Feasibility check: rifles as melee weapons
Setting: Modern world, zombie apocalypse version.
Research: googled "rifle weight" (it looks like 8+ lbs is the highest I can go), "using rifle as club" "rifle butt as weapon", and I got some useful information but mostly it was hunting clubs. Wiki'd "rifles" for basic technical information.
I need to check if this situation works in any way at all. I have a stronger-than-usual surgeon who is fighting off ~5 zombies. He's out of bullets, so he's using his rifle to club them over the head.
1. How much force does it take to bash someone's head in? Is it less if they're, you know, rotting? Is there a specially vulnerable point on the human head that he should aim for?
2. Can you just take a rifle and flip it around to hit someone?
3. Would a shotgun make a more effective club? I'm not picky here.
Research: googled "rifle weight" (it looks like 8+ lbs is the highest I can go), "using rifle as club" "rifle butt as weapon", and I got some useful information but mostly it was hunting clubs. Wiki'd "rifles" for basic technical information.
I need to check if this situation works in any way at all. I have a stronger-than-usual surgeon who is fighting off ~5 zombies. He's out of bullets, so he's using his rifle to club them over the head.
1. How much force does it take to bash someone's head in? Is it less if they're, you know, rotting? Is there a specially vulnerable point on the human head that he should aim for?
2. Can you just take a rifle and flip it around to hit someone?
3. Would a shotgun make a more effective club? I'm not picky here.