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Post by Deleted on Sept 10, 2007 20:52:38 GMT
Hey y'all,
I know some of us practice with our swords and sabres, some don't. Some have even taken lessons. But have any of you ever really wondered how you'd make out if you really had to fight with a sword? I have wondered how I'd do if I really had to fight someone with swords. So, I figure, if on foot, I might do ok against an average oponent, a rank beginner like me, but I am quite sure I would be slaughtered if I had to fight a master.
On horseback, at one time I figure the same goes. But now, since I have not ridden a horse in years, am overweight now, etc., I would probably get either slaughtered or at the least "unhorsed".
So, have any of y'all ever mentally graded your abilities like that, just wondered or were curious? I am just curious if others wonder about such as that like me.
FB
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Post by randomnobody on Sept 10, 2007 21:12:37 GMT
I'd last about ten seconds. That's if the other guy is slow.
Seriously, though, I don't know. I've never had formal training, and only fun sparring bouts with a friend or two. They were often decided in about 30 seconds, but the results varied.
Against somebody who actually knew wht they were doing, I'd be more likely to run away, possibly screaming like a little girl who's just seen a spider.
Okay, some girls like spiders, but you get the idea.
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Post by ShooterMike on Sept 10, 2007 21:23:00 GMT
Yep, I have frequently thought about this same topic. I am pretty sure I would be so defensive that I would be unable to mount a decent offense. I have zero formal training and in a real fight it would show, without a doubt.
I have been shot twice and stabbed once, all accidentally. I have a lot of training with firearms and so don't really have a fear of being shot. But I'm the first to admit that I'm terrified of getting cut up with a sword. Obviously, the unknown holds the most fear for me.
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Post by rammstein on Sept 10, 2007 21:55:25 GMT
I'd last pretty damn long.*
*= several conditions, among these being...
1.) I'm fighting a corpse
2.) If not 1.), then a cripple
3.) If not 1.) or 2.), then one who is already preoccupied
4.) My horse is faster
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Post by Deleted on Sept 11, 2007 0:43:23 GMT
With just a sword? In that case I'd probably go down at the first slash or poke. If I could carry My H&K 9mm with +P JHPs (affectionately known as the Teutonic Terror) I'd stand a fair chance. ;D
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Post by Brendan Olszowy on Sept 11, 2007 1:29:19 GMT
When I play it out in my head I too imagine taking a defence. Lancelot + Tsafas analysis' has pointed out the fault in this. Its hard to imagine being aggresive at someone with a 4 foot pointy straight at your face. Need a spaing partener to get abetter feel. When I shadow spa I've gone so far undefeated  Hey mike how much did it hurt to get shot? |
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Post by Deleted on Sept 11, 2007 1:43:34 GMT
I bet it hurt like a son of a semprini.
An actual swordfight would be...interesting. Briefly. And painfully. I can't imagine myself coming out on top against anyone who knew their ass from their elbow.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 11, 2007 2:15:45 GMT
Hey y'all,
As far as how it feels to get shot, once back in '79 I got drunk and tried to quick draw. I shot myself in the back of my right calf with a Colt .45. That 250 grn slug nearly spun me for a cartwheel. But for real, I always thought it would hurt real bad to get shot. Maybe it depends on where your hit. But it did not hurt a bit..., at least not right then! My whole leg just sort of went hot feeling and numb, or maybe alternating. That was late in the afternoon. I was admitted to the hospital and they worked on it, cleaned it, etc., still numb, no feeling in the wound area. My calf was horrible swollen and looked like when you throw a rock into mud; a big nasty, bloody, spread open crater. But you can rest assured that around 4 in the morning the throbbing pain woke my arse up and lit me up! I called the nurse and she popped me in the buttocks with a big steel shot-needle and I was in la la land for a day or so. So to put a long story short, it hurt like heck after the shock and numbness wore off!
Hey Kreigschwert. I appreciate your appreciation for H & K weapons. Fine weapons, possibly the best out there. But since I can't afford H & Ks of any sort, I had to settle for an AK-47, which I love.
Take care,
Freebooter
Alabama
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Post by Deleted on Sept 12, 2007 13:54:53 GMT
To misquote an army maxim on hand-to-hand combat: "The winner of a sword fight is the one whose buddy shows up with a gun." I figure if I ever have to use my sword, it won't be in a duel-like setting, so if I can get suprise on my side, I think I'd do alright. Otherwise, I might hope for a mutual slaying. I think I could pull that off.
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Post by ShooterMike on Sept 12, 2007 14:39:57 GMT
When I play it out in my head I too imagine taking a defence. Lancelot + Tsafas analysis' has pointed out the fault in this. Its hard to imagine being aggresive at someone with a 4 foot pointy straight at your face. Need a spaing partener to get abetter feel. When I shadow spa I've gone so far undefeated Hey mike how much did it hurt to get shot? Brenno, Those are exactly my thoughts too. I know in my mind that to survive and win a strong offense, not even requiring perfect technique, is preferable to being just defensive. But since I don't have any sparring experience to speak of I know how it would likely play out for me...not too good! RE: getting shot (both with .40 S&W pistol rounds), the first time was in the abdomen. It was a grazing shot through the fleshy/fat on my right side and it stung just about like a hornet sting. The second was on the left side of my face by a decent sized chunk of deflected bullet. It felt like someone hit me in the face pretty hard with a stick. Kind of stunned but not much pain. Just a LOT of bleeding. It's still there BTW. Shows up on dentist's x-rays. Kinda difficult having to explain when I go for my 6 month checkup.  Oh yeah, I forgot. There was a third time when I took about 6-8 fragments from a .223 bullet that broke up after hitting some steel. They all penetrated the skin and fat on my abdomen, but not too deep. Rifle bullets travel fast enough to get VERY hot, so those burned like Hell! |
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Post by randomnobody on Sept 12, 2007 14:55:14 GMT
One of the guys I went to school with was shot accidentally by his own father with (I think) 12-gauge buckshot. Hit him on the better part of one side. I forget the exact distance, but he wasn't terribly far away at the time.
He compared the feeling to being hit with a baseball bat, hard. I can't remember whether he said the next feeling was hot or cold, but he eventually experienced both, but claims no real immediate pain.
Last I'd seen of the guy he still wore a necklace made of some of the bits they recovered, one having flattened nicely against, I think, his thigh bone.
I've never been shot, stabbed, or terribly severely injured in any real way, half the reason being that I do what I can to avoid such situations.
In the case of a one-on-one duel with swords, I don't know, I might be all right for a good 30 seconds, then if I haven't downed the other guy by then, I probably won't be coming out too well. There's only one way to be sure about this, and it's on my list of situations to avoid.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 12, 2007 15:10:27 GMT
The closest thing I've ever done that could even remotely resemble any armed fighting would be when I was fending off my Tae-kwon-do practicing friend, with me wielding a 6' ash pole. I think I pulled it off alright.  The problems began when he suddenly got five more people on his side.. unarmed as they were, I just couldn't fend them all off at once. Then I got hit by a kick. It hurt. I maintained my honor (in a slightly twisted way) by outrunning them though. ;D As for a real sword-to-sword fight.. I'm just not confident enough. Yet! Grr..! |
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Post by randomnobody on Sept 12, 2007 16:28:06 GMT
Once I was havig a bout with a friend using bokken. He was one in tae kwon do, but had parted and was practicing on his own with other friends. I hadn't been to my kenpo class in five years by this point, but neither of us had much experience with swords.
We were pretty much even, though neither of us were really trying (getting hit with a bokken hurts and all), but after an hour or two he decided he'd had enough od swords and wanted to try me unarmed. I reluctantly agreed, out of practice as I was.
Turns out we'e both pretty defensive when it comes to hand-to-hand, so things didn't move much at first. We each waited for the other to move first. Finally, he used his established speed advantage to move in, strike out, and retreat. I managed to block him, which triggered his ego into launching a more vicious assault. I fended him off for tge most part, but when I caught a low kick with my shin, it was time to realize how rusty I was. My leg was throbbing pretty good. Despite my wearing jeans, I got a nie abrasion about five inches long and two wide, which I showed him, and he admitted perhaps that ws enough for today, as it was already a healthy shade of purple.
Had we kept at it, though, it would probably have been pretty even, but I had to lift heavy things the next day, and didn't want any more bruises or other injuries to my legs. Haven't been able to meet up with the guy in about two years now, I imagine I'd be much worse off now.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 12, 2007 18:23:04 GMT
Shooter Mike that round that hit you in the face, was it also a round deflected off of a steel plate like the .223?
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Post by ShooterMike on Sept 12, 2007 20:35:44 GMT
Shooter Mike that round that hit you in the face, was it also a round deflected off of a steel plate like the .223? Yep. The joys of having uneducated people on the range who shoot up your pistol-only steel with a .223. It makes a 3/8" diameter hole that doesn't quite penetrate the steel. Then when a pistol bullet hits the edge of the crater, it does a quick 180 degree turn and heads back up range. |
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Post by Deleted on Sept 12, 2007 20:40:39 GMT
Hey Shootermike,
Yikes! That is almost scary. They should inspect any damaged steel plates on the range and replace them.
FB
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Post by ShooterMike on Sept 12, 2007 20:49:05 GMT
Hey Shootermike, Yikes! That is almost scary. They should inspect any damaged steel plates on the range and replace them. FB Well...since I OWN the range in question...YES I SHOULD!!! It seems I have a few friends who have idiot friends...and well... this one slipped by me. Serves me right I guess. |
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Post by Deleted on Sept 12, 2007 20:59:28 GMT
ShooterMike Said "Yep. The joys of having uneducated people on the range who shoot up your pistol-only steel with a .223. It makes a 3/8" diameter hole that doesn't quite penetrate the steel. Then when a pistol bullet hits the edge of the crater, it does a quick 180 degree turn and heads back up range. "
I can relate to the latter part of that statement very well. I hate it when that happens.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 12, 2007 21:58:35 GMT
I saw on some news or documentary where this guy and a his gal were shooting a 9mm at the dump or something. He was shooting at an old car wheel or rim. The round hit it just right and doubled back and hit his girlfriend right in the forehead. It did not kill her, but cut her pretty bad and she had to go to the hospital if I remember correctly. You could actually see the coppery flash of the bullet as it whizzed towards her.
FB
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Post by hotspur on Sept 12, 2007 22:48:38 GMT
Yep, I have frequently thought about this same topic. I am pretty sure I would be so defensive that I would be unable to mount a decent offense. I have zero formal training and in a real fight it would show, without a doubt. I have been shot twice and stabbed once, all accidentally. I have a lot of training with firearms and so don't really have a fear of being shot. But I'm the first to admit that I'm terrified of getting cut up with a sword. Obviously, the unknown holds the most fear for me. I had been following this thread and receiving an email from a friend made me lol, in remembering what Mike has shared here. The email was entitled "Photos of recovery progress while enjoying new safe hobby" Here he is trying out his new monopod. His lady has a good sense of humor about it but I think has worries this really isn't safer than the motorcycles.  As to the combat question, one never knows until it happens and adrenaline/experience certainly play roles. My headmaster back in the sixties was relating a call to quarters on a WWII cruiser. Someone layed on to the triggers of a twin .50 mount while bringing the guns to bear. The fellow who was in front of the guns took some rounds through his legs and did not immediately react to the injury, he was that wound up. Everyday emergency type situations usually find me fairly calm, even when growing beyond my control. i've hardly seen it all but am not the type to react in panic. Dismay, oh yes, quite frequently. Cheers Hotspur; really just wanted to share the photo of my buddy's new monopod ;D |
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