Handguns
Fairly difficult to aim at long range (125-150yds)
Best suited to close-quarters combat
While they often fire considerably smaller and less powerful loads than rifles, the recoil of a pistol is still more difficult to manage than that of a rifle (for an inexperienced shooter), as the weapon is held in the hand and can't be braced against the shoulder and has considerably less bulk than a rifle to mitigate the recoil.
A slightly smaller chance of penetrating a skull than a rifle because most handguns have a muzzle velocity ranging from 900-1,500 ft/s (although some pistols have been known to fire close to 2,000 randomly).
Caliber, target proximity, angle, and location of impact with the skull are all major variables.
Handguns and their ammunition are highly common, being the standard issue for police officers and kept by civilians for both home defense and concealed carry, whereas shotguns and rifles (and their ammo) are usually found locked away in police armories and personal gun safes.
Semi-automatics are generally more common than revolvers, but it mainly depends on location.
When using a handgun, always remember to properly aim it, preferably with both hands (although this may not be possible in some situations). Attempting to dual-wield handguns and/or fire them "gangsta style" by holding the guns sideways will only result in wasted ammo and a quick death. In close quarters, the handgun would actually be more effective held close against the body, using your free hand to perform tasks such as holding a light or fighting back with a light melee weapon.
It's advised that a flashlight attachment be acquired fro a handgun in possible, as this frees up a hand that would otherwise be holding a flashlight and allows for more accurate aiming at night and in dark interiors.
Avoid pressing a semi-automatic handgun against the flesh of a target, unless it has a standoff attachment on the fore end that prevents the weapon's barrel from moving out of battery, as this prevents the action from working properly.
Never assume a weapon is unloaded, and when handling the weapon, always try to keep the barrel facing the ground or at the sky.
Firing a weapon in a confined space, or an area where sound reverberates strongly may cause hearing damage.
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Semi-automatic pistols –
Fires as quickly as the operator can pull the trigger
Fed through detachable magazines
Usually sport higher capacity magazines than revolvers
Can be fired and reloaded very quickly
Can be fitted with accessories such as tactical lights, lasers, and sound suppressors. These advantages have led to semi-auto handguns replacing revolvers as the standard sidearm of most law enforcement agencies.
However, a semi-auto handgun is relatively complex compared to a revolver, with more moving parts, which increases the chances that a malfunction or jam will occur, especially if the weapon isn't properly maintained.
Semi-autos are usually easy to with a little bit of instruction and have a good amount of firepower with a high magazine capacity.
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Revolvers –
Fed through a chamber that rotates whenever the gun is cocked
Known for being extremely reliable, low-maintenance weapons – it's often said that a revolver will absolutely never jam, no matter how much abuse it's put through (although as with any gun, the individual parts can still be damaged, particularly the hammer).
In addition, rounds can be left chambered in a revolver indefinitely, while in a semi-auto, leaving rounds in the magazine for too long can wear down the springs inside the mag.
For the above reasons, revolvers are often recommended for first-time handgun owners.
Also, revolvers are often chambered for more powerful rounds than their semi-auto counterparts, such as the venerable .357 Magnum
On the flip side, revolvers hold less ammunition than semi-autos (most revolver chambers hold only 6 rounds), take longer to reload (though speed loaders and moon clips can greatly ameliorate this), are louder, and have less recoil countermeasures than semi-autos.
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Caliber –
Smaller caliber handguns, such as those chambered in 9mm and .38, have less recoil and, with the exception of revolvers, can hold more ammunition in a magazine, allowing the person wielding them to fire more shots before reloading.
Meanwhile, the more powerful guns, such as those chambered in .45 ACP and the .357 Magnum, can take on weaker opponents more easily, but have harsher recoil.
Larger calibers, such as the .44 Magnum and the .50 AE, typically constitute overkill against people at anything less than the outer limits of a conventional pistol's range (and long-range shooting should be done with a rifle anyway). Pistols firing such large calibers are loud, heavy, bulky, have great recoil, and small ammo capacity. Such high-caliber handguns should only be carried when there is a high risk of encountering heavily armored people or large predators like bears, mountain lions, etc.
Handguns chambered in the .22 Long Rifle cartridge (or rim-fire) are of a controversial note. Though underpowered by conventional standards, and usually not advised for modern combat, the round is easy to transport (fifty rounds can fit in the palm of your hand). It's plentiful and has little recoil, noise, and muzzle flash, and is effective at the close-quarters ranges where the handgun comes into its own. On a fortunate shot, the .22 has been known to enter the skull, and ricochet several times to cause massive brain damage and death. The flip side of this is that it's less effective at medium-longer ranges, and it's more prone to ricocheting off the skull outright, or simply being embedded in it without causing damage.
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Best to Worst: Sig Sauer P Series, S&W M&P Series, Ruger P Series, Walther P99/S&W99, Springfield Armory XD, Beretta 92FS/M9, M1911, Heckler & Koch USP, Glocks
Bows & Arrows:
A weapon system that predates recorded history and is common to most cultures. In the mortal world, bows and arrows are used primarily for hunting and for sport.
Somebody who makes bows is known as a bowyer, and the one who makes arrows is a fletcher—or in the case of the manufacture of metal arrows, an arrowsmith.
Advantages:
Silent
Few modern requirements or machinery to make bows and arrows traditionally.
Low maintenance and almost idiot proof (all a wooden bow requires is a little oil and the occasional new string)
Ammo can be reused
Disadvantages (reduced if you're a child of Apollo or naturally gifted):
Requires a great deal of strength and training to fire effectively if not a lifetime of practice to become truly deadly with the weapon
Inability to go in close with the bow
Requires a lot of instinctive aiming
Bulky ammunition
Slow fire rate
Requires a tall person to use longbows
**The only excuse to use a bow as your main weapon is if your archery skills are up there with Ted Nugent, Hawkeye, the Green Arrow, or Katniss Everdeen.
Recommended Draw Weights for Beginners:
Children – 10-15lbs
Adult – 15-25lbs
Recommended Draw Weights for Advanced:
Regulars – 30-60lbs
Tournament shooting – 40-60lbs
Hunters – 65-70lbs
Exercises to help move up draw weights: weights, push-ups, pull-ups, chin-ups, anything that builds upper body strength
Types of Bows:
Recurve bow – a design of bow where the limbs form a constant curving arc from the riser to the limb tip, and the string, when the bow is braced, touches the belly of the limbs (tips curve away from the archer). Often made of more than one material, either laminated carbon or fiberglass. A very effective bow for beginners, it's also the exclusive bow of the Olympics. Highly recommended by bowhunters.
Selfbow – a bow entirely composed of one stave of wood or dovetail billets, with no laminations. May be backed with sinew, rawhide, or other material to add strength to the back and prevent wood splinters from lifting, causing a failure in the limb
Composite bow – a bow made with strips of wood, fiberglass, horn, or other materials that are laminated together.
Longbow – generally, any straight or nearly straight bow of five feet or longer where the bow string doesn't touch the limb when braced
Compound bow – a modern bow that uses a levering system, usually of cables and pulleys, to bend the limbs to aid in efficiency
Types of Arrow Shafts:
Wood – the cheapest variety, but also provides the least amount of consistency brought about by the inconsistent nature of the wood. Because beginning archers tend to lose and break more arrows, wood is the recommended starting material because of its cheapness.
Aluminum – can be made to a much greater level of consistency than is possible with wood. They are durable, available in a wide range of sizes, and are conveniently crafted for interchangeable arrowheads. They can be somewhat cost-prohibitive, however, and are not recommended for beginners who tend to lose arrows more frequently.
Fiberglass – provides good consistency in their construction and are adaptable in sizes and weights. Unfortunately, fiberglass is also very brittle, causing these kinds of arrows to break and crack more easily during use.
Composite (carbon-wrapped aluminum) – considered by most archers to be the most durable and efficient style available. They are higher velocity arrows with all of the benefits of aluminum and none of the weaknesses of fiberglass. These arrows are also the most expensive, so they are recommended for expert archers only.
Types of Arrowheads:
Bodkin points – short, rigid points with a small cross-section.
Blunts – unsharpened arrowheads occasionally used for types of target shooting, for shooting at stumps, or other targets of opportunity, or hunting small game when the goal is to stun the target without penetration. Blunts are commonly made of metal or hard rubber. They may stun, and occasionally, the arrow shaft may penetrate the head and the target; safety is still important with blunt arrows.
Judo points – arrowheads that have spring wires extended sideways from the tip. These catch on grass and debris to prevent the arrow form being lost in the vegetation. Used for practice and for small game.
Broadheads – used for war and are still used for hunting. They usually have two to four sharp blades that cause massive bleeding in the victim. Their function is to deliver a wide cutting edge to kill as quickly as possible by cleanly cutting major blood vessels and cause further trauma on removal. They're expensive, damage most targets, and are usually not used for practice. **Barbed broadheads may be illegal in some states.
Types of Trick Arrows:
Greek fire
Boxing glove
Cryonic
Napalm
Explosive
Grappling hook
Net
Stunner
Sonic
Tear gas
Electric
Flare
Smoke(screen)
Suction-cup
Poison-tip
Acid
Fire extinguisher
Firecracker
Flash
Glue
Harpoon
Rope
**Remember: magical arrowheads are for Greek monsters only (celestial bronze, Stygian iron, etc.)
Maintaining Bows and Arrows:
Bow-
…:…Never lay it on the ground as this can cause dust and other materials to damage or ruin sensitive parts of the bow
…:…When the bow becomes wet for any reason, dry it off ASAP even if finishes are waterproof.
…:…If your bow has metal in it, then the metal will eventually rust causing the bow to function poorly.
…:…To help preserve the finish on the bow, it's advised to use any type of bow wax and rub it on the bow.
Bow String-
…:…This vital part of the bow is perhaps one of the easier areas to damage. To avoid damage, the archer should use bow string wax to keep the string waterproof. This will help keep the string in maximum performance condition and prevent it from becoming tangled.
Arrows-
…:…Always keep the fletching dry. If they become wet, spread out the arrows until they're all dry completely. This allows the feathers of the bow to return to their original shape.
Crossbows
A weapon consisting of a bow mounted on a stock that shoots projectiles, often called bolts or quarrels.
Advantages:
Quiet
Doesn't require as much training and fitness to use
Ammo can be reused
Very powerful (capable of bringing down a large bear in one shot depending on the strength of the crossbow and the size of the bolt)
Fairly easy to reproduce, as is their ammunition
Disadvantages:
Fire rate is much slower than a bow and arrow
Bulky ammunition
Illegal is some states
Significantly less side-to-side range of motion than a bow (has horizontal instead of vertical limbs)
Maintaining Crossbows:
…:…Thoroughly check for warn, loosened, damaged, or missing parts every time you use your crossbow.
…:…Replace frayed or worn strings and cables; inspect the center serving on the string carefully looking for signs of extreme wear.
…:…If excessive wear exists, it is a good idea to change the string and cables at the same time since they will all stretch over time, decreasing the crossbows performance.
…:…Lubricate the flight track or rail, also known as the barrel, while shooting according to the crossbow manufacturers recommendations.
…:…Wax the length of the crossbow string (except for the serving) and the cables according to the crossbow manufacturer's recommendations.
…:…All crossbows vibrate so make sure screws haven't worked their way loose through vibration. Always be careful not to over-tighten screws and create a problem that you cannot fix.
Crossbow Safety:
Crossbows are extremely similar to firearms in their handling and use. Therefore, all firearms safety rules apply equally to crossbows. However, there are a few safety tips that are specific to crossbows:
- Never carry a bolt in a cocked crossbow while you're walking. When traveling, take the bolt out and wait until you're stationary and/or ready to take out your opponent.
- Never dry-fire your crossbow. This could result in catastrophic damage to the weapon, which could send parts flying, potentially injuring you or your partners.
- Never fire a crossbow when your fingers are near the string or the path of the string. Getting hit by the string can be extremely painful and can even result in serious injury.
- Never fire a crossbow when the limbs are close to branches or other obstructions. The force of the limbs hitting a hard surface upon release can ruin your crossbow and can even result in injury to you or your partners.
- Never use a cocking device to uncock your crossbow. It's much safer to put a bolt in the cocked crossbow and fire it into the ground or another safe backstop.
- Never use bolts that are not correctly matched to your crossbow. Check your manufacturer's instructions to make sure you're firing the correct bolts.
Throwing Knives:
A throwing knife is a knife that is specially designed and weighted so that it can be thrown effectively. They are a distinct category from ordinary knives.
The weight of the throwing knife and the throwing speed determine the power of the impact. Lighter knives can be thrown with relative ease but they may fail to penetrate the target properly resulting in "bounce back". Heavy throwing knives are more stable in their flight and cause more damage to the target, but more strength is needed to throw them accurately.
Advantages:
Lightweight
Silent
Can be reused
Fast fire rate
More accurate than throwing axes
Can also be used as a melee weapon
Single-handed (Allows for the wearing of a shield on the off-hand)
Disadvantages:
Requires months to years of practice
Negligible stopping power (because they lack three crucial elements: Mass, velocity, and accuracy
More effective against small game
Less effective for self-defense than throwing a large rock
Not designed for distance
Common Ways to Hold a Knife For Throwing:
Hammer grip - hold the knife as you would hold a hammer. You may place your thumb on the spice of the knife. Your wrist has to be absolutely stiff when throwing, otherwise you'll get uncontrollable rotations. If the knife is sharp, you should only use this grip on the handle! This grip is primarily used with heavier knives.
Pinch grip- used to throw light knives fast, suddenly, and with force. The knife has to be gripped (pinched) between the thumb and the index finger in a manner that is a straight extension of your arm. You can hold it with the two-thirds of your finger that are next to your hand and the thumb, or only with the fingertips. If you grip a heavier knife or want to throw further, you can additionally use your middle finger. If the edges are not sharp, you can use this grip also on the blade.
Blade grip- If the blade is sharpened on only one side, you can carefully hold it with your thumb and middle finger. The sharp edge faces out of your palm! You have to hold the knife so tight that it doesn't leave your hand early, but not too tight, especially not cramped. Only a relaxed throw is a successful one!
Throwing Axes:
A throwing axe is an axe that is used primarily as a missile weapon. Usually, they're thrown in an overhand motion (much like throwing a baseball) in a manner that causes the axe to rotate as it travels through the air.
A skilled axe-thrower will rotate the axe exactly once throughout the flight so that the sharpened edge of the head will penetrate the target.
Advantages:
More stopping power than throwing knives
Can be reused
Single-handed (Allows for the wearing of a shield on the off-hand)
Silent
Can also be used as a melee weapon
Disadvantages:
Not designed for distance
Bulkier and heavier than throwing knives (requires more upper-body strength)
Javelins:
A javelin is a light spear designed primarily for casting as a ranged weapon. The javelin is almost always thrown by hand. However, hurling devices do exist to assist the javelin-thrower in achieving greater distance.
Key factors for reaching greater horizontal displacement: acceleration, angle of release, coefficient of friction, transfer of momentum, air resistance, positioning of center of gravity, and center of pressure on the javelin.
Advantages:
Can penetrate weak shields and light armor
Effective as hunting weapon
Single-handed (Allows for the wearing of a shield on the off-hand)
Simple
Silent
Cheaper than arrows (which have to be made almost perfectly straight)
Can be reused
Disadvantages:
Usually only built for distance rather than accuracy
Usually only effective at breaking enemy formation and confusing them
Less effective as a melee weapon and at penetrating than spears
This page will soon be updated with Single-Handed Melee Weapons.