Is it really Bows or Guns??

[James Jackson]

you mean not breaking the law at the moment, that will chnge soon i bet

[Skean Dhude]

I am of the belief that no one in the UK is not breaking some law.

[Tonka]

Spears are often overlooked. The human race has done quite a lot with spears. Mammoth hunting etc.

As for guns vs bows, they have such different strengths and weakness that a 'winner' would be down purely to the exact details of the scenario. TL is right that neither should be discounted. Even if you don't have an FAC, that is no reason not to learn how to use a gun. I can still field-strip a Colt 1911 blindfolded, and handguns have been banned for... I don't even remember how long.

[James Jackson]

i think my point is still valid, a gun is better then the bow, the bows better then the knife....
but if you cannot get the gun, get a bow, and if you cannot get the bow get a knife. After all having something is better then nothing, and if we lose a large portion of the population thier is a chance of finding things such as guns, bows, knifes. or even making basic balistic weapons out of tubes and strings, afrer all the ira ect ect did things like that

[Tonka]

Again, depends on the scenario. A bow isn't better than a knife if your assailant is leaping at you from across the room. The big disadvantage of the gun is it's reliance on ammunition produced by a functioning society. Scavengable ammunition will be scarce in the UK. So it doesn't take much imagination to think of post shtf scenarios where a bow, using simple DIY ammo, would be more advantages. Just as it would be easy to think of situations where a gun would be best.
A nuclear sub isn't better than a home-made catapult when your hunting rabbits.

I have an 1853 pattern Enfield cavalry carbine, and a few books on making black powder. This may go a little way towards the best of both worlds. Although I have had no practise making the powder, and it's not without it's dangers.

[Timelord]

(23 June 2012, 00:43)James Jackson Wrote: "i think my point is still valid, a gun is better then the bow, the bows better then the knife....
but if you cannot get the gun, get a bow, and if you cannot get the bow get a knife."

That is a pretty limited set of options.. Does it come with blinkers?

[James Jackson]

not blinkered, just prectical, get what you can. if you cannot get something, do the best with what you can get. Then if you can get it sometime later then get it then. No point in complaining you cannot get something or saying one thing is better then another, become the proficiant at what you have and keep your eyes open for the item you would really like

[Bug_out_Bag]

For me, I think that Time Lord makes quite a compelling case and I agree that history can show us the way to go with many of our preps.

TL wote " How far back in time do you think our future will be?"

I think this hits the nail right on the head! Nice one TL!

I have a bow and arrows both shop bought and souped up home made items. I was recently all up for the BSA Ultra Multi but am now veering towards break barrel models as they will last
longer PSHTF. However, and this is my main point, The first bit of defence kit I invested in was a high powered catapult and super srtong elastics. This is a brilliant piece of kit because it is small, it is virtually silent and used in combination with lead balls it can decimate.Don't leave the humble catapult out of your preps! They are easy to use and with practice You can become very accurate.

I am interested in casting my own lead balls, does anyone have any knowledge of this please? How to make casts etc etc.

I'm enjoying this thread! Thanks!

In a perfect world where it is leagal and easy to come across items such as TL recommends I'd be there!

[NorthernRaider]

So would anyone care to tell me which is the world very best slingshot / catapult please, cos I have no experience with them?

Secondly i think that like TL the next society is going to be much more primative and agrarian than this one, it reminds me of the superb PA novel Earth Abides by George Stewart, In his book rolls of ten cents coins and dimes have a greater value than hundred dollar bills, because the survivors new society uses salvaged rolls of coins to make arrowheads with !!!! You cannot eat a coin or pound note, but converting coins into arrow heads means you can hunt or fight. Their millions of bunnies, pigeons etc out their to hunt and equally theres plenty of socialists that will need culling as well.

[bigpaul]

i believe that eventually post SHTF, as everything gets used up, we will go back to an agricultural existence, the cities will not be habitable and will eventually go back to nature as they are abandoned and left to rot.