Weapons: Firearms

Firearms

Of all the weapons at your disposal, nothing is more important than your primary firearm. Keep it cleaned, oiled, loaded, and keep it close. A survivor with a cool head, steady hand, patience, and plenty of ammunition is more than a match for an army of Undead. Choosing the correct firearm will be one of the most important things you will do. There are many variables to consider when picking a firearm to use against the Undead. Weight, durability, effective range, stopping power, and ease of use are a few of the more vital factors to take into account. There is also the role you are playing to think about: defense, attack, or flight? Above all else, never carry just one weapon, preferably firearms. In this post we will discuss the general firearms categories. In another post we will go over specific weapons that you should consider to be your primary goal to obtain.

The Heavy Machine Gun

These weapons allow storms of lead to be unleashed within seconds, invaluable to battling humans. Zombies, however, are a different story. The "spray and pray" tactic will only serve to waste your precious ammunition. Remember: you are going for a head shot - a single round precisely placed into the brain. Since the machine gun is designed for "saturation fire", it may take hundred, even thousands of rounds for a random lethal shot. The standard 5.56mm round used by the US Army's SAW (Squad Automatic Weapon) has the power and ability to snap a human spine, sever limbs, or even tear a zombie in half. A head shot will still remain necessary. A decapitated head can still bite, so why give yourself the unecessary need of having to finish off a mass of writhing and potentially dangerous body parts?

The Submachine Gun

This class of weapons still presents the same problem as the heavy machine gun: number of rounds spent versus dead zombies. When fighting indoors, however, the submachine gun has a large advantage. Be sure to keep it on the "single shot" setting, since full auto is very tempting, yet a waste of ammunition nonetheless. Its short barrel makes it easier to handle than a heavy machine gun, while its folding stock provides more support than a pistol. It lacks in range power, and like all semi and fully automatics, is subject to jamming. This would put yourself at unnecessary risk. This would be the only reason to discount a submachine gun as your primary weapon.

Assault Rifle

Originally to bridge the gab between the rifle and submachine gun, the assault rifle offers both range and power. Even though there is still the ability to switch to single fire, the tempation of switching to fully auto exists and is very, very tempting. Keep these questions in mind: What is its range? What is its power? What is its accuracy? Is the appropriate ammunition readily available? How easy is it to keep clean and maintained? For an example, we will look at two of the most widely-recognized assault rifles in history: the M16 and the AK-47. The US Army M16A1 is considered by many to be the worst assault rifle ever created. Its overcomplicated mechanisms causes it to be both difficult to clean and prone to jam. Adjusting the sight, which must be done everytime the target changes range, requires the use of a nail, ballpoint pen, or similar device. On the other side of the spectrum, the Soviet AK-47, is considered to be the best assault rifle ever created. Even though it is heavier than the M16 (10.58 pounds vs 7 pounds), it has a much larger round and therefore much more stopping power. It never jams or overheats, and it can be fired underwater or with a clip full of sand. Its been run over by jeeps and had it barrel bent, yet it can still fire. A member of the AK-47 family such as the Chinese Type 56 or Israeli Galil will be your best bet.

The Bolt-/Lever-Action Rifle

A rifle's single shot capability forces the shooter to make every shot count, therefore increasing the chances of a lethal hit. Ammunition is consequently conserved, and is already widely and readily available. Easy to clean and maintain, the rifle is also much more accurate than any of the previously mentioned firearms. Try to find an older, military used rifle, since they were all designed for close combat use with hard, durable wooden stocks.

The Semiautomatic Rifle

With the semiautomatic rifle, there is still a possibility of wasting ammunition, since a round is expended every time the trigger is pulled. A fair amount of discipline is required due to this, however, this ability can be a blessing when engaging multiple targets. For those of you in close quarters or on the run, the semiautomatic carbine serves the same function as the larger model. It does possess half of the effective range, but it is also much lighter and easier to carry. The World War II M1 Garand or M1 Carbine should be your primary choices. Surprising to some, these two weapons were designed to survive the greates conflict in human history. Of the two, the M1 Carbine is still in production, with the M1 Garand having still remaining in the market. The M1 Carbine's light weight and short muzzle perfectly suit this weapon for indoor combat or log journeys on foot. More modern choices include the Ruger Mini-30, Ruger Mini-14, and the Chinese Type 56 (a copy of the Soviet SKS carbine, not to be confused with the assault rifle of the same name). If you can maintain discipline, you will not find a better weapon than the semiautomatic rifle.

The Shotgun

This weapon reigns supreme in close quarters. A good 12-gauge shotgun will literally blow a zombie's head off. With range, however, the pellet-dispersal widens and loses power, giving the shooter less of a chance of skull penetration. A solid slug can be used with the same effect as a rifle, which is good for when the target is further away. Being able to change from solid slugs to close-range pellet spreads can be invaluable. If cornered, a good shotgun blast can send zombies sprawling and clear a path for you.

The Pistol

This American cultural icon isn't very useful against a swarm of zombies. Despite the ease of use in the movies, the average citizen will have trouble hitting something as small as the human head. Where handgns do come in handy is in extreme circumstances. If you are grabbed by a zombie, a pistol can save your life. Pressing the end of the barrel against a zombie's skull requires no skill and insures an "insta-kill". Small, light, and easy to carry, handguns make great secondary weapons.

.22 Caliber Weapons

These weapons (pistol and rifle) fire a round no wider than a few millimeters and no longer than an inch. Usually used for target practice, competitions, and even small game, the .22 can still hold its own against its heavier-caliber cousins. The small size of the rounds means you can carry up to three times as much ammunition. It is also much lighter than a normal rifle, and the ammunition is easy to manufacture and plentiful throughout the country. There are two main disadvantages. One: the small round offers zero stopping power. People have been shot by a .22 and have not realized it until later. And two: there is a lack of skull penetration at longer ranges. The best target is the eye. The small round will enter the eye socket and will bounce around the inside of the skull, scrambling the brain and doing as much damage as a .45. Do not discout the toylike nature of this firearm.

Accessories

Silencers - if attainable, a silencer can be a vital attachment to your firearm. Their abiliy to muffle the gunshot eliminates the use of bows and other silent shooters... essential for sneaking by unnoticed.

Telescopic Sight - these will increase your accuracy at range immeasurably, especially for long range sniper attacks.

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Credits to Max Brooks' "The Zombie Survival Guide"
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