well in the UK guns are banned so its hard and illegal to have them but if civil war came i am sure they would be going around easily to buy one however if i couldnt get one i'd stick to my trusty weapons like knives, machettes, sling shots, blow guns and homemade chemical weapons maybe even traps. i'd advise you not to follow me.


I'd be the one constantly moving probally in a group/gang so a good weapon would be consealment and be able to go around helping people to earn trust. abit like the legend of robin hood. the village that supported him greatly.

wow bit off topic but hey hoe. i am also watching texas chain saw massica so its hard to concentrate

I know there are many who fear some type of scenario where society breaks down and mass confusion ensues with gangs of zombies attacking you and yours.

When I think of weapons I would primarily think of something that would help me survive and take game for food. One of the main impressions I always get when I read posts like this is that you should stock up on weapons whose sole purpose is to kill people, not game.

Sorry, but if you start shooting at me I will shoot back and I have handled firearms all my life. My semi-automatic .22 long rifle with a 14 shot magazine and scope is quite effective in a variety of situations. You can take down anything from a rabbit to a deer with very little effort, it's just a matter of shot placement and is quite lethal at considerable distances. Or if you insist, a proper head shot will take down any person who may actually be a threat. And I agree that you can set aside a ton of .22 ammo. The machete and a good hunting knife are excellent suggestions and I wouldn't want to be without either. I also have a .410 shotgun that takes a either shot or slugs but is a bit heavier than the .22 so if I was looking for portability I would probably pick the .22.

Outside of that thought, I would think the most effective weapon I could have would be to be in the right place geographically. If you are in the middle of NYC when things go down I don't care how many weapons you have. You won't have a chance, even if you try to escape you would end up running a gauntlet to get out.

Learn as much as you can about wood-crafts and actually practice them. You can only learn so much out of a book. And not just a class with a bunch of people in it. Go out on your own and practice surviving with as little equipment as possible. You'd be surprised how quickly you can learn when only you are there to figure it out. When I was a few years younger I would regularly take off on improvised camping trips with nothing more than my hunting knife, some light rope, a piece of plastic, limited clothing that I could take off or put on in layers depending on conditions, a baggie with nuts and dried fruit, some sturdy shoes and a lightweight poncho. No gun, no matches, no problem.

Ditch the AK-47 and go learn how to start a fire, dress a deer, and smoke fish. I will be as far away as possible, by myself, living out my life as a happy "camper".

Of course the ultimate weapon would be to actively prevent the disaster in the first place. No disaster, no problem.

Sorry but this thread is downright silly. Some of you watch too many zombie movies.

If there is every any type of civil war or the people rise up against TPTB it's going to be deadly. Swords, WD-40, batons, and crossbows (LOL) aren't going to do #. I mean have any of you guys seen the protection and firepower the average policeman wears to a college protest? Full body armor riot gear, plastic shields, MP5's. Not to mention the various SWAT tanks and other vehicles.

And I've yet to talk about the military. The # hey have is ridiculous. If we are being serious adults here's the most important things you'll need:

1) GUNS and several of them and lots of ammo. Preferably full automatic like AKs, ARs, MP5s, old M60s, 50cals, SAWs,. Even some RPGs, old Shoulder launched rocket launchers etc.

2) Heavily modified construction vehicles like backhoes, dump trucks, etc.

3) Explosives and lots of it be it homemade fairly advanced molotav cocktails, kitcehn C4, fertilizer bombs etc.

4) Body armor.

All the other stuff won't make a damn bit of difference. We are not talking an I am Legend or Road Warrior type situation or some zombie movie situation. Those scenarios won't happen. And if they do food and water will be way more important. We are talking Jerichoesque situations.

I think a car would also be a great wepon to have. Not only can you run people over you can sleep in it. And if you want to be "Green" get a solar powered chain saw, but you need a battery pack too just in case sh*t happens at night, that would be dope. But seriously, I would go with Sword, Shield, A gun, but only as a last resort to save bullets. A Knife, Kabar type, a lether men, and I think would be the greatest wepon would be a Moltov Cocktail, thats a really nasty one. O and a blow gun, its very accurate and you can make the ammo, so no need to be like "Crap I gots no more" you can just make it. But thats what I think. And a car would be sweet too. One more thing, a slingshot, that ammo you can find laying around. That would be some sweet stuff to use.

Besides faith and reliance on the Supreme Being. I would say a wrist rocket would be nice and a good club. The biggest concern would be with wild animals you don't stand much of a chance after the bullets run with people who have them except to evade, set traps and be unpredictable. Few "enemy" are eager to pursue a target that is dangerous and unpredictable. Like all cowards they will prefer to go after easier pray.

I read the cautions against spears. You'll note that I said I had spear heads. You'll also note that they aren't mounted.

If you'll read of the days after the fall of the Western Empire of Rome, very quickly, wild animals became a problem. A serious problem.

Here in the US some 80 years ago, there were packs of wild dogs that were quite dangerous to livestock and even people. They were hunted down to practical extinction, as they carried not only the threat of attack, but rabies was a real problem.

Dogs aren't the only wild animals.

After any SHTF situation, one must acknowledge that there is going to be a significant population drop. And I don't care how they're armed.

As time goes on and the overall landscape changes and animals begin to increase populations, you'll likely see more of the predators spread from coast to coast.

Firearms are fine. But if you want to keep something at distance, you'll note that until a couple hundred years ago, pole weapons, especially spears were an effective defensive weapon.

Against two-legged animals and four legged animals.

Originally posted by dooper
Aside from the most obvious, which would include firearms and bow weapons, you'll find a good machete useful, and the Gerber version has a sawback. You'll discover more uses for a good machete than you can imagine, so you'll want to keep it near your back easy to reach.

The second item that I have found my most useful hand weapon/tool is my tomahawk I have from my days in Special Forces.

Absolutely. A good machete would be @ top of my list. I think in the moment of survival I'd rather lose my pistol than my machete.
It can make things alot more miserable for you.
Especially if you plan on surviving it out in the woods, or 'the bush.'
Having a machete, you can hack down shelter in 30 min.
Someone mentioned a Pulaski; Which can come in very handy, however do you really want to log it around? Too heavy.

The best survival weapon is almost certainly one's brain, followed by a knife.

And you definetaly sold me on the tomahawk Dooper.
Especially how you mentioned the webbed holster, now I want one.

Important is to be light folks. Not heavy and clunky.

A good pair of binoculars should also be on the list. Makes stalking your prey, and scoping terrain much easier from a distance. Just as important as your weapon.
(unless you have a kickass scope)



[edit on 17-5-2009 by Ben Niceknowinya]

I made an earlier post specifically regarding firearms, since the op was speaking about "weapons", and firearms are the most useful. In regard to edged weapons, a machete, a tomahawk or hatchet, and a poleaxe serve dual roles as both useful tools and weapons.

I would choose a firearm over a bow or crossbow any day. If lack of ammo is an issue I would point out that handloading is an option...recipes for powder are readily available and bullets can be cast from car batteries and other sources of lead and suitable alloys.

Lacking all else, I would still prefer a blackpowder rifle, shotgun, or revolver (powder recipes and bullet sources still apply) over any bows, crossbows, or spears.

, great way to advertise the fact that you guys have too much ammo and what type of firearms you have...... TPTB will be watching all closely now and up until when TSHTF.

I'd settle for a couple of shortblades, but then I live in the UK and thats all I can get anwyays. *cough*blackmarket*cough*.

[edit on 18/5/09 by DataWraith]

Originally posted by Jessicaviv

Now a peaceful gal, but as long as military might be in your area rounding us up for death camps, I think I'll take what they've got.

This makes me sorry that I even started this thread. I don't want to even get into this again...suffice it to say that I certainly hope she is not talking about the United States Military.

Anyhow, reading over these, its lookin like a bow, machete, and that cool hatchet is the way to go.

I think i might focus more on survival gear and tools though.

One way to go is Rambo it. The use of metal arrows full of FFFF powder. Then glue a shotgun primer with a BB on it. However it is not legal and of huge danger. A bow is important anyway however if your talking about the fall of the USA its not going to work for long. The problem is after the civil riots, murders and burnings. Then you have an UN invasion. That is a big Good luck. A person would have to be under ground and hid then. Such a crash would work from here then out to other countries over time as countries are so dependent. Understand its the US where it starts and where it is the worse. I see I don't see this for about 11 to 16 years. However a crash and violence in about 3 years in a smaller situation is coming due to legal act from the S & L cases from the 80s-90s so I am not surprise that they want to disarm the US badly. I think they might just get their way..

right now I have all of my weapons if/when shtf.

I would like a combo rifle/pistol set up. Maybe the .357 lever action rifle with a .357 pistol.

I'd just like a lever action rifle...I have everything else but no lever action.