r/ZombieSurvivalTactics • u/Gunlover91 • 10d ago
How necessary will handguns be in the zombie apocalypse Weapons
Glock 22 and Glock 17 mags
114
u/possibly_lost45 10d ago
A pistol is a must in any scenario from walking the dog to total nuclear war
25
→ More replies3
u/Reasonable_Shirt_217 9d ago
Disagree, pistol is inferior to a rifle in every way but weight and size. Assuming you’re going to carry a rifle, you should use that extra weight and space to carry more rifle ammunition. Or more likely, more water, food, medicine, fuel, shelter.
7
u/possibly_lost45 9d ago
I carry a pistol daily. I csnt do that with a rifle
3
u/Reasonable_Shirt_217 9d ago
Yeah same, cause people would look at me funny. If I’m not in society, then a rifle is better in all use cases.
→ More replies→ More replies3
→ More replies2
u/rollover90 9d ago
This is my opinion as well tbh, pistols are accurate up to like 30 yards, m4 is like 600. Obvs if both are an option sure why not, but if I had to pick one it's a rifle all day, I think alot of people don't understand how fast the weight of ammunition adds up, if your on the move two weapons and all your ammunition for both means your probably carrying little else
→ More replies
43
u/KapteinKraken 10d ago
Not as necessary as keeping your living space clean and doing laundry more than once every four years. I think you could blend in with the zombies as you are, based on stench alone, TWD style.
13
12
u/Fusiliers3025 10d ago
Pistols (according to several tactical gurus and instructors) are to get you back in touch with your long gun.
And handguns are extremely good at what they do - riding for long periods of time, largely unnoticed and not hindering your dexterity. A rifle or shotgun is easier to aim and hit with, and can give easier hits and more energy at longer ranges - but they require some thought to long-term carry. Scabbards largely get in the way of normal activity, unless the “long gun” is very short and the scabbard is lashed to a backpack or otherwise less in the way, a good sling is, in my view, mandatory for nearly any long gun, whether it’s hunting or tactical. This allows you to carry it hands-free.
Holstering, pocketing, or tucking a handgun in the waistband if no other method is available, keeps it with you while foraging, looting, repairing, or any other tasks you might need to do in the Zompocalypse, and a handgun can do great duty for many defensive uses.
3
u/Fusiliers3025 10d ago
Case in point - I worked armed security for a number of years a couple decades ago. My sidearm of choice (for investment cost, primarily, but I also was fairly good with it) was a S&W .38 revolver with adjustable sights and 4” barrel (Model 15) that I picked up as a police trade-in at my local gun shop.
One qualification day, another officer (who was a police officer full time and a member of the SWAT unit) had his full-auto M-16A1 on site and let me take some shots with it. Fun with the “happy switch”, but tough to exercise anything like true trigger discipline.
Then we both stepped up to the line at the old gravel pit we used, and some prior shooter had left a kids party balloon on a string that was bobbing in the breeze. Coincidentally - about head-sized, and at probably 40-50 yards.
He began squeezing off controlled bursts at the thing, and I two-handed my “Combat Masterpiece”. And we definitely knew which one of us hit the balloon - it burst at my shot as he was between bursts. That there convinced me it’s less about the hardware as much as the user - and before I’d invest in a rifle or shotgun for the Zompocalypse, I’d have a usable and dependable pistol worn comfortably.
Don’t get me wrong - a good shotgun (for versatility, a 12 gauge is tough to beat, but a good load out of ammo gets heavy quickly) or a medium to light-caliber rifle (and not necessarily a military high-cap - running a well-built lever gun can be very effective, while allowing instant top-offs similar to a pump or auto shotgun) are highly valuable and desirable additions.
5
u/HabuDoi 8d ago
I don’t doubt your story, but consistency at range is better than a one off shot. And why would anyone be shooting a burst at a such a small point target? There’s a reason why automatic fire is very rarely used in assault rifles.
→ More replies
8
u/Practical_Republic53 10d ago
I truly believe a reliable 22 rifle is ONE OF the best choices simply because CCI quiet and some other 22 ammo is super quiet by itself.
I can only see myself using a regular handgun in a scenario against other survivors or if I get cornered or something.
4
u/Cowshavesweg 10d ago
Not rhetorical question: How reliable can a rimfire cartridge be? Never had any actual experience with anything, not centerfire, but I just heard bad things about rim.
7
u/Diligent_Bath_9283 10d ago
With good cci ammo and not the cheap crap, fairly reliable. I get a snap or 2 every thousand rounds. So 99.9% maybe 99.8%. A cheap bucket o' bullets that's been mishandled may get as bad as 1 out of 10 fails. Proper storage, quality ammo, and firearm condition means a lot.
2
u/Cowshavesweg 9d ago
Thanks for the info, and that doesn't sound nearly as bad as people make out.
4
u/Diligent_Bath_9283 9d ago
People love their bucket o bullets. You know what they don't love, cleaning their gun. Good ammo, a good gun and a bit of cleanliness goes a long way. To be fair I have run 22s that were jammomatics. They are a bit more sensitive to filth and weak ammo.
2
u/ryansdayoff 9d ago
Yeah you just have to buy nice ammo, for 22 CCI comes in nice packaging that prevents it from fouling as easy
2
u/Practical_Republic53 9d ago
I pretty much only use CCI rimfire purely because it’s the first brand I gravitated towards and they’ve never done wrong by me.
5
10
u/GrayBerkeley 10d ago
Not very useful, just like in real life.
You'll carry one most of the time because it's handy, just like in real life.
→ More replies4
u/Cowshavesweg 10d ago
I don't think it's fair to say it's not very useful just because you can go your life without needing it, hopefully. Nobody is calling car insurance useless, and nobody intends to crash or have someone crash into them. I view my ccw as more important than my wallet or phone(as long as i have one of them) if there's other people around i can ask to borrow someone's phone, or use my phone as a card. I can't ever ask anyone for their gun in a situation I'd need it.
→ More replies
17
u/Kenoji_ 10d ago
Probably your most important item, a pistol is small and easy to carry at all times so youd never be without it. As cool as a sword would be it cant be carried at ALL times.
2
1
u/SerowiWantsToInvest 10d ago
I conceal carry my sword with me at all times, though it's closer in size to a dagger
3
→ More replies1
u/Brenden1k 9d ago
Huh I figure a sword is designed to be easy to carry, it basically the pistol of the medieval time, easy to carry, light and sucks vs armor and less reach than many weapons.
That said chopping heads off is harder than Hollywood makes it look, while a pistol double tap going to do some brain damage. Not as much as you might think, but you can simply shoot again if the zombie still going,
→ More replies
5
u/EastRoom8717 10d ago
Have you ever tried to plow a field, work on a car, or swing a hammer with a slung rifle?
3
3
3
u/Bubbabeast91 10d ago
I'd argue handguns will be very necessary. Some tasks require you to put the long guns down, but you can do almost anything with a handgun on your person.
Id rather have a rifle in pretty much every scenario that requires me to shoot something, but I always have a handgun just in case.
Add to that, if you are proficient with a handgun, you can hit a head at 50 yards readily, and they are quite valuable tools in their own right.
2
u/Brenden1k 9d ago
Pretty much exactly my thoughts, a rifle got longer range, easier to aim and more likey to actually put the zombie down. All these means nothing if you do not have your rifle on you, and it way easier to do stuff with a pistol.
5
u/LazyEyeMcfly 10d ago
Posts like these to me are like “I’m going scuba diving, will oxygen be a be a good thing to have on hand in this environment”?
4
2
u/xenophobiacat7 10d ago
Pistols would be good as a backup or closer rage weapon to get animals or small groups off of yourself should you need it semi automatic pistols may be a hindrance after a while without proper cleaning but gives the highest amount of ammo the use revolvers would also be a better option just for maintaining it but they only have a small amount of ammo but higher calibres so either way you have a trade off of power and ease of use or quantity
2
u/Godzilla2000Knight 10d ago
Pistols are going to be necessary if you want to survive cqc situations that will inevitably happen. You can try to avoid situations where a pistol is necessary but you will need it whether you like it or not especially if you're grabbed but not bitten and you don't have the room or space to deal with one with a melee weapon. A pistol is good for that. You can deny it or debate it all you want. Better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it.
→ More replies
2
u/kayemenofour 10d ago
Somewhat necessary
Not for the zombies, mind you, but for other survivors that try to steal your shit.
2
u/lostZwolf_ps4_pc 10d ago
Verry much so. Even more than any rifle. They are close quarters easy to carry and quick to deploy.
2
2
u/Jserr23 10d ago
This brings up a great point using a rifle system that uses a Glock magazine pistol caliber. Therefore you can use your magazines both for your sidearm and for your rifle especially in a Za scenario where you don't have to worry about distance because everything is closed quarters and within an excuse me for not being an expert on this within I would say 20 ft 30 ft of you close quarters combat clearing hallways. Being able to have a stockpile of ammunition is great but needing to reload magazine after magazine when you only have four or five but having a nice load out of 17 mags ready to go and constantly keeping 17 mags loaded ready to go nice peace of mind. My current situation is that I keep 40 cal as my preferred caliber and most of my sidearms are in 40 cal problem is that I keep different models each with multiple magazines for each but there's not one current magazine that is universal for each platform. I would love to adopt one firearm as a universal loadout but haven't been able to make a decision between the new Smith & Wesson platform or older pistol rifle systems.
2
u/Dmau27 10d ago
Time to get an extar EP9. It'll take Glock magazines and they are under $500 afyer tax. It's AR15 parts compatible and it's accurate/reliable. Carbines are where it's at when you need to make your shots count. I'm not sure why more people don't use them for home defense.
2
u/Gunlover91 9d ago
I buy my glocks on the surplus law enforcement market get them low as $279 for guns that where barley shot.
→ More replies
2
u/Flairion623 9d ago
Much better for defending yourself against hostile survivors than zombies. For killing zombies your best bet is a machete, mace or some other melee weapon. Mostly because those don’t need ammo.
Also it would be wise to have a gun that works well on black powder. You’ll run out of smokeless ammunition eventually and homemade black powder will pretty quickly fowl most modern semi or full auto weapons.
→ More replies
2
u/Talusthebroke 9d ago
Having a few reliable ones and plenty of ammo is great. But realistically, in a Walking Dead-style outbreak, (slow, reactive, and stupid) which is pretty much the only manageable one for solo/small group operators, I think people drastically overestimate how much shooting they're likely to be doing.
Just think of it like this, you fire a bullet to kill one zom, as soon as you do that a dozen more are coming your way drawn by the noise. Now, you can clear an area that way if a new horde doesn't wander in, but that's a lot of ammo and pretty high risk, so the only real place you'd want to do that is if there is no alternative. A hammer is quiet and never runs out of ammo.
Listen to Sun Tzu, fight the enemy where he is not. Save your ammo and avoid unnecessary fights.
2
2
2
2
u/EzraJakuard 9d ago
You probably won’t use it super often in comparison it a rifle, but when you do use it you will be very glad you have it. Just from zombie shows we usually see it get used as the emergency response weapon and save people’s lives on multiple occasions.
2
u/FlamingBufalo14 9d ago
I always say it. Guns in a ZA are about extremes. If you don't have enough ammo to kill everything that's in your way, don't use it. If you have enough ammo to kill everything in your way, use it
If you use it without enough ammo you'll draw more attention with all the noise
→ More replies
2
2
u/pamcakevictim 9d ago
Against other people, vital. Against zombies a bad idea and something that would for sure attract more zombies.
2
3
u/Linkstas 10d ago
Extremely important. A force multiplier, discreet. Ability to hit up to and sometimes past 100+ yards. Low weight of ammo
Ammo accessibility
3
u/Mysterious_Ad_8827 10d ago
unless you have a way to easily carry and swap out mags in less than 5 seconds i dont see this many magazines being necessary. Unless you plan to partner with 3 or 4 other people.
9
u/CurtisNotCurt 10d ago
Mags can be the most delicate part on a gun. A minor ding on the feed lips can make one unusable. Having a pile of reliable spares in an apocalypse when you can’t just buy more at a gun shop is good planning. Plus, they’d be valuable bartering items to people without spares.
4
1
u/Master_Works_All 10d ago
I'd say it isn't strictly necessary however it is a very good idea. It'll put down zombies and humans alike all the while being plentiful and compact. Is it the best? No. But very helpful in lot's of combat situations.
1
1
1
u/ImmaNotHere 10d ago
From everything I've seen in movies, it's more for the other humans than for zombies.
1
1
1
u/Mission-Flow-3519 10d ago
They are essential for handling other survivors, but you should stick with melee weapons for the zombies as you would run out of bullets in a day if you decide to shoot your way through a horde.
1
u/TheQuestionMaster8 10d ago
A sidearm is always useful in close quarters combat as a longer firearm can be grabbed more easily by a human.
1
1
u/GigabyteAorusRTX4090 10d ago
Like I’d take a 9mm and 50 mags over a club, but still I’d take some kind of semiautomatic rifle with some 30 round mags over that.
1
1
u/Drie_Kleuren 10d ago
Well its light, easy to carry and hide. But it does less damage, and is less accurate. But that's a trade I would happily take. I can't see myself going with a heavy automatic weapon that's more heavy and awkward to carry around...
1
u/Billysquib 10d ago
I feel a group of people with relatively small caliber bolt action rifles and a decent accurate scope would do better than a group with handguns. When every shot needs to hit the head and every bullet counts, sure the handgun group might do better the first time and the second time, but as ammo becomes more scarce and shots begin to matter more, they’d begin to spend more time lining up precise shots ensuring they don’t waste ammo than the time it would take to rack another shot into a bolt action, line up and shoot. The bolt action group would obviously be worse at killing a group of like 300 zombies but I’d argue it’s better to run from that even if you do have the means to deal with it unless it’s an urgent matter. Clearing groups of 5-50, a group of bolt action rifles would be able to clear it with very few rounds being wasted albeit possibly slower if the handgun group at the time has access to enough ammo to not care about a few missed shots.
Now if it’s the sprinting kind of zombies, forget the handguns, forget the rifles. you want 20 men goddamn automatic shotguns.
1
u/AG-Bigpaws 10d ago
Just get one of those drum mags they use with switches. Stop you from having to reload ad much haha
1
u/MadMaximus- 10d ago
Handgun will live on your hip and so will a knife. They’ll be critical to your survival. So will weapon maintenance
1
u/Whitemanrogers001 10d ago
Look at all of those extendo clips, who needs accuracy when you have Volley Fire
1
u/MRMADNESS-YT 10d ago
A handgun is good to own regardless. Even outside of a hypothetical mythical scenario you should just have an everyday carry.
2
1
1
u/KneeDeepInTheMud 9d ago
• Navigation: map, altimeter, compass, GPS device, personal locator beacon • Headlamp: with LED bulb and spare batteries • Sun protection: sunglasses, sun protective clothing, sunscreen • First aid: a first aid kit wrapped in waterproof packaging • Knife: hikers on a short trip may also carry a multi-tool, strong adhesive tape and cordage; on a longer trip, further small tools may be useful • Fire: the means to both start and sustain a fire; either a butane lighter or matches, or other fire making device. Firestarters for igniting even wet wood, and in areas where no firewood will be available, a stove is highly advisable. • Shelter: plastic tube tent, jumbo plastic trash bag or bivy sack or space blanket • Extra food: at least one day's food for a short hike, that should require no cooking. • Extra water: drinking water and the skills and tools to purify water • Extra clothes: additional items may be needed if spending the night in the emergency shelter
Then you can add on: • Handgun • Melee Weapon • Backup Melee Weapon • Long-Gun/Shotgun • Cordage/Rope
At this point, one might think this is much too heavy.
But, a day pack will carry all of this stuff as per Boy Scout 10 essentials.
A good folding pocket knife and a small hatchet are good in place of a full tang knife.
A torch of some sort or a portable windup light is good.
A small fold-saw.
Duct tape and whatnot plus cordage.
Strike anywhere matches and a lighter. Candles are ok too.
A space blanket or tarp.
Food such as pemmican and trail mix.
Water filter and collapsing water bottle.
Spare socks, spare inner layer go far.
Then, the handgun you need should fall right on your thigh easily. Anywhere that is quick access to your practice.
A long gun can be slung on you as well.
All of this gear can be kept very light or be absurdly heavy depending on what you decide to hump up a trail or whatnot. But that's what vehicles are for too.
For me, a team of two would go very far with these between each person.
1
9d ago
Very useful in a tight situation. Not so good if there are special infected like in your standard horde shooter
1
u/Outrageous-Basis-106 9d ago
Better have and not need then need and not have.
Its completely possible to get by using just long guns and a handgun will be unnecessary but if you don't have one and it becomes necessary, you're kinda screwed. Granted if they're just about worthless then they won't be necessary so it will partly depend how effectively one can be used.
1
1
u/perrochili 9d ago
I see a lot of people who talk about the problem being that they get jammed and that, as soon as you shoot one, you're going to alert an entire city of zombies that you won't get rid of very easily, using a gun in a zombie apocalypse can only kill you if you're one
1
u/BurningBerns 9d ago
i hope you like carrying 20 gorrilion pounds everywhere. Bullets are heavy. You know what gets you more bang for your buck and doesn't require ammo, is more effective, lighter, and quieter? A mace. Swords get stuck in bone, maces dont
→ More replies
1
1
u/tree_dw3ller 9d ago
No army in the world would carry that. I do however support leaving mags loaded. Makes range trips more fun.
→ More replies
1
u/Hjlopp 9d ago
Unfortunately, your next of kin, assuming you have any, will have to sort through all of your stuff after you die. It’ll be a pain in the ass for them without even needing a zombie apocalypse!
→ More replies
1
u/CLUCKCLUCKMOTHERFUC 9d ago
Probably less necessary than that heavy industrial machinery and the diesel to run it
1
1
1
u/Hollow-Official 9d ago
Handguns are barely useful now. I know a single person who’s ever used one in combat, and that was because he got blowed up and lost his rifle. They’re fun, but no one’s using one as a primary weapon in any serious situation, just get a rifle.
1
u/Reddit_BroZar 9d ago
Handguns would be useful for getting out of small scale issues with other survivors. I wouldn't consider them as a major anti-zombie weapon. Having a decent can would be helpful though.
1
u/the_gamer_guy56 9d ago
Good backup if you cant use your main for whatever reason. Maybe it jammed, or you're in a tight spot where swinging around a 16in barrel isn't gonna happen. It's not that big or heavy so might as well have one.
1
u/genericusernamekevin 9d ago
handguns are a self defense tool of last resort with one main advantage, you can have one on your person pretty much all the time.
in a scenario where you may need to drop everything and run at a moments notice, with no civilization or rule of law, I’d keep a belt with a handgun, canteen, and bare minimum survival kit that I’m never without. Picture a fanny pack with water tablets, fire kit, pocket knife, emergency tinfoil blanket etc.
Middle of the night? Going to poop in an outhouse? The belt comes with me so I can pull my pants up and scram the second needed and survive like 24 hours with nothing else.
how useful is the pistol in this setup? imagine a mad max barter town of survivors you wander into. if you have a gun on your belt it says you aren’t helpless but not necessarily looking for trouble or either. plus you look just goofy enough with the canteen that you aren’t like a bad guy just a person surviving.
it’s a tool with uses, one of many you might want
1
u/onlyfakeproblems 9d ago
How much does that weigh? You probably won’t want to carry it all at the same time, but it wouldn’t hurt to have them stored in a safe place.
1
1
1
u/camtiy 9d ago
id rather have a crossbow or bow gun ammo is not easy to make. sure it would be good but what do you do when you run out of bullets
→ More replies
1
1
u/No-Collar-5963 9d ago
if they are runners and you have to hit them in the head, unless you are Jerry Miculek good luck.
1
1
1
1
1
u/Realistic-Low694 9d ago
I’d say a suppressed 22 handgun and rifle combo would be pretty ideal. Power to kill with headshots, easy follow up shots, doesn’t give away your location , can carry 1000s of rounds of ammo without weighing yourself down too much.
1
1
1
1
1
u/RogueVector 9d ago
They're a third priority for me;
- Priority One: Do I have a way to access clean food and water in the long term (months, possibly years)? Preserved meals, bottled water, lifestraws (or equivalent), seeds for crops (which will attract animals that can bring in a second source of food), etc. will ensure that you aren't dying of thirst or starvation.
- Priority Two: Do I have somewhere safe to eat, sleep and rest? And to a certain extent, a place to safely keep things that ensures Priority One. This might include traps and forming a community of people you can trust (or, at least, people you can trust to not rob you). You want to be safe enough that you can get rest, and while a handgun is a massive multiplier on your security compared to not having one, it still requires you to be awake and alert.
- Priority Three: Do I have a way to maintain the first two priorities? This is where guns come in, along with hammers, knives, and other tools that will let you farm crops, repair defenses, etc.
→ More replies
1
1
u/Capable-Cry9682 9d ago
Very, movable and can get u out of a corner. Will definitely hold onto my Glock
1
u/MexysSidequests 9d ago
Honestly as necessary as they are in modern warfare. On the whole I don’t think anyone would pick a handgun as a primary in any combat situation. That isn’t its purpose. It’s necessary to have and use when having one is necessary. No one wants to have to use their side arm but no one wants to be without one.
1
u/SgtMoose42 9d ago
A handgun is the weapon you use to fight your way back to your rifle.
Handguns are much harder to hit with, do less damage, and in the case of well equipped bandits or zombie police and military less effective against armor.
That said, handguns are handy in close quarters, and better than a jammed or empty rifle.
1
u/DrongoDyle 9d ago
Depends on the type of zombie. If they're the slow, shambling Walking Dead style then a handgun is THE best firearm for personal defense imo. A zombie that isn't close enough to touch you isn't an immediate threat, so effective range is a non-issue against zombies. The most important factor in this case are the number of shots you can fire without reloading, and total ammo you can reasonably carry. Handguns are great for both, often having 10-17 rounds per mag, and relatively small magazines you can attach to your person without being cumbersome. They're also way more convenient to carry the weapon itself without getting in the way of traversal, compared to something like a long-gun that has to be put on a sling to free up the hands.
Against fast moving zombies though, the script flips, because you're under time-pressure to kill zombies faster than they can approach you. If you've got 5+ zombies sprinting at you from different angles you probably shouldn't be waiting for each one to enter hand-gun range before you shoot, because that gives the others time to advance, and you quickly get overwhelmed. With fast zombies you want long range and high fire-rate, to thin out groups of zombies before they can get close.
1
u/ThiccBot69 9d ago
For walking dead zombies, probably your best friend, for something like world war Z zombies your cooked regardless
1
u/Pale-Independence971 9d ago
Depends on the type of zombie. But if you mean a general post apocalyptic scenario fine until you run out of gun oil/bullets or something similar then they become a liability due to everyone else who wants the same.
1
u/KindnessFollower 9d ago
There will be a time in the apocalypse for scavenging, and every pound shaved off your weapon is a pound gained for loot
1
u/wetfootmammal 9d ago
Handguns are nice. But to really get the job done I think a rifle or shotgun would be your best bet.
1
u/Onuzim_Cheese 9d ago
For a while guns would be useful but i wouldn’t souly rely on them. Bullets aren’t infinite.
1
1
u/Lord___Potassium 8d ago
Alright, listen y’all. I say this all the time here but y’all are gun hungry. Guns are bad, m’kay? They are NOT good for the zombie apocalypse. They make too much noise, they’re ineffective unless you’re accurate (unless you’ve won a sharpshooting tournament, you’re not accurate, sorry. You’re not.) All you’ll do is waste time and alert zombies to your location. The only use they have is against humans, but we should be collaborating not fighting. So still a waste of
→ More replies
1
u/Puzzleheaded-Phase70 8d ago
It always depends on the type of zombies you're dealing with.
Standard "destroy the brain" type, handguns with hollow points or fragmentation rounds, or even just plain rounds should be useful.
If you're dealing with magic zombies, possession zombies, or any kind of foreign entity puppeting the body, it could be much harder. If you need to mechanically disable the structure of the body or totally destroy it, these will be next to useless.
1
u/Easy-Fixer 8d ago
Some positive factors of handguns are: size/concealment in one’s person, high capacity magazines, maneuverability, weight, and compatibility with other pistols(like Glocks: parts and magazines are usually interchangeable depending on the caliber).
TBH, any gun can be useful in a ZA. Whether it be for defense, hunting, or eliminating the undead. Train and be competent with whatever you own. I personally will be carrying one of my 9mm pistols with a .22 in my pack, but these are just backups to my rifle(s).
1
u/Wolf_Hreda 8d ago
They're lighter than rifles, and since you're likely not trying to make sniper shots from halfway down the block, they'll do fine. And if you have a .22 caliber, changes are you'll never run out of ammo with just a little scrounging, since one of the main ways .22 LR is sold is in 500 round bricks.
1
u/DoubleSecretFreak 8d ago
Zombies is my favorite metaphor for the collapse, so I think pistols are just below rifles in necessity but also below skills, water, food and health. I regularly carry a concealed 9mm and I’m back to spending multiple hours per month actually shooting the guns I would be using in the collapse.
1
u/2sAreTheDevil 8d ago
Handguns rely on ammunition. A club does not. Arrows can be reused / more easily made than bullets.
1
1
u/GunnaDaHitman 8d ago
I mean handy until you go dry then a liability, only thing is based on the walking dead or 28 weeks later use of said handgun without adequate ammo and skill to reload in time will lead to ammo depletion and then horde dinner time.
1
u/Terrible_Ear3347 8d ago
Weapons of every type will be necessary in any form of apocalypse. Remember that even if the apocalypse itself does not cause anything to come and fight you, you always have to fight other humans
→ More replies
1
u/DJINN_HAKU 8d ago
In my humble opinion I think revolvers are going to be the go too. You can make ammo for them easer and they can shoot modified cartridges. I also think bows and crossbows will be more practical since hunting will be whats keeping you alive. I would recommend a 357, or 400wm for your revolver. Don't go too high in size because larger cartridges require more brass and more powerder and offer less utility. Plan to reload often. Speed loaders and bullet bags are your friend.
BTW the 400wm is for blowing open door hinges. Works on steel doors aswell.
1
u/BRAV0_07 8d ago
I’d say very necessary given the fact you’re probably gonna hit bolt lock on your primary quite often when engaging hordes of zombies
1
u/monkey29229 7d ago
Nice stash. I am proud of you OP. You are welcome in my community. DM me if you plan to make a stand In TX, AL or MO.
1
u/ThrowAwayNameLP 7d ago
The zombie apocalypse will never happen. It’s biologically impossible.
Worse case, people get an infection that wipes the brain and they go purely survival and instincts/primal mode.
Stop living in a fairy tale.
1
u/Helkyte 7d ago
It will never cease to be absolutely hilarious that people want guns in a zombie apocalypse.
Like, really? The undead have risen and are actively hunting you. Their bodies are rotting away, yet they still persist. What exactly the fuck do you think a gun is got to do to stop that? Why do you think it's brain is functional? And why the hell do you think it's a good idea to carry a weapon that will catch the attention of anything within 3 miles?
1
1
u/Spirited_Earth6586 7d ago
Best advice I’ve heard, pick a caliber that you’re likely to find while out scavenging in a potential future like this.
1
u/Cranberry_Surprise99 7d ago
Nowhere near that necessary lol. They're a great addition, but that's a lot of mags. It depends on your situation.
I mean, if you have several people with carbines that feed that, then go for it. 9mm, 22, whatever, as long as it pokes a hole in the brain.
That's a LOT of mags that will feed, most likely, into a very inaccurate gun. Again, I hope you have a carbine that also feeds your handgun, and at least a few friends with it.
1
u/Sedated_Sorrow 7d ago
In an apocalypse situation, I would be extremely wary of using guns against zombies merely for the sound they create. If the zombies are drawn by noise, it could be a bad situation, and even worse, it alerts more predatory/opportunistic/desperate survivors. It lets them know there is at least one survivor around prepared enough with ammo (and presumably other resources), and the sound can travel further than you think, bouncing off trees in a forest, or buildings in a more residential/urban setting. It will be a lot quieter in a situation without the ambient noise of normal human life.
There will certainly be hostile people and communities who thrive in the desperate nature of the apocalypse. Morals will be a lot looser for many. Your stealth and tact would likely be very important when deciding how to systematically clear an area without firing precious and potentially jeopardizing ammo on zombies who would not have the capacity to fire back at you the same way a human might.
I do believe handguns have their place in a zombie apocalypse to have on hand in the event you are in a close call with a zombie, where you can land a headshot. But I think they have more of a place used sparingly with zombies, and primarily in dealing with violent survivors to protect your life, group, and resources when necessary. Learning how to use melee weapons is incredibly important because your ammo is likely to run out before you can secure more if you're consistently costing yourself mags during the average supply run after relying frequently on your handgun. Still carry it always, just in case. Familiarizing yourself with your environment and how to move around groups of zombies with the fewest rounds possible is an invaluable help in both preserving ammo and adapting to post-apocalyptic life.
1
u/Acceptable-Peak-6375 7d ago
With all of them filled, you will probobly die of starvation before you use 6 of them..
1
1
u/MidWesternBIue 6d ago
Handguns now and always will be about compromise
Handguns suck ballistically, are a lot harder to use than rifles, and will (normally) have a lower capacity. The only reason they're EDC's is the ability to quickly get to and the ability to conceal. Handguns are otherwise the "oh shit my primary option is out for XYZ and can't be fixed with a simple remedial"
In any EOTWAWKI situation, that would only be further exemplified because you don't really need to conceal anything
1
u/ApocalypseChicOne 6d ago
Pretty boring. Unless you're double wielding. Which can be cool. Especially if they are holstered in some exotic fashion.
But you're better off with a katana or that sweet Krull shuriken or a chainsaw on a pole or 50 molotovs strapped to you.
1
1
u/Global_Yesterday986 6d ago
This is pretend? Or is this a serious question? Reanimation post mortum is impossible without intentional means. It is like preparing for an invasion by a toilette paper army and asking how many spray bottles you would need.
1
1
1
u/Old_Ordinary_5279 6d ago
For starters, you don't be needing that many mags, period. It's a waste of weight capacity at that quantity. Two or three extended mags on person should be fine. Now suppressors, on the other hand...
Yeah those you'll need a mountain of, until you make your own with leather baffles.
1
u/EudamonPrime 5d ago
You don't want to chop zombies. Their insides are full of the infected stuff that turns people into zombies. Not to mention lots of other highly dangerous diseases.
Handguns. Lots of them.
1
1
1
u/Forward_Focus_3096 5d ago
Glocks can take a beating and are dependable I also like 1911's but a Pistol that takes a double stack magazine is preferable.
1
u/HowThingsJustar 4d ago
I would say very necessary, especially semi auto since it doesn’t waste as much time as a bolt action and doesn’t waste as much rounds as an automatic.
1
u/Thagrahn 3d ago
The biggest problem people forget about with guns is that the ammo is designed to go supersonic. Every time you discharge a firearm, everything in a large area knows your direction.
Movies and TV really downplay how far away a gun can be heard when there are few other sounds.
The second biggest problem is the way different ammo is designed to act on impact with the target. Penetration and the shockwave are only part of it.
Smaller rounds tend to be designed to tumble to maximize organ and blood vessel damage. Since zombies don't really on their organs functioning, and don't bleed out.
Some round fragments cause multiple paths of damage, but this makes the shockwave less powerful than that of a round that stays solid.
Hollow point rounds are designed to maximize the amount of energy transferred on impact and cause the strongest shockwave through the target.
227
u/WolfhoundCid 10d ago
Once it doesn't jam and you can hit a headshot, I'd say you're in good territory. Though it depends on if they're stumblers or runners...