Silenced weapons

[Todg]

Originally posted by Straybow:
Defensive wounds on arms or hands are frequently the only wounds received in a non-lethal knifing. A bullet doesn't stop if the victim successfully "blocks" a shot with a defensive gesture.

Don't know if you looked at the souces I quoted, but they looked at comparable wounds, knife vs. gun. For example, wound to the thoracic cavity by knife were compared to those by gun. Even in direct comparison, the gun proved to be more leathal by a wide margin.

 

[Todg]

Originally posted by tucker2:
There do exist some real scary folk that make a simple knife pretty unbeatable, but they aren't generally fit to live among us.

"We keep an unpleasant gentlemen in the low berth for just such occasions."

 

[Jame]

I always wanted to know "does a laser make a sound?"

 

[Straybow]

Yes, comparing body wounds is useful, but I'm looking at the "whole picture" as it were. Against a knife you're less likely to receive a wound of that sort.

I've known a couple guys that took minor wounds they deflected or partially dodged. I bet many knife wounds never get reported to a hospital to get into those statistics, compared to few bullet wounds.

A couple guys I've known who were good with a knife were…I wouldn't say they aren't fit to live among us, but they had problems and I wasn't eager to be buddies with 'em.

 

[Aramond]

Jame, the question of lasers making a sound depends on one critical point, does the laser heat the air it is passing through and if so how quickly?

If it heats air to a temperature of 50,000 degrees or so like lightning does you will get a crack/boom of similar sound. But the ability of a laser to heat air would verry dependant on the frequency of the laser, the composition of the "Air" since we are talking different planets variations will change the heating properties.

Anybody out there know the particulars about this? I'm just going from what theoreticals I remember from college physics.

 

[Jame]

Let's just say, for argument's sake, that we're talking about a Traveller laser rifle or carbine, something strong enough for a weapon.

 

[Todg]

I'm starting a new thread about lasers. This is an interesting question that fits in nicely with a discussion on the TML.

 

[travellerne]

For those of you really interested in wound ballistics. The International Wound Ballistics Association is a often cited source in the world of defensive shooting. See their web site at:

http://www.iwba.com/default.htm

I've been give notes from their publications in some tactical shooting classes I've taken.

K.

 

[travellerne]

Here's a better source. It seems the IWBA has gone out of business but the Firearms Tactical Institute carries a lot of their data now. See:

http://www.iwba.com/default.htm

K.