Why not a bayonet?

[Will Carry]

"General! We are out of ammo!" "Then give them the bayonet!"

Nothing says "Don't tread on me!" like a bayonet. If you decide to deploy the bayonet learn how to use it.

[Makiaveli]

i am with you on this one

Think on this a sec. There's only 1 walker. If you shoot him, how many more will be summoned by the sound? A bayonet would be a great thing to have in this situation.

[JAB]

Forget a bayonet, tomahawk, and crowbar!

I'd take a collapsible baton! A whack to the head is absolutely lethal. You wouldn't have to worry about it "sticking" or getting caught on anything. Plus it makes an excellent pry bar if you get in a bad place. On top of it all, its COLLAPSIBLE and lightweight - especially compared to what you guys are talking about. You could swing it for a much longer time. It's perfect - I don't know why you don't see them more in zombie movies. It makes so much sense. I guess its too boring for the movies...

I think our approach to this is simply different (neither is wrong, IMO, just different.) I like the short crowbar because I would prefer a good pry bar, etc. that could work well if it needed to be pressed into service as a skull crusher (skull crushing being a secondary function.) It appears that you prefer a good skull crusher that could work well if it needed to be pressed into service as a pry bar (pry bar being the secondary function, in this case.)

I think that is because I am coming down closer to the 'Caster' end of the zombie slaying continuum (but not entirely on his end of things.) I would want something that would work close range, hand to hand if I had to but doing so would be more because my plan failed than because I had planned to do so.

Edited September 24, 2012 by JAB

[MiddTennTaco]

I think our approach to this is simply different (neither is wrong, IMO, just different.) I like the short crowbar because I would prefer a good pry bar, etc. that could work well if it needed to be pressed into service as a skull crusher (skull crushing being a secondary function.) It appears that you prefer a good skull crusher that could work well if it needed to be pressed into service as a pry bar (pry bar being the secondary function, in this case.)

I think that is because I am coming down closer to the 'Caster' end of the zombie slaying continuum (but not entirely on his end of things.) I would want something that would work close range, hand to hand if I had to but doing so would be more because my plan failed than because I had planned to do so.

I agree with your logic minus the fact that one is a lot more compact and convenient to carry. A collapsible baton is very small and I would venture to say my old duty baton would easily function as a pry bar for any situation. I would highly recommend you find an ASP baton locally and see exactly what I mean. A pry bar is simply an improvised weapon and unweildy at that.

[Caster]

Think on this a sec. There's only 1 walker. If you shoot him, how many more will be summoned by the sound? A bayonet would be a great thing to have in this situation.

Your reasoning is perfectly sound, BUT IMHO it'd be better to have a dedicated blade rather than have it attached to your weapon. As a piercing weapon, you would have an advantage with a bayonet as the added weight and leverage would be good but I still don't think it would replace a good heavy blade like a well built machete or the like. I have a Gerber Parang on the side of my bug out bag. I've heard a good argument here against it as the blade is curved back, robbing you of mechanical advantage so I am thinking about replacing it with a fiskars brush axe.

http://www2.fiskars.com/Products/Yard-and-Garden/Axes-and-Striking/Brush-Axe

[Ed Zachary]

OK, so you job him in the brains or bust his punkin and get all that virus-laden used-to-be-gray matter on you. If you have a scratch on you, guess what?

You just joined the zombie corps(e)!

No thankyewverymuch.

[RichardR]

I'd probably take a good steel roofing hammer over either a pry bar or baton, be it collapsable or other wise.

Not only is a roofing hammer good for prying, it can be used to drive nails (important for either rebuilding, repairing or fortifying) as well as can be used as a weapon for smashing skulls.

I have a few machetes that I use to clear brush and stuff but I am not sure I would want to use them as a weapon, as soon as they hit/cut into a heavy bone I am guessing that they'd become lodged in it, just like they do when they strike a thick piece of brush that they don't cut through with that first strike.

Crow/pry bars are either to heavy or to short or to thin for me to seriously consider relying on as a melee weapon, the ones that are long enough to get a decent swing with are to heavy for me to swing repeatedly or they are to thin to reliably deliver the sort of killing blow I'd be looking to achieve with each swing.

Batons, over the years I have been issued straight batons, tonfa-type batons & collapsable ones, while they can be lethal if the target is someones head, they are more of what is known as a less than lethal, pain compliance device, and having used them for years I'd say that it would probably take repeated blows to a zombies head to be effective in putting them down for good.

[JAB]

I agree with your logic minus the fact that one is a lot more compact and convenient to carry. A collapsible baton is very small and I would venture to say my old duty baton would easily function as a pry bar for any situation. I would highly recommend you find an ASP baton locally and see exactly what I mean. A pry bar is simply an improvised weapon and unweildy at that.

I have had the opportunity to mess around with ASP batons. They are interesting but I'd still go with the small crow bar. I am not talking about the type of crowbar that is three feet long or so. Neither am I talking about a thin 'pry bar'. Instead, I am talking about the shorter but still sturdily built type of true crowbar that is roughly the same length as the average tire tool. That length could be easily tucked into a belt, etc. and carried almost (although maybe not quite) as easily as an asp.

[JAB]

OK, so you job him in the brains or bust his punkin and get all that virus-laden used-to-be-gray matter on you. If you have a scratch on you, guess what?

You just joined the zombie corps(e)!

No thankyewverymuch.

Which is part of the reason that, for me, a melee weapon would be for use in case my plan failed, not part of my plan.

Edited September 25, 2012 by JAB

[M4sherman]

If I am going to resort to hand to hand I would rather have the bayonet than a crowbar/axe/baton for a few reasons.

1: good bayonts double as feild knifes

2:you would be amazed how well a bayonet can penatrate when properly used

3:RANGE, I dont know about you but a M16A4 is 39.375 inches long and while properly employing a bayonet the ZED will be aproxemently 3FT or better from my torso

[Makiaveli]

Your reasoning is perfectly sound, BUT IMHO it'd be better to have a dedicated blade rather than have it attached to your weapon. As a piercing weapon, you would have an advantage with a bayonet as the added weight and leverage would be good but I still don't think it would replace a good heavy blade like a well built machete or the like. I have a Gerber Parang on the side of my bug out bag. I've heard a good argument here against it as the blade is curved back, robbing you of mechanical advantage so I am thinking about replacing it with a fiskars brush axe.

http://www2.fiskars....iking/Brush-Axe

Good point. I would prefer both, as I like the idea of keeping my distance

[RichardR]

In honor of this thread I've sharpened up both a bayonet & a machete, to the point where they both easily shave off hair, I am going to take them, a crowbar, a roofing hammer, a baton & a medieval flail (just for giggles) and figure out a way to "test" the effectiveness of each.

I don't have exactly how I am going to "test" them all figured out yet (pig carcass maybe?) but it should be a fun project none the less, I'll make sure to have a camera handy to document the carnage.

[MiddTennTaco]

Remember that anything that sharp will dull quickly. Looking forward to the tests!

[RichardR]

Remember that anything that sharp will dull quickly. Looking forward to the tests!

Yea I am curious as to how long it will stay this sharp, I chose my Colombian Corona machete because it has a really nice hard carbon steel blade that retains its edge better than my other machetes, the carbon steel of my Salvadorian Imacasa is close but that is more of a large bush knife than an actual machete, anyway I also double beveled the edge on the Corona in order to give it a bit more edge retention ability.

I usually just sharpen my machetes with a mini-grinder, this is the first time I have ever really turned one into a two-foot long razor using oil stones, I sure wouldn't want to accidently knick my leg while cutting brush with it now that is for sure!

[JKGlock17]

Which is part of the reason that, for me, a melee weapon would be for use in case my plan failed, not part of my plan.

x2

[Guest robin.kempton]

In honor of this thread I've sharpened up both a bayonet & a machete, to the point where they both easily shave off hair, I am going to take them, a crowbar, a roofing hammer, a baton & a medieval flail (just for giggles) and figure out a way to "test" the effectiveness of each.

I don't have exactly how I am going to "test" them all figured out yet (pig carcass maybe?) but it should be a fun project none the less, I'll make sure to have a camera handy to document the carnage.

Just go to Miami and wait for a little bit. Its probably due for another face eating incident there really soon. Look how many shots it took to take that one down...you can practice on one of them and see what works best for the impending viral outbreak thats due to hit soon. I have a nice one on my Mosin Nagant and I'm kind of curious myself...its fluted so it should release easily. I can't believe that this thread has gone for as long as it has, seems to have peeked a few others curiosity as well. Beats talking about the economy or politics....thats for sure.

[Guest zort]

that brings another issue. what type of zombies are we talking about. slow moving undead of rage infected fast moving zombies. id mess around with a bayonet with a undead but if its the bath salt type i wouldnt bother just shoot and run.

[Guest robin.kempton]

Good issue zort......if they are the fast moving full of rage type I'd say shoot from a long distance as much as possible. Any up close and personal type kills on one of those will definately decrease your survival limits. The slow moving, drag the foot kinds....you can play with them all day to see what works best for a fast ending.

[Makiaveli]

Good issue zort......if they are the fast moving full of rage type I'd say shoot from a long distance as much as possible. Any up close and personal type kills on one of those will definately decrease your survival limits. The slow moving, drag the foot kinds....you can play with them all day to see what works best for a fast ending.

Playing with them leads to finishing them off, then turning around and realizing the scuffle attracted 42 of it's closest friends to the party. Gank and scoot FTW

[Guest robin.kempton]

Roger that Makiaveli.......better have some eyes on while playing with one, someone to watch your 12, 3, 6 and your 9 at all times. Best to move in a pack and keep it quiet while you play with it. I don't want to dance with 42 of it's closest friends, I'd rather retreat and live to fight another day under better conditions ....one preferebly in my favor and the favor of my closest 42 friends. Stab and go (sounds like a new gas station, don't it?)...I'll stick with that until I hit higher ground.

[RichardR]

Agreed, fantasizing about zombie hordes is much more fun than stressing out over politics and stuff.

And yea we should all have some sort of "overwatch" looking out for us at all times if at all possible, this of course isnt always as easy as it sounds, it will take a bit of planning and prep to always have overwatch in place without themselves ending up as zombie treats and it would take an experienced marksman in that overwatch role to be able to effectively "shoot around" friendlies without putting those friendlies at more risk.

[Makiaveli]

Stab and go (sounds like a new gas station, don't it?)..

LOL I think I finally have a replacement after years of calling them Stop 'N Robs