What Weapon? - Zombie Apocalypse

rebelgtp wrote: The sledge hammer would get very heavy very fast and would be slow. The Firemans axe would be faster and not as hard on you to use.

It's more than just the weight, it's also the functionality. If the goal were just weight, ease, and efficacy, some sort of sword would be much more effective. But, you're carrying something around that takes up space and is heavy. Survival is going to depend on a lot more than just being able to take down walkers. You need a tool that can serve multiple purposes.

You need to bust open padlocks, get through doors, break car windows, and pry E36 M3 open. How many tools can do that? Sure, a maul or sledge will be able to handle walkers about as effectively (although I still give the edge to the axe, on account of weight and dismemberment capacity), and it will get through locks and glass about as fast, but you don't have the capacity to chop through a door, or pry something open. Axe has that edge. Crowbar is good and can open up about as many barred ways as an axe, but it lacks the reach, killing power, and is more unwieldy compared to an axe.

Arguably, the second weapon should be something good for hunting to keep yourself fed. Ideally, it should also be able to handle "oh E36 M3" walker situations or serve as an effective deterrent against people. So... either AR-15 (semi-auto, large capacity, scroungeable ammo) or crossbow/bow (silent, reusable ammo).

Finally, might top it off with an ultra-compact emergency holdout weapon for seriously tense situations. Either a sub-compact pistol (like, ankle holster sized), or a combat knife; So, two loadouts:

1: Fire axe, crossbow/bow, micro pistol
2: Crowbar, AR-15, combat knife

You have to remember, zombies are rotting corpses. We've all seem roadkill, we know how quick meat rots. Zeds are the initial threat. The long term problem is survival and other humans. I'd stick with my choices on the simple basis that after the zeds are gone, which realistically will only be a couple of weeks depending on season and infection rate, humans are the real problem. Until society reforms as a whole I want to be as far away as possible prepared for the long haul. Those tools will allow me to do that. Though I probably should add a now for humtimg /fishimg.

Not that I've thought about this or anything but I might have a katana in my closet.

My pistols might be of the same caliber at the military so scrounging is relatively simple.

A 12 gauge for close in last ditch power.

My .308 does fine duty for feeding the family and dissuading hostiles a few hundred yards away.

I suppose the compound bow would be relatively quiet when that was desired but arrows aren't as infinitely reusable as the show would have you think so ammo for it could become a problem faster than the 2500 rounds of .22

I do need to look into an adapter for the .22s so I can screw a slender oil filter onto the end of the barrel......

Well, I already have what I need.

.45 for the short range stuff. My kimber 1911 is deadly accurate for under 30 yards.

.22 luger for small game hunting

.270 for deer hunting and the long range stuff

The the machete for those times when you don't want the noise of a gun.

May be a little much to carry it all but I'm sure I'd figure it out

Fireman's axe, compound bow, .45 and AR15.

Axe and bow for zed/game and guns for the other survivors.

In addition to weapons, don't forget about body armor. Pretty sure I'd actually use motorcycle body armor for most of this. Heavy leather jacket (minus the CE padding), reinforce pants, steel toed hiking/work boot, take some motorcycle gloves and cut the finger tips off for dexterity. Walker would have a hell of a time trying to chew through all that leather. Plus, I now have a heavy toe and kevlar knuckles to fight with in a pinch.

Need something for head protection, a motorcycle helmet would be overkill, get fatiguing, and get in the way. Ideally would find a police-issue riot helmet, but that would be tough.

Suppressed or silenced 10/22 and a suppressed 22/45 (both with red dot sights) with lots of magazines.

In reply to Beer Baron: I've had the same thought. Heavy leather all over. Generally, I'm ok with the full face helmet. With all that in place I'd be pretty well chew-proof.

I'd pretty much run the same setup as Beer Baron. An axe is a pretty good weapon that doesn't need reloading and also a useful survival tool. Then a good all-rounder rifle that you can easily find ammo for, either an AR15 or a modern AK47 cousin. I'd add a scope and bayonet.

I was also watching a bit of the latest Walking Dead season premiere and I said out loud "the LEAST they could do is strap on some bits of carpet" as they went out knowing they would encounter zombies.

Motorcycle armor is along the right lines. Hard plastic would be bloody difficult to bite through and it's light and could have a breathable design.

I'm with the "Firearms could be too much trouble if society has collapsed" school of thought here, although I wouldn't mind carrying a 12 gauge pump gun. But I'd primarily want to rely on things where you don't need, or could improvise, the ammo. So I'd go with a compound bow for distance work, an axe for a melee weapon, plus my big trusty butcher knife because, well, you've got to have a knife in survival situations.

I thought I'd generate more discussion with the air rifle suggestion.

In reply to Brett_Murphy:

I've been researching them after reading it. I must admit, I had no idea they make a 50-caliber air rifle!

GameboyRMH wrote: I was also watching a bit of the latest Walking Dead season premiere and I said out loud "the LEAST they could do is strap on some bits of carpet" as they went out knowing they would encounter zombies.

The show would be a whole lot less tense if the characters ever stopped to think reasonably at all on how to actually work together and survive the situation they're in.

I gave up on the series completely halfway through the second season after getting completely fed up with what complete idiots the characters were.

In reply to Beer Baron: You mean living in a tent and angsting over everything isn't a good plan? I totally agree though, the characters would do better in z-land if they could get their act together and work on a coherant plan.

KyAllroad wrote: In reply to Beer Baron: You mean living in a tent and angsting over everything isn't a good plan? I totally agree though, the characters would do better in z-land if they could get their act together and work on a coherant plan.

I mean like... setting up your camp where all the tents are spread out and you're surrounded by trees and bushes so that you have no sight-line to look out for walkers. Or coming upon a bunch of stopped cars and having your scrounging strategy basically amount to "I know, let's all split up," as opposed to having assigned roles, or even a buddy system.

Hatchet for close range/ cutting down stuff or crowbar to break into stuff.
A bow for hunting long range/ killing zombies.
A k-bar or something similar.
A small light pistol (like a Kal-Tec or Walther) with one or two clips for last resort/ ending it if I got bit.

Fiskars splitting axe and a supressed 22LR https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vq06dgJw1vQ

Im with Baron on everything except giving up on the show....Its a bit of a "suspend reality" series, to be sure. But its still entirely entertaining. I get incredibly frustrated with about 3/4 of the plot, but then something happens and Im pulled right back in....the equivalent of trading a van dressed like a dog for a 10cc Scooter and totally redeeming yourself.

Oh yeah, and as far as weapons, theres not nearly enough utilization of brass knuckles in this series. The katana and crossbow would seriously the best combo of weapons possible in this scenario.

4cylndrfury wrote: Oh yeah, and as far as weapons, theres not nearly enough utilization of brass knuckles in this series. The katana and crossbow would seriously the best combo of weapons possible in this scenario.

Katanas are totally badass but also totally fragile. It wouldn't take much for a zombie to snap the blade off in his ribcage, if you don't chew up the edge on zombie bones first. It would also splash around more blood than necessary and is purely a weapon - no good as a tool.

There's a reason I chose the boring ol' fire axe over it

I bought a tool steel Katana instead of the ubiquitous internet stainless blades most people are familiar with. I tested it by going to town in a bamboo grove last year and I'm confident it won't break.

When I was single a credit card and access to the internet while watching tv was a bad combination. There is a brass knuckle(s) riding in the center console of the tow pig to prove that.....

There is no one tool. Recommendations will change with time, situation, and user.

If you're going to use an impact or cutting tool, get one and see how many brain-level swings you can make before getting worn out. Work on that. And make sure you know how much space you need for those swings, vertical and horizontal. It'd be bad to get your katana stuck in the door jamb, or to slice your partner on the follow through.

Firearms: Everyone on semi? Front sight, front sight, front sight. Make 'em count.

obviously a crossbow with a samarai sword hooked to it.

Don't need weapons when you can just run over them.

Wait.... I change my mind. Do both:

I think Michonne has it covered pretty well.