What is the best semi-auto weapon for surviving a zombie apocalypse?

I'm thinking AR-15. You can pick your preference from 30 or 50 round std. mags or a 90 round drum. The key to zombie survival is ammo cap.

We all think it would be easy to get one in the brain, but it's much more difficult than you think.

I agree with Duane about shotguns. They don't allow you to de-brain from a distance, which is an issue.

BIG counterpoint to the Franchi SPAS: Eight (8!) round capacity, then you have to hand load eight more in. even if you can reload in 10 seconds (which would be fast) that's waaaay too much time. Instant zombie happy meal.

Three words ... "Multiple Kill Vehicle"http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KBMU6l6GsdM

Read The Zombie Survival Guide by Max Brooks for answers to all your zombie killing questions. Great book.

Also, flamethrowers are a terrible idea unless you are in a fireproof, easily defensible position. As fire does not kill instantly, the zombies will continue their advance until they finally burn to death. This will endanger you and your defensive structure. Your best option of weapon will always depend on your situation, with a flamethrower only being a good idea when you are moving quickly and can leave the burning zombies behind in a hurry.

Multiple Kill Vehicle

Firstly, you must understand that the next zombie apocalypse isn't expected for another five hundred years or so. However, Zombologists have been wrong before.

In any case, the cardinal rule to bringing down a zombie (and this is coming from years of experience) is to cut off the head.

Forget automatic weapons, you need a chainsaw. The bigger the better of course, but keep in mind that if you want to get to the safe zone (which naturally located in Maine), its better not to have something too bulky weighing you down.

In conclusion, chainsaw; not too big, not too small, and remember - Maine.

I agree with Anthony, flamethrower is a terrible idea. The only thing worse than a hoard of zombies is a hoard of zombies on fire.

The AA-12 is a sight to behold. But as with all weapons, semi-automatic or not, these things rely on ammunition, which will no doubt be in short supply. Would rather go with a good sniper rifle and pick them off from a distance, one by one.

The tried-and-true weapon of choice is the crowbar. Lightweight, easy to carry, good length for spearing heads, doesn't rely on ammunition or need reloaded, can open crates, doors, windows, etc.

I also read that some guys in South America have gotten some good results from a machete. Wouldn't hurt to have one as a backup if nothing else.

You never have to reload a machete...

Isn't is obvious? An AK-47. Accurate, powerful, easily obtainable ammo, full auto capability, and you know it will last throughout the zombie apocalypse.

You'd need a weapon with:
1. Exceptional long and short range capability
2. Extreme durability
3. Easy to scavenge ammunition AND parts
4. Easy portability
5. Decent rate of fire (i.e. not a bolt action but select fire might not be necessary)
6. Lightweight ammunition (because you'll be carrying it)

Thus I would pick an piston driven AR15 with additional attachments specifically for a zombie invasion.

There are many rifles that would probably do as well if not better than an AR15 in many of the above categories, but as the AR15 is so common in the U.S., the fact that both ammo and parts would be easy to scrounge put the platform ahead.

There are many options now for piston driven AR15s. I do not have enough experience to recommend one over another, but Ruger's New SR556 is a good place to start.

As for add-ons, first and foremost I would place an under-barrel shotgun system, such as the M26 or a masterkey. While this would add to the weight (and may also be cheating for the purposes of this question as it's basically another gun and, in the case of the masterkey, not semi-auto), I think the close range benefits and adding ability to scrounge for shotgun shells in addition to .223/556 ammunition would make up for it.

For sights, I would choose a "Trijicon Acog"http://www.trijicon.com/user/parts/parts_new.cfm?categoryID=3 with low or medium magnification. This would allow you to engage zombies anywhere from 20 to 300 yards away and, thanks to the internal lighting of Trijicon sights, during day or night.

I wonder if all of these swell semi-auto semi-warrior weapons wouldn't just punch neat little holes through your zombies, leaving them pretty much intact to march onward. Unfortunately, you have to impart a goodly amount of blunt force on these guys to bring them down.

Perhaps you need to look at the proper ammunition for any firearm you select. For the battlefield, wounding your enemy is a plus because his pals have to deal with it, but the armies of the dead do not worry about their wounded.

For an all around - must have zombie apocalypse tool, you can't beat a halligan bar...

Halligan Bar

Saiga 12ga shotgun with 20RND drum mags. Saiga

The one and only - H&K Mark 23

I second Anthony's response.

While I echo a lot of the choices shared here, I also see possible issues with them. Mostly the melee weapons proposed (Chainsaw, Crowbar). While the Chainsaw does a great job of dismembering and rendering brains useless... it also needs constant maintenance (bone and skin can dull and jam. Most decent chainsaws need mixed fuels. Finally, they're unwieldy and can kick back... there goes an arm). The crowbar is good because it doesn't need any maintenance, but it also is only effective at close range and assuming the wielder is strong enough to both impale a skull and then remove the crowbar quickly.

I would go for a weapon that offers a little of both close-range and distance attacking. Something that can pierce rather than hack, clobber or cut. A weapon with ample stopping power. The M1 Garand with 10" bayonet.

Don't forget your sling and remember to cover your shoulders, neck and arms with thick padding. They're the most likely to be bitten first.

According to most zombie experts, the only way to kill a zombie is severely damaging the brain.

You must also understand that you need to be very mobile, as you will most likely need to get safely out of Raccoon City, Silent Hill, Etc.

So you will need something that is
1.) Lightweight
2.) Heavy Killing Power
3.) Accurate
4.) Semi-Automatic, and Automatic capabilities for desperate situations

Introducing the Kriss

The problem with most SMG's is the recoil. Popular SMG's like MP5's only shoot 9mm ammunition, which although cheap and plentiful, have little killing power. In addition to that you can only shoot in 3-round bursts before affecting accuracy.

The Kriss uses the much more powerful .45 cal bullet, which bores holes up to an inch wide into rotting flesh. It also employs revolutionary system that diverts recoil into the handle, thereby completely eliminating barrel climb.

Here is a video showing the Kriss in action: Kriss Recoil System

Keep a Glock 21 as your sidearm. It uses the same powerful .45 cal ammunition so you only have to carry one type of ammo in your backpack. It works great for close kills when you're driving a car through a horde of zombies, and works underwater, in mud, in sand, anywhere.

Finally keep a San Mai Gurkha Kukri on your hip. This machete has an angled blade that helps develop momentum for lopping heads, clearing brush, and prying open doors, rescue crates, etc. This is all you'll need.

Finally lets look at why other options are bad choices:

Flamethrower: Very Heavy, damages your base, hard to reload

Shotguns: Great upclose, terrible at a distance, hard to reload

Crowbars: Hard to carry, you don't want to get that close

AK47: 5.56mm bullet is too small to create enough exit damage

Sniper Rifle: Unless you're in a field, any sniper post will make you a sitting duck if they find your building

Chainsaw: Please see crowbar, only works in the movies

I recommend having yourself covered for longer range attacks and close range situations. Any respectable close range zombie fighter knows that a Katana with a razor sharp edge will allow you to cut up those vacant-eyed flesh mongers with ease. Along with an AR15 and a backpack of ammo, you should be good until you reach your next destination... hopefully an intact sporting goods store parked next to a grocery store for all your one stop needs! Good luck.

An AR-15 for long range, and a nice Remington 12 gauge shotgun for close range. Both take easily available ammo.

Ya the flamethrower is okay, if you want to make Smores for the Zombies. I would consider the Desert Eagle http://www.magnumresearch.com/ for your side arm, the Personal Defense Weapon http://www.knightarmco.com/images/pdw1.html for your day-to-day slayings, and the XM307 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/XM307_Advanced_Crew_Served_Weapon if you just want to have some fun with a buddy or mount it to your DeLorean http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DeLorean_DMC-12 to look cool.

When you need long range accuracy with short range mass destruction, nothing beats a vintage Browning 1918-A2. Big old 30-.06 round with single shot or 2 rates of automatic fire (550 rounds or 350 rounds) per minute. The 30-.06 can drop a human target well beyond 800 yards and will put a fist sized hole through a 12" cinder block at close range. So when you need to reach out and destroy someone, I go with the old tried and true 1918-A2.

Semper Fi

I think i'm going to use a quote from Samual L. Jackson in the movie Pulp Fiction. "AK-47. When you absolutely, positively got to kill every motherfucker in the room. Accept no substitutes." Mmmmm mmm

The Armsel Striker

It was called "the street sweeper' for a reason.

And used by Apartheid South Africa, so you know it's good.

Any kind of small caliber weapon would do the trick. Ideally something like the M1 Carbine, as it is light, compact, easy to operate and maintain. Ultimately what would make your decision is what kind(s) of ammo are most readily available. The .22 round is probably the most common type of ammunition around, and would definitely serve the purpose. While a 22 caliber rifle wouldn't have the greatest range, typically speaking when at a reasonable distance the round will have enough power to puncture the skull but not enough to leave it. This causes the bullet to ricochet inside the skull causing maximum damage to brain tissue, ensuring the death of any target within range, be it living or (un)dead. In addition, the .22 is a very small round making it easy to carry more than enough, and is relatively quiet with little to no kick to it.

Shotguns are over rated, as they generally have very low ammo capacity and are very cumbersome to use in a short range situation which is the only time they would be useful. SMGs and assault rifles are both ill-advised options, as they encourage much more use of ammunition than is necessary and are not built for accuracy. Flamethrowers are far too large and unwieldy to be practical, on top of the fact that zombies are ignorant to any pain that fire may cause them. Flamethrowers will usually end up causing more problems for you than solutions, and that's assuming you can even find enough fuel to use it. While sniper rifles seem ideal, they are often very loud and very large. This makes them difficult to transport, and staying in one place for very long when stirring up a zombie horde is never a good idea. What you want is something light weight and practical, something you know how to operate, and something you can easily restock ammunition for.

Chuck Norris' Beard.

Just stay close to Chuck Norris, you won't need a weapon.

forget chuck norris, his too old, you need jeeja yanin and tony jaa. I can't wait for them to team up!

Well you asked what the best semi-auto firearm would be, so I'll tell you. Forget any kind of m16 or m4 or any rifle that shoots a .22, the .22 and .223 (aka 5.56) bullets are too small to destroy a zombie's infected brain, and we all know you have to destroy the brain to kill the zombie.
Go with a Kimber (http://www.kimberamerica.com/) 1911 style .45 caliber pistol. the 1911 is a classic, and the .45 round is big and slow enough to blow the tops off some zombies. And don't buy any kind of Glock, the zombies will just laugh at you for your poor taste.

Everyone is talking about guns, flamethrowers, and chainsaws. All of these items have one flaw, they all need something else to operate. So scrap that sh*t. You are in the damn zombie apocalypse, the last thing you need to be worrying about is finding f*cking bullets, gasoline (for the flamethrower or chainsaw), and new chains for the chainsaw. I suggest you get a sword, a claymore if you are into medieval stuff, a katana if you have yellow fever, or maybe a rapier if you are a pansy frenchmen. I mean its all up to you, but a sword operates on its own. Cut off their heads and you are done.

You're asking the wrong question, my friend. You don't need an automatic weapon to survive the zombie apocalypse. You don't even need a chainsaw. A bit of background, before we get ahead of ourselves...

Zombies are created through the tenets of Voodoo. But they aren't created from thin air. They're created through a Bokor -- a sorcerer. Bokor's are essentially priest-entrepreneurs. If you're willing to be a paying client, they can help you out. But anger one of their paying clients...and watch out.

To survive the Zombie apocolypse, you've gotta hire a good Bokor and get them on your side. They're key to stopping the zombies from taking over.

If you can't do that though, I guess you could get a "KRISS 45 Carbine W/FLDG 45ACP 16" 13 Rd, Semi-Automatic TacPac Kit": http://www.impactguns.com/store/KWCRS0800202.html to buy you some time.

Light saber

or

There have been DIY efforts to mount battery powered chainsaws to rifles, much like the Lancers in the videogame/book Gears of War. Theoretically that combination of assault rifle and powered saw would be an ideal application. One thing is certain - use frangible ammunition. You will want an ammo that dumps ALL of it's kinetic energy into soft targets since knock-down power is key here.

If you're using a handgun, I would advise practicing the Mozambique drill in preparation.

http://www.zombiearmory.com

.22 Cal is the best choice just as Max brooks says in his book. You do not need to obliterate the brain just scramble it a bit so it does not operate. I like the Walther p22 with the barrel extension. It is small and very light and easy to use. You could carry two easily just for good measure. .22 Cal rim fire ammo is more than simple to find an in mass quantities. That way you don't need to hold back on the double tap.

ZOMBIELAND = GREATNESS

@ The Haute Spot,
I enjoyed your post except for two incongruent facts.

First the AK-47 is chambered in 7.62×39mm the recent export AK-101 is chambered in NATO 5.56. The 7.62 is a big slow bullet which has tremendous knock down capability but ballistics indicate that is is actually less lethal than the standard 5.56×45mm NATO cartridges for the simple fact that it will bore a hole right through you. Where as the 5.56 because it is only about 63gr vs. 120gr for 7.62 it has a tendency to cavitate or 'bounce around' creating a massive internal wound. Effective against dead flesh? I am not sure but both should cause significant damage to knock down a zombie for good. However, the Kriss is a vastly superior weapon and one i would rather employ simply for its accuracy at short to medium range but an M-4 would be nice as well to be able to have that layered tier type defense that puts distance between you and the target.

Secondly, you state that the 9mm lacks killing power. I again disagree with your logic as although I keep .45 cal around for home defense (esp. from the zombie apocalypse) a 9mm would be a more prudent choice for a couple reasons. First an expanding bullet levels the playing field and with the velocity of the bullet being much higher than a .45 energy transfer will be very high. Next, again as much as i love my XD45, it only holds a clip of 13+1 vs the 9mm XDM which holds an impressive 19+1. Additionally, the recoil is something that the uninitiated may fear, causing sight pulling or dropping decreasing accuracy for those all too important head shots. Personally, I'll stick with .45 but for the average person you can carry more 9mm and it generally has greater accuracy than the .45 and higher energy transfer.

Still a great post, your brought up a lot of great points and Kukris are fantastic weapons when employed properly. The Nepalese use it first to stab their opponent in the stomach causing them to bend over at the waist and in one fluid motion lop their heads off. Definitely worth having during the apocalypse.

Have a good one!

You haven't actually shot an AK-47 or .45 ACP pistol/SMG, have you? First off, the AK has a 7.62mm diameter bullet, and will make holes in engine blocks, much less heads. A .45 will bounce off even a slightly angled car windshield. The AK round will go right through. I'd want the penetration, so as to shoot through doors and such. Ammo is lightweight as well.

The AR/M-16 family of rifles would not be a good choice since you need to clean them constantly. If the gas system or locking lugs (to name only a couple parts affecting reliability) become even remotely dirty the gun doesn't work. Contrast that to the AK, which you can literally fill with mud and then fire. The M-16 and AR-15 shoot the 5.56 mm bullet you claim is ineffectual, by the way.

You don't need a full-auto weapon. Semi is fine, since you're after head shots anyway you need to care about shot placement, not volume of fire. Put another way, you're not keeping their heads down with your base of fire, you're trying to pop their heads off. The .45 has an effective range of perhaps 50 meters, and you will want something that can reach out longer than that yet still be an easy wield for CQB. So, an AK wins there.

The only changes I'd make to the AK are foregrips with M1913 rails so you can mount a light/laser, and a mount for optics, so you can get headshots farther out yet still see the iron sights.

You keep your Glock, I'll keep my Sig P220 Combat TB with Gem-Tech Blackside suppressor. Rather pop them quietly so as not to alert the hordes, you see.

Good call on the kukri. Though I suspect if you're down to using that it's going to be a sad day.

If I had to open the safe and grab something, I'd be grabbing the MAC-11/9 with the Lage slowfire upper installed. That and a Sig P226 with the Tundra suppressor. A 9mm round would work well enough for popping zombie heads. One kind of ammo appeals, too.

hand held nuclear device and a kukuri

Agree with Mr. Bob Parrish...

The Saiga-12ga with the 12ga slugs
I have also seen a round tommy-gun like clip for the Saiga that holds 30+...

AK-47

You do realize, that when you fire a gun, you're telling every zombie in the area "here I am, come and get me?"

An automatic weapon is nice if you're surrounded by the hoard and need to mow them down quick to make your escape, then I'd go with whatever's popular, and most importantly, whatever has plenty of ammo around.

And "cut off their head"? What are you reading? Shoot them in the head. Massive head trauma. That ends it. And double tap them as well.

To survive a zombie apocalypse, you need a long range SILENT weapon - get proficient with a bow and arrow.

Find yourself a long-armed bladed weapon, but keep a machete/hatchet on your person, because they can and probably will surprise you up close and personal.

If someone tells me the only way to survive is with a loud loaded gun, I'll be sure to head to a quiet area and watch the zombies swarm them.

wow, probably the most bad-ass question i've seen on this post. And the answer is...

FLAMETHROWER