What's the best weapon in a Zombie Outbreak?
It really depends on the situation. As Sirisian said, ammo is likely to be a limiting factor in a postapocalyptic scenario. The same may be true for gasoline, which would limit the use of, say, chainsaws and 1973 Delta 88 Oldsmobiles... but assuming that looting has not been ongoing for a long period of time, urban areas are likely to have huge stockpiles of gasoline under gas stations.
For entrenched defense, I suggest a high-pressure water blaster, such as is used for paint stripping and concrete resurfacing. They can be gasoline-operated, and would be devastating to the loose flesh of zombies even at medium range. Combined with a well-chosen chokepoint it would be essentially unassailable, and wouldn't need "reloading" for hours.
For a mobile offensive, an armored car or SWAT-style armored transport would be ideal: Absolutely impervious to zombie teeth and claws, and with a low center of gravity that would make organized tipping extremely difficult. Inside would again be a water blaster, plus survival provisions.
Both of these tools should be fairly easy to locate: The water blaster is a standard piece of construction and road maintenance equipment, and the latter will be available at many police stations. (For a variety of reasons, neither construction warehouses nor police stations would be likely to have significant zombie presence.)
For entrenched defense, I suggest a high-pressure water blaster, such as is used for paint stripping and concrete resurfacing. They can be gasoline-operated, and would be devastating to the loose flesh of zombies even at medium range. Combined with a well-chosen chokepoint it would be essentially unassailable, and wouldn't need "reloading" for hours.
For a mobile offensive, an armored car or SWAT-style armored transport would be ideal: Absolutely impervious to zombie teeth and claws, and with a low center of gravity that would make organized tipping extremely difficult. Inside would again be a water blaster, plus survival provisions.
Both of these tools should be fairly easy to locate: The water blaster is a standard piece of construction and road maintenance equipment, and the latter will be available at many police stations. (For a variety of reasons, neither construction warehouses nor police stations would be likely to have significant zombie presence.)
For a hand to hand weapon, a good mace is far better than a bladed weapon. They are simple to make, hard to break, do not require upkeep of an edge to be effective, and need a minimum of training.
They also are less likely to cause arterial bleeding that could spray infected fluids everywhere.
To me the most important thing would be a secure location with a hydroponics system that is fortified against zombie attack. (I'm actually designing that into my dream home. It is going to look all cool and futuristic, but the real reason will be zombies,...)
As for ranged weapons, I think I would go with a pair of modified shot guns (or buy some of the few models that already come with detachable magazines.) and fire either slug or mid sized buck shot. The advantage to carrying two weapons is the ability to switch between the two during sustained fire, and the ability to continue fighting through a malfunction.
However I still think that passive defenses, such as a moat or related dry structure, are the most important thing to secure. Zombies aren't known for their excellent siege warfare skills.
They also are less likely to cause arterial bleeding that could spray infected fluids everywhere.
To me the most important thing would be a secure location with a hydroponics system that is fortified against zombie attack. (I'm actually designing that into my dream home. It is going to look all cool and futuristic, but the real reason will be zombies,...)
As for ranged weapons, I think I would go with a pair of modified shot guns (or buy some of the few models that already come with detachable magazines.) and fire either slug or mid sized buck shot. The advantage to carrying two weapons is the ability to switch between the two during sustained fire, and the ability to continue fighting through a malfunction.
However I still think that passive defenses, such as a moat or related dry structure, are the most important thing to secure. Zombies aren't known for their excellent siege warfare skills.
Quote:Original post by Diodorheh. That's a good way to get shot. "Look that zombie is biting that other zombie!"
Your teeth, for obvious reasons.
Long range: Mosin Nagant 1891/30 Sniper. 7.62x54R is a decent round with good enough ballistics for 600-800m shots, which is about as far out as I'd want to engage anything. This is mostly a first-line-of-defense weapon.
Mid range: Lewis Machine & Tool Close Quarters Battle Monolithic Rail Platform Defender Model Piston 16. The piston-based AR variants are much more maintainable than standard direct-impingement designs, which would be a major issue in prolonged anti-zombie campaigns. The US military carries around a hefty supply of .223/5.56 ammunition, so procuring supplies shouldn't be a major issue, especially considering the major force redeployments that would likely accompany a major outbreak. 55-grain bullets also have the distinct advantage of catastrophic fragmentation in soft tissue, which makes them ideal for stopping power at 200-400m ranges. Good hollow points/polymer-tips are also easy enough to find, and a headshot at sub-100m range with a 5.56 poly tip is going to stop any zombie cold.
Close range: Mossberg 590A1. Virtually invincible shotgun, handles nicely, does its job. 'Nuff said.
Sidearm: Smith & Wesson Sigma SW40VE. Slightly less popular than 9mm, but .40 cal is still a good round, and has the distinct advantage that it probably won't be chewed up by all the gun noobs with Glock 9mms that think they're Wyatt Earp.
Oh-shit-mode: chainsaw. Obviously.
Alternatives: the AK-74 is an attractive rifle for zombie hunts; 5.45mm has some interesting yaw characteristics in soft tissue which make it very appealing for stopping carriers in their tracks. I could be persuaded to go with the Glock 17 or even a 19 over the SW40VE, but only if the price was very, very right. A K98 wouldn't be too bad for the long-range engagements, but 8mm isn't exactly plentiful these days; failing that I'd settle for the average .308 most likely.
I own the LMT and the SW40VE, and have fired the Mosin Nagant and the 590A1 a fair bit, so I'm quite comfortable with all 4 weapons and proficient enough to do some serious damage in the event of Teh Zombeh Apocalypse.
Bring on the brain-munchers.
Mid range: Lewis Machine & Tool Close Quarters Battle Monolithic Rail Platform Defender Model Piston 16. The piston-based AR variants are much more maintainable than standard direct-impingement designs, which would be a major issue in prolonged anti-zombie campaigns. The US military carries around a hefty supply of .223/5.56 ammunition, so procuring supplies shouldn't be a major issue, especially considering the major force redeployments that would likely accompany a major outbreak. 55-grain bullets also have the distinct advantage of catastrophic fragmentation in soft tissue, which makes them ideal for stopping power at 200-400m ranges. Good hollow points/polymer-tips are also easy enough to find, and a headshot at sub-100m range with a 5.56 poly tip is going to stop any zombie cold.
Close range: Mossberg 590A1. Virtually invincible shotgun, handles nicely, does its job. 'Nuff said.
Sidearm: Smith & Wesson Sigma SW40VE. Slightly less popular than 9mm, but .40 cal is still a good round, and has the distinct advantage that it probably won't be chewed up by all the gun noobs with Glock 9mms that think they're Wyatt Earp.
Oh-shit-mode: chainsaw. Obviously.
Alternatives: the AK-74 is an attractive rifle for zombie hunts; 5.45mm has some interesting yaw characteristics in soft tissue which make it very appealing for stopping carriers in their tracks. I could be persuaded to go with the Glock 17 or even a 19 over the SW40VE, but only if the price was very, very right. A K98 wouldn't be too bad for the long-range engagements, but 8mm isn't exactly plentiful these days; failing that I'd settle for the average .308 most likely.
I own the LMT and the SW40VE, and have fired the Mosin Nagant and the 590A1 a fair bit, so I'm quite comfortable with all 4 weapons and proficient enough to do some serious damage in the event of Teh Zombeh Apocalypse.
Bring on the brain-munchers.
I take all my information from the very good book 'The Zombie Survival Guide' by Max Brooks.
Chainsaws rank low on the list, because of weight, finding a power source, and general safety.
Shotguns don't seem to be recommended as great weapons, at least at anything other than very close range.
However, machetes are very light and strong, and great for close combat. They also need no ammo.
A rifle, bolt action or semi-auto, with a scope of a kind, is also a great weapon for sniping down long-medium range. With a glass scope, over a red dot.
For general use, any semi-auto weapon is great. It seems to highly recommend AK-47s, though I guess availability would be an issue.
For anyone: I strongly recommend buying the book. It's a great read, and inexpensive.
Chainsaws rank low on the list, because of weight, finding a power source, and general safety.
Shotguns don't seem to be recommended as great weapons, at least at anything other than very close range.
However, machetes are very light and strong, and great for close combat. They also need no ammo.
A rifle, bolt action or semi-auto, with a scope of a kind, is also a great weapon for sniping down long-medium range. With a glass scope, over a red dot.
For general use, any semi-auto weapon is great. It seems to highly recommend AK-47s, though I guess availability would be an issue.
For anyone: I strongly recommend buying the book. It's a great read, and inexpensive.
This topic is closed to new replies.
Advertisement
Popular Topics
Advertisement