles of cat food I buy probably know me better!!!  So I intend to do what I've always done with a modicum of success - lay low and avoid.  (Hey - I haven't been sick with a cold or flu in almost a decade, and I'm not even trying!). 

[Iguana]

My perfect melee weapon would be an axe.  Not just any old axe, or the break if you look at them too hard pieces of crap being sold in the hardware stores nowadays.  Nope, it would have to be my Dad's 60 year old woodsplitter.  It rarely needs sharpening, and cuts through hundreds of cords of soft poplar wood with minimal effort.  The handle is some kind of wood that's practically indestructible, with no signs of cracks or chips even after all this use.  I think I'd be pretty comfortable using it against the zombie hordes, given all the chopping I did with it when I was a kid.  For closer work, my grandfather's blacksmith hammer.  Solid steel, sharp on one end and heavy blunt instrument on the other.  He made it himself out of what appears to be a single ingot, as there are no seams that I've ever been able to find.  It's a bit heavy, but well balanced and easy to use.

 

The best non-gun distance weapon I can think of is a slingshot.  Using surgical tubing and a good wrist brace, a slingshot can generate a lot of pretty accurate power.  And ammo is plentiful.

[kikismom]

I think I'd actually like an air-pistol/rifle. Not the toy bb gun type. look up some of the very nice modelshttp://www.pyramydair.com/blog/2010/03/a-customers-review-of-the-makarov-co2-repeating-bb-pistol     http://www.topairgun.com/airpistols

The newer ones have five times the power (and range) of the old ones

The ammo isn't going to deteriorate with time.

You can get self-feeding mags that hold up to 5000 freakin rounds. No worries about reloading time.

The weight of 100 "real honest-to-god-gun" rounds you could carry thousands of pellet rounds. When traveling by car motorcycle or foot, weight counts.

Can find them everywhere. If you think you're going to break into a police station or gun shop without getting killed by the living, good luck, but whoever's closer will   have already thought of it. But pellets are in garages, basements, dens, kids rooms, fishing and bait stores,barns, convenience stores near lakes or woods etc.

 

I don't care what anyone says about a pellet round not being lethal. You could fire 500 rounds of Tic-Tacs through someone's eye at 1200 fps and they're gonna drop.

So much quieter as well.

Plus, I get the whole thing about the bow...except with a bow it's hard to keep anyone else from knowing you're armed, and where the weapon is. You might have times it's better to keep that knowledge to yourself.

Edited July 4, 2014 by kikismom

[Jeezaloo]

Holy cow kikismom, I had no idea those things existed. That's some damage right there. Still give a slight advantage to bow weapons though, to be true, since most of those Bad Day Makers of yours need compressed gas cartridges to work properly and, again: the simpler and more available the ammo, the easier the re-supply.

 

But I'd go with your solution over noisy bullets any day. Who needs to send invitations to the grand buffet ... when you are what's on the main menu? Let 'em stare at each other hungrily instead. Walk on by.

 

Still preferring bow weapons though. Quieter, reuseable ammo, effective enough, ranged by choice and a passable melee weapon if you happen to guess wrong about a situation.

 

Now, I feel like I should be pushing defense as a primary weapon? Body armor, stealth, secure home base. Ability to just fade away, with offensive weapons being very important but very secondary to not being an unwilling sparring buddy to the overzealous in the first place.

 

Without any medical infrastructure in place, your best bet is to not get injured.

 

Is the weapon of choice even a physical weapon? Maybe the best weapon of choice is a sound strategy...

 

...except with a bow it's hard to keep anyone else from knowing you're armed, and where the weapon is. You might have times it's better to keep that knowledge to yourself.

 

Good point, to which I counter: In a zombie apocalypse, anybody without a visible weapon is more suspect than anybody with one.

[kikismom]

Jeezaloo: Great point about anyone seemingly unarmed is suspicious.

I wish I knew how to use a bow; must put that on my to-do list!

 

As regards compressed air cartridge...not always necessary! I'd opt for the pump version, where you use the air around you by single-pump action.

In fact, this little crib sheet specifically mentions single-pump for survival purposes...enjoy!

http://survivalcache.com/pellet-guns-not-just-for-kids-anymore/

 

BTW---with multiple walkers, why go for a head shot? Get them on the ground first, then you can go around quietly crushing heads. Might be easier with some weapons to score a hit on kneecaps, shins, feet,...especially if surrounded. That's when a telescoping pole (previously posted) might come in handly, and could be used for other purposed on one's travels.

Do you prefer standard bow or crossbow?

[kikismom]

one of these would be nice for dealing with a herd...http://netgunforsale.wordpress.com/

[eejm]

I don't know squat about guns, but provided I could learn to use a rifle and attached a bayonet to it, I'd think that would be a great weapon.  The only drawback would be the need for ammo, but the presence of the bayonet would make it useful even if the actual rifle didn't work.  

[kj4ever]

My weapon of choice would be a big redneck with a soft spot for leggy blondes.  I'm a realist - it is the only way I would survive!

Edited July 30, 2014 by kj4ever

[CletusMusashi]

You know, as flimsy as these zombies are getting, nobody has an excuse to keep going into bite range with them.

I think even poking them with a broomstick would be fatal.

And nobody ever throws anything! Butter knives are, believe it or not, perfectly balanced for throwing, and should still available all over. They're not really something people would loot many of. Load up on them, file the tips into points, and if you lose a few, they're replaceable. Or if you can't throw a knife, try horseshoes. You can even tie a string onto to it so you can pull your weapon back after a kill. Same trick works with a wrench, or a brick that has holes in it, or whatever. 

At the very least, everybody should have some kind of staff or fire-hardened spear. It's like everybody is just pouting that if they can't have a katana, then they don't even want to bother trying.

[Nashville]

I think I'd actually like an air-pistol/rifle. Not the toy bb gun type. look up some of the very nice models

You should check out this site - Champion's Choice.

Plus, I get the whole thing about the bow...except with a bow it's hard to keep anyone else from knowing you're armed, and where the weapon is. You might have times it's better to keep that knowledge to yourself.

  

Easy - just make sure the bow isn't your ONLY weapon. :)

Do you prefer standard bow or crossbow?

Standard:

• Fewer moving parts to break or screw up.
• In a ZA-verse where you can crush a zombie skull with a single stomp, a crossbow bolt is overkill - for the zombies, anyway.
• Arrows are much easier to find in stores than bolts.
• Faster reload.

[FishyJoe]

How about one of those cattle killing bolt guns? You could probably run it off compressed air from a portable air tank, like a fireman's air tank. These guns are designed to penetrate the skulls of cows and use no ammo. Just press to the skull, pull the trigger and done.

[bosawks]

Well, in light of last night I'm gonna go super soaker.......

[CletusMusashi]

Or just only go out when it rains.

[Nashville]

How about one of those cattle killing bolt guns? You could probably run it off compressed air from a portable air tank, like a fireman's air tank. These guns are designed to penetrate the skulls of cows and use no ammo. Just press to the skull, pull the trigger and done.

 

"No Country For Old Walkers"?

[CletusMusashi]

The cattle guns seem like too much power for what they'd be used for. A Walker's skull is, at best, like drywall. Probably more like cardboard. This doesn't make any sense, because the rest of their skeletons seem as solid as ever. But, maybe a wizard did it. Anyway, since they are that easy to kill, why bother with a contact weapon that requires air-loading and trigger-pulling. A projectile weapon, such as an air rifle, absolutely. It allows you to fight from much further away. But with a boltgun, you have to, essentially, point a stick right against their head, plus the extra steps. Why not just point a stick at their head a little bit faster, and therefore harder, and be done with it? Thrusting with a stick, even a light one, delivers a lot of force focused onto a very small area.

The boltgun might be a good weapon for children, though. Judith perhaps. Hey, don't laugh. If less than two years into the ZA Carl is six feet tall and has chest hair, Judith ought to be ready for a boltgun by Christmas. If she's too tough for it by then, they can give it to Fauxther Peepants.

When I think about it more,I'm not even sure butter knives would have to be sharpened. I can throw blunt ones through cardboard, although sharpening would make it easier. In real life, throwing knives are a very impractical weapon with an abysmally small chance of an instant kill. But Walkers go down if too large a fly lands on their head. Rats and squirrels have tougher skulls than Walkers.

Edited November 11, 2014 by CletusMusashi

[AngelaHunter]

For close range, the Indian war club has been devastating skulls for more than a thousand years.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nvUIZVv-xDQ

 

Edited because I simply cannot type lately

Edited November 11, 2014 by AngelaHunter

[Mu Shu]

I'm just going to rub down with zombie entrails every day.   Problem solved. 

[Nashville]

I'm just going to rub down with zombie entrails every day.   Problem solved. 

 

If your "problem" is "too active a social life", then I would tend to agree times infinity.

[kikismom]

You should check out this site - Champion's Choice.

 

•  

Thanks for the link!

 

 

I'm just going to rub down with zombie entrails every day.   Problem solved. 

Didn't Maggie say last night that she wasn't going to rub down anything with dirt?

Although I think that was after Abraham made remark about taking a pretty hard shot in his apricot-sack during the bus wreck.

Walk it off, son, walk it off.

[Nashville]

Didn't Maggie say last night that she wasn't going to rub down anything with dirt?

I think the actual quote was, "I'm not rubbing dirt on anything". Same end result, though.

[Bruinsfan]

I lean toward the slingshot option for a ranged weapon since I'd never run out of ammo as long as there are pebbles and small rocks, and it solves the problem of hunting small game with the same weapon you've previously used on a walker.

 

I'd definitely steer clear of katanas or anything else fancy and breakable for up close. Good old machetes are designed to hack vines and branches for a long time before going dull, have enough heft to do some damage without a lot of skill, and would leave you less off-balance than an ax. But honestly, I'd be more inclined to try and keep ahead of pursuing walkers and pitch bricks and rocks at their heads rather than engaging them hand-to-hand.

[Nashville]

Bow for long range, slingshot for short range.

For up-close-and-personal?  A solid hunting knife, and a good old-fashioned shillelagh.

[CletusMusashi]

You know what might make a really good ranged weapon?

This guy.

[JBody]

I use a recurve bow, DH uses a compound bow. In a ZA situation I'd have a helluva time with the arrows I think (lost arrows, unable to retrieve, broken/lost fletches, broken shafts, carrying the damned quiver around everywhere). I'd like to think I'd have it with me always but I'd also probably be inclined to use spears, slingshots and a heavy gerber knife. Or if there were some decent rocks around to bash some flimsy skulls in...

[kikismom]

You know what might make a really good ranged weapon?

This guy.

 

Reminds me of a hometown boy I dated.

He had a whip.

You could put a soft-drink cup on a table and he could crack that whip and cut the drinking straw into half-inch pieces without knocking the paper cup over.

Then you could put another straw in the drink, and he could cut the straw with the whip while you were drinking from it.

I found it very...exciting.

Yeah.

[JBody]

what an interesting.... *er-hem*... skill

Edited November 14, 2014 by JBody

[Nashville]

Reminds me of a hometown boy I dated.

He had a whip.

You could put a soft-drink cup on a table and he could crack that whip and cut the drinking straw into half-inch pieces without knocking the paper cup over.

Then you could put another straw in the drink, and he could cut the straw with the whip while you were drinking from it.

I found it very...exciting.

Yeah.

 

I'm not even going to ask what he was wearing at the time.

 

Not that I'm faulting you one single bit.

 

If I found a woman who could do that, I'd probably never make it out of the house.

[Nashville]

Bow for long range, slingshot for short range.

For up-close-and-personal?  A solid hunting knife, and a good old-fashioned shillelagh.

Upon further reflection, I'm trading in the shillelagh for a San Angelo bar.

If you've ever used one, you know how lethal it can be for either a stab OR a swing.

[CletusMusashi]

17 POUNDS? Yeah, the thing better be lethal!

Big, two-handed 15th-16th century swords and axes that were intended for use against plate armor weighed about one third of that! 

By the time you're dealing with artifacts that are half the weight of that thing, their level of decor tends to make it clear they were completely ceremonial.

Edited December 12, 2014 by CletusMusashi

[Timetoread]

I think an iron fireplace poker would be very effective.  Also I shoot, so my trusty .38 revolver and lots of ammo.  And yeah, a Kabar strapped onto my leg - for the humans who need dispatching.

 

I just realized after articulating this post, I'm kind of scary.

[Nashville]

17 POUNDS? Yeah, the thing better be lethal!

Big, two-handed 15th-16th century swords and axes that were intended for use against plate armor weighed about one third of that!

By the time you're dealing with artifacts that are half the weight of that thing, their level of decor makes it clear the were completely ceremonial.

It's truthfully not that bad. I have one, and the only time the weight has worn on me was after working with it for over a half-hour straight chopping out tree roots - then you'll feel it in your triceps some. The concentration of force at either the pointed OR bladed ends, however, is truly awesome. Plus it can double as one heckuva walking stick, so the weight will be on the ground half the time anyway. :)

I think an iron fireplace poker would be very effective. Also I shoot, so my trusty .38 revolver and lots of ammo. And yeah, a Kabar strapped onto my leg - for the humans who need dispatching.

I just realized after articulating this post, I'm kind of scary.

You and me both. I was raised to believe a man wasn't fully dressed if he didn't have at least a pocketknife on him, so I've always had something in a back pocket since about seventh grade (doubt that would fly in today's schools). And remember a few years back, when that solo rock climber got pinned by a boulder and had to amputate his own arm to survive? Nowadays I usually carry at least two, arranged so I can always get hold of a blade no matter which hand I have free.

And a gun would be a given - but as a last resort, because I'd be stingy as hell about the ammo. Think I'd prefer my .45 automatic, though. Or maybe my .357 - it'd probably be easier to keep a revolver clean and in good working order. Plus, it could shoot .38s in a pinch as well. :)

ETA: more stuff

Edited December 11, 2014 by Nashville

[Timetoread]

You and me both. I was raised to believe a man wasn't fully dressed if he didn't have at least a pocketknife on him, so I've always had something in a back pocket since about seventh grade (doubt that would fly in today's schools). And remember a few years back, when that solo rock climber got pinned by a boulder and had to amputate his own arm to survive? Nowadays I usually carry at least two, arranged so I can always get hold of a blade no matter which hand I have free.

And a gun would be a given - but as a last resort, because I'd be stingy as hell about the ammo. Think I'd prefer my .45 automatic, though. Or maybe my .357 - it'd probably be easier to keep a revolver clean and in good working order. Plus, it could shoot .38s in a pinch as well. :)

 

Well the truly disturbing thing is that I'm female.  The only child of a bona fide law enforcement tough guy (it's why I have a soft spot and understanding for the tough guys who are actually woobies inside).  Anyhoo, I've carried a Swiss Army knife in my purse my entire adult life and have had SEVERAL humorous occasions when that thing was needed and all in my presence flashed me that "Who ARE you?" look.  To which I replied "The offspring and heir of Alreadyreadit."

 

As for the gun, a .357 mag would definitely do the trick.  I'd stay away from an auto, though, because nobody has time for cleaning and jamming when a herd is descending upon you.

Edited December 11, 2014 by Timetoread

[walnutqueen]

Well the truly disturbing thing is that I'm female.  The only child of a bona fide law enforcement tough guy (it's why I have a soft spot and understanding for the tough guys who are actually woobies inside).  Anyhoo, I've carried a Swiss Army knife in my purse my entire adult life and have had SEVERAL humorous occasions when that thing was needed and all in my presence flashed me that "Who ARE you?" look.  To which I replied "The offspring and heir of Alreadyreadit."

 

As for the gun, a .357 mag would definitely do the trick.  I'd stay away from an auto, though, because nobody has time for cleaning and jamming when a herd is descending upon you.

 

Heh - hippie pacifist here, and there's an ulu in my side purse pocket, hatchet beside my carseat, and machete beside my recliner.  But when it comes to firearms, it's large caliber revolvers all the way, baby!   Especially for the infrequent shooters and uninitiated.   :-)  A girl's gotta know her limitations, eh?

Edited December 11, 2014 by walnutqueen

[Timetoread]

Heh - hippie pacifist here, and there's an ulu in my side purse pocket, hatchet beside my carseat, and machete beside my recliner.  But when it comes to firearms, it's large caliber revolvers all the way, baby!   Especially for the infrequent shooters and uninitiated.   :-)  A girl's gotta know her limitations, eh?

Large caliber?  Like what?  .45's?  Does the kick bother you at all?  I'm always asked by the uninitiated what the best gun to have is.  My answer is that the best to have is the one you can shoot with proficiency.  Ladies don't get triple dog dared into getting more gun than your body can take. 

 

That said, a machete beside the recliner?  I'm scared of YOU!  I keep a Jack Russell ON the recliner and trust me, nobody is messing with me!

[walnutqueen]

Timetoread - .44 magnum, and yes, the kick does hurt your hands - eventually.  But I was lucky enough to be gifted with a superbly accurate and delightful to shoot "special" revolver, and back when I could still hold a gun for more than a hot minute, was also blessed with ignorance of the hazards of "big" gun blowback, so I'd fire anything the old man loaded and put in my hot little hands (shot a lot of big guns).  :-)   Before my forelegs were disabled, I'd shoot my 300 WinMag all day long, and could hit what I was aiming for with my cop buddy's 50 cal Desert Eagle, so the myth of big guns/little girls is just that.  And by the way - what the fuck is wrong with a Universe that would give me the gift of shooting accuracy and then disable my arms and make me half blind, even with glasses?  :~d

 

That being said, the casual, or uninitiated shooter should stick with a trusty revolver of a caliber they can handle (or maybe a pretty little James Bond Walther PPK, that I sincerely regretted not keeping!).  Ladies are often ridiculed into trying stuff that anyone couldn't handle without some serious practice (and pain), but if they are taught with patience and kindness, they could learn to do what I did on a dare from my old man (here, honey, try THIS).   The most important thing is to start small, with a gun that is a pleasure to shoot - once you have that experience, you either get shooting, or don't.   I think a sweet little .22 is still a great choice,  if you're accurate.  But there's not much more intimidating than looking down the bore of a big old 44 (let's not even mention a shotgun, too close to home,for me), so I am quite flexible!   :-)

 

The only reason I am so "well armed" (and ain't that an ironic depiction of someone with disabled arms!) is that I live alone and keep all the windows open unless it is cold, and I am often nude with no curtains (but lots of trees & such).  I watch too much of the ID channel, and feel I must be prepared for the maniacal serial killer who happens to be twisted enough to break into what looks like a low-life version of Grey Gardens West, or the car jacker who happens upon me on my infrequent daytime runs for cat food (and nighttime runs for cigs).   I am SO not scary, despite outward appearances.  Just don't tell that to the serial killer in my bushes (who turned out to be a drunken partygoer from my neighborhood who passed out in my front yard and didn't scare me a bit).  I've never honestly been afraid of any bad stuff happening to me, and feel completely safe and insulated from the violent world in my private Idaho.   But it never hurts to prepare for the improbable, much less the impossible. :-)

 

 

ETA - I forgot to mention the TERROR factor.  There's something about a big sharp blade, especially when it is unconventional, like a machete or axe, that throws a little curve into the mix, because terror shouldn't be just a tool for the bad people.  I want to see a bad guy meet a crazed nekkid old lady with a machete (and ball peen hammer - I forgot about that one), who has been alerted to his illegal entry by her trusty little watch-cat.  A girl can dream, and die happy that she wiped a shit eating grin off a badie's face for a minute.

Edited December 11, 2014 by walnutqueen

[Nashville]

Well the truly disturbing thing is that I'm female.  The only child of a bona fide law enforcement tough guy (it's why I have a soft spot and understanding for the tough guys who are actually woobies inside).  Anyhoo, I've carried a Swiss Army knife in my purse my entire adult life and have had SEVERAL humorous occasions when that thing was needed and all in my presence flashed me that "Who ARE you?" look.  To which I replied "The offspring and heir of Alreadyreadit."

Nothing disturbing about it. I taught my 26yo daughter to shoot, and she can eat the center out of a target with a pistol at ten yards. Same with the knife, although her preferred brand is Benchmade. :)

 

As for the gun, a .357 mag would definitely do the trick.  I'd stay away from an auto, though, because nobody has time for cleaning and jamming when a herd is descending upon you.

Actually, my .357 is what my daughter learned on.  :)

 

Under the circumstances of a ZA, I'd probably carry both - just in case I stepped around the wrong corner and found myself the belle of the ball with more than six prospective dance partners in my face.  Different tools for different jobs, donchaknow.

[Nashville]

Oh, and as far as calibers go: the best caliber for you is whatever you can manage comfortably and accurately, and it varies widely from individual to individual.  My 26yo loves the .357, for example, but her mother prefers a lightweight .38 Special.  A lot of it has to do with the individual gun as well; a well-designed pistol of larger caliber can kick less - and wear you out less - than a poorly designed weapon of smaller caliber.

 

My preferences run the gamut from .22 shorts to 10mm.  I got a thing about versatility.  :)

[walnutqueen]

Nothing disturbing about it. I taught my 26yo daughter to shoot, and she can eat the center out of a target with a pistol at ten yards. Same with the knife, although her preferred brand is Benchmade. :)

 

Actually, my .357 is what my daughter learned on.  :)

 

Under the circumstances of a ZA, I'd probably carry both - just in case I stepped around the wrong corner and found myself the belle of the ball with more than six prospective dance partners in my face.  Different tools for different jobs, donchaknow.

 

I like the revolver for  people who don't shoot much.  And I used to say it was all I needed, because if there were more than 6 bad guys, I would RUN!  But there's a lot to be said for versatility, and there's nothing more fun than spraying a shitpile of bullets from a little Uzi, unless it's shooting a 44 lever action Marlin something or other, which made me feel like Chuck Conners in shorts and a tank top.  :=)  Which leads me back to my mantra of many weapons ... I notice nobody's bothered to extoll the utility of a hatpin, or those chopsticky thingys ladies used to hold their buns (hair buns, that is).

[CletusMusashi]

It bothers me that we don't see more bayonets. Everybody carrying a rifle should have rigged up some kind of bayonet attachment by now. Even it's just a railroad spike and it's only held on there by some half-melted garden hose or whatever, standing back and poking is much less tiring (and risky,) than moving in close and bashing.

Even the axes and hammers and picks ought to have spear attachments on them by now. Campfires produce charcoal, and charcoal fires are hot enough to weld steel with. Not instantly, I'm sure, but if you're only dealing with, say, attaching the head of a very large nail with some melted scrap metal I think it would be quite doable. And it's not like they have anything on TV to watch. Might as well try something useful.

Edited December 12, 2014 by CletusMusashi

[walnutqueen]

There's always the scythe; Weapon of Choice of the Grim Reaper.  Serves many purposes, including lopping off walker heads on high, and foliage that grows everywhere except Georgia lawns down low, and is apparently mostly leaned on as a walking stick, if all the comic-y renderings of Death are true.  One could modify the simplest of farm implements : pitchfork, hoe, shovel, etc. into a weapon; Hershel's place looked like an armory, to me.

[CletusMusashi]

I agree about the farm tools. Seeing anybody on the road who isn't carrying some kind of an elongated weapon, be it a self-made spear, a bayonet rifle, or a shovel/pitchfork.whatever just drives me crazy. Especially when they should know better. We;ve seen Maggie have to use a signpost. And then did she bring it with her, after it proved to be a great weapon? She did not.

Scythes, however, are not as awesome as they look. The original version, invented by and named after the Scythians, was invented for cutting mature hemp plants, so it had a normal sturdy blade. Modern scythes aren't made for crops, though, They're simply a cool-looking low-tech lawnmower, with a flimsy paper-thin blade designed to pass through blades of grass without tearing up the yard.

[walnutqueen]

 I had NO idea there were faux scythes available, other than as a Halloween prop.   :-)

 

Before we hired our neighbour's tractor to tow the iron seated hay-cutting implement of torturous labor (I don't know what it was called, but working the lever whilst bouncing in that iron seat made me pray for an early death!);  I used an old scythe that cut through hay and grass like a warm knife through butter.  Because old heavy farm tools take kindly to staying honed and oiled, and the horses needed feed for the winter.  I'd imagine any "boy brain" could figure out how to adjust that scythe blade for maximum decapitation or penetration; I'd be more inclined to practice my various grips and make it work in a pinch and figure out how to modify it later.  Hell, I'd practice with bowling balls if I thought it could fell a single walker for a single minute, because it takes less than that for someone to get bitten.  EVERYTHING is a weapon to be used, and unfortunately, not just against walkers (humans seem to be the greater danger, for now).

 

I don't pretend to know how I'd fare against walkers, but I'd like to think I'm prepared to give some humans a run for their money, even if it's a short one, and with all the weapons of opportunity you all have helped me identify, sure as shit there will be blood. and it won't all be mine. 

 

PS - please feed the cats, and the raccoons if possible.  :-)