PSA: Zombie Apocalypse Preparedness

http://www.youtube.com/user/purgatoryironworks#p/u/26/_tw1Rb0fWeI

Somehow I think that when the zombies come, carrying three long arms in three different calibers won't be entirely convenient. I'll just take an AR, thanks.

If I could somehow create bacon flavored zombies that reenacted scenes from star wars I could rule the internets.

ditchdigger wrote: If I could somehow create bacon flavored zombies...

NOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! If you do so, Man will be forced to eat the tainted, yet yummy, zombie flesh. At best it will kill those who eat it, at worst, you create more Zeds.

neon4891 wrote:

ditchdigger wrote: If I could somehow create bacon flavored zombies...

NOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! If you do so, Man will be forced to eat the tainted, yet yummy, zombie flesh. At best it will kill those who eat it, at worst, you create more Zeds.

REcursive zombie theory? I imagine zombies like bacon. They're NOT gonna be terribly smart... at least at first, because the smarter humans are gonna GTFO, leavin' all the idiots as snacks. That leaves us with a pile of stupid, bacon flavored zombies. Mebbe they start snacking on each other... and maybe zombie on zombie either kills them, or turns them human.

Or we end up with quantum-bacon super zombies.

so sort of a darwinism in reverse?

Will wrote: Somehow I think that when the zombies come, carrying three long arms in three different calibers won't be entirely convenient. I'll just take an AR, thanks.

Actually it depends if you are on foot then yeah carry a single weapon with the most common round you can readily find for your area. A good idea would be have a stash spot for other weapons of other common calibers that you can scrounge while searching the ruins. If you are vehicle based (as I'm sure many on this site would find a way to be still on 4 wheels as long as they could) keeping multiple weapons is no biggy and you are not tied to a single caliber.

Lets face it you are not going want to use your battle rounds for hunting cats and the like for food when you can use the .22 bolt rifle you found when scrounging.

In my area the most common rifle rounds are: .17 HMR, .22 in all variants (though mag is more rare) .223, .308, 30-06 and 7.62x39. This community has quite a large hunting community so generally hunting rounds are what you find here. These same rounds would be common in most areas though the 30-06 will be harder to come by in some areas. There is also the option of reloading your preferred caliber as well so long as you have the gear for doing that work.

Though for basic skull crushing I suggest something like this...

Just remember that simple is better. Example: I read a book by a guy who was a door gunner in a LOACH (light observation helicopter) in Vietnam. Those were too small for M60s, so this guy carried an M16 and an AK47. Sure enough, one day his chopper is shot down and the pilot crash lands. The cabin is filled with smoke and the gunner fumbles around for a rifle and a magazine. Once he got out of the wreck and into cover he discovered he had an AK47 and an M16 magazine--both totally useless.

And that is why you carry a good bolt action rifle. Oh also it is never a good idea to rely on optics only for your sighting, which seems to be what many do these days. Optics are great and can aid in faster target acquisition and further distances but you take a good fall and smack your scope you are SOL. Most good sniper systems come with an iron sight back up.

My Mosin can easily have the scope mount removed and I'm working on setting up a quick attachment for the rear iron sight.

I think an AR style weapon in 7.62 with flip up sights and some kind of medium power scope seems just about perfect to me. Mmmmm, or raiding an Army base and getting an M110. Hawt.

Doesn't 7.62mm seem like overkill for zombies? Considering you need a head shot, I don't see how it has any advantage over 5.56, yet it weighs twice as much, is noisier (imagine firing 7.62 NATO indoors), has more recoil (slower follow-up shots). I also don't see the need to shoot zombies out past 200, maybe 300 yards. If they're any farther away, just avoid them and don't risk the noise signature. Besides, most mil-spec 5.56/7.62 ammo is 2 MOA at best. Past a couple hundred yards, a head shot is a 50/50 affair. Why waste the ammo?

Here's what I'll be packing come Z-day.

This plus my short stock AR15 is all I need. .223 is my favorite. I can shoot it all day, the recoil is small, its accurate as can be, and readily available everywhere.

I can shoot 150yards pretty accurately with a decent scope and using subsonic ammo, the noise won't be an issue at all.

One glock 9mm on my hip and im set. Oh, and my trusty samurai sword.

Im so ready for Zday

Will wrote: Doesn't 7.62mm seem like overkill for zombies? Considering you need a head shot, I don't see how it has any advantage over 5.56, yet it weighs twice as much, is noisier (imagine firing 7.62 NATO indoors), has more recoil (slower follow-up shots). I also don't see the need to shoot zombies out past 200, maybe 300 yards. If they're any farther away, just avoid them and don't risk the noise signature. Besides, most mil-spec 5.56/7.62 ammo is 2 MOA at best. Past a couple hundred yards, a head shot is a 50/50 affair. Why waste the ammo? Here's what I'll be packing come Z-day.

I've seen 5.56 not put people down (yes head shots). I have however never seen a person get up after taking a 7.62 to the dome. I actually really like shooting 7.62, so I suppose it's all preference. I suppose I could be tempted for a bolt action in .308 or something like that. Speaking of which, I've been meaning to start gun shopping...

It is funny that you mention noise because a major factor you need to consider is the action type. My .308 bolt action is quieter than my .223 AR. However my my Mosin sounds like a howitzer going off, oh and it shoots a good deal of flame out of the barrel. You put a sub sonic round in my .22 bolt and it is damn quiet (heck even high velocity rounds aren't that loud), with a CB you would be lucky to hear much of anything. The same rounds in my 10/22 will be noticeably louder.

As GI Drewsifer mentioned people have been known to get up from direct hits from a .223, same with 9mm hand guns. You also have to remember in any sort of PAW situation, even zombies, there will be other dangers you face ranging from wild animals (including domesticated dogs gone wild) to bandits and the like. You also may be required to use your weapon as a tool for hunting, in this case range, accuracy and bullet size become a HUGE factor. You will have a hard time dropping an elk (or bessie the stray cow) with a .223 at range.

On a side note the new season of "The Colony" started on Discovery last night and they got to deal with raiders stealing their stuff.

leigerreign wrote: This plus my short stock AR15 is all I need. .223 is my favorite. I can shoot it all day, the recoil is small, its accurate as can be, and readily available everywhere. I can shoot 150yards pretty accurately with a decent scope and using subsonic ammo, the noise won't be an issue at all. One glock 9mm on my hip and im set. Oh, and my trusty samurai sword. Im so ready for Zday

I like this rifle. A lot.

my current line up and one of the reasons my Olds is not finished...

EDIT: Oh and just to clarify things a bit from left to right:

• Mosin Nagant M44 7.62x54R heavily modified scout rifle

• Marlin Glenfield Model 80 .22 s/l/lr from 1961

• Weatherby Vanguard .308

• Colt AR-15 Heavy Barrel Match .223

• Auto Ordnance Thompson 1927 A1 .45 ACP

• Norinco Type 56 (AK-47) 7.62x39

• Ruger .44 Magnum Carbine

• Ruger 10/22 .22lr

• (at the bottom) Chipmunk .22 s/l/lr

Second from the right, next to the AK..... is that a Thompson?

mndsm wrote: ..... is that a Thompson?

Why, yes it is. Hey, self-defense is no laughing matter. Thats why when I want number one I pack a Thompson... accept no substitutes.

mndsm wrote: Second from the right, next to the AK..... is that a Thompson?

Yup. Yummy ain't it?

lewbud wrote:

mndsm wrote: Second from the right, next to the AK..... is that a Thompson?

Yup. Yummy ain't it?

Damn skippy.

Rebel, You got a 50 round drum lyin around the homestead?

In reply to lewbud:

Nope no 50rd drums. They run $250-350 and weigh almost 3 lbs empty. The 30 rd stick mags run $20-30 each and weight less then half a pound empty even for the heaviest of them.

GI_Drewsifer wrote: I've seen 5.56 not put people down (yes head shots). I have however never seen a person get up after taking a 7.62 to the dome. I actually really like shooting 7.62, so I suppose it's all preference. I suppose I could be tempted for a bolt action in .308 or something like that. Speaking of which, I've been meaning to start gun shopping...

Plenty of anecdotal evidence from Somalia through Afghanistan & Iraq backs you up, though getting up after taking a 5.56 to the noggin is certainly the exception and not the rule. Although I believe you, I'll stick with the 5.56 for zombies unless I'm holed in a secure, fortified location. But just to prove I have nothing against 7.62, here's another bit of my collection:

This thread makes me jealous

Strike_Zero wrote: This thread makes me jealous

Yeah, me too. I badly want an AR again. 5.56 or 7.62 would be fine, but I really like the little round.

At least I'm covered close-up.