Swords & Guns in Post-Apocalyptic Scenarios - AMMO, BANGS & STEALTH

Would swords be useful in a post-apocalyptic society?
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[@CommissarMoody1]

When I was in Iraq I got a chance to talk to some Ugandan troops who were veterans of the Congo war. And a few of them had machete scars. They said fighting in the jungle with poor supplies the fights would start with AKs. And then end with machetes. Of course they could have been pulling my leg, but thats what they said.

[@wackywankavator]

I came to say the exact same thing. So, all us like minded folk should button up in makeshift concrete castles while the common folk spray and pray the ammo away. Then we can clean up the countryside and, more importantly suck up all the supplies and manpower. We will reign in the end. With a very chubby velvet gauntlet!!

[@Paladinbr]

Well, there are some accounts of Gurkhas finishing a fight with kukris

[@stephena1196]

If some had machete scars, then it could be true. Were the scars on their arms? Did they mention anything about using their rifles as parrying sticks? I heard somewhere that Gurkhas would sometimes use their rifle as a parrying stick when they went in with the kukri.

[@RonJohn63]

They *might* have been pulling your leg, but "start with AK and end with machete" is quite reasonable.

[@jasonn9086]

I can easily see that happening, especially given the tendency for people to put the selector on auto and dump mags.

[@hamishbartholomaeus]

Agree. “The book of Eli” was quite realistic in that sense; the sword/machete is the go to weapon, but when put in a no win situation, the hero pulls out and automatic hand gun and a pump action shotgun. But once the ammo is out, that’s it.

[@Excalibur01]

Well except how the dude effortlessly chops arms and heads off

[@allopez8563]

Yes the Book of Eli also came to my mind.

[@hamishbartholomaeus]

@@Excalibur01 😂😂 Yeah…that bit not so much. 😉

[@Excalibur01]

@@hamishbartholomaeus Still a cool movie

[@daniel-zh9nj6yn6y]

@@Excalibur01 And he's blind.

[@jamesdeek7039]

I'd love to see Matt just dominate his area with his swordsmanship. He'd be the politest warlord in the land

[@ericph9]

Classically British

[@ericblevins6467]

Don't know if I see Matt as the Warlord type, but I can certainly see him as the chief man-at-arms for somebody who has the political savvy to sit in the nicely upholstered chair and give out decrees while HE deals out the blows in the field to enforce them. Maybe not a Lord...but a General? Oh, yeah.

[@kavemanthewoodbutcher]

Hail Lord Easton!

[@lemonaid1796]

Plan when SHTF and chaos is nigh: Everyone meet at Matt's manor with their sharps!

[@kurtmichiels6593]

Yea he just had to be put in the right context 😜

[@MarcusVance]

It's so weird that people go from "Knives are great to have for self defense, I carry one everywhere" To "Swords are absolutely useless in every single situation"

[@Stigstigster]

It certainly is. A sword in many circumstances is a formidable weapon. They didn't stay in use for so long for nothing that's for sure. Not necessarily the best melee weapon but it's certainly very practical, versatile, and clearly effective.

[@rachdarastrix5251]

Swords are just as practical on a modern battlefield as they were in a medieval battlefield. Now some of you probably think that by that I mean they would make a great primary weapon even now that there are guns. No actually, what I mean was they never made a great primary weapon in the first place. Archers and slingers dominated the battlefield, and in order for a sword to stand a chance you needed full armor or a shield. Where then can they fit on a modern battlefield? Same place as a knife or a bayonet. Armor and shields that can stop bullets are a thing now, and in the right circumstances such as trenches and some places within buildings close quarters do still exist. A sword can actually be much more practical than a bayonet. Now yes I know there are people out there who say that there are swords out there somewhere that are harder to carry around than a knife or a bayonet, and I promise, to satisfy those people, I am still trying to find such swords. However, on the modern battlefield a blade's main use is for a tool, and for that reason, the type of sword one would best go for is the machete. And a machete is just the result of a falchion being modified for people who began exploring the jungles of Caribbean islands. It is a sword that is very much designed like a knife.

[@Stigstigster]

@Miles Doyle This is total spam, and posted twice no less. Reported for spamming.

[@estaticethan1752]

Yeah. It's honestly weird, because they say Knives, which are smaller than swords, is better than a sword or even a machete. And size does matter!

[@iapetusmccool]

@Miles Doyle stop spamming. God hates spammers.

[@agjld7]

US Vet. 210 rounds is a standard combat load. You can go through that in 1 fire fight. I was one of the soldiers sent to hurricane Katrina where I spent time a post apocalyptic serverly damaged US city. Good call on the sword.

[@basp-ef7jx]

So, you carried a sword?

[@agjld7]

@@basp-ef7jx Is this a Is rhetorical question, do you wanna have an discussion?

[@basp-ef7jx]

@@agjld7 Did you carry a sword around during Katrina? It's a simple question. I'm fairly certain I do not want a discussion.

[@agjld7]

@@basp-ef7jx no, I did not. As he said, I carried a knife, a multi tool and, an M4. I did however have to Neutralize a guy who was trying to cut my friend's head off with a machete. The machete cut most of the way through an aluminum magazine before I took him down and choked him out with the M4.

[@basp-ef7jx]

@@agjld7 I'm glad you and your buddy made it out okay. Thank you for your service.

[@Ichithix]

Video idea: design and manufacture the perfect modern scabbard for your sword of choice. Two birds one stone, content and now you'll have the item in question.

[@leecody5885]

Seconded!

[@anthonyhernandez4266]

Cool

[@beepboop204]

its like you ask: which shoe is best for walking around after the apocalypse? and someone says, "no need to walk, i will just bring my truck"

[@scholagladiatoria]

lol

[@hector_2999]

In a prepper show on TV, most people stockpiled supplies in bunkers or in big off-road vehicles. But there was one guy who went around learning to survive with whatever he could find on vacant lots, in the garbage, etc.

[@markfergerson2145]

@@hector_2999 This is why a lot of preppers practice by going "homeless" for a while. The currently homeless already have many if not all of the skills (and mindset) to survive in an Apocalypse.

[@beepboop204]

@@hector_2999very interesting, but i suppose, not overly surprising.

[@80krauser]

@@markfergerson2145 The Apocalypse is the Revelation of Christ as King over the Earth. You mean to say post-collapse.

[@3zhu]

I reckon a boar spear would be great for a zombie scenario. Theoretically zombies have no ‘morale’ so you want to keep them at arms length.

[@RorikH]

You'd have to make sure it was easy to pull back out, since unlike hunting a single boar, you'd be fighting a lot of zombies, but it would be a great combo with a friend who had a pistol at close range. Provided everyone has ear muffs and face masks.

[@tektrixter]

@@RorikH If the friend has a good chopping sword they could literally disarm and decapitate the Z while you hold it with the boar spear.

[@longrider42]

A long bladed hewing spear with good cross guard. Most Hewing Spears have a blade as long as an 18 inch blade. Could for thrusting and slicing. But yeah, good idea.

[@RorikH]

@@tektrixter I do worry about swarms though, a two on one technique wouldn't work well if you're outnumbered 20 to 1.

[@meirsimchaesral5095]

a glaive would be better for zombies since the standard zombie is so much more susceptible to cuts to the head than stab wounds. a glaive with a bayonet type detachable blade would also work as a short sword.

[@dardell2001]

In an Post Apocalyptic world having Jeorg Sprave on your team along with Matt Easton, and Tod from Tod's workshop lol

[@Kolchakk]

The reality is that in any post-apocalypse/ societal collapse scenario, your survival is much more likely going to rest on the number of people you band together with and their skills, rather than a particular selection of weapon or scabbard. Doesn’t mean it isn’t fun to theorize about though :)

[@KurNorock]

Eh. You can band together with 30 people, but when i come along alone with my ar15 and 10 loaded magazines, i suddenly have all of your supplies.

[@andieslandies]

@@KurNorock, good luck carrying all those supplies!

[@tamlandipper29]

Going to be a lot of lone wolves with guns who get banjoed when they fall asleep .

[@merpius]

@@KurNorock if 3 of those 30 have guns as well, it could quite quickly go wrong for you. Then 4 of them have guns, plus lots of ammo.

[@Hibernicus1968]

@@KurNorock You think none of those 30 have guns of their own in a post-apocalyptic survival situation? That's adorable.

[@daemonharper3928]

I'm enjoying these rather scary but prescient scenarios lately, they're making me smile when there isn't much to smile about news wise.

[@finnpendleton4615]

I've got nuclear war on my 2022 bingo card.

[@johnsonpink6002]

The 22lr with reign supreme in the longterm. Most common ammo, can cheaply store 10s of thousands of rounds, can easily carry 1k+ rounds, and quiet enough. I'm partial to hand forged tomahawks thicker US army machetes. Don't forget the aluminum baseball bat, basically a modern war club.

[@mandragoradravgis]

I had this same moment in my isekai thought experiment. I had no idea what gunpowder was made with, so I looked it up. And that's when I concluded: even if I could reasonably farm sulfur and carbon (or rather, the right kind of carbon), I have no idea what saltpeter is. Which made me realized I had no idea how to make the darn stuff either. The average modern man may have an advantage in knowledge on a broad range of topics, but he doesn't know enough to take advantage of that knowledge back in time with him.

[@johannesmichaelalhaugthoma4215]

All of the components for gunpowder are readily available. Charcoal - burned hardwood Saltpeter/potassium nitrate - easily obtained by washing out bat guano from caves with potash or created by bacteria feeding on piles of animal dung and urine. Sulfur - one of the most abundant elements on earth, easily obtained in crystalline form near volcanos or hot springs. Basically, the only element that is geographically specific is sulfur. Additionally, smokeless powder is a mixture of nitrocelulose and nitroglycerin, i.e. wood pulp and animal fat, respectively, that has been soaked in nitric and sulphuric acids. Ultimately, it was the chemistry that was hard to come by, historically, not the elements themselves.

[@jamcalx]

I live in a somewhat wooded area, so more a machete or short sword that can cut foliage, worn in tight spaces, and be easily stored without take up space. All and all, a utilitarian option. Guns wise, the most jack of all trades variety of ammo accommodating fire arm if possible, but I would probably resort to a bow or crossbow first if possible, as it's usually quiet, you can often retrieve an reuse arrows & bolts, and even make more using natural resources in the area.

[@jonathanwessner3456]

Short sword for indoor fighting anyway.

[@Entiox]

"the most jack of all trades variety of ammo accommodating fire arm" for handguns that would be the Medusa model 47 revolver that was made back in the 1990s. It was made to accept basically any cartridge of around .38 caliber. So you could load it with .38 special, .357 magnum, any of the 9mm cartridges, old .38 S&W, old, .38 Colt etc. I think in total it was around 25 different cartridges it could load. The problem with them is that some cartridges tend to stick in the cylinder and take a bit of force to extract, and they're hard to find and usually pretty expensive when you can find one. Also, some cartridges are far more accurate than others out of it. Then for long arms there are drillings, which if you're not familiar are break action firearms that typically have 2 shotgun and one rifle barrel. They come in a bunch of different gauges and calibers, and many have sub-caliber barrels you can buy to insert to handle an even greater variety of ammunition. The problem with drillings, beside the fact that most only have three shots before needing to be reloaded, is that they are usually ridiculously expensive. Like $5,000+ expensive.

[@joshuawelsh9022]

Cant speak for the u.k but in the usa there groups that get together and cache food ,supplies and ammo in out of the way places in several states on property the group owns , as for ammo availability I personally have thousands of rounds in several calibers I have a good friend who has been reloading for 20 years he has over 30 thousand rounds of 5.56 alone ,to say nothing of other various rounds . I also have a couple of air rifles designed for big game hunting

[@Wastelandman7000]

Yeah, gun wise the old shotgun wins for versitility. And it works for self defense. Plus just looking into the muzzle of one is enough to cause a lot of people to have to change their underwear. Crossbow is good. So is a recurve bow. Compound bows are too complicated and easily damaged for this purpose.

[@jonathanwessner3456]

@@Wastelandman7000 plus, both crossbows and wooden bows (basic ones) are pretty easy to make. Tod Cutler has videos for making a primitive crossbow

[@jm9371]

As a gun owner, I think you nailed it. In a post-apocalyptic scenario, it becomes less about guns vs edged weapons but more about practical close range engagements. The ability to quickly dispatch an opponent at close range without alerting everyone in a 2KM radius would probably be a great advantage. I live in Canada were we have no mandated ammo restrictions and always have enough to replenish all my magazines several times over. There are so many variables to the argument but so many people might overlook a well trained swordsman with a sidearm (firearm) as possibly being the most capable survivalist in a post-apocalyptic urban environment.

[@Excalibur01]

Your neighbor to the south waving with his non restricted magazines

[@jorenbosmans8065]

There was a post apocalyptic series called "Revolution" which followed this logic. Most people fought with swords and (cross)bows. There was a militia which had muskets, the high ranking officers had modern pistols or revolvers and the HQ guards had modern rifles. I loved that logic

[@mikeblair2594]

I build and shoot custom flintlock firearms. I also make my own powder. Because I was raised in a native American family, my brother taught me to knap arrow heads and that leads to me making my own flints. The thing that got me into building firearms was blacksmithing and I've made several swords and long knives. I can make bows and fletch my arrows ( yew is considered a weed to lumber companies around here). So my point is that I have valuable skills that would come in handy to small communities that would spring up in such a case. So develop a skill that will make you a valuable resource. That's gonna keep you alive. And yes, my bugout bag includes a small light sword.

[@banditone00]

Everyone is biased by their own situation. Our family are all nearby, we live in a rural area with one road in and out. There are three stocked farm ponds, good grazing land, and cattle. A few in the family are shooters who have spent time in the military and law enforcement, but also spend significant time and effort going to training. A 2 day training averages 1,000rds of ammo. That means we have several cases on hand. If something happened, there would be little reason to bug out. We would bunker in. I would probably carry my Randall model 1 and my Winkler RND, like in the military, but would rely on a rifle and pistol. This is pretty common in large, rural states.

[@arx3516]

You should also seek alternative to guns and try to save ammo as much as possible.

[@todglenn2707]

Rural Montana here. The first mistake is people thing being a wandering survivor is a good idea. Bunker down rather than bug out unless you have no choice. Don't be a loner, be part of a community. And in a survival situation, you want to avoid battle whenever possible. Too many people watched "Mad Max" and think that the typical survival scenario. I have plenty of guns and ammo, and they would be used primarily for getting game.

[@barnettmcgowan8978]

This reminds me of movies like The Book Of Eli or Mad Max. When society breaks down eventually the ammo runs out and you have to go old school.

[@rogueelement5410]

"The Road" is another good one... The dad only had 2 rounds in his revolver, fired one of them about half way through the movie. Pretty relevant to what Matt discussed here.

[@Vakator-29]

​@@rogueelement5410 yup. I see a sword just as any other melee weapon in the apocalypse, it's a tool to use not to go head to head against firearms but as a capable fallback weapon. Don't get why people talk down on them so much 🤷‍♂️.

[@Andygb78]

@@Vakator-29 I'd go for a spear over a sword. Simpler to use and would have a reach advantage to boot. Plus you can make primitive spears fairly easily.

[@orkstuff5635]

No-one talking about quarterstaffs/staves (one's usually enough so I haven't a clue what the correct plural is), they wouldn't be too hard to turn into staff slings and there'd probably be enough rubble/debris lying around for an almost endless supply of ammo that you could pick up from almost anywhere. Wouldn't need a suppressor either.

[@RorikH]

Most people probably don't know what a staff sling is, let alone have the skill to use it accurately.

[@Mtonazzi]

@@RorikH I do have one and was never able to go somewhere to actually practice any kind of aim with it. A lot of people think of scenarios and forget they have no actual training to do the thing. I've got a bit of training with handguns... but on a range, and I'm pretty sure that the moment I'm under adrenaline and with my live in danger, I'll suck at shooting badly. I like to think that I'd do slightly better with a sword because I do train regularly with it and I spar. But still, I won't be the killing machine I'd love to be. And a lot don't realize they'll be among the first casualties.

[@RorikH]

@@Mtonazzi I have a montante, that, while dull and designed for practice, could easily crush a zombie skull while maintaining a moderate distance. I'd still get swarmed and die though.

[@Mtonazzi]

@@RorikH Exactly. Though I personally wasn't accounting for zombies. Just the good old "society went to the shitter" is enough. Me (probably) and many will go "hurr durr, we so stealthy" and will never know where that shot that took us down came from.

[@RorikH]

@@Mtonazzi First Recon: The Last Thing they Never See

[@blujthewombat]

Hi Matt, hope you see this. Would love it if you could cover weapon use in colonial Australia. Similarly road your videos on the tomahawk usage in the states. The various indigenous peoples of Australia had unique weapons and cultures and the clashes with colonial forces would be an interesting topic. The woomera was extensively used but I have had trouble finding accounts of it in actual conflict.

[@PenStyleProductions]

You should do a video on modern armor. For instance what would a modern gambison look like? Motorcycle jackets with full padding instead of just on the back and joints?

[@Etaukan]

It feels like a lot of people are seriously underestimating the problems in making modern ammo if things got REALLY bad. Like, "Join a gang now because otherwise someone will kill you and loot you by this time tomorrow' bad, followed by 'gotta keep moving or else we'll be constantly raided/overwhelmed by rivals', which could happen. Given that, I'd think that inside five years time it would be the black powder and bullet/musket ball crowd that would be generally in charge of things, assuming they have sufficient numbers, with essentially everyone carrying melee weapons as either a backup or their primary. A less total collapse that allows for a prompt restart of civilization and actual manufacturing of ammunition and guns means a society that shouldn't then need everyone to carry arms, since the security to build and run factories and complex chemical processes implies things are already pretty stable, at least in the areas around those places.

[@haldorasgirson9463]

Some us have multiple thousands of rounds of ammo in our private stash. I expect my ammo supplies will outlive me.

[@jm9371]

In a post apocalyptic scenario, I absolutely would want to team up or join a gang that shared my values. I need to sleep at some point.

[@manatoa1]

I think that any plausible scenario has successor states popping up almost instantly. Those states are going to make ammunition a priority. Most places in the West will have plenty of manually operated guns that won't be too picky about their ammo. We'll have plenty of cases and hulls to reload with black powder. It wouldn't be modern ammo per se, but it'd work in a lot of modern non-selfloading guns. Primers would be a pain, but there's a lot of people with chemistry knowledge around and good ideas propagate fast. Supply chains would be a big problem, initially, if you needed something that can't be scavenged. That said, I'd bet on black powder in existing cases within the year, and smokeless of some kind well within five.

[@andrewnawarycz3026]

There'll also be no interweb, so keep hold of those school chemistry books, DIY and other useful reading 👍

[@manatoa1]

Brass would last a long time at homemade black powder pressures. I think drawing new cases would be by far the hardest challenge. Existing bottleneck rifle cases would be cut down at the shoulder to make new bigger bore blackpowder cartridges.

[@MythicFool]

Personally, my go-to melee would be my model 1917 US Navy cutlass, and a couple small axes. Maybe the bayonet for the Eddystone M1917 if I'm feeling particularly trench-raid-y.

[@Archangel144]

Also Matt: Currently making/custom ordering a kydex scabbard for his favorite sabre.

[@domchuchi1250]

This is the content youtube is made for

[@tsmspace]

anyway, I am going to argue that a wood axe is probably the best "one tool only" option,, and not the weapon kind but the tool kind, because you will need to break and enter so much the whole time, and an axe can outperform a sword for that.

[@AggelosKyriou]

Axe, silky saw and sturdy knife you can baton. So you can camp in the woods to avoid unwanted contact.

[@acrobaticalpaca6675]

Alright then. You try break a door down with your wood axe and I'll do the same with my M101A1 Howitzer and we'll see who gets through first.

[@tsmspace]

@@acrobaticalpaca6675 I mean if that's what it's about, I have an axe and a door right here, it'll be over before you go collect your howitzer,, but lets say you have a howitzer at the ready and are toting it around, and I have an axe at the ready and I'm toting it around, and we need to loot a building,, I will be looting it at all. Likely, I could loot it and leave before you managed to destroy the place.

[@AggelosKyriou]

@@acrobaticalpaca6675 good luck carrying it around

[@andreasolsson4539]

@@AggelosKyriou He would tow it behind his M1A1 Abrams tank i think.

[@hildolfrdraugadrottin7279]

Something that most people don't consider for a SHTF senerios are slingshots. Put a couple wide bands on a slingshot and carry a pocket full of half inch ballbearings. You'd be surprised how much damage that will do if you put a heavy steel ball in someone's face or eye. It could even be lethal. They'll penetrate deeper in ballistic gell than some firearms. A slingshot is pretty quiet, light and easy to hide. Plus you can shoot almost anything out of them. Lug nuts work pretty well too and there's no shortage of rocks. And on top of all that they work great on small game like rabbits, squirrels and birds. You can also rig them up to shoot arrows.

[@williamjenkins4913]

I bought a crappy supermarket slingshot when I was 15. It wasnt long at all before I was like oh no I bought a deadly weapon. People really under estimate the sheer destructive power of those little things.

[@demomanchaos]

I am 100% certain the claim about them penetrating more than firearms is complete nonsense. The velocity of a slingshot isn't even remotely close to even a slow firearm, with the highest number for a slingshot I've found is 650 feet per second with the average that I can find for most high end ones being 3-400 feet per second. Compare that to the very slow .45 ACP which out of a 1911 usually goes 850 fps and you'll understand why that claim has absolutely zero merit in my eyes. While there might be some very specific ones you can cite from history (Like the Volcanic Pistol and its "rocket ball" ammo which was really awful) you are almost certainly not going to find a modern firearm that won't massively outperform even the most powerful slingshot you can find (And note you need someone built like Jeorg Sprave to handle the highest level slightshots, which 99% of people can't fully utilize).

[@tonkatsu72]

kzbin.info

[@AggelosKyriou]

@@tonkatsu72 I see you're a man of culture as well!

[@hildolfrdraugadrottin7279]

@@demomanchaos Bet me. 😊 And while we're on the subject it's possible to penetrate some so called bulletproof vests with a knife and arrows. Speed doesn't necessarily equal power. Jeorg may be a big man but he's certainly not stronger than 99% of the human population. I have an X that was a competition body builder that's stronger than a lot of men and she only weighed around 120lbs. Bulk doesn't always equal strength.

[@ashcarrier6606]

Pratical swords are not so distantly unpracticable now. The Russian Spetznaz has like a "sharpened entrenching shovel-fu" hand to hand combat thing going on. So...my choices. Cold Steel M1917 Naval Cutlass. Ruger GP100, 4 inch barrel, stainless, .357 Magnum. Bring me the post apocalypse.

[@farmerboy916]

Yeah, we can’t really trust the Russian propo on that now that their special forces are getting massacred though can we?

[@orvoloco8261]

People like you usually its shot after 5 minutes the war is begin by a sniper ... so, yeah, bring it on.

[@longrider42]

Yep, I have same Cutlass, very good idea.

[@baneofbanes]

The Spetnaz fight with guns, not entrenchment tools.

[@ashcarrier6606]

@@baneofbanes You may want to Google some of the aspects of their training.

[@Kishqui]

I think that in most post-apocalyptic scenarios, a Tomahawk, Machete, an E-tool (or any short-handled shovel) or even a good, stout walking stick would be a better choice. Not because they're better weapons (they're not), but because they're multi-purpose tools that can ALSO double as weapons. For the weight/bulk of a sword, I could carry several extra magazines for a pistol or rifle, but guns really suck at digging holes and chopping wood!

[@Martyntd5]

///but guns really suck at digging holes and chopping wood!/// Great for shooting nutters with swords though. :D

[@baneofbanes]

Still useful enough that even groups that still lived hunter gatherer/nomadic lifestyles that shed access to them carried them everywhere. Still if youre on your own in the apocalypse youre dead.

[@harrykouwen1426]

Reminds me of the tragedy between the Hutu's and the Tutsi's, the machette was the main weapon next to the AK, and used in abundance. Terrible war, but proofed the effectiveness and the terror of the machette.

[@Guts3570]

airguns are an overlooked idea right now for this, especially in america because everyone is focused on firearms. they make them in .50 caliber and above now, and they're lethal out to 100 yards or more using slugs. it's fairly easy to cast your own ammo for them, and you can fill their tank with a type of bicycle pump. they even make some in semi automatic up to .30 cal from what i've seen, which is still powerful enough to penetrate a deer skull. i think a few decades into an apocalypse pneumatic weapons would be king. maybe earlier in places like the UK where firearms are less common and airguns are even more popular than in the USA. its also not that hard for some people to make their own home made airguns if they can find a gas cannister.

[@martinsonofwar395]

Lewis & Clark expedition had a cannoe mounted .75cal air rifle

[@stevewilliams2895]

the air rifles that are powerful enough to do damage to humans are exclusively PCP and have very large tank capacity (more power=more air needed per shot). to hand pump one of the rifles that is powerful enough to realistically do any damage to someone it would take AT LEAST 20 minutes i would say. looking at the Seneca Dragon Claw Dual Tank .50 as a reference it has a 500cc tank, and that 20 minutes of pumping would not be easy work, it would be extremely tiring and might be downright impossible as some models need a certain level of pressure going in for the valve to even open. after all of that youd maybe get 3 full power shots before it starts dropping. for one of these id say a hand pump would be entirely impractacle and youd need a tank to fill one, and those need refilling. however a spring air rifle would be really quite good for small game hunting. extremely quiet and accurate and you could fit over 1000 rounds in just a regular sized jean pocket

[@vape42]

Wheel weights used to balece rims and bullet mould would give you a virtually unlimited supply of ammo.

[@karstwalker]

@@martinsonofwar395 It was a .46-caliber Girandoni air rifle and was used to hunt game mostly. 1,000 feet per second and could put a .46 lead ball clean through a one-inch pine board at 100 yards. And it's full magazine, 22 rounds, could be discharged completely in less than 30 seconds.

[@Likexner]

@Miles Doyle shut up

[@phillipallen3259]

That's the issue with the zombie shows, all the ammunition they seem to just find. I have swords, knives and guns. I also have the ability to reload bullets. Furthermore I have black powder weapons and the recipe for black powder. I have also watch many videos on how to make a bow. All that being said, I feel a combination of weapons would be the best course of action.

[@Wastelandman7000]

Well, to be fair, the zombie thing would be a special case (unrealistic) scenario. The zombies/disease killed the former owners before they could use all the ammo. In the real world, with the "spray and pray" mentality most people seem to have ammo would disappear quicker than TP did during the beer virus.

[@MCSPARTAN501]

Also note that zombie shows are often set in parts of the US where gun ownership is common. Even so, long-running shows such as The Walking Dead to touch on what happens when ammo becomes scarce.

[@weitnauerz]

I'd actually love a video in which you'd define your ultimate apocalypse kit/gear up within the arms and equipment you currently possess.

[@Duchess_Van_Hoof]

The thing with knives, hatchets, axes and that sort of thing is that they are tools and not dead weight most of the time. Even a machete has its uses in the wilderness.

[@LaimonasP]

I was thinking that in a close combat situation sword can sometimes be better at discouraging enemy from attacking you, because it's a big weapon. Making an enemy to stop and hesitate, is at least as important as being able to kill him.

[@Guts3570]

when you're training or preparing for anything, you shouldn't be preparing for your opponent to make a mistake. you should practice things against an imaginary perfect opponent and try to beat it. you learn more from failure than you do from success.

[@baneofbanes]

Until they pull out their gun and shoot you.

[@jddavis8431]

I tend to lean towards a recurve crossbow of lower poundage (150 lbs or less) . Low noise , easy to aim,but a little slow on the reload.

[@ohioman4646]

Having lived through pandemic USA, I've noticed something completely contrary to what the preppers all say. "Use common ammo like 5.56 or 9mm, it'll be everywhere." During the pandemic, most common ammo was extremely difficult to come by because of supply chain issues, people would stock up on obscene amounts of it, and it was scarce. Obscure, hobbyist stuff was more common than so called "standard" ammo. And even then it was rare. So ammo certainly does run out. Edit: missed closing a quote mark

[@hhiimmddoo]

Cant wait for the reveal of your sword line. You keep having them sheathed in videos and the hilts look awesome and i cant wait to see the blades

[@shmuckling]

What's up with everyone trying to bug out in an emergency? Unless there's lava flowing through the living room, I'm probably the safest in my home, where I know where everything is and have all my supplies already. I'm not gonna carry weeks worth of supplies up some mountain just to "enjoy the elements" before I succumb to them. Life ain't a movie.

[@rasputin2750]

honestly I'd probably want a polearm before a sword. I've never had sword training, but I've been playing Lacrosse as a defenseman for half my life, and a lot of the movements would probably carry over, at least in stickwork.

[@Jack72607]

In Italy we can own up to 1500 rounds of rifle ammunition (like .223 , .308 and 7,62x39) and 200 rounds of pistol ammunition like 9x19 or .45 acp. The limits apply to loaded ammuntion only , there are limits on powder that can be owned but none to primers, brass and bullets, which means that thousands more could be reloaded with legally owned amounts. If I get the slightest sense that nukes might be falling in the near future I’ll never have to fight with a melee weapon like an idiot in the post apocalypse and my ar-15 and glock 17 will have so many rounds available that it would be much more likely to get killed in a firefight and robbed of said ammunition than having to resort to a sword for combat

[@mattrichardson4521]

I love how unbiased Matt is.... Shout out from another Matt

[@haldorasgirson9463]

A 3 lb sword weighs about the same as 120 rounds of AR15 ammo. Carry a sword or carry an extra 4 magazines of rifle ammo. Not a tough choice for me to make. I don't care how good of a swordsman you are, but you are going to live through a lot more fights with extra rifle ammo. Besides which, a sword is literally pretty pointless (pun intended) if your opponent has a working firearm. Now noise is a legit issue. Subsonic 7.62x35mm (.300 BLK) is very quiet through a suppressed AR. I know, I have one (a suppressed 300 BLK, AR15) and it is quieter than my suppressed 9x19mm pistol. I live in the USA and ammo is something that makes me hate moving (I have a lot). A deer cart (specialized wheel-barrow designed for packing a deer out of the back country during a hunt), is designed to carry a significant load over rough terrain. If on foot, I would be carrying water, food ammo and gear in my deer cart. I am not against the idea of a melee weapon, but my preference would be for a walking staff with a tapered end to fit a socketed knife (like a Cold Steel Bush Knife). You need a camp knife and a staff is useful for lots of reasons. Besides I would much rather be using a spear than a sword in a fight.

[@iDEATH]

I've always thought that Fallout (especially the first 2 games) did a pretty decent job with the question. Melee weapons and armour, from kit bashed to professionally made, would make a swift comeback. Especially as ammunition supplies dwindled. Having the ability to mass produce ammo would make a community a veritable super-power.

[@AnotherDuck]

The only thing that's a bit off is, as usual, that ammo is a bit too plentiful and doesn't degrade as fast as it would realistically. Although that's part of the design for that universe. I mean, there's still edible pre-war food you can find, and they did do the research for how much the buildings would've crumbled for F3 before rejecting that research because it wasn't fun enough. But they're still all great games. Well, the mainline games.

[@iDEATH]

@@AnotherDuck yeah, there's a lot of gamification going on for sure, especially as you ramp up to more and more powerful weapons. And their time scale doesn't track, as you said. The New Vegas hardcore mode adds ammo weight, and I'm pretty sure there are mods that do that for FO3+4 as well. That would help a lot, but without also pairing in a more realistic damage model...it's been a few years since I last played any of them, maybe I'll go see what can be done these days with mods.

[@AnotherDuck]

@@iDEATH Fallout 4 actually has ammo weight in vanilla game if you play survival difficulty. It also turns off the ability to save unless you sleep and you can't access the console, which is a bit questionable for a game that's not particularly stable. And even more off topic on that point, I always found it funny when people derided F3 for "not being a real Fallout game" since it was too buggy. I guess they never got the car in F2...

[@iDEATH]

@@AnotherDuck Oh yeah, I forgot. I never played survival mode for exactly the console reason. Between dealing with bugs and it being needed for mods sometimes (and bugs from mods) it was never worth it to me. I think the real failing of FO3, and to lesser extent 4, was tonal. Bethesda never quite grasped the satire and dark humour of the first two games. And don't talk to me about the car and it's trunk. I avoided patching the game for the longest time because it would mean I'd have to start over, and I hadn't encountered that bug yet. Then I did. That does bring to mind something else Bethesda didn't do that I though was one of the best things about the first two Fallouts: that you could get through almost the entire game without combat (accept maybe some random combat). You sneak or talk your way through just about everything.

[@AnotherDuck]

@@iDEATH That humour is a bit hard to replicate. But I do think they got it right with some of the insane stuff VaultTec was up to. It's similar to Portal, and to a lesser extent Starship Troopers (the film, no idea about the book). Yeah, non-lethal approaches are interesting, since they usually require some thought to accomplish. Most importantly, it provides options for the player in how to solve problems.

[@neilcook4686]

Matt, thank you for very politely getting us ready... ;)

[@blujthewombat]

So my two cents. This all depends on time frame, (caveat I'm located in Australia). But we have a huge reloading community so in the short term I don't think we would have an issue with components for making more ammo. If the scenario was to last over many years then I think flint locks and machete or hatchet/tomahawk would be the go. Lead round balls are very easy to manufacture and lead can be readily found, making blackpowder is a more involved process but is only basic chemistry (anyone with access to a library could learn the process). Due to scarcity of resources I believe we would end up with basically the gear American/Australian Frontiersmen from around 1780-1810. On a side note a blunderbuss would be a hell of a thing to have, especially brass barrelled (to help with corrosion caused by blackpowder). In a pinch using small stones or whatever spherical metallic objects you can find.

[@huldu]

It's hard to imagine what type of apocalyptic event could possibly occur and the scope of devastation across the world. But as time goes on and nothing is really getting better, it'll be harder and harder to obtain materials. Just travelling some distance would all of the sudden become quite a challenge without planes, trains, cars and possibly boats and horses. I think at some point more traditional weapons like a bow or crossbow will start to shine. It's going to be a lot easier to create an arrow or a bolt than a cartridge, in many cases you can reuse the arrow or bolt. Also the side effect of being a somewhat silent weapons. Early on for sure guns and rifles will rule the day.

[@blujthewombat]

@@huldu I agree completely, like I said it's all about the time frame. 10-20 years then firearms are still viable at least flintlocks imo. (Of course only if you are lucky enough to have them already) I think bows and crossbows would take over as the primary hunting weapons quite quickly but it's easy to imagine firearms being held back for defence against people. It is much harder to armour yourself against a shot from a rifle than a crossbow. Also a don't try this at home segment. I have witnessed rudimentary muzzle loading shotguns being made with hardware store piping and ground match heads used for the propellant....very scary stuff. But people can be very creative and CRAZY!!!

[@Atownforevilones]

I've got a repro blunder buss that I've shot rocks out of. It's not great, but better than nothing. As long as you've got powder and flints you're pretty much set. All that being said, I have no idea what the longevity of something like that is before it breaks or wears out. I'd bet it's way less than something modern of decent quality though.

[@blujthewombat]

@@Atownforevilones agreed, the wear would be pretty excessive, wonder if there would be a big difference between say gravel and smoother river stones. Either way a belly full of rocks sounds rather unpleasant.

[@DGFTardin]

I think there is a certain "pop culture" bias on thinking "swords are for medieval/fantasy scenarios, knifes are for zombie apocalipse scenarios". With that said, if I had to rely on melee weapons I think I would want a spear, a machete (for use as a tool too) and a knife, and at that point I'm not sure I would want to carry a sword too.

[@jonc8074]

machetes are kinda useless as tools, they're for small branches sugarcane or vines. what you want is a folding saw, to cut wood and build shelters...unless you live in the jungle. then def go with a machete

[@ReasonAboveEverything]

@@jonc8074 almost every single culture has utilized different kind of large knives. They definitely have their place also outside jungle. Not all machetes are thin. A sturdy 4mm is a very nice and versatile tool.

[@jonc8074]

@@ReasonAboveEverything they're a lot cheaper too, since they don't have distal taper or stabbing points Edit: also easily obtainable at any store. A heavy machete and a large bushcraft knife can be used on wood if the blade angle is obtuse enough

[@Paladinbr]

So we're looking at flintlocks, cutlasses, and tomahawks? Got that covered.

[@Excalibur01]

The age of pirates have come

[@masturch33z]

Ammunition can be a very valuable trade resource as well if you are not busy shooting it because you have a sword.

[@baldviking1970]

In my unfinished post apocalyptic novel, traditional cavalry and swords start to show up around the year 18. They do not replace 20th century hand guns, artillery and armour, but in the midst of decaying infrastructure and massive problems with restarting industrial production, they supplement it.

[@edi9892]

Good points, just one thing to add that really annoys me about many people in this context: SHTF is usually not something that comes overnight, just like people didn't wake up on Jan. the first 1500 and found themselves in the Renaissance with suddenly all sorts of new things unlocked... No. Most of the times, it's a gradual process that you'll often only notice after the tipping point has been reached. A good example is the stock market. You can often see that something is overpriced, or that a part of the market is in a bubble, but the market can still rise for years to come! With regards to SHTF, this often means that you'll suffer from social stagnation and the gradual decline of the economy and state. Poverty and crime rise, but the state becomes more and more restrictive trying to stop the inevitable. You might have been threatened a dozen times by weapons, despite the state having made them illegal for many years now and if you get caught carrying one of them, you might end up in prison! This results again in a non-permissive environment, where weapons will be concealed and often dropped after use. I've seen this in Germany many times, especially with knives, but I've heard of incidents involving bigger weapons, such as machetes, and even actual swords! In general, people don't buy the best weapon, but the one that gets the job done and is ideally expendable if need be. Getting a gun in Germany as a criminal is a bit of an overkill unless you're in the world of organized crime. An illegal gun may cost 600 EUR or more, but a knife can be acquired for 20 EUR... (not a quality one, but enough to shank someone unarmed and unarmored)

[@Jabbawokeez4]

I'm in a similar situation in urban Canada. Barely anyone has guns, the current liberal gov is very anti gun, and new gun licenses are being VERY slowly processed compared to the past (...hmm). I'm probably not going to get access to guns so a sword is my best bet.

[@stevewilliams2895]

afaik you can get antique functional guns in canada no issue. not up to date on canadian laws but skalagrim had some videos on it

[@baneofbanes]

Bot really. Shut because you don’t have access to guns doesnt change the fact millions of other people in North America do.

[@Andygb78]

Try and get a ranged weapon. A bow, crossbow, or slingshot. Guns are tightly restricted here in the UK, but you can still buy and own potentially lethal ranged weapons.

[@tbladesmith]

We got to see Tactical Matt. That’s cool. I want more tactical Matt

[@renviluan2842]

Having been in a warzone, and absent government. Trapped for days and weeks. Best thing to have something between a sword and a knife. Filipino machete, itak, barong or ginunting is the best. Short enough not to hamper movement and practical enough to use. Survival doesnt involve much fighting but mostly involves hiding. Swords make it harder to hide as they are too long.

[@ryldauril6379]

That's what I tell my friends about this.. "what will you do when the ammo runs out?"

[@craigfarber4614]

I asked my friend that and he said when the 250,000 rounds he has already and the equipment to make another 250,000 runs out he will leave that problem to his grand kids.

[@ashcarrier6606]

My foes will be dead long before that happens. The voice I can hear, yet nobody else seems to hear, made this abundantly clear to me. I can quote every episode of "I Love Lucy" from memory, btw....

[@murmenaattori6]

@UCZf-1gOnw13hWfFK0msX31g Hand reloading isn't always available and smokeless powder doesn't appear out of thin air. Don't get me wrong, it doesn't take much to hand reload cartridges but it's not sustainable everywhere. Maybe in the US it would be.

[@ashcarrier6606]

@@murmenaattori6 If it isn't sustainable where you live, handloading I mean, then you sure as hell should move to America. A single pull on a lever in America should effortlessly produce a shotshell, rifle, or pistol cartridge. Casting or swaging bullets from molten lead requires a bit more attention.

[@dirkwickline4528]

Black powder/flint lock firearms. Large bore air guns... A blade makes a good back up, but even primitive firearms are better force multipliers.

[@slimetank394]

Imo modern laws would affect a post-apocalyptique scenario to some degree. If a country heavily restricted or banned firearms from civilian possession then in the post-apocalyptique scenario that place/country wouldn't have any firearms for a good while, simply because people of the area will not have access to the supply, resources and manufacturing technology for those firearms and their ammunition. The same with certain melee weapons as well. Instead more mundane tools would be adapted to be people's weapon of choice, like machetes, farming/gardening tools and stuffs like that. In my case i would probably just use kitchen knives blade to make DIY pole weapons

[@donaldsheckler3636]

I recall when Albania fell and people were looting the military armories.

[@slimetank394]

@@donaldsheckler3636 ah yes, that's an option. Tho in the long run it would be hard to find more ammo and maintaining those weapons

[@donaldsheckler3636]

@@slimetank394 Well obviously you would want to take as much ammo as you could, but the probability is that you would only be actively using it for a relative short period so after that you can save it. And ammo lasts a long time is stored properly. You can also almost always figure out how to reload a few rounds, but the process might be slow depending on the tools at hand.

[@donaldsheckler3636]

@@slimetank394 I'll also note that there are quite a few WW2 weapons stored here and there in Europe. Of course the guy with the Panther tank is well know, but I believe an 88mm AA gun was turned in by a Finnish farmer when he decided the Russians were not going to invade again (with that in mind maybe he should have kept it). And much more in the way of small arms.

[@johnkennedy3199]

Good points on availability. For me, my Ka-Bar and a tomahawk are immediately available. As an American, with a reloading set-up, and large amounts of ammunition, the ability to cast lead, and some stockpiles of lead, powder, and primers, I am not worried about running trying. In a situation where you have to expend hundreds of rounds, you are probably in an untenable situation. Perhaps you should consider a stockpile of water purification tablets, water filters, some freeze-dried and canned food, cooking equipment and bottled water as a priority over a sword? Zombies are unlikely, but the loss of power or supply disruptions are likely and expected in areas with Hurricanes or your European equivalent.

[@williamwells3026]

The beginning of this video reminds me of a say from a RPG I have, "There's nothing worse than facing a charging swordsman and have your gun go click."

[@paulibaer_206]

I don’t follow the terrible assumption that in a post apocalyptic scenario everybody fights for themselves. Humans tend to form village and larger tribal communities quite quickly as history has proven. Usually, you would be happy to find other people and together they start to cooperate in the pursuit of not dying.

[@jakoblydeking-olsen9530]

There is also the fact that 100 rounds of 9 mm weighs about 1.2 kilos, which you have to Carry around with you, if you are on foot 🥵

[@scholagladiatoria]

Yes. Besides all the very essential stuff you'd be carrying, most people are not going to be able to carry much ammo except in a vehicle or on a horse.

[@skenzyme81]

The TV series Revolution (2012-2014) was excellent on this point. At least in the first season. Ammunition had become so scarce, a single rifle drove the plot of a whole episode. Swordplay abounded. Was so bummed when it was cancelled.

[@karllambert2350]

While some of it was complete hokum. I got hooked on the show ... Yeah I think that small communities would still band together .. like fiefs. Jericho was another one that had bits too

[@christopherrowley7506]

Loving this survival series!

[@Furniture121]

Swords definitely make sense in a post apocalyptic world scenario, just like they made sense before the widespread use of reliable, mag fed, repeating firearms. I still think mid-late 19th century through early 20th century military swords would be best, as they were the pinnacle of sword development used in the era most similar to our current one. I think you could jerry-rig a steel scabbard to be quiet enough, and convenient to carry. For the people who think they are going to break into military and police stockpiles. What do you think magically happened to the military and police? If you're alive, they likely are as well, and they are already organized into a "survival group" that has a common bond. Realistically, by the time you realize it's a SHTF world, the military and police will have been recalled, and on site to start reasserting order/civil control. There are enough single police and military to maintain effective security for their own kit, so the whole "they'll all run off and protect their families" line is just fantasy.

[@silverbladeTE]

actually in such scenarios, the police/military UNITS/local become the next gangsters/overlords in area and, in some scenarios, they DO run, depends on culture and scenario

[@Furniture121]

@@silverbladeTE So do they run away, or become the next gangsters? It would be hard to do both at once... Even if they do one of those things, they are taking their guns and ammunition with them. Bases and police stations will not be a place to get guns or ammo.

[@teatowel11]

Did you see Afghanistan?

[@alger8181]

A knife/sword never runs out of ammo.

[@silverbladeTE]

you get tired and injured very easy and quickly in a real life/death melee fight though :(

[@alger8181]

@@silverbladeTE Yes. One certainly does. Aim also goes out the window when actual rounds are flying. Real fights are a mess.

[@silverbladeTE]

@@alger8181 Exactly! hence I am a devoted and abject coward! "Brave Sir Robin Run, Runs Away!" ;) Hollywood alas has encouraged way too much stupidity in outlook by the general Public, sigh :(

[@alger8181]

@@silverbladeTE Aw, c'mon! He very nearly stood up to the vicious chicken of Bristol! But yes. Hollywood hasn't done us any good turns on this.

[@canyunhicks1587]

i really liked your feedback on this topic. I was also pleasantly surprised to learn that you can legally own certain firearms in the UK.

[@RiderOftheNorth1968]

The idea of using what you are familiar with by Matt here is just the right philosophy. Use what you got and use what you know!

[@TheDickBurglar]

Holstering and unholstering a handgun in a kydex holster is noticeably loud. I cannot imagine how loud unsheathing a sword-length blade from a kydex sheath would be, when one of the purported advantages of a sword (compared to a gun) is that it's quiet to use. The durability factor wouldn't be worth the inability to quietly unsheathe or re-sheathe your weapon.

[@rustyshackleford8296]

Ya that's why I don't like Kydex sheaths for swords

[@ericvanvlandren8987]

Alright Matt, you’ve made yourself clear. To be fair, the title of your earlier video (and to be honest, you discussion within the video) did not make it abundantly clear that you were discussing only what YOU would do with the swords and knives YOU HAD ON HAND AT THE MOMENT OF RECORDING. So now we know what you meant but in fairness to the commenters, you were not super clear. But watching these two videos (excellent content as always) we now know the answer to the question you were contemplating when you made them. As I said, fair enough. But how about now you answer the IMPLIED question and the one on the mind of lots of your viewers? I’ll frame the question like this: let’s say that you got out your Magic 8 Ball and somehow divined that the shit was going to REALLY hit the fan in southern England, for some reason - whatever, in a year’s time. It was going to be so bad that you, and Lucy and the two kids HAD to GTFO of there and head for the hills, so to speak. But … thanks to your Magic 8 Ball you know it is coming and that for the next 11+ months everything was going to be “normal”. In other words, you have time to prepare. You can procure, buy, trade for, he’ll even fabricate any sword you chose for this situation. You have the time. And you can get a custom (sorry, bespoke) scabbard made for it - out of anything you like. Kydex, polyethylene, ABS, nylon corduroy, titanium alloyed with molybdenum - whatever you like. Now, with those parameters, what would you do? What type of sword? What type of knife? What type of scabbards? Forget what is hanging on your wall, what would you get with time to prepare for bugging out in one year’s time and not looking back? That would be an interesting video! Thanks mate, keep up the good work!

[@M4TCH3SM4L0N3]

I thought he was pretty clear in the video about scabbards, seeing as he specifically addressed that some of his sword scabbards could be modified, but given the fact that this was just what he has on hand, that would take too much time and resources he doesn't have at the moment.

[@M4TCH3SM4L0N3]

To add to that, this series of videos has really highlighted for me just how little use my swords would be given that none of them have a scabbard and harness to carry them (I mostly just have them displayed on the wall.

[@ozarkscarguy540]

I've loved this sword use in modern world series you've been doing.

[@duke2165]

As a Archery teacher i would first go for my bows and knife, but this video made me realise that i have a huge collection of sword... with no scabbar. So i have one short sword in a leather scabbard and a Daisho set, both in mid range quality that i would not totaly trust in a fight. But i can work well with some of my axes that are more versatile then a sword.

[@crazypomp927]

In any post-apocalyptic, end of civilization as we know it scenario, I would choose to end my own life. I have no desire to live a life of scrounging for a meager existence with a high likelihood of dying slowly and painfully. I'll simply accept the time I had and be done with it.

[@joshuastearns5894]

Now I'm waiting for "What sword should you take if you're an immortal, born in the Highlands of Scotland, and might need to behead another immortal in a duel at any moment"

[@tetsubo57]

I make post-apocalyptic weapons as a hobby. I made a kanabo just this weekend. I've doing this sort of thing for years.

[@urbanesoul8400]

I'm currently writing a post apocalyptic scenario book where it's long after the cataclysm & ammo has run out awhile ago. It's mainly crossbows except for a settlement that uses flintlocks bc they are able to produce black powder & jealously guard the secret of its production. After thinking about it I came to the conclusion that those would be the main firearms a century after an apocalyptic event.

[@Erebus.666.]

Just a quick note, black powder production hasn't been secret for a long time, every man and his dog knows how to make it.

[@mikaluostarinen4858]

Austria had airguns for military use over 200 years ago. I think there's a video in "Forgotten Weapons" KZbin-channel. They were relatively powerful, about like 9mm pistol nowadays. They might be steampunk enough for a story, but the readers might also find them too incredible to be true :) Compressing air for guns is doable, but it wasn't as handy as gunpowder in the field, so it wasn't widely used. It is about as powerful as black powder was. I think bullet velocities can't reach the speed of sound with compressed air.

[@dinodob4430]

I was hoping you'd pull that sword out of the scabbard and show it to us. Does it appear in another video? The hilt looks really cool.

[@TDM4895]

In your other video about scabbards one of the big minuses you mentioned about metal scabbards is that there's not really a good way to wear them. On a belt that's true; however, you could with a little bit of engineering attach one to the side of a backpack (at a glance carabiner clips between the rings on the scabbard and the backpack with a strap or two to keep it secure as you wouldn't want it swinging around). That removes most of your issues with carrying it; it's on the side of the backpack so it shouldn't be banging into things or tripping you up, you'd probably be taking the backpack off to fight so it's out of the way there too, if memory serves Skalagrim did a video where he tried drawing a sword strapped to the side of a backpack and it worked about as well as drawing the sword from the hip.

[@vikingbushcraft1911]

Interesting. Following on from your previous video the load-out could/should be: Projectile weapon ( preferably Gun, preferably long range) - Primary melee range weapon (sword - thrust/cut capable) - Secondary weapon (big ******* knife or dagger) - love the theory-crafting behind this - great vid 👏👏👏

[@harveymedlicott-revell7069]

Might be on my own here but a plastic or polymer sword scabbard sounds like an absolute nightmare in practicality.

[@JkaaraKoDi]

Why? If you have one. It seems these modern materials have an advantage of longevity, durability and elements resistance. Kydex as an example.

[@harveymedlicott-revell7069]

@@JkaaraKoDi the rattle that it would develop due to its weight deforming the material overtime leading to a noisy loose fitting scabbard. The lack of a chape at the end would also bother me in terms of its durability when dragging on things. Also forming it to such a large blade just sounds impractical. As I understand it, Kydex works best when clipped around the blade and handle together, creating a firm friction lock and snap around the handle scales etc. Something that would likely be difficult to achieve with a simple or complex guard on a sword. Scabbards don't last forever in any material if you're using and campaigning with a sword indefinitely. In a SHTF scenario I'd rather have a scabbard made of materials I could more easily replace and reconstruct (I.e. wood, leather)

[@matthewcochran3325]

Another great video buddy. This stuff is my shit! My load out (because I am a hillbilly in Miss'sippi- home of Elvis) consists of enough firearms to fill a van. However, my most important items are a spike tomahawk from CRKT and a 13" Kukri from The Nepal Kukri house. I also made a 5 foot short spear (I'm 5'6" tall) that I intend on using for thrusting rather than throwing. So far I have leather armor for my arms and legs but can't decide on the main parts. Chain mail is becoming more available but I worry about weight if I find myself on foot or bicycle. If I live long enough, gasoline will no longer be useful. I have a concrete warehouse that I am trying to make livable. The plan is to procure as much alcohol, Marijuana and medical supplies I can and then become the warlord of my territory. I will try to not give in to my darker impulses and turn the local high school into a neo Roman coliseum to have people fight as gladiators for supplies. I'm not gonna make any promises. Anyway, I became interested in Kukris after watching your videos and I think it would be the best all purpose blade for the apocalypse. Keep up the good work, buddy!

[@SAOS451316]

i think a more interesting question is what else you bring with you in your go-bag or whatever. you need medicine, sewing supplies, non-perishable foodstuffs, cordage, a tinderbox, seeds, a couple pots, extra clothes, and most importantly knowledge. you need to know the basic skills to survive, what the local plants and animals are, how to get potable water, and basic first aid. Depending on the situation knowledge of how to repair an engine, how to make a tool, how to generate electricity, how to build a meshnet to talk to your local area with, how to build a radio, and therapy 101 will be very helpful. yes you'll probably need some weaponry, but in the real world an apocalypse isn't like mad max or your bog standard zombie film. we all know the prepper types who think the end of the world is always tomorrow, and while they're off roaming around getting off on violence sensible people will just rebuild like we always have. the world cannot support 7.5 billion hunter-gatherers but it can sure support a good 12 billion farmers. surprise surprise a social species needs to cooperate to survive. if i need a gun i'll bring a simple flintlock rifle, good for hunting, fending off wildlife, and keeping any would-be petty tyrants at bay. you don't need massive infrastructure to make gunpowder and refine lead. for blades i'll take a machete, a hand axe, a hunting knife, and a nice chisel.

[@knuckles-3386]

Finally someone talking some sense

[@nielsnielsen131]

Matt--Thanks for the excellent videos, really appreciated. Can you discuss/show display cases for swords so we can put ours in a place we can see and appreciate them. Thx.

[@LucianoSilvaOficial]

I have some options for my load, a recurve crossbow for missile weapon, a katana for long sword, the wakizashi as a short sword and a 7" tanto for a dagger. But i would replace either the wakizashi or the tanto for a similar length machete to have a blade that can be easily repaired, maintened and capable of working. So if something like that occurs i would go with the Katana on the back with a backpack over it to collect resources, the Crossbow in the hands while on the move, the wakizashi in my left side for emergency defense and a 10" modified machete with a clip point on my right side.

[@awilson2385]

Something that seems to be overlooked is the deterrent/attractive target ratio. The more visible your weapon the more skill you should have wielding it. An amateur with a sword is likely to have it taken by someone. As edged weapons increase in size their lethality only increases in proportion to the wielder's skill. In an edged weapon encounter, appearing unarmed may well encourage a ne'er do well to approach closer, making a hidden and rapidly deployed blade an unwelcome and effective surprise. Within a 6' radius a concealed 6" blade is deadly in the hand of someone who knows how to use it effectively, even against an opponent with a firearm.

[@davidhamner4959]

So you've given us your opinions, now make your kit! I want to see Wastelander Matt, in full 'harness' and ready for taking down zombies. Bonus points for cutting/striking demonstrations against zombie heads on posts in the yard, show us the range of motion and effectiveness with the different gear. Have Todd smith you your perfect apocalypse chopper!

[@-RONNIE]

It's always nice to have all types of weapons and also backups for them you can never be too prepared

[@mwhyte1979]

Anybody else get a mental image of Matt standing there looking at his collection with his chin in his hand, tapping his foot and going hmm Which one should I chose? Meanwhile Mrs. Easton is in the background going " would you make up your mind".

[@kevinsullivan3448]

This is a topic that has been discussed in my family and we have a plan with the needed resources. Fortunately, I already live in the place you bug out to so having to take stuff somewhere else is not an issue. It is much easier to stockpile ammunition, food, medical supplies, and such when you know you don''t have to take it anywhere. Specifically for me, I have a glock, a combat knife with a 14 in blade, and a tomahawk. I would really like to get a modern composite double recurve bow, but it is not that high on the list at the moment.

[@philw8049]

You pretty much mentioned everything I would mention about the subject lol, pretty much sums it up. Kydex is great but it could make a lot of noise and would be rigid, which can be an issue as you pointed out in that video.

[@That_One_Chick_]

You should definitely make a survival, apocalypse sword set up. I'd be very interested in seeing what you come up with.

[@steby123]

Prudent, well done !

[@Jagdtyger2A]

My favorite sword design is a modified Falcatta with a sharpened edge on the top of the drop point. It is long enough for use as a sword and can double as a machete. It is also easy to make with a simple forge set up

[@jacobstaten2366]

Outside of having twice the capacity in his HK45, the lead character in 'Book of Eli' had a pretty good load out. You can use fishing weights and car batteries for lead, stump remover and sulfur for powder, match sticks for primers, spent brass for brass. They .22 blanks to drive nails into concrete at the hardware store. You could swipe powder from those. You can probably carry at least 2,000 rounds of 9mm in a backpack without taking up a lot of space or carry weight.

[@zeroninja84]

Shepherds slings should be in everyone's apocalypse kit. They are so easy to make, and could be stored as a bracelet, that you wouldn't even need to remove anything from a list. Also, for most people a sword would not be a good option. They require more training to use properly than most people would be willing to dedicate. If you have, then great it's the best option for you. Most people would be better served with a machete.

[@daveburklund2295]

The stuff I imagine doing the most of during an apocalyptic situation (running and hiding) kind of rules out most swords longer than a hanger (I am fairly short as it is). A hanger and a substantial knife are probably the only weapons I'd take. And both of those have uses as tools. A lot of folks have not really tried to carry their "needs" on their person for any length of time.

[@robertburgess749]

It's intellectual concepts like this that restore faith in humanity

[@randallmoe13]

It's actually a more practical consideration than even Matt addresses because most of those high capacity fast reloading 9mms require magazines to work. Over time those magazines can become lost or broken especially if you are forced to drop you mags as part of an emergency speed reload. If you run out of functional mags you basically have a single shot pistol and the reload procedure is somewhat awkward in this case. Another issue is that while semi-autos are tremendously effective at surviving abuse, abuse is something like getting run over by a truck. What they don't do as well is survive neglect and neglect is not properly cleaning the weapon. In a prolonged survival situation your weapon is going to get dirty and be espoused to moisture regardless of if you fire it or not. All those small moving parts will eventually start to seize up and start causing a lot of jams.

[@TheManOWrath]

I implemented a sword into my peacekeeping kit (not 'bugout' or long range patrol of course, it's for static duties). It's symbolic and it'll be a huge advantage if I got into a melee, assuming of course that I am disciplined in my practice.

[@rachdarastrix5251]

You know if anything with the mindset of people today a sword would actually have a huge advantage on the modern battlefield. Think about it. Patrolman 1: "Uh oh looks like we found the body of one of our men." Patrolman 2: "Look at those wounds, looks like he was killed by a sword." Patrolman 1: "No that's impossible, he's a modern soldier, he couldn't have been killed by a sword a sword is useless in modern combat. Must have been the wildlife in the area." Patrolman 3: "Huh, guess there is no evidence of any enemy activity here. moving on."

[@JCOwens-zq6fd]

Well said. Besides the ammo & noise issue, firearms also require lots of maintenance/cleaning to remain functional. If a part wears out it may be hard to replace. I can use my draw knife etc to make more arrows & a new bow if i need to.

[@baneofbanes]

Eh depends on the firearm. Most only need to be cleaned and oiled after use.

[@SwordsCutEmDown]

With regards to high tech kydex scabbards: many of the Hanwei European sword scabbards have fiberglass bodies under the leather covering -- specifically the Early Medieval Single Hand Sword (Tinker EMSHS) and the Scottish Basket Hilt Backsword.