Fighting the undead with Tools: Guns and Ammo
October 24, 2008
I’m splitting the weapons posts up because there is a lot to say about weapons. I’m starting with guns because if the horde rises tomorrow, I want you to have the information that matters most in your hands. And, because they are such a symbol and also one of the first things people reach for to defend themselves – Guns are extremely important to talk about.
First things first, if you don’t already know how to operate a gun – don’t attempt to use one in combat. The worst possible time to learn to use a new tool is when your life most depends on it.
There can be nothing worse than hearing the dry-snapping-twig sound of a hammer and firing pin falling on an empty chamber that you expected to be full – especially when it’s quickly followed by the crunch of the fetid teeth of your intended target as they tear through your skin and muscle to take a bite out of you.
Be Prepared
Before the apocalypse rolls in, and the angry masses of the recently dead come beating down your doors, is the best time to get ready.
The more prepared you are for the rising the better.
What to do
If a gun sounds like the best option for you then now is the time to get one. Depending on the type of gun, it may take up to seven days to actually lay hands on it.
1. Type
There are many, many types of guns, and your friends and family are probably the best ones to advise you about which will work best for you – But, generally speaking, a pistol is best for close up combat and a rifle does better at long range. And, shotguns are a different beast all together and rely primarily on the type of shot (the shotgun "bullet") you use, and to a certain extent the length of the barrel.
And, because guns are so different from each other, it’s best for you to become acquainted with all types, because who knows what you might end up with after the carnage.
Pistols
| Range: | Close Range |
| Types: | Semi-Automatic – Very common. These are "Semi-Automatic" by virtue of the fact that you don’t have to "Reset" the gun between shots. You don’t have to draw back a hammer or slide back a bolt. With a semi-automatic, as long as the first shot is prepared properly, you can keep pulling the trigger until it is empty.
Single-Fire – Single-fire pistols have to be "reset" between each shot. These are relatively rare today because even guns with a common hammer-type cocking mechanism will operate in a semi-automatic mode. Fully-automatic – These are extremely rare. And, more often than not they’re simply altered semi-automatic pistols that have had the mechanism that is made to stop the gun between each shot filed down or tampered with in some way. As a result, fully automatic pistols are not only unreliable and inaccurate, they’re also extremely dangerous. Be careful with automatic pistols. |
| Loading Mechanism: | Cylinder: These are the types of pistols you might picture when you imagine old westerns. They have cylinder that rolls out of the body of the pistol to the right that you can push bullets into. These are fairly self-explanatory – and it’s impossible to load the bullets in backward – the only thing you should know is that the cylinder is usually released by a switch on the left side of the pistol that slides toward the barrel. In some older versions there is a direct release on the back of the cylinder that slides toward the back of the weapon
Magazine: A magazine is a thin metal storage container for bullets that generally slides into the handle of a pistol. When loading a magazine, push the bullets down on top of the magazine and slide them toward the back. Once the magazine is loaded, it’s usually a good habit to smack the back of it against the palm of your hand to insure that all the bullets are seated properly. |
Rifles
| Range: | Long Range |
| Types: | Single-Fire: There are many types of single fire rifles. There is the bolt action rifle – which relies on manipulating a bolt to clear the chamber of the last spent round and reload it with the next one. There’s the hammer & pin style rifle which has a hammer just like a pistol. And, there’s the lever style which relies on a lever below the trigger to clear the chamber and reload it, and there are many combinations of these.
Semi-Automatic: This one operates like the pistol semi-automatic: once you get the first bullet loaded. Fully-Automatic/Burst Fire: Some people swear by fully automatic weaponry. I have found it unreliable and inaccurate at both long and short range. In my opinion it’s a good way to put a whole bunch of holes in a very large surface. And because zombie slaying is all about accuracy, I advise against the use of automatic weapons. On most rifles that have an automatic or "burst" mode, there is a switch that toggles between that and semi-automatic. |
| Loading Mechanism: | Magazine: Same as the pistol, except that the magazine may load into the handle of the weapon, into a slot just in front of the trigger guard, into a slot on the side of the rifle, or even into a slot on top of the rifle. Just keep your eyes open for slots…
Bolt-Action, Single-Fire: These rifles are usually the ones that are made for long-range accuracy. You load the bullets in one at a time. To load it, slide the handle on the bolt up and back toward the butt of the weapon. Make sure that the previous, empty cartridge has ejected, place the fresh cartridge into the opening and slide it forward into the chamber. Slot-Loading: This type of rifle – I’ve seen it mostly with lever-action weapons, has a slot on the side into which you slide bullets one by one. |
Shotguns
As I said before, shotguns are a completely different beast – they are neither the completely inaccurate free-for-alls that Fully-automatic weapons are nor are they as accurate as a rifle or pistol at short range.
If you decide to use shotguns, my suggestion would be to use them only for close range combat. Shotguns are useless for pin-point accuracy at a long range.
There are two important things to keep in mind about shotguns:
1. They are Maimers: Shotguns shoot a bunch of lead pellets at a target – and those lead pellets tear that target to pieces at short range. You’re just as likely to end up with a crippled zombie that is still trying to eat you as your are with a completely inanimate corpse.
2. Shotguns are loud: There are ways to make silencers for shotguns, but they are, at best a shallow joke. Shotguns make a lot of noise – and noise draws zombies.
Practice Practice Practice
Now that you are armed find a local gun range, purchase bullets for your gun and go practice shooting. The only way you’ll get good is by doing it.
Also, learn to clean your gun. Guns are precision instruments that rely on diligent cleanliness.
Practice shooting, and practice cleaning your weapons. Make sure that you understand the different types of bullets, and their characteristics.
This post could go on for a while – as there are many topics to cover from gun safety to cartridge reloading. The thing that I most want to stress to any future gun owners is to be prepared. Get ready now, and you’ll worry less about your abilities later when you should be worrying about other things like whether or not to amputate your best friend’s leg.
As usual, if you have any questions, feel free to post them in the comments section.
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Moved Pictures
October 12, 2008
I’ve moved the pictures of Matilda to my tumblr account so as not to mix RSS feeds.
Register to Vote – There’s still Time
October 1, 2008
This is an extremely important election. I’m not going to tell you who I think you should vote for. I won’t even tell you who I’m voting for. But, no matter what you believe – you should get out and register – Because you CAN’T vote unless you’re registered!! It’s important, and, yes, it makes a difference.
Even if you think you don’t want to vote you should register – because you might change your mind.
It’s really simple – google has even created a page dedicated to making sure that everyone can get their hands on the information they need for their area. Go to http://maps.google.com/vote and find out how to register.
Click through the jump for the video.
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About
Justin Flowers
Mad Scientist
Zombie Expert
Fort Worth, TXSubscription
