In a SHTF scenario what would be the best non firearm weapon?

reply to post by r2d246


a spear . not just a sharp stick - but a real medieval spear with a double edged blade

A pike for more than a arms reach and a sling bow in my back pocket for a little further out.

reply to post by Doc Gator


you can't shoot a shelter for yourself!
if you try to shoot some food,and miss,the animal will run!
how will a gun help if ya sprain your ankle?
contrary to popular movie belief,there is no such thing as an endless supply of bullets,
but there is a virtually endless supply of sticks!
guns scare me!
but a guy with a really big,shrp stick scares me a lot more!!!

Originally posted by generik

Originally posted by Doc Gator
I know that you specifically asked about non-firearms and there are many good suggestions in the replies, but I would consider them all to be secondary weapons. The simple fact is that firearms are the most effective personal weapons (assuming you can hit what you are aiming at). If I didn't have one, I would spend my time and resources getting one or making one.

Firearms are amazingly simple machines and can easily be built with minimal materials and tools. You won't end up with a glock or an MP5, but it will be effective.

ah but can you make gunpowder?, it is actually rather easy but would take a bit of time to make some of the components, like nitrates. one reason i prefer bows for distance overall, and a repeating crossbow even gives you multiple shots, without as much work as a standard crossbow. a recurve or longbow can get good rates of fire as well, but takes more practice to get your speed and accuracy up.

Yes, I can make black powder. And yes, it can be time consuming. And yes again, a crossbow or a recurve can be effective weapons. But, given a choice between a firearm and a bow, I'll take the firearm every time.

Originally posted by reficul
reply to post by Doc Gator

 

you can't shoot a shelter for yourself!
if you try to shoot some food,and miss,the animal will run!
how will a gun help if ya sprain your ankle?
contrary to popular movie belief,there is no such thing as an endless supply of bullets,
but there is a virtually endless supply of sticks!
guns scare me!
but a guy with a really big,shrp stick scares me a lot more!!!

A tarp makes a good shelter, but it is a poor choice for a weapon.
If you poke an animal with a stick, miss or hit, I guarantee it will run.
How will a stick help you if you have a sucking chest wound? Or an abscessed tooth? Or an aneurysm? Etc....
Bullets can be made, just as sticks can be sharpened.
I would be much more concerned about someone coming at me with a gun than someone coming at me with a pointy stick.

Choosing a firearm for a weapon doesn't mean that you can't use any other material that you have available.

'71 Dodge Challenger Hemi 426 4 speed with big steel bullbar. Run zombie run.

Or failing that as others have said samurai sword and longbow with lots of sharp pointy arrows.

reply to post by Doc Gator



how exactly would a 9 mm,or an m 16 help with a big hole in your chest?
you can at least try to coterize the wound with a smoldering stick!
the pith of white willow contains asa you can use to relieve pain.
the only thing the gun would do to help in this situation is to put yourself out of your own misery!!!
you could also pack and dress the wound with tree bark!!!

Originally posted by reficul
reply to post by Doc Gator

 

how exactly would a 9 mm,or an m 16 help with a big hole in your chest?
you can at least try to coterize the wound with a smoldering stick!
the pith of white willow contains asa you can use to relieve pain.
the only thing the gun would do to help in this situation is to put yourself out of your own misery!!!
you could also pack and dress the wound with tree bark!!!

That is exactly my point. You are are advocating the wrong tool for the job. A firearm won't solve the problem any more than a stick will.

Pain relief has it's place, but it doesn't solve the problem.

You can pack a wound with mud, but you won't like the result.

Again, choosing a firearm, or a stick, doesn't exclude the use of everything else for other purposes.

reply to post by Doc Gator


i guess my 'point' is (pun intended!) that a stick has many,many uses.
a gun can just shoot,or maybe be used as a hammer.
there are probably more uses for a gun,but i can't think of any now.
if i had to choose one survival tool,a good staff would be the one.
if i had multiple choices,then a gun would be one of many!

Melee weapons?

A mace or war club. Unlike an edged weapon you don't have to worry about hitting your opponent with particular surface at a particular spot where a puncture or perforation will disable them; just hitting with enough force to disable them. Plus they don't get stuck in the bones and sinew of the victim.

The blunt force trauma associated with a blow of enough force not only shatters bones, but causes internal organs to rupture. With a few good hits, even if they manage to survive the contact, they will die later of sepsis or internal bleeding.

It's along the same lines as people who were wearing a bullet proof vest can still die from the round that failed to penetrate (in this instance it's hydrostatic shock; you won't be hitting with that kind of directed force but the principle is the along the same lines).

Originally posted by ignorant_ape
reply to post by r2d246

 

a spear . not just a sharp stick - but a real medieval spear with a double edged blade

yeah spears are also good weapons, i already have my spear head, about 1 foot long and double bladed just find a nice shaft and she's ready to go. need to repair my plate mail armor at some point, got to pound out some dents in it and the helm, but then it is well used go figure. hmm i wonder where i put my pole mace?

A good wrist rocket and some half-inch ball bearings.

reply to post by Dustytoad


Very deadly, but a thrusting weapon would be a lot better than a cutting weapon as a thrust is a lot faster and harder to see coming. Also recovery time is much much less, especially if you miss. I'd love to walk around as a Roman soldier in all the gear! (obviously I am not being serious though, just think the idea is fun! )

Repeating crossbows look pretty amazing as well, I was amazed to find out how long ago they were invented in China, a truly amazing weapon indeed.

Horse and lance would be pretty awesome too!

Also a falx is a weapon I have never heard mentioned ever in these discusions. It was a weapon the Dacian's and also a little lhe Thracian's used against the Romans. Basically a polearm that has a long blade curving forwards. Still would prefer a thrusting weapon, but thought I'd bring it to everyones attention for a laugh

It was so effective at piercing Roman helmets and cleaving their shields that they actually added reinforced Iron straps to their helmets which I believe is the first time a specific weapon influenced changes in Roman military equipment design. Check it out - en.wikipedia.org...

Originally posted by r2d246
In a SHTF scenario what would be the best non firearm weapon(s).

Like if you didn't have a gun what would you carry around instead, if lets say it wasn't safe to walk around without a weapon?

Ballistic Shield
Sword
Crossbow

Gave lots of stars in this thread so many great ideas!!

I would just use my cane, its always in my hand LOL jj !! And oh, a sock full of rocks or round hard magnets are good. I have a crossbow and that is nice.

is this a zombie thread, shtf thread or zshtf thread?

I have been traveling for about 10 years. 30+ countries and counting. I never got to work in the nice places. I was in the roughest spots most of the time.I recently came back to the US for good.

I carried a small aluminum bat with me. It is about a foot and a half long and can be bought in any sporting goods section. If anyone ever asked me about it, I told them it was for my very young
nephew and that he plays tee ball. I had to give it up on two occasions but they only cost 7-12 dollars depending on where you buy them.

They fit in a small gym bag or suitcase, are small enough to wield with one hand, are quiet and effective at defense against most weapons besides guns and scare the crap out of a would be burglar who is carrying a small blade.

I always had the ability to carry a weapon with me other than when I was actually in a plane.

It did come in handy on a few occasions.

My answer for melee:




Long range would be either a composite bow or a crossbow. Lack of moving parts on a more traditional bow means less chance of it failing you in the long run though, so I'd take that over a crossbow.

I'd say a bow, and a sword. I actually own a Claymore made of carbon steel. I'd have fun with that.