Toxn Posted June 22, 2015 Report Share Posted June 22, 2015 We have occasionally talked about self-defence weapons, with quite a few disagreements on all aspects of the subject. Part of the problem, to my mind, is that a perfect self-defence weapon has a bunch of conflicting requirements: compactness, ease of use, availability, stopping power (lethal or nonlethal) and reliability. Added to these conflicting requirements, we have a whole gamut of legal issues which limit the solution space which can be realistically explored: limitations on substances, types of weapons, their form and operation and so on. To really game this one out, I propose that we completely throw out the rulebook and try to imagine the ultimate self-defence weapon. Again, this must be something that anyone can use, that is always available, that always works and that kills or incapacitates instantly. Have at it gents. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toxn Posted June 22, 2015 Author Report Share Posted June 22, 2015 To start, something conventional: A micro-calibre pistol, geared for burst or automatic fire with toxin-filled bullets. I'm not talking about something that will kill you in a few hours, by the way. I'm talking about etorphine, concentrated conotoxins, taipan venom, batrachotoxin, type H botuninium and the like. This thing would kill with a hit to any part of the body, with penetration to any depth and with fragments. More, it would do so in seconds. If you've ever heard an argument about how a pistol 'levels the playing field' between a hypothetical ultra-petite woman and hulking assailant, then this thing is its reductio ad absurdum. It makes even the weakest person capable of dealing instant death to anything short of an orca. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Belesarius Posted June 22, 2015 Report Share Posted June 22, 2015 Some of the Sea Snake venoms would be nasty if they didn't burn off or loose potency. Keeping delivery intact could be an issue. I know Russia did some work with castor bean toxin IIRC. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sturgeon Posted June 22, 2015 Report Share Posted June 22, 2015 Handgun with lightweight, low-pressure, but relatively large-caliber rounds, fired at just enough velocity to penetrate a bit into human tissue. The projectiles are filled with high explosive and have a simple chemical impact fuse. Bonus of the ammo not being likely to kill the user as it ages or if it is mishandled, like the toxin idea. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toxn Posted June 22, 2015 Author Report Share Posted June 22, 2015 Handgun with lightweight, low-pressure, but relatively large-caliber rounds, fired at just enough velocity to penetrate a bit into human tissue. The projectiles are filled with high explosive and have a simple chemical impact fuse. Bonus of the ammo not being likely to kill the user as it ages or if it is mishandled, like the toxin idea. 15x15mm HE - for all your instantaneous death needs. To defend my idea a bit - encapsulated and stabilised toxins can, depending on the toxin, be hella stable and safe to use until the seal is broken. Best not to handload. More esoteric idea: ditch the gun as something to be handled by the user. Stick it on an A-class drone (duration may be an issue) with gyro-stabilised mount. There are really good algorithms for motion tracking these days, so all you need is something allowing the user to designate. Failing that, simply have the drone kill anything not complying with the lie-down-on-the-floor request. Note: works with other types of platforms as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sturgeon Posted June 22, 2015 Report Share Posted June 22, 2015 How does the user threaten the assailant then, and how do you prevent the drone from attacking people you don't want attacked? I do like how if you get taken totally by surprise the drone can zap your assailant - probably bad news for glompers, though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Priory_of_Sion Posted June 22, 2015 Report Share Posted June 22, 2015 How about a catapult that throws bags full of bees? "Don't approach me would-be assailant! I have in my possession a bag of bees!" *throws bees Xlucine 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xlucine Posted June 22, 2015 Report Share Posted June 22, 2015 Handgun with lightweight, low-pressure, but relatively large-caliber rounds, fired at just enough velocity to penetrate a bit into human tissue. The projectiles are filled with high explosive and have a simple chemical impact fuse. Bonus of the ammo not being likely to kill the user as it ages or if it is mishandled, like the toxin idea. Don't chemical fuses get really really sensitive as they age? Best not drop grandad's old gun, it might still be loaded... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sturgeon Posted June 22, 2015 Report Share Posted June 22, 2015 Don't chemical fuses get really really sensitive as they age? Best not drop grandad's old gun, it might still be loaded... I was thinking of Raufoss rounds, which seem to be fine in that regard. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Khand-e Posted June 22, 2015 Report Share Posted June 22, 2015 A steel tipped, glass bodied round using a low powered explosive compound to fragment the glass 360 degrees and it's white phosphorous filler. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EnsignExpendable Posted June 22, 2015 Report Share Posted June 22, 2015 Walk around with a Claymore, people will think you're crazy and won't mess with you. Mine or sword, it doesn't matter much either way. Khand-e 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Khand-e Posted June 22, 2015 Report Share Posted June 22, 2015 Walk around with a Claymore, people will think you're crazy and won't mess with you. Mine or sword, it doesn't matter much either way. Why not a claymore sword with another on your back with a vest and belt of claymore mines? Jeeps_Guns_Tanks 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Khand-e Posted June 22, 2015 Report Share Posted June 22, 2015 Also colli, take the size of your typical 10mm FMJ projectile, hollow it out as thin as it can go with a special magnetic jacket designed to hold the core material in place and from touching anything, and calculate exactly how much anti matter you can fit inside/how big the explosion would be when the jacket breaks open on impact and the anti matter core is exposed to matter. OK GO! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Belesarius Posted June 22, 2015 Report Share Posted June 22, 2015 Unless you want to go full jihadi, setting off a claymore anywhere near you is inadvisable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Belesarius Posted June 22, 2015 Report Share Posted June 22, 2015 Also colli, take the size of your typical 10mm FMJ projectile, hollow it out as thin as it can go with a special magnetic jacket designed to hold the core material in place and from touching anything, and calculate exactly how much anti matter you can fit inside/how big the explosion would be. OK GO! That actually sounds like a pretty badass contender for an armored suit grenade launcher type weapon. Want to be at least hardened infantry when dealing with those energy levels. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xlucine Posted June 22, 2015 Report Share Posted June 22, 2015 1g of antimatter = 21.5 kiloton explosion. Forget hardened infantry, I'd prefer to be in a tank Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Priory_of_Sion Posted June 22, 2015 Report Share Posted June 22, 2015 I'd think a weaponized Big Dog robot bodyguard who be good self defense. Have a small harpoon gun on its back which fires at a selected target. The harpoon can be laced with venom from a conesnail. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Khand-e Posted June 22, 2015 Report Share Posted June 22, 2015 WP is still the best as it's not only highly toxic and corrosive, but burns at incredibly high temperatures. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Belesarius Posted June 22, 2015 Report Share Posted June 22, 2015 1g of antimatter = 21.5 kiloton explosion. Forget hardened infantry, I'd prefer to be in a tank I wonder what the minimum safe distance for a human being in today's tech body armour would be? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Collimatrix Posted June 22, 2015 Report Share Posted June 22, 2015 I wonder what the minimum safe distance for a human being in today's tech body armour would be? It depends on exactly what the antimatter is made out of. Positrons (anti-electrons) annihilate with normal electrons to create gamma rays. Protons and anti-protons annihilate to create some gamma, and a whole stew of exotic, unstable particles. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LostCosmonaut Posted June 23, 2015 Report Share Posted June 23, 2015 How about a catapult that throws bags full of bees? "Don't approach me would-be assailant! I have in my possession a bag of bees!" *throws bees On topic, you're going to want something that's easily concealable and can kill or incapacitate in one shot. Assuming we only have one assailant, reloads aren't going to be a primary concern. So clearly, the best idea is a very small pistol firing a single large round (12 gauge or larger) at medium/low velocity and filled with the toxic/deadly substance du jour. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toxn Posted June 23, 2015 Author Report Share Posted June 23, 2015 Unfortunately, you also need to have it be as foolproof as possible - hence the lots of small rounds approach. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toxn Posted June 23, 2015 Author Report Share Posted June 23, 2015 As will have become apparent to everyone by now, an additional problem with self-defence weapons is that they invariably make even better offensive weapons. This is one conflicting requirement that I honestly have no answer for, other than to look at purely defensive ideas (read: armour) which have major problems of their own. xthetenth 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donward Posted June 23, 2015 Report Share Posted June 23, 2015 Take a hint from nature. Just be so odious and foul smelling that no one wants to mess with you. Bonus if you can contract a skin disease that is easily communicable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EnsignExpendable Posted June 23, 2015 Report Share Posted June 23, 2015 Expand in size greatly when threatened. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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