ZOMBIES!!! The Best Weapons for Obliterating Zombies in the Apocalypse
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ZOMBIES!!! The Best Weapons for Obliterating Zombies During the Apocalypse
Zombie Slayer
PUBLISHED BY:
Apocalyptic Publishing
Copyright © 2012
All rights reserved.
No part of this publication may be copied, reproduced in any format, by any means, electronic or otherwise, without prior consent from the copyright owner and publisher of this book.
This is a work of fiction. All characters, names, places and events are the product of the author's imagination or used fictitiously.
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Table of Contents
The Best Weapons for Obliterating Zombies
Handguns, Shotguns, and Pistols
Classic Firearms: Muskets, Revolvers, and Shotguns
Contemporary Firearms: Rifles, Handguns, and Machine Guns
Other projectiles: Bows
Longbows, Composite Bows, and Other Classics
Crossbows
Other Projectiles: Slings, Throwing Knives, Blowguns, and Ninja Stars
Slings and Slingshots
Knives and Stars
Blowguns and Flechettes
Mêlée Weapons 1: Swords and Blades
Knives, Kataras, and Bayonets
Long Swords
Short Swords: Sabers, Talwars, and Rapiers
Japanese Swords: Katanas, Wakizashis, and Nodachi
Non-Weapon Blades: Machetes and Woodcutting Saws
Mêlée Weapons 2: Maces, Bludgeons, and Objects Turned Mêlée Weapons
Mace and Flails
War Hammers and Kanabos
Bos and Nunchakus
Police Batons
Objects Turned Weapons: Sports Equipment
Objects Turned Weapons: Hardware Store Weapons
Mêlée Weapons 3: Axes and Spears
Spears and Javelins
Fire Axes, Pickaxes, and Hatchets
Bearded Axes and Poleaxes
Halberds and Monk Spades
Explosives and Bombs
Rocket Launchers and Hand Grenades
Landmines and Claymores
IEDs and C4
Incendiary Bombs
Pipe Bombs and Molotov Cocktails
Torches, Blowtorches, and Propane Tanks
Napalm and Thermite
In Conclusion
Image Sources
The Best Weapons for Obliterating Zombies
If we consider the possibility of zombie apocalypse seriously, we must also consider what types of weapons will be most useful against these foes of the dark. Even though most weapons and most household items with heft (like a good French rolling pin) will damage a zombie to some level, there is a hierarchy of weapons. Weapons such as guns, grenades, crossbows, knives, or energy-based weapons are generally preferred. However, what is most important, for any weapon you choose, is the length of time it takes to kill the zombie or zombies while using it. For example, weapons which damage the head (or remove it completely) are generally preferred. This will eliminate the zombie in the shortest period of time. However, if the number of zombies you are facing is great, then a more broad-focused weapon that impedes them enough so you can make your getaway without being bitten is the best option.
Some of the best weapons against zombies are the following: handguns, shotguns, and pistols; hunting bows and crossbows; projectiles like throwing stars, knives, blowgun darts, slingshots, or spear-throwers (atlatl); swords, knives, and daggers; grenades and bombs; and blunt-force trauma weapons like maces, bludgeons, and police batons.
Handguns, Shotguns, and Pistols
Guns work by propelling a bullet from a barrel or chamber towards a desired target. Guns can shoot one or multiple cartages before needing to be reloaded. They also require time and skill to learn to use, and they can be dangerous to the user if they do not know what they are doing. However, guns can be effective at killing zombies both at long range and short range distances.
Guns can be one of your best bets in fighting off zombies. As long as you have good aim, and your supply of ammo is fairly ample, this is one of the surest ways of killing zombies, though most zombie-killing purists prefer something that can't run out of ammo in the middle of a big field of undead. Gunshots can also alert other undead to your presence as their sense of hearing is fairly keen. They also require constant maintenance, unlike a mace or baton.
The most important thing to remember when choosing a gun is to find the gun with the best recoil and whose cartridges are easily available. This may depend on your geographic region or common social group. What may be popular in one country or state may not be popular in another. It is best to do research into what recoil is best for your size and strength level, and which gun will have the most ammo readily and locally available.
Classic Firearms: Muskets, Revolvers, and Shotguns
Muskets are not the best guns, but they have a slight appeal for the more historically-minded zombie killer. However, though you can make the bullets yourself, it has to be loaded in advance through a complicated process, and it is notoriously unreliable even in trained hands.
Revolvers and shotguns are better bets and can usually fire more than once at a target. Shotguns have a variety of options, and buckshot offers unique possibilities for larger than average zombies, like a zombie wrestler or football player. However, they may have too much of a recoil for most zombie hunters to handle.
Contemporary Firearms: Rifles, Handguns, and Machine Guns
If choosing a more contemporary firearm, you have a whole array of weapons to choose from. Guns such as handguns, rifles, carbines, and Berettas all have unique strengths and weaknesses.
The typical handgun is an excellent firearm for most zombie killers who prefer guns. Ammo for the handgun tends to be easy to find and most people are able to operate one. I find that a Beretta 92F works well in most situations. Machine guns are an excellent way of killing more than one zombie at a time, but they run out of ammo quickly and are loud. A sniper's rifle can pick off zombies a great distance away and is definitely an asset to your weapon collection.
Other projectiles: Bows
There are countless other weapons that shoot projectiles similarly to guns. Many of them use the user's manpower. Others are less tiring and use cables to project objects.
Longbows, Composite Bows, and Other Classics
Used since ancient times, the bow is a classic weapon of defense. However, more traditional versions were hard to use or required the strength of one or many people to fire. Nevertheless, they have historically had their uses. During medieval times, the English longbow, which could pierce armor, was used to win many battles. It was this weapon that allowed them to beat the French at the Battle of Agincourt in 1415. The Mongols developed the first composite bow, which was light and accurate, enabling them to shoot accurately at enemies while on horseback. However, most of these historical examples require too much strength and skill, combined with little firing accuracy, and are therefore not recommended.
Contemporary bows are much more reliable than ancient prototypes, and they are much easier to use. However, they still require an inordinate amount of strength and training to use effectively when compared to many weapons. They do have some benefits. Generally, most arrows can be used again and again, unlike gun ammunition. They are also much quieter than most projective weapons, and can be as accurate as a gun if used correctly. However, the chance of contamination is high. Removing the arrow from a zombie can bring the user into contact with unwanted blood or other fluid
s. It also takes much longer to reload and shoot, thereby increasing chances of being bitten or scratched while using. They can be used in some of the same situations as handguns, but cannot be used at such short range. They also lack the long range capabilities of most rifles.
Because of the skill needed, the possibility of contamination, and the long re-load time, this weapon is not recommended for most users as a first choice for killing zombies. However, because the ammo can be used repeatedly, and because it can be made by the user with little practice (through flintknapping), it would be a good idea to practice with this weapon in case other projectile weapons become unavailable or unusable in the zombie apocalypse future.
Crossbows
Crossbows are an excellent option for the bow-friendly user who lacks the skill for the more traditional models. Like traditional bows, they have many positive aspects: they are silent, and their ammo can be re-used. However, they also have additional benefits. They have a good firing range, and their ease of use makes this weapon and excellent option for someone who wants to kill zombies from long-range distances. They also have a lot of force and can bring down larger or stronger zombies that other weapons may not kill or slow down. Crossbows can be used in place of a sniper rifle in some situations, and they can be a much better option due to their lack of sound.
Crossbows, both the single and repeating varieties, were thought to have originated in ancient China. Their use later spread to Greece, Rome, and eventually medieval Europe, where they were used in both military procedures and assassination attempts. They use metal bolts rather than arrows, and were more accurate and sturdy than most bows of the time period. However, some argue that the harder to use longbow was more accurate. Because they were so easy to learn to use (most sources indicate that a soldier could learn to use one effectively in a week), they were eventually banned from battle by the Pope (though he did not monitor their actual use). This was because of the unfair advantage they bestowed over better-trained soldiers who we lesser equipped.
Crossbows also have some serious drawbacks. Like other bows, they take a long time to re-load. In fact, their reload time is slightly longer than other bows, so there is a great chance of being injured or contaminated by zombies when using at close range. Your best bet is to use this as a long range weapon for killing zombies, rather than for hand-to-hand combat.
A final note: user-made crossbows can be extremely effective, and the user may consider also learning how to use or make one of these weapons in the event of an emergency.
Other Projectiles: Slings, Throwing Knives, Blowguns, and Ninja Stars
You might be surprised to learn that there are projectile-based weapons other than guns or bows that can effectively kill a zombie. Each one has its failings and merits, and each one is suitable for certain situations and skill levels.
Slings and Slingshots
When we are children, slings and slingshots are merely toys. But the weapon sophisticate knows slings can also be deadly in the right hands. Like most projectile weapons, there is some skill and strength involved when using them. Generally, a sling is a small cup or pouch of cloth or leather which is attached to strong, thin ropes. A stone or other similarly-shaped object is used as ammo. It is placed in the cup, and the user swings the sling above the head in a circular motion. When ready to shoot, one of the ropes is let go, allowing the stone or object to be shot at a target. The most obvious mythological example comes from the bible story of David and Goliath. Goliath, who was a giant, and some say one of the nephalem, was challenged and killed by David, a simple shepherd, with nothing but a sling. However, using a sling against zombies is problematic for the following reasons: the ropes make a whistling sound in use (this may attract more zombies due to their keen sense of hearing), there are limits to its effectiveness based on your strength (how big of ammo you can use), and finally, it is highly inaccurate (more so for someone with little training). Historically, slings were used in ancient times for hunting small game, or they were used by shepherds to protect their livestock from predators. However, since they can be easily made, and since they do not require specialized ammo, this is something a user could easily make for themselves, if needed.
Unlike the sling, the slingshot does not have the violence or killing power needed to take down a zombie. While it is more accurate, due to its shape and manner or propelling objects, it cannot shoot large enough objects, or shoot them fast enough to do any damage. Avoid using at all costs when confronting zombies!
Knives and Stars
Some knives are designed expressly for throwing at a target. However, most knives (hunting, kitchen, and pocket knives) are not. It also takes a great deal of strength and skill to master a pair of throwing knives so that you can use them effectively. They also don't have the capacity to pierce a human skull except with years of training and perfect throws. You are better served using your knives at close range to decapitate or disembowel a zombie than you are at throwing them at a zombie's head.
Ninja stars are a weapon rich in history and ambiance; however their flimsiness, small size, and extreme skill level make them a poor choice for killing zombies cleanly or effectively. When used on the living, the head would never have been a target for a ninja star. Historically, they were used in feudal Japan to slow down an enemy, or hopefully puncture an artery so that they bled to death. However, they have not been used widely in hundreds of years. Since the head of a zombie is the focus in zombie killing, these are a useless weapon against them. Their small size, and their ultimate stealth, may make them seem like an exciting option. They may be easy to make from simple materials, but using them would be ill-advised in all situations in which there are undead.
Blowguns and Flechettes
Blowguns employ compressed air (supplied by someone's lungs) to launch a dart through a hollow cylinder at an enemy. Usually the darts are coated with some sort of poison or sleeping draught. In the Amazon, the indigenous peoples use poison from the secretions of a specific kind of brightly-colored frog. Often it takes the poison some time to take effect, and once darting a deer, they follow behind it for some distance until the poison takes effect. The darts themselves are flimsy and stick-like, and they do not puncture very far into a body cavity (if at all beyond the subcutaneous fat layer). They are useless against the undead, and while they may be of some use against others during the apocalypse, one must have enough lung-power to make the shots effective. There is also a great deal of skill and patience in making an effective model.
Similar to a blowgun dart in general principle, Flechettes use the power of gravity to "dart" someone. Unlike most blowgun darts, flechettes are entirely made of steel, and they have a sharpened, aerodynamic shape with flared tailings, which makes them look vaguely like an elongated zeppelin. The term itself is French (for arrow), and they were first used consistently during WWI. Generally, they weren't more that 3-4 inches long and weighed less than a pound.
Like the longbow which could pierce a knight's armor, this little missile was able to do quite a bit of damage to a soldier's head, no matter what protection. They have evolved since then into a more streamlined shape and smaller overall size and weight. Though, generally, they are still dropped from airplanes onto the battlefield. The victims experience these small missiles with the same velocity as a gunshot wound, and usually, they do a similar amount of damage. A more recent prototype, the "Lazy Dog," was less than 2 inches and was used in the U.S. during many wars of the 50s and 60s. They were encased in a much rounder missile, and when launched out of an aircraft, they created a buzzing or whistling sound reminiscent of bees. Nowadays, they can be placed inside a ground explosive, creating damage and shrapnel wounds in a large area. The use of these was particularly prolific by the U.S. during the Vietnam War. If one had a plane, and a large supply of these, one might be able to take out a large field of zombies if a good proportion of their heads were hit. However, due to their random nature, a large-scale bomb would probably be more effective in
the long run.