Best weapon available without a firearm license?

I don't know about anyone else here, but I've been reading a lot of posts about knives and edged weapons, but I must say, if you want a legal weapon to learn and train with to master and become effecient with in a survival situation, join the SCA.

I'm in australia so its a pain to get any sort of firearm, but the SCA is basically a society for people who want to reinact medieval fighting.

The SCA is much bigger in america, but point being, if you had a knife and I had a round piece of rattan, I really wouldn't be as worried as you wanted me to be.

The weapons we train with aren't even metal, and its very easy to make new ones, they are just rattan. They are durable, light, and relatively useless if you don't know what you're doing with them.

Now I live in the bush in australia so I don't exactly have a gun and theres no "self defence" courses in knives or spears around me, but with enough training with a wooden sword, I can comfortable hold my own in close combat against a knife or baseball bat.

Anyway there are much better ideas than mine, but just look out if someone comes towards you with a rattan sword with a baskethilt lol.

I'm not a fan of bows they are too fiddly. I personally would carry a machette, easy to use and looks pretty cool hanging from the camo's

If sit-x is you running from a FEMA 'help' unit, all your wonderful items are behind you in someone else's possession. Improvising, with prior thought and practice, will be essential.

If you're on the move, discard weapons as you improve the grade.

First move is a club. Baseball bat to lead pipe. It beats nothing but bare hands. And while there are martial artists out there who have no fear of such, stealth and a lead pipe will work wonders if you're desperate.

Trade up. Each time you come across a better weapon, and have reached the point where carrying and deploying same are unhandy, discard the worst of the lot. (I would hide it just in case I was ever back that way and needed it again, and to avoid leaving a trail for pursuers.)

Guns are nice, but they're loud. If you're running, the last thing you need is everyone within a mile or two hearing you take down a rabbit. And keep in mind that under some circumstances, the very fact that you have food could draw unwanted attention from other refugees.

On a long term basis, a well kept gun or so would be nice for desperate situations, but day to day hunting and most protection from animals can be accomplished much better if done silently. And remember that dog packs might not fear humans as much as you think, and they'll be hungry too.

You can always work your way back up to sophisticated weapons in due time, but practice and learn how to make the simplest ones, and then how to effectively use them. That way you're less likely to be caught with your pants down and your hands up.

Former Scadian myself Crowbar. Good to see the group is still getting around. For those in the states, FBI and CIA and god knows who all else does classify the SCA as a paramilitary organisation with friendly status. In some areas SCA does instruct police groups on shield wall tactics and how to better perform in full riot gear.

Most of their training applies to edge weapon training as well. But Crowbar is absolutely correct and may I add, if you see an older overweight guy in what looks like cobbled together homemade armor coming at you with some sort of thick stick. Yell "Hold" clearly and repetively and crumple to the ground kneeling. Might save your life or a least a whole lot of pain. As funny as he might look to you. You will get your bell rung if you try to take him on his terms. As that guy is mostly likely a duke in the SCA. Which is a former king that won his title by his skill in ratan swordfighting or polearms.

Best bet is try to befriend him as all his camping experience was very primative and he may be part of a large group.

A nailgun is a good alternative to a firearm. There should be one at your nearest home depot. I'm not sure on the price, but in a grave survival situation it's free.

You can make a one shot shoot gun with a 2/3" pipe and a couple more of goodies........ think of a spear gun and use your imagination and you can make a louncher that will send a fire bomb for 100 yards.

Use a mouse spring trap to attached to a shoot gun shell and you can make some very nice booby traps.

My favorite weapons are the crossbow and the Katana.

About the Katana, tie about five old tires hanging down from a tree and practice with it.

Anything that you can hold in your hands you cam make it into a weapon.

anything can be made into a weapon. the mouse im using. the whole laptop itself. my purse. my shoes. my legs ( i have a powerful kick so watch out! haha)
a stick. a ciggarette. a lighter. anything! you just have to be quick about it. your car can be a weapon. anything used to inflict harm or pain on another is considered a weapon. its all about how you use it.

i am a fan of telescoping clubs....get one of them dudes

Originally posted by angryamerican
I hate to say it because I hate old sayings but in this case its true. Your best weapon is your brain. No permit required. They cant take it from you and its self healing. Unlike other weapons the more you use it the stronger it gets.
That being said I would have to say a second best would be a homemade recurve bow with homemade arrows. If it breaks you make another. Well thats my opinion anyway.

This doesnt answer the question asked at all.

I would say some sort of hand to hand weapon. A sword would be good as well as a knife of some sort as a backup.

After experiencing this: www.abovetopsecret.com... this morning, I ordered myself an МР-661K.









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Price: $180, no license needed.

Rips through 3 cm of flesh wrapped in plastic and jeans at a distance of 2m.

Can't wait to get it

Quite uncomfortable to carry around in the streets, but great for home use.

[edit on 22/6/07 by MastaG]

[edit on 22/6/07 by MastaG]

That's just my opinion, but I think a functional sword is the best bet. It's silencious and does not draw attention, does not require any ammo (what happens when your gun runs out of ammo and it's impossible to find any more?), can be used for multiple uses, quality blades never break, and a slice is all you need to kill your enemy. Furthermore, in a war situation, you could probably find a gun just lying on the floor from a killed person, but a sword never.

I'd recommend a 9260 Tenchi Katana from Cheness Cutlery, or a 9260 SGC Series Katana from Cheness Cutlery. They are 300 USD, and very resistant. They are true swords, sharp, and you could actually cut your firewood with it instead of using a hatchet, but I don't recommend doing that. You also need to buy a sword sharpener, it's not expensive.

www.youtube.com...

In all cases, I would trust a sword over a bow anyday, if you're surprised and don't have the time to "get in position" with your bow, you will die.

www.sword-buyers-guide.com...

[edit on 17-8-2007 by Atlantix]

Long thread, so I honestly didn't read it all. My apologies if someone mentioned this already..

We have THESE.

I've been shot with it on 3 round burst 600RPM...it hurts like hell, and could possibly be fatal if the right spot is targeted.



OOps...Mastag did already mention them!

[edit on 8/17/2007 by CSkys]

Not a ton of experience here but a sling or a slingshot would probably be your best bet for survival hunting. With practice you should be able to peg small game with a high success rate. Your ammo is almost unlimited as well. I have seen first hand the damage a ball bearing shot with a arm slingshot with sugical tubing can do. for small game that would be ideal.

Hello,

Awsome, i have just been reading some of the threads in here and it is quite fascinating.I can see the practicality of preparing for these things aswell.
Nice job

Hmmm, In thinking about it , I probably would try to get my hands on a decent sized knife (Not only for the practical side of things but also for the self defense too) Failing not being able to find a proper one, I am fairly confident that i could craft one out of something. Also i think a modified staff or sharpened spear would be good (again not only for the practical things but also defensive)

So The knife and the spear or the Knife and the staff would be my choices for melee combat,defense and practicality. sort of getting a few birds with one stone i think.

And then i dont know how i would go about getting a ranged weapon like a rifle or a gun so i would probably favor a bow or a shanghai or maybe perhaps both, Bow would be better with greater distance i think because of accuracy and things but i think the shanghai would function well midrange to closer (Similar to the blowgun that was mentioned b4) I am generally pretty good with handcrafts like this, i have made these b4 and although i will admit my Bow making skills could use a dust up, I can make a pretty good Shanghai and im a pretty good shot aswell. I think too, that the Shanghai could be modified at the end of the forks to create a secondary thrusting/stabbing weapon aswell.On a side note if you had to and you trained enough, a well placed spear thrown from a distance can cause incredible damage and immobilize anything a bow could if you were willing to sacrifice a bit of distance, but i imagine it would be variable on how good you were or how well you trained and prepared with something .

I would also try to scavenge clothes with decent protective properties ( Or Clothes and/or Garments that i could reinforce with the bits and pieces that would be readily available to me or that i could find) I think a Backpack or some sort of sack would do well to have aswell for gathering.

I think that in dire circumstances and situations aswell, a primitive shield of some form would be a convenient thing to have on your person aswell. Not something to bulky but perhaps something that could be handled well and do its job nicely.

I will have a longer think about this. Im sure i could come up with some other things. Naturally materials and recourses would also come into play when trying to forage or craft these sorts of weapons too.
Im also highly trained with certain melee weapons like staffes and tonfas and some others so i believe that would certainly aid me in survival efforts as well as unarmed training.

In drastic times and situations i suppose you would have to know your limits and be able to address things and calculate stuff quickly should the situation call for it.

Ill have a longer think and ill post again.

Omega



[edit on 18/8/2007 by Omega85]

Originally posted by Atlantix
In all cases, I would trust a sword over a bow anyday, if you're surprised and don't have the time to "get in position" with your bow, you will die.

Hmmm allthough, someone who knows how to use a bow will only take a fraction of a second to draw aim and peg you with an arrow. An arrow going into you straight from the launch will cause greater damage at close range then far and also if you have an idea about how to use a bow, you will most certainly last over someone who is untrained in the way of a katana or similar blade, I mean hell.. Even Arrows can be used as stabbing thrusting weapons more like Daggers if the situation called for it.
How many people do you believe train sufficiently enough to wield a blade fluently enough to take it on board and actually use it in a survival situation as a primary weapon? especially in western society. Conventionality as well as Convenience would both play a very significant part in times of desperate defensive procedure as to what you have at your disposal, What you can use, the practicality of it and what is convenient at the time.
Just a thought


Omega


[edit on 18/8/2007 by Omega85]

I've actually always been partial to ballistic knives. They're regular knives, however the blade actually shoots out.

Originally posted by j stuff

Originally posted by angryamerican
I hate to say it because I hate old sayings but in this case its true. Your best weapon is your brain. No permit required. They cant take it from you and its self healing. Unlike other weapons the more you use it the stronger it gets.
That being said I would have to say a second best would be a homemade recurve bow with homemade arrows. If it breaks you make another. Well thats my opinion anyway.

This doesnt answer the question asked at all.

I would say some sort of hand to hand weapon. A sword would be good as well as a knife of some sort as a backup.

How is it not answering the question. Let me refresh your memory here the question is Best weapon available without a firearm license?
So tell me how What I said does not answer the question at all? Or is it you didnt understand what I said? Wich to me sounds like the case.

accidental double post mod please remove me



[edit on 19-8-2007 by angryamerican]

I'm gonna have to go with the six 42" samurai swords I own, coupled with daggers, throwing stars, and the rest of my "ninja" arsenal.

The best weapon is not only yourself, but your level of training.

A person well trained in a discipline such as Kali can simply pick up a stick a kill you with it, same as a small twig to replicate a knife.

Proficiency in throwing weapons can include rocks, sticks, or even bones.

A person will fall to their level of training when put into a life/death scenario, so train accordingly.

My weapons would be the ones taken from the lesser prepared and used to my advantage.
It sounds quite arrogant to say that I don't need as much prep as the next guy, because I can take their provisions/weapons from them.

Simply make their weapon your target.