Posted: 3/5/2010 6:23:29 AM EDT
The new Final Fantasy is getting released next week(anyone else excited?  ), so I have been playing some of the past Final Fantasy games recently. I popped in FF8, and was reminded about the "Gunsword". Why don't these exist? Seems like one awesome blend of Western and Japanese culture.
For those of you unfamiliar with the "Gunsword", here is a pic for reference. 
But seriously though, I would buy a fully functional one. The sword doesnt necessarily need to be full length, perhaps just a long fixed blade knife style would work just as well I would think. And yes I know bayonets exist, this is slightly different. |
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The Gun / Knife / Sword / Thing... goes way, way back. Like back all the way to the earliest firearms. I've seen it discussed much in the knife community... but I've really never heard the whole reason for the combination explained. I'm not sure there is a reason, or if there ever was a reason, that anyone actually knows what it is. |
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Those are kinda cool |
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Those are kinda cool Google image, "gun sword" or "gun axe", etc. There was a lot of interesting weapons like these. |
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wow that is some really neat stuff I had absolutely NO IDEA existed! cool looking collectors items there
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Holy crap, it's being released next week? Good thing you told me... lol yea, pre-ordered with release day shipping from Amazon. Will be in my mail when I get off work 
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Holy crap  |
I can't wait to parry a shot from a manxome foe with a blade attached to my loaded, chambered firearm. Hopefully I'll be in a low guard sweeping from right to left so the firearm has a chance of being 2 MOA off of my face when contact is made.
Answer: The combination offers no advantage to using a sword as a sword (extra weight not devoted to cutting power), and no advantage to using the gun as a gun (might obscure part of your sight radius, adds length to the weapon without adding barrel and resulting increases in FPS which makes the firearm less maneuverable, etc) I would propose that the combination provides disadvantages to the use of both weapons, and only minimally adds to your ability to carry both weapons. |
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I get wood every time I post that thing!
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Farscape had the best "gunsword"  this? http://www.comicscontinuum.com/stories/0912/05/farscapequest1c.jpg Yes.
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The problem is that the sort of grip needed to use a blade and that needed to use a firearm are quite different and to a large degree mutually exclusive. Sure about that? https://www.physicalchess.com/media/catalog/product/cache/1/image/5e06319eda06f020e43594a9c230972d/f/i/file_3_22.jpg An odd contraption to be sure. I guess it could be made to work reasonably well for a thrusting / stabbing weapon. A slashing weapon would present real problems, however. |
One of those Final Fantasy/anime fans explained it to me. He told me that the intention isn't to shoot someone with the gun - it does more damage if you stab someone (with the foot-wide blade) then pull the trigger, and the gunshot makes the blade vibrate, causing more damage. Than being stabbed by a blade a foot wide. And then being shot.
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