Archers Defending Property

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Limited, but quite possibly effective enough, in much the same way as being limited to a .22 rimfire; matching tactics to maximize the advantages of the weapon. And the last thing any gang of thugs expects is an unknown number of people with bows that can really use them.

And bows can do lots of things most firearms cannot; transport any number of carefully constructed items and or substances over considerable distances with fairly good accuracy from a protected position. Mini molotovs or plain old fashioned flaming arrows come to mind as just a start.

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tellner,
A modern handgun in a major caliber is faster and easier to score hits with than a bow at any practical range at which the bow might be used. This has been known since the 19th century when a marksman armed with a revolver shot against an archer at one of the big gun clubs (Bisley? Wimbledon?) in the UK. I'll try to find a reference to the exact details.
I fiddle around with pistols at 100 yards pretty regularly. Scores on man-sized targets aren't difficult from a supported shooting position. At the same range, the archer has distinctly more difficulty. All that long-range archery in wartime from ages past was masses of archers firing at other masses of soldiers.
 
Scoring hits on a man-sized target at around 100 yards (exact range unknown) using a pistol is doable though perhaps not childs' play.

Doing the same with a bow is very difficult due to the extreme drop at those ranges.

The difference between arrow drop and pistol bullet drop at just 50 yards is around 9 feet.
 
One thing is certain: whether he has a bow or a crossbow, he absolutely postively must NOT show his nostrils at any window or doorway at the house. It's quite clear: long range shooting is not going to come into it.
If he lets them engage him like that, he's a lost cause.
 
I've read all the other replies. Considering where you are I'd only suggest that he plan to fire on his targets from the oblique as was done from fortified positions in days of yore. If he can strengthen his position with disguised but effective moat, walls, etc. he will be much better off. There are lots of things that he can do that will give him an advantage by creating obstacles he can cover with "fire". Certain plants in lieu of barbed wire, a well-thought out ditch/moat that gives his wall more realistic height while fooling the eye of passersby (and police), hardened house walls and roof, altered windows to allow shooting out at angles and so forth.
 
Bacteria??

What about smearing broadheads with fecal matter? :evil: If the immediate wound trauma does not cause them to cease and desist, then infected wounds later would be payback if they broke through and hurt the guy's family.

I read somewhere that defenders in medieval castles would sometimes season their broadheads with S#$% or feces.
 
One thing that the bow has over a firearm is steath. Several hits can be made on different target without being heard. Also, it maybe harder to see where the arrow came from in a surprise attack. A firearm, unless supressed, will be heard a long way, but not a bow.

I believe in a wooded area that the bowman knows with the right camo, four could successfully protect against a small number. But not a mob, unless a few well placed shots panicked the rabble and caused them to retreat. Add a crossbow to the mix and who knows...... I believe that trespassers would find an easier target. Seeing bodies with arrows in them would be very unsettling.

Launching a stick of TNT into a mob is an effective tecnique for a bow....
 
Context

In this context, where civillian access to firearms extremely limited a group of four trained archers would be a formidable force. Survival instinct would have me looking for an easier target. They'd likely be one of the hardest targets based on such limited access to arms in their locale. Within the limitations, I think the friend with his family of skilled archers is doing about the best they can.
 
Ok, assuming the attackers don't have firearms...

Against a few attackers it would work, but against a decent-sized crowd I think it would be pretty unimpressive.
 
They'll get a few of them then...

The group will organize, advance while covered by make shift shields to close to melee range and slaughter them.
 
OK, THEN WHAT?

i think word of mouth between looters will spread as soon as the first shishkabob stumbles away from that house and dies in front of all his buddies.

i still say that at least that family has a plan, and that plan includes a viable way to kill people coming after them.

this is like how people will argue that a bolt action rifle isnt good enough to defend with, or how people will say that a pistol isnt good enough. gimme a break. an arrow seems like it would have better results than a 32acp and people around here count on that for self defense.

give this family some credit. they have a plan and they care about protecting themselves. if your going to say they arent prepared, then lets hear what they need to do.

WHAT NON FIREARM WEAPON IS GOING TO BE BETTER THAN THE BOWS AND ARROWS THEY HAVE AND ARE PROFICIENT WITH?
 
The group will organize, advance while covered by make shift shields to close to melee range and slaughter them.
Click to expand...
A group of well disciplined soldiers maybe. Thugs, deep down, are usually cowards. Not always, just usually. Most thugs, after seeing a number of other thugs lying around, some maybe screaming, with arrows sticking out of them, will be loathe to continue and seek easier spoils.

In the case of any organized group - take down the identifiable leaders, and as many others as possible. Things will likely fall apart for them after that. A true rabble will often fall apart as soon as casualties among them become readily apparent unless there are pressing conditions and alot of very starving desperate people around.

-----------------------------------------

http://ussliberty.org
http://ssunitedstates.org
 
Agreed. Your usual lot of rowdy goons will probably be dissuaded by the first couple of their buddies being turned into pincushions.

Bows are silent and fire big projectiles that are visible when they hit somebody, and as such share a psychological effect more similar to mortars and flamethrowers than firearms.
 
If you're worried about mobs, get a frying pan full of oil, and put it on the stove. If folks try and come in, give it to 'em. Cooking oil biteth like an adder - and it sticks. Maybe you could fill a super-soaker with it... but it might melt through the plastic.

As for bow-and-arrows, maybe it's an idea for non-gun places like Washington. Getting out of the country could be a better way, though.
 
deer hunter,

you remind me of the movie '187'. where the gangbanger all of a sudden gets nailed by a arrow with a hypo needle. he pulls it out and says "stupid indians" and passes out.
 
first post

this is my first post here. I use both types of weapons, firearms and archery.
I am heavily practiced with both. I hunt with both, and I practice alot. I am a combat veteran of close combat.
Given a "red alert" I grab the rifle.
 
My first thought was "no way" but them I remember a guy I know from a knife board: Ron La Clair. He is a traditional bowyer. He is scary good.

Watch the two videos. The first two are direct links to the video. The last is a link to the site where you can check the video there. Click on one of the models then select "shooting demo" at the bottom of the page.

http://shrewbows.com/movies/ronl-4.wmv

http://www.tradgang.com/videos/ronlaclair/ronl-2.wmv

http://shrewbows.com/index.html

Heck, forget the bow. I just wouldn't want HIM coming at me with his bare hands! :D
 
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