[Peter Messent]

[Kevin P Molloy]

I think of history and would look to the American Frontiersman who did pretty well for hundreds of years with a Kentucky/Pennsylvania rifle a Tomahawk and large hunting knife like a Bowie.
Another example from history I would look to is the Irish Kern who used Spear/Javelin, Scian, and one handed or hand an a half Sword. Both were successful at surviving for hundreds of years in woods and wilderness.

[Rim Andries]

[Rim Andries]

[Roger Hooper]

[Rim Andries]

[E.F. Magnuson]

Love this conversation!

Regarding the 1861 Colt Navy Revolver, although it is a muzzleloading (or cylinder loaded) blackpowder firearm that does not use cartridges I would hesitate to use it because it DOES require Percussion Caps analogous to cartridge primers. I think expecting a ready supply of fulminated mercury or other strike sensitive explosive sandwiched in a copper cap may be a bit of a stretch.

For firearms, I'd go with the previously mentioned Kentucky or similar rifle. Really, I'd be fine with any longarm that fits the following: black power, round or minnie ball (easy to produce), and ignited by flint or pyrite on a striker of some variety. Basically, I'm looking for something that has simple components that are easily replaced or repaired when needed. That being said, as much as I'd love to throw a flint-lock in my kit because it is about the only weapon with which I feel I am truly competent I may have to skip it all together unless I have a ready supply of potassium nitrate and sulfur (charcoal is easy enough) for black powder production.

So, I guess my final selections will be:

Bow of any kind. I can use them well enough and I know with just a little more practice I will be good enough to survive with it.
Spear, for the same reasons others have already mentioned.
Long-knife/short-sword in the 18" range. Something long enough for effective combat use but short enough to easily maintain, produce, replace, and carry.

For tools I would have a simple woodcraft knife and a hatchet of any variety. Finally, I would wear at least a pair of lightweight kote style sleeves with splinted spaulders and bracers. If weight were so much an issue I'd like to throw on a jack'o'plates or brigandine as well, but this is survival I want to keep it simple. I'm not looking to fight a war but I do want some level of protection (besides, I think kote would very effective against zombies if that is indeed the threat).

Cheers!

E

[Dan Howard]

[Luke Adams]

Probably not the best equipped for hunting, but I'll go with what I know.

1) Miao Dao/Odachi - spear-length saber ideally with a 1/2 handed grip
2) Crossbow - for long range combat
3) Tanto - for close combat, a throwing knife to use as a distraction, and a blade to carve wooden shafts for crossbow bolts

[Rim Andries]

[Dan Howard]

[Rim Andries]

[Dan Howard]

A sword can be collected as an antique, used as a prop on stage or in a cultural dance, wielded in a sporting event, hung on the wall as decoration, etc. In all of these cases the sword is not a weapon. I can carry the same sword - sharpened and bared - openly down the street so long as I can demonstrate to the police that it is being used for a legitimate purpose. It doesn't become a weapon until I tell the cops that I'm carrying it for self defense, in which case it falls under the legislation that covers weaponry. It is all about intent, not the item itself.

[Peter Messent]

Is the debate on what is/isn't a weapon and when it is/isn't a weapon really necessary in the context of the thread? I think his initial post is pretty clear that he's looking for a lighthearted discussion on what types of historical weapons would be useful in an end-of-days scenario; I find it interesting because it makes you think about weapons in terms of what's actually practical rather than our day-to-day interests, which might instead be what we think is cool. A machete is certainly an extremely practical tool (and weapon, when needs must) but doesn't really make sense in the context of the thread. If we can pick anything that can be used to kill someone, i'll take a swimming pool, a bottle of scotch and a leg of lamb

[Rim Andries]

What I am saying is; intend is "instilled" in an object before it ever reaches the hands of a user. That is why so many things took so long to perfect in the first place. Makers are aware of the intend users have and they adjust their objects accordingly.

And if what you are saying is really true on all levels I would have no problem walking the streets with an assault rifle as long as it is not loaded and I state I am doing so because I think it is fashionable, which is not the case. Or I could just as easily place an indian club in the door of my car instead of the small hammer to break the windshield. Also not true.

In the same way I can still have a golfclub in the back of my car, or rather a bag of golfclubs and golfballs, because a single club would already raise questions. Or a tyre iron. Why? Because of what they are associated with.

In my opinion the use of an object only solidifies its intended purpose or gives new direction to it. Just like using a sword to kill a man or hanging it on a wall to look at. Hanging it on the wall does not make it any less a weapon. Not using it as a weapon does NOT change the fact that it was made to be used as one.

[Rim Andries]

[Dan Howard]

[Rim Andries]

[Tom King]

SHTF in disarmed countries? I think people will find cross cultural interaction would lead to a lot more "modern" weapons floating around that would previously be thought. Arms traders work fast. Not to mention all the guns that would magically reappear in places like england, australia, germany, etc. once the rule of law is no longer worth the paper it's printed on.

But for the sake of argument I'd probably be busy rationing food and starting up an acre potato farm out of my property and a few adjoining ones. Armament would include my longbow, longsword, baselard, and my 1858 Remington revolver. I guess the aliens spirited away my CX4 carbine, PX4 subcompact, 92fs, Finn M91, M91/30, M44, and 10-22.

[Rim Andries]