# You're going to fight a duel- what weapon do you choose? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 20, 2018, 1:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youre-going-to-fight-a-duel-what-weapon-do-you-choose/812744 "2018-04-20T01:06:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2018, 3:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youre-going-to-fight-a-duel-what-weapon-do-you-choose/812744/21 "2018-04-20T03:23:52Z")
My weapon of choice would be frisbees with razor-sharp edges. My disc golf and Ultimate experience would give me an easy win. ---
**Author:** ![HurricaneDitka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/96bed5/32.png) [@HurricaneDitka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HurricaneDitka)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2018, 3:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youre-going-to-fight-a-duel-what-weapon-do-you-choose/812744/22 "2018-04-20T03:34:45Z")
> [@Oredigger77](#): > > … I’ve done knife fighting as well and everyone walks away bloody so even the winner lose. > … I’m intrigued by this. What’s the backstory? ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2018, 4:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youre-going-to-fight-a-duel-what-weapon-do-you-choose/812744/23 "2018-04-20T04:42:24Z")
Any mental powers you can wield. We’ll stare at each other until we get bored. Or he’ll strain so hard trying to kill me that he has a stroke. ---
**Author:** ![Regallag\_The\_Axe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/regallag_the_axe/32/445_2.png) [@Regallag\_The\_Axe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Regallag_The_Axe)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2018, 5:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youre-going-to-fight-a-duel-what-weapon-do-you-choose/812744/24 "2018-04-20T05:31:38Z")
> [@Chimera](#): > > Any mental powers you can wield. > > We’ll stare at each other until we get bored. Or he’ll strain so hard trying to kill me that he has a stroke. Your opponent may use his mental powers to will one foot in front of the other, moving towards you, then will fists into nose, thumbs into eyes, or hands around throat. ---
**Author:** ![jtur88](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e9c0ed/32.png) [@jtur88](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jtur88)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2018, 7:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youre-going-to-fight-a-duel-what-weapon-do-you-choose/812744/25 "2018-04-20T07:05:12Z")
“You sunk my battleship” – Bill and Ted ---
**Author:** ![Llama\_Llogophile](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@Llama\_Llogophile](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Llama_Llogophile)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2018, 7:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youre-going-to-fight-a-duel-what-weapon-do-you-choose/812744/26 "2018-04-20T07:46:25Z")
16-ton weights. I’ll even let the other guy go first. And I carried one once, as far as you know, so it’s legal. ---
**Author:** ![Asuka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@Asuka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asuka)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2018, 8:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youre-going-to-fight-a-duel-what-weapon-do-you-choose/812744/27 "2018-04-20T08:31:03Z")
Pump action shotguns. If I’m fighting I’m fighting to win. I’m assuming the other person will be an average person who knows enough to pull the trigger and fire but may not be the fastest on the draw or pump. Unless I’m fighting a championship shotgun marksman I think I can aim fast enough to win (and with a shotgun you don’t have to aim as carefully for obvious reasons) plus with the rules a single shotgun blast to the torso is enough to kill/wound/draw blood regardless. ---
**Author:** ![Delicious](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/dbc845/32.png) [@Delicious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Delicious)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2018, 8:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youre-going-to-fight-a-duel-what-weapon-do-you-choose/812744/28 "2018-04-20T08:43:54Z")
Dual-wielding snakes. ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2018, 1:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youre-going-to-fight-a-duel-what-weapon-do-you-choose/812744/29 "2018-04-20T13:23:09Z")
A pillow. I’m probably going to lose anyway and now he can’t really tell the story of how he defeated a guy armed with a pillow without looking like an asshole. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2018, 1:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youre-going-to-fight-a-duel-what-weapon-do-you-choose/812744/30 "2018-04-20T13:23:31Z")
> [@Llama\_Llogophile](#): > > 16-ton weights. > > I’ll even let the other guy go first. And, even if you lose, all you’ll be is another day older and deeper in debt. ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2018, 1:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youre-going-to-fight-a-duel-what-weapon-do-you-choose/812744/31 "2018-04-20T13:24:58Z")
Bombs connected to computers running the NY Times Sunday crossword app at one kilometer. First to finish sets off the bomb next to the other person. ---
**Author:** ![Ravenman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ravenman/32/2929_2.png) [@Ravenman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ravenman)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2018, 1:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youre-going-to-fight-a-duel-what-weapon-do-you-choose/812744/32 "2018-04-20T13:41:37Z")
Probably nunchucks. They are pretty hard to use, and since I have a little experience with them, that’s probably far more than my opponent. ---
**Author:** ![penultima\_thule](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/penultima_thule/32/3833_2.png) [@penultima\_thule](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/penultima_thule)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2018, 1:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youre-going-to-fight-a-duel-what-weapon-do-you-choose/812744/33 "2018-04-20T13:54:19Z")
I’d take a leaf from the book of duelling according to Melfant and Lenfant (1843) and go with billiard balls @ 20 paces. ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2018, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youre-going-to-fight-a-duel-what-weapon-do-you-choose/812744/34 "2018-04-20T14:00:55Z")
30 lb dead fish. Pike, lake trout, catfish maybe. Just because it would be amusing to have two people beating each other with fish. ---
**Author:** ![Inigo\_Montoya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inigo_montoya/32/124_2.png) [@Inigo\_Montoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inigo_Montoya)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2018, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youre-going-to-fight-a-duel-what-weapon-do-you-choose/812744/35 "2018-04-20T14:25:19Z")
A fresh trout or [Point-of-View-Gun](http://alienencyclopedia.wikia.com/wiki/Point_of_View_Gun) would be my first and second choices, but both are ruled out by the OP. Too bad, I could do a lot of damage to an opponent with the gun. Therefore, I will select the flame thrower. The challenger can decide if he wants to be a little singed or die horribly in a greasy fireball. [reviewed rules] Damn. OK then, blow gun. ---
**Author:** ![kopek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kopek/32/337_2.png) [@kopek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kopek)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2018, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youre-going-to-fight-a-duel-what-weapon-do-you-choose/812744/36 "2018-04-20T14:52:01Z")
First choice – flintlock pistols, second choice swords. I practice and train with both, something few people do although in this hypothetical universe that could be YMMV. Third choice, just in a pyrrhic sense, would be shotguns loaded with buck. Set the conditions you want, one of us is almost certainly dead. ---
**Author:** ![3trew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/3/13edae/32.png) [@3trew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/3trew)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2018, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youre-going-to-fight-a-duel-what-weapon-do-you-choose/812744/37 "2018-04-20T15:08:11Z")
Machetes. The space is too small for rapiers, I have about a 50/50 shot of getting off first, and fully accept that victory in a knife fight means you made it to the ER. ---
**Author:** ![XT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xt/32/456_2.png) [@XT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XT)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2018, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youre-going-to-fight-a-duel-what-weapon-do-you-choose/812744/38 "2018-04-20T15:22:18Z")
> [@Regallag\_The\_Axe](#): > > You were challenged to a duel, and circumstances compelled you to accept. In the hypothetical reality where this happens duels are legal and you are able-bodied, not elderly, nor ill. Duels in this world work like this: The challenger issues the challenge, the other party accepts. The person who accepted chooses the weapons both parties will use. The challenger then chooses the terms of the duel, to blood, to wounding (meaning a wound severe enough to prevent one from continuing the fight), or to death. The duelists fight the next day in level, grassy square 20 feet to a side. There is a fence surrounding the dueling grounds that is locked until the fight is over. Going beyond the terms of the duel _will_ result in stiff penalties, including fines and likely jail time. Neither fighter is allowed to wear armor of any kind and medical personnel are nearby for when the fight is over. > > You have no way of knowing which condition your opponent will choose, and the two of you are roughly equal when it comes to physical strength and endurance. You may choose any weapon that can be carried and used by a single person\* from automatic rifles to pointed sticks. With all this in mind, what weapons will you choose? > > For myself, I’d fight with spears. They’re good weapons for novices (which I am) and I think it would be relatively easy to strike in a way that would only draw blood or injure without killing, while also being able to kill if need be. > \*No explosives, incendiaries, chemical agents, biological agents, animals, sci-fi weapons, or fantasy weapons. Well, I was going to say shotguns on ostrich back, but you said no animals. I’d certainly choose a fire arm, though, since even though I took a lot of martial arts in the past, including weapons training for the higher belts, I know enough to know I couldn’t defeat anyone who really knew what they were doing, while pistols or other firearms are something anyone with even a little familiarity can use effectively…and I have more than a passing familiarity. So, pistols at 40 feet I think, maybe a matched pair of .40 caliber Beretta with 10 shot magazines, since that’s the gun I’m most familiar with. ---
**Author:** ![Doctor\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doctor_jackson/32/32_2.png) [@Doctor\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doctor_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2018, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youre-going-to-fight-a-duel-what-weapon-do-you-choose/812744/39 "2018-04-20T15:47:43Z")
A specific pair of pistols that I have previously modified so that only I know how to actually fire them. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2018, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youre-going-to-fight-a-duel-what-weapon-do-you-choose/812744/40 "2018-04-20T15:54:19Z")
> [@XT](#): > > So, pistols at 40 feet I think, maybe a matched pair of .40 caliber Beretta with 10 shot magazines, since that’s the gun I’m most familiar with. You only have 20 feet. Good thing the other guy won’t have a knife. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youre-going-to-fight-a-duel-what-weapon-do-you-choose/812744.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youre-going-to-fight-a-duel-what-weapon-do-you-choose/812744.md?page=3)