DISCLAIMER: THIS CHAPTER NOR THE REST OF THE GUIDE IS MEANT TO OFFEND ANYONE. IT PROVIDES INFORMATION FOR WRITING PURPOSES ONLY. THIS KNOWLEDGE SHOULD NOT BE ABUSED AND THE AUTHOR IS IN NO WAY RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY CONSEQUENCES THAT MAY OCCUR FROM THIS KNOWLEDGE.
Spies use a lot of weapons because their lives are in constant danger.
This chapter will go through briefly on the subject of knives and guns.
To start, knives can actually be more deadly than guns. Why is that? Several reasons why.
First, according to the FBI, almost 10 percent of those are shot with guns die. However, a whopping thirty percent die from knife wounds. This is because while a bullet is fired by the machine itself, knives require a person to come in close and execute the job themselves. A bullet may puncture a few organs; a knife, depending on the wielder, can end up ripping those same organs open and rendering them useless. Secondly, guns are only effective if the target is in the line of fire. Even trained officers can only hit their targets one out of four times. A knife is deadly no matter which way you use it. Third, knives don't require ammo. They can be reused multiple times, thus inflicting a lot more damage to the person. Finally, anyone can wield a knife. You don't need training to use a knife and most people grow up around them, learning how to use them by the time they are at least ten years old. Guns require skill to fire.
That doesn't mean guns don't have their own strengths. The most obvious, of course, is distance. Guns can fire at either close range or, depending on some sniper rifles, up to a distance of four hundred yards away. To do this with a knife, you'd need to be able to throw it. I think I've already mentioned my brother is in Boy Scouts and at one of their recent camps, they were learning knife throwing. Even the best of them, the ones who had been doing this for their whole lives, could hit the target accurately from only about ten yards away. Point is, for distance, your better option is a gun. Guns are also clean (this changes, of course, based on where you hit the person). Knives, especially ones that are pulled out, cause a lot of blood and organs/tissue to rip, while guns most often carve a clean path through the body. Depending on whether or not the bullet stayed in the body or not, guns are a little less messy then knives are. Also, knives require a lot of physical energy. Stabbing a person isn't exactly easy because of the tissue and skin you have to cut through. Guns are a safer option if you don't want a close confrontation.
What are some of the best types of knives to have? For self-defense, foldable knives and switchblades are easy to carry as well as conceal. Added bonus: due to gun laws where I live, police are a little less harsh about carrying knives than guns. However, keep in mind that I am (a) not a lawyer and (b) I don't know all the laws so you should really do your research on carrying any kind of concealed weapon on you (some places don't allow pepper spray either). For strictly self-defensive purposes, a law enforcement blade works well.
Guns are a bit more complex. There are many different types, all used for different situations.
Sniper Rifles:
They can be used to hit targets from more than a mile away. They are specially designed to reduce recoil from the vibrations the gun produces (see this article for more information: https://science.howstuffworks.com/sniper4.htm).
Pros: Distance
Cons: Hard to reload, a long time between each firing. Also expensive; price range above eight thousand dollars.
Price: Ranges between eight thousand to fifteen thousand dollars. Pretty expensive.
Machine Guns:
Created during World War II, this weapon can fire 450 rounds to 600 rounds a minute.
This article provides more information on this weapon-https://online.norwich.edu/academic-programs/masters/military-history/resources/infographics/how-the-machine-gun-changed-combat-during-world-war-1
Pros: Rapid fire.
Cons: Very expensive, hard to get and can be heavy.
Neutral: Kills a lot of people easily :(
Price: This one's a bit difficult because it varies from dealer to dealer. I think it's safe to start at twenty thousand and work your way up.
Pistol:
A handgun, easy to conceal, and the barrel is under sixteen inches.
Pros: Easy to conceal, pretty light, holds a fair amount of bullets, easy to load.
Cons: Can jam up (do I smell conflict?)
Price: Two hundred to four hundred dollars for something that's not that fancy.
Rifle:
Fired with two hands, braced against the shoulder, with a barrel length over sixteen inches.
Pros: Pretty accurate, often comes with a scope to aim at the target.
Cons: Heavy, unwieldy, hard to hold and usually used for hunting.
Price: Six hundred to one thousand dollars.
Shotguns:
Fired with two hands and braced against the shoulder. Barrel length is over eighteen inches. Two types: pump action and semi-automatic. Pump actions require you to pump the handle to remove the shells. Semi-automatics do this for you, usually with gas or air.
Pros: Cheaper then other guns, reliable were pistols aren't.
Cons: Very heavy ammo and small capacity of ammo.
Price: Five hundred to eight hundred dollars.
Revolvers:
Guns with revolving chambers, you may recognize them in cowboy movies. Storing up to seven bullets in a revolving cylinder is how it got its name.
Pros: Reliable where pistols aren't. Since you have to physically load the gun, there's practically no chance of the weapon jamming up. Also very easy to conceal.
Cons: It doesn't have the most ammo so you'd have to be a pretty good shot to get the job done. And since, as I mentioned earlier, most trained gunners (is that a word?) only hit their target one out of four targets, so you'd be pretty lucky to hit two of your targets.
Price: Browsing on websites like Cabelas, the best deal you'd get is three hundred to four hundred dollars. There are, however, revolvers going for as much as a thousand. I'd do research on this one because it seems a bit shifty.
Other important things to note:
+Where the weapon is brought. From who and the price. Second hand or first.
+Country brought from.
+Whether or not your character has a gun license (Alex doesn't).
+How good the character is with guns. Keep in mind that all guns work in different ways. If, for example, your character knows to use a rifle doesn't mean they'll know how a pistol works.
+Desposition of character. I don't like loud noises which is why I tend to stay from firing guns. If a character has PTSD or some kind of thing that's triggered by gunfire, this is important to consider.
Thanks to all the people who are supporting my writing! It means a lot to me. :)
Happy Writing!
-Amber
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