# Knife vs. Gun



## ninjatradingcompany (Aug 17, 2007)

I recently took a concealed weapons class and a stateboard certified instructor quoted a statistic that caught my attention. He claimed that 80 percent of gun shot victims ended in no fatal injuries while to the contrary 90 percent of knife attack victims ended in fatalities. 

Moral of the story I guess is, if you are faced with two attackers, one yielding a buck knife and the other carrying a glock. Take out the punk with the knife first!

Maybe someone else has some info that would back up this claim?


----------



## Brian R. VanCise (Aug 17, 2007)

ninjatradingcompany said:


> I recently took a concealed weapons class and a stateboard certified instructor quoted a statistic that caught my attention. He claimed that 80 percent of gun shot victims ended in no fatal injuries while to the contrary 90 percent of knife attack victims ended in fatalities.
> 
> Moral of the story I guess is, if you are faced with two attackers, one yielding a buck knife and the other carrying a glock. Take out the punk with the knife first!
> 
> Maybe someone else has some info that would back up this claim?


 

Personally I am very skeptical of these statistics and would like a look at them myself. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





  One thing about statistics is that they can and usually will be manipulated.  Having said that if someone has a gun or a knife they are in my mind a very, very dangerous threat!


----------



## benj13bowlin (Aug 17, 2007)

I dont know about the statistics, but I do know that a knife wound, even a simple stab wound makes at least as large a hole as a bullet but with much less force.  So I can see where just from the size of a wound left by a slashing attack a person would loose more blood faster, giving rescue teams less time to save them.


----------



## benj13bowlin (Aug 17, 2007)

Since My last post I did some quick research and I saw the statistics that were quoted earlier, but every article I read had different statistics.

http://www.jtrauma.com/pt/re/jtraum...2ywy5NGjKs4TM5Z2!1152499061!181195629!8091!-1
http://timlambert.org/1997/02/knives-00006/
http://timlambert.org/category/guns/knives/

Here are a few that I thought were interesting.  I hope they help.


----------



## Doc_Jude (Aug 17, 2007)

benj13bowlin said:


> I don&#8217;t know about the statistics, but I do know that a knife wound, even a simple stab wound makes at least as large a hole as a bullet but with much less force.  So I can see where just from the size of a wound left by a slashing attack a person would loose more blood faster, giving rescue teams less time to save them.



I love when people mock blade work, claiming that guns are superior. 

I then show them how many LEAs are discussing extending the 21' rule, & some already have out to 30'. 

Some laugh & say,"Don't bring a knife to a Gunfight."

I say,"Don't bring a gun to a Knifefight!"

Unless you are a very fast draw & have some experience in point shooting, I wouldn't bring a gun to a knife fight, when at close range against a trained knifer. I'm way too rusty, haven't been to the range in over a year.


----------



## aplonis (Aug 17, 2007)

This is an absurd statistic. It leaves out many factors. For one thing, hardly anyone carries around a pen knife for protection. Fewer still would be fool enough to attack someone with it. 

Lots of dolts walk around with .22 and even .25 pistols. They blast away at eachother from a distance and miss vital areas. Whosoever attacks with a knife, even a pen knife, is going to have better aim than that.

And further, if a gun goes off folks for blocks around pick up their phones and call the cops. Ever hear of someone calling the cops because they heard a knife go off?

Me, I'd rather have a knife than nothing. But I'd rather have a gun than a knife. Instead, I take the middle ground and carry a cane. Point a gun at me and I'll drop my cane and dive for cover. Don't even think to try that armed with only a knife...not unless you've got an expert throwing arm.

Still prefer a knife to a gun?


----------



## Sukerkin (Aug 17, 2007)

There's one overwhelming variable to consider in any such discourse.

It's so good it's worth saying three times:

Range

Range

Range

All else, aside from the trump cards of cover and magazine capacity is moot.


----------



## SKB (Aug 17, 2007)

I agree with the range comment!!!! Thing with guns and knives is........ you can fire off ten rounds with a gun at someone from ten feet and miss, try and stab someone with one knife from one foot away ten times. Bet you hit them with the knife ten times.

I also would never want to show up to a gunfight with just a knife! Hell I'd never show up to the fight if I could!!!! Remember if you are invited to a gunfight, so up early and shot the other bastard as soon as he shows up!!!!


----------



## jks9199 (Aug 18, 2007)

Knife vs. gun...

Either can kill.

Either has an effective range and deployment limitation.

In the right hands, in the right situation, each is the right tool.  In the wrong hands or the wrong situation, neither is the right tool.

Which is "more deadly?"  I didn't know there was a way to be more than dead.

Gunshots to many parts of the body are not immediately fatal, and can often be treated relatively easily.  Knife wounds to few parts of the body are immediately fatal -- but often cause enough damage to be harder to treat.

I doubt there are any good objective numbers; you might check out stuff from the FBI and the Bureau of Justice Statistics.  They might have some numbers, but there are still issues of availability and concealment.  For example, almost nobody is shot in prison -- but lots die from knife wounds.


----------



## SeanKerby (Aug 19, 2007)

If I have a gun, I'm going to shoot you. If I have a knife, I'm going to cut you. It's a tool, train with it so that when you have it you can use it. Perhaps I am missing the point, or maybe I am more concerned with surviving the encounter. If I even remotely think that my opponent has a gun, I'm going to get the hell out of dodge. That includes anyone with me. If he has a knife, I'm going to attempt to disarm him by whatever means required. If I'm missing the point, someone enlighten me.


----------



## Nomad (Aug 20, 2007)

78% of statistics are made up on the spot.

'nuff said


----------



## Doc_Jude (Aug 20, 2007)

aplonis said:


> This is an absurd statistic. It leaves out many factors. For one thing, hardly anyone carries around a pen knife for protection. Fewer still would be fool enough to attack someone with it.
> 
> Lots of dolts walk around with .22 and even .25 pistols. They blast away at eachother from a distance and miss vital areas. Whosoever attacks with a knife, even a pen knife, is going to have better aim than that.
> 
> ...



Yes.


----------



## SKB (Aug 21, 2007)

jks9199 said:


> Knife vs. gun...
> I doubt there are any good objective numbers; you might check out stuff from the FBI and the Bureau of Justice Statistics. They might have some numbers, but there are still issues of availability and concealment. For example, almost nobody is shot in prison -- but lots die from knife wounds.


 
You would be surprised by how many people live after being stabbed 3,4,10 or even 20 times in prison. No matter what the 'tool' someone uses the effectivness of the tool still comes down to the person weilding the 'tool'.


----------



## bujuts (Aug 22, 2007)

Its all pretty simple.  The pistol is there for what the knife can't reach.  The rifle is there for what the pistol can't reach.  The missle is for what the rifle can't reach.  Economic sanctions are for when you can't launch missles.

The knife is superior to the gun within contact range (foot range or closer), if for no other reason it can operate in more than one dimensions.  Both require extensive practice if they are to be effective, and that includes bringing them into battery.  Even within contact range, someone who knows how to draw a concealed weapon is a deadly menace.  And, the knife takes more work to effect a kill.

Peace

steven Brown
UKF


----------

